University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Fine Arts: Master of Architecture, 1976 
Yale University: BA, Urban Studies and Art History, 1973

Belmont Freeman, informally known as Monty, established his eponymous firm (BFA) in 1986 with a mission to fulfill his clients’ visions through elegant and appropriate design across diverse practice sectors.

Monty is dedicated to enlightened solutions that synthesize complex functional, technical, and contextual issues, delivered with economy of material and aesthetic means. He is equally committed to environmental responsibility and sustainability, particularly expressed though his expertise in historic preservation, restoration, and renovation.

Recognized as an innovative designer, progressive practitioner, and a scholar, Monty is regularly featured in the media and is a columnist for Places journal. He speaks widely on his work and related research and has received numerous awards from the American Institute of Architects, the American Society of Interior Designers, and other professional and civic organizations. He was named a Fellow of the AIA in 2009.

A dedicated educator as well as practitioner, Monty taught for many years as an adjunct professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, and is currently a visiting lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design, where he teaches a design studio within the Historic Preservation program. He is a frequent guest critic and lecturer at schools across the country.

Monty is on the board of directors of New York’s Storefront for Art & Architecture, an internationally known not-for-profit design gallery, of which he was president for a decade. He has also served on the board of directors of the Society of Architectural Historians and the board of governors of the Yale Alumni Association.

An American of Cuban descent, Monty is regarded as an expert on Cuban architecture, about which he speaks and writes widely. He co-produced the Storefront for Art and Architecture’s landmark exhibition Architecture and Revolution in Cuba, 1959-1969, and has conducted many celebrated architectural tours of the country. He recently acquired and renovated a midcentury modern home in Havana as a base for professional and family activities on the island.

Monty conducts business in English, Spanish, and French. He is licensed as an architect in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, and holds certification from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

Southern California Institute of Architecture: Master of Architecture, 2008
Purchase College, SUNY: BA, Art History and Contemporary Art, 1998

Haan joined BFA in 2010 and holds a leadership role in the firm’s design, company culture, and business development practices. Highly attuned to the complexity and technical challenges of each project, her responsive work style delivers clarity while guiding clients through the design and construction process.

Specializing in higher education, cultural, and civic design, Haan’s significant projects include offices for Columbia Business School, an