Ethan Coverstone

He earned his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Ball State University and his Master’s in Architecture from the University of Southern California. Ethan began his career in Los Angeles, where he was immersed in beach-side California modernism and east LA’s rich art and music scene. After 10 years of working on the west coast, Ethan relocated to Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2023. Ethan has worn many hats in the profession, serving as senior project architect, BIM manager, social media strategist, implementation lead, and studio staffing manager. His project experience ranges in scale from custom single family homes to ground-up production studio campuses. 

While living in Los Angeles, Ethan helped to restart the previously defunct AIA|Los Angeles Emerging Professionals Committee where he served as a committee member from 2017-2023 in various roles. He also spent four years donating time as a high school mentor with A.C.E. Mentoring in North Torrance, California to teach students about the intersection of architecture, construction, and engineering. Ethan served as a steering committee member and event speaker for the inaugural day-long conference ENCOMPASS: Inclusive Architecture in 2017, and he also served on both the marketing and events committees for the cancelled 2020 AIA National Conference, which was set to occur in Los Angeles. Ethan was honored as a James Pettigrew Memorial Scholarship recipient by the Architects Foundation in 2019.

After moving to Grand Rapids, Ethan was a member of the inaugural AIA|Grand Rapids THRIVE Mentorship cohort which helped ground him in the city’s professional world. In 2026 he was a contributing author to Out in Architecture: Volume II, where he wrote about his experiences at the intersection of architecture and photography while being a renter in Los Angeles.

Ethan believes the key to great design is prioritizing the experience of the people inhabiting well-crafted space. He is inspired by Yoshio Taniguchi’s words: “architecture is basically a container of something. I hope they will enjoy not so much the teacup, but the tea.” He was drawn to MMA’s attention to detail and rigorous application of design-thinking that is evident at all scales. 

On the weekends, Ethan can typically be found at a local bar with live music, at a vintage store with quality goods, or exploring Michigan’s natural landscapes. He also enjoys gardening and spending time working on home projects with his husband and their cat.