EDI International – Developer-First Architecture

Victor A. Mirontschuk draws a clear line between fanciful designs that end up in a portfolio and buildings that actually get constructed. His firm, EDI International, sits firmly on the practical side of that line.

“It’s rewarding to design something and actually see it built. It’s the visualization of your dreams before your very eyes.”

With 45 years in the field, Mirontschuk still brings genuine enthusiasm to the work. But he’s never chased the “starchitect” label. Instead, EDI positions itself as a developer’s architect, focused on meeting client specifications and budgets rather than chasing magazine covers.

Global Reach, Local Presence

Offices and Specialties

EDI operates studios in New York City, San Francisco, and Houston. The firm covers architecture, interior design, and planning across three core sectors: commercial, hospitality, and residential.

By the Numbers

• More than 500,000 residential units designed
• Over 750,000 acres planned
• More than 20 million square feet of commercial and mixed-use development

Project types range from apartment buildings and high-rise multifamily communities to luxury hotels, spas, golf clubhouses, and corporate headquarters.

Flagship Projects

Harbor Point, Stamford, Connecticut — One of the largest redevelopment projects in the country and an NAIOP case study. Over the last decade, EDI has designed more than 4,500 residential units and roughly 900,000 square feet of retail and commercial space across this 82-acre transit-oriented development.

Jones Center for Families, Springdale, Arkansas — A 230,000-square-foot community center built for a charitable trust, featuring social and wellness spaces, swimming pools, a gym, track, ice rink, auditorium, and conference center.

International work — Office towers and expatriate housing in Angola, Equatorial Guinea, England, Guyana, Mexico, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and across Asia.

Key Clients

Alliance Residential, AvalonBay Communities, Building and Land Technology, Trammell Crow, and Wyndham—relationships built over decades.

“These are relationships that you can’t buy.”

A Philosophy of Purposeful Design

Founding Principles

Mirontschuk started EDI in 1976 in Houston with a simple set of values: be reasonable, be dependable, design with purpose and practicality, take care of your clients, and do good work.

He began his education in engineering before switching to architecture, then landed in Houston during a housing boom with minimal zoning restrictions.

“We could design and build projects literally in six months in the very beginning. We did a lot of projects in a very short period of time.”

Rather than chasing volume, Mirontschuk chose to develop deeper relationships with a smaller group of clients. As the firm grew, he added specialized divisions: commercial, land planning, hospitality, interior design, and landscape architecture.

Leadership That Stays Involved

EDI’s principals work projects from start to finish rather than handing off to junior staff. The current leadership team includes:

• Richard Handlen — San Francisco studio lead
• Brit Perkins — Houston multifamily studio lead (with the firm since 1979)
• Andre Landon — Hospitality team head
• Darcy Garneau — Managing principal
• Rebecca Henson — Director of hospitality

A tight team of roughly 60 people spans the three offices, with many members having 20-plus years at the firm. That longevity builds consistency, trust, and genuine relationships.

“You have people you have worked with for many years, who become your friends — even like family.”

In the New York office, Mirontschuk doesn’t even have a private office. He sits in the open plan with everyone else.

“There’s a lot of interaction, a lot of communication.”

Beyond Architecture

When he’s not running the firm, Mirontschuk pursues photography. His work has appeared on National Geographic’s Your Shot and in USA Today, and two of his photos were selected by filmmaker Ken Burns in USA Today’s Flags and Best of Your State competitions.

Asked why he doesn’t retire, his answer is simple:

“It’s not work.”