Ronald Weston, the founding principal of Weston Architecture in West Orange, begins his term as the 2023 American Institute of Architects New Jersey president with a mission to better integrate the organization into the state and local community.
Weston, who previously served as a principal and practice leader at New Jersey-based PS&S and Hillier Architecture before starting his own consulting firm, said one of his overarching goals for this coming year is to have AIA New Jersey focus more on engaging with government officials, industry leaders, students and the public. The reason: He hopes to help more people develop a better understanding of the value that good architecture and design adds to society, he said.
Weston, who brings four decades of experience in the architecture, design and construction industry advising clients and project teams on best practices to the role, is familiar with AIA leadership. He served as president of his local section, AIA Newark and Suburban Architects, in 2018.
He’s also familiar with all aspects of the industry.
During his 37 years as a licensed architect, and AIA N.J. member, Weston has led a wide variety of commercial, educational, hospitality, institutional and mixed-use projects. His work has ranged from being a principal architect of record on numerous new schools, commercial buildings and multifamily residential developments in the New Jersey/New York region, to managing design teams on larger-scale national and international mixed-use developments.
“Working with professional colleagues to create new school buildings that will educate generations of students ranks as the most rewarding type of project for me,” he said. “The larger commercial and mixed-use developments I have worked on certainly were more complex and exciting, yet they tend to be less enduring and impactful for their communities.”
Outside of his architecture roles, Weston currently serves on the New Jersey advisory board of the Trust for Public Land nonprofit organization, where he just completed a four-year term as chairman. He also recently completed 20 years of continuous service as a West Orange planning board commissioner, including eight years as board chairman.
Weston’s bona fides include holding architecture licenses in seven states and the District of Columbia, and he has held his NCARB certificate for over 35 years. He is a licensed professional planner in New Jersey and is a LEED Accredited Professional through the U.S. Green Building Council. Weston is a graduate of the Syracuse University School of Architecture, where he earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree.
