PEOPLE
KUA OFFICE IN ATLANTA, GA
Kronberg Urbanists + Architects is a multidisciplinary design studio that utilizes architecture, urban design, real estate development, and policy to make neighborhoods better. We started out as architects focused on designing great buildings, often working to breathe new life into overlooked existing structures through creative design. We quickly learned that a truly successful project for our clients required not just good building design, but a deep understanding of often misunderstood factors like zoning, site design, mobility, equity, and redevelopment finance.
We’ve spent the last fifteen years becoming experts in these areas, crafting a holistic approach to redevelopment and connecting with a wide range of partners whose skillsets we leverage to the benefit of our clients and our communities. Our focus has expanded beyond architecture to include urban design, real estate development, and policy design – both through practice and thought leadership. Our best value to our clients is when we can leverage multiple areas of our varied expertise in the same project.
Formerly known as Kronberg Wall Architects, the firm changed its name in 2019 to Kronberg Urbanists + Architects to better reflect the evolution and expansion of our core mission beyond just architecture.
FOUNDER
ERIC KRONBERG (he/him)
Eric Kronberg is a zoning whisperer. He specializes in balancing and blending the often competing needs of urban design, architecture, and development in a potent cocktail for better places. He specializes in breaking down and demystifying regulations to find ways to make great projects possible while helping others navigate the redevelopment maze. He uses his skills for the force of good as a principal at Kronberg Urbanists + Architects (KUA), leading the firm’s skilled practitioners to help our development partners create better places for all. His work with KUA, the Incremental Development Alliance, the Congress for the New Urbanism, the Georgia Conservancy, and the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition has solidified his stance as an advocate for walkable communities.
DIRECTOR OF URBAN DESIGN
ELIZABETH WARD WILLIAMS (she/her)
Elizabeth Ward Williams is Director of Urban Design at Kronberg Urbanists + Architects. A native of Atlanta, Elizabeth is trained as an architect and city planner, with master’s degrees from Georgia Tech in both fields. Dedicated to creating an Atlanta that she is proud to live in, Elizabeth serves on her neighborhood planning committee and is involved with many local advocacy organizations. Additionally, she serves as a faculty and board member for the Incremental Development Alliance, and as a part-time lecturer at Georgia Tech. In each of these roles, Elizabeth uses her unique skill set to educate and advocate for positive changes in policy, development and design. When not dreaming of ways to create better built environments, Elizabeth is likely biking with her twins or camping somewhere remote.
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
OLIVIA PONTIFF (she/her)
Olivia Pontiff's Cajun roots fuel her passion for creating radically authentic neighborhoods. She starting working in architecture at age 15 and later earned a Master's of Architecture from Tulane University where her love for historic buildings flourished. Moving to Atlanta, Olivia shifted her focus from historic buildings to prioritizing cultural fabric and creating inclusive, socially conscious spaces. As a Senior Project Manager at Kronberg Urbanists and Architects, she has led some of the firm's most complex commercial adaptive-reuse and missing middle residential projects. She draws from her previous experience in historic renovation to promote walkable communities through infill development, specializing in historic districts, building codes, and construction detailing.
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
SANAA SHAIKH (she/her)
Sanaa, a Pakistani American originally from Louisiana, is a senior architect at Kronberg Urbanists + Architects where she specializes in residential projects. She earned her Master of Architecture and Bachelor of Arts in English at Tulane University where she grew her love for adaptive re-use, walkable neighborhoods, and tiny houses. She leverages her expertise in thoughtful design and creative thinking to deliver projects which are meaningful to our clients and the local community. Some of these include Georgia Ave Redevelopment, La France Walk, and various projects at the Lee + White Food and Beverage District. While not practicing architecture, Sanaa is KUA's local science fiction and fantasy enthusiast. You can usually find her at a local coffee shop or convention, tea and book in hand.
PROJECT MANAGER
CHRIS DUNN (he/him)
Chris graduated from Tulane University in 2015 with a Master’s degree in Architecture and a minor in Urban Studies. After receiving an Academic Excellence Award in Architecture and Design while studying abroad in Copenhagen in 2013, he began working in architecture professionally in 2014 with a student internship at Perkins + Will. He has since gained experience in several sectors of architectural practice, including public-sector work in California, as well as commercial and industrial work with pharmaceutical companies in the Research Triangle Park area in his home state of North Carolina. Outside the realm of architecture, Chris enjoys biking around town, learning about and listening to music, and taking road trips whenever possible.
