Jonathan Merin

AIA, LEED AP

Corporate & Commercial Market Leader

At SMMA

  • Jonathan’s responsibilities include overseeing the design process, coordinating architecture and engineering teams, facilitating communications with clients, organizing documentation, and serving as the day-to-day contact during the construction process
  • Specializes in corporate and commercial projects
  • Excels at contextualizing corporate organizations’ goals, ideas, and unique cultures to deliver impressive end projects, as well as a smooth construction process 
  • Harnesses his dependable, energetic, and dedicated nature to ensure strong client relationships 

Focus on Process

Prior to joining SMMA, Jonathan oversaw the renovation and construction of Google’s Kendall Square Cambridge office. “This experience—of negotiating with so many different players and solving problems, often ten at a time—left me wanting to focus my career more on the project management side of the process,” he explains. 

“That’s why I came to SMMA. I’m now a part of a team of dedicated project managers—a rarity in our industry. We’re always learning from each other and discussing how to improve the process. Not only are the designs and the final products better for the client, but the overall process is smoother.” 

Lessons Learned by Selling TVs

“My greatest career preparation was selling TVs in college,” says Jonathan. “I learned how to think quickly on my feet, which has helped me deal with all the problems that you don’t read or learn about as an architecture student.”

“More importantly, I learned how to quickly make a connection with someone and understand what they need or want. I’m introverted by nature, so I had to teach myself this—and it’s proven invaluable for establishing strong relationships and cultivating repeat clients. After all, this is a business of people. Demonstrating dedication and building trust are so important.”