PROJECT MANAGER
HANNAH BANNISTER (she/her)
Hannah Bannister brings a passion for just and equitable architecture to Kronberg Urbanists + Architects. She joined KUA after earning her Master of Architecture from Tulane University, where she worked with the Small Center for Collaborative Design on multiple community-driven projects. As a project manager and architect at KUA, she has managed several of the firm's missing-middle housing, commercial, and adaptive-reuse projects, including multiple projects with the firm's non-profit partners. She continues to draw on her passion for more equitable spaces and looks forward to bringing more projects to life alongside folks in the Atlanta community.
DESIGN ASSOCIATE
SOFIA STAFFORD (she/her)
Sofia, an Atlanta native, is a LEED Green Associate with a Master of Architecture degree from Georgia Tech. Regenerative building design, evidence-based practice and ecological sensitivity drove much of her graduate coursework. She leverages her passion for equitable transit while serving on the Atlanta MARTA Riders Advisory Council. She developed a love for regionally specific architecture and development early on while traveling to other countries with her father, an airline pilot. In addition to architecture, she is passionate about investigative journalism and public policy.
DESIGN ASSOCIATE
ANNIE DAVIS (she/her)
Annie graduated from Tulane University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Architecture degree and a minor in Urban Studies. During her time at Tulane, she worked as a Small Center summer fellow, organized the annual Undergraduate Design Symposium, and upon graduation, received the American Institute of Architects Henry Adams Medal. Before moving to the south, Annie lived outside of Portland, Maine, and spent eight years growing up in rural Alaska. Annie spends her free time exploring vintage markets and trying out different coffee shops around Atlanta.
DESIGN ASSOCIATE
KAILAH ADAMS (she/her)
Kailah Adams graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 2022 as a James W. Fitzgibbon Scholar with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture as well as a minor in French. Kailah joined Kronberg Urbanists + Architects as a Design Associate in 2022, however, she was no stranger to the KUA team. Kailah began working in architecture as a summer intern at KUA in 2016 and 2021. Kailah’s passion for design along with a childhood spent underfoot at the construction sites of her father, a carpenter, has helped her develop a passion and inquisitiveness for the built environment. In addition to architecture, Kailah spends her time training and competing in dog sports with her Doberman, Onyx, horseback riding, and trying new restaurants.
DESIGN ASSOCIATE
KATIE REILLY (she/her)
Originally from car-centric San Diego, Katie discovered her passion for walkable cities after moving to Boston to earn her Bachelor of Science in architecture at Northeastern University. After moving south for fairer weather, she completed her M.Arch at Georgia Tech. There she focused on affordable housing and architecture as a framework for resilient communities at the Flourishing Communities Collaborative lab. She brings this background to her work at Kronberg Urbanists + Architects, where she contributes to missing-middle housing and urban design projects. When not at work, Katie can be found going to concerts, walking her dog, or trying out a new restaurant.
DESIGN ASSOCIATE
GILL GINGHER (she/her)
Gill moved to Atlanta with her family in 2017 and has been enamored with it ever since. Originally from the metro New York area, she attended the University of Rochester for her undergraduate degree in Art History and Business. During her time there, she fell in love with the city’s urban planning and civil rights history, which inspired her to pursue a career in the built environment. She switched gears from museum and gallery work late in her senior year and applied to the Master of Architecture program at Georgia Tech on a whim. Her time at GT was greatly influenced by her love of art, culture, history, and social justice. Working as a research fellow for the Flourishing Communities Collaborative, she studied community-based research and design, completing editorial work on three publications with her research advisor. She comes to KUA with a passion for creative thinking as a tool to solve the housing crisis and bolster community wellness in the City of Atlanta. In her free time, she is an amateur chef – spending much of her time cooking for friends & family.
DESIGN ASSOCIATE
NATALIE LAM (she/her)
Natalie was born and raised in Hong Kong, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from The University of Hong Kong. While studying and working there, she developed a deep interest in addressing the housing crisis, driven by inequity and the lack of affordable housing. After moving to Atlanta to pursue her Master of Architecture at Georgia Tech, she was struck by the city’s car dependency and delved into the racial inequalities shaped by urban policies. Her passion for creating fair, walkable neighborhoods and fostering community through architecture led her to join KUA. On weekends, On weekends, you can find Natalie exploring farmers markets, thrift stores, and snooping around historic neighborhoods—usually peeking at homes and yards or falling down a Zillow rabbit hole.
DESIGN ASSOCIATE
BRADEN MCKNIGHT (he/him)
Braden grew up in Atlanta's sprawling suburbs before graduating from Georgia Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a minor in Industrial Design. He also spent a semester abroad in Barcelona, where he developed a passion for urban design and public spaces. Working primarily on small-scale housing developments, he is motivated by expanding access to quality housing for all. As a Georgia native, he is also interested in the unique landscapes and architecture found in the State and tackling its historic inequities with interdisciplinary, collaborative design. Additionally, he enjoys ambitious baking projects and running through Atlanta's many parks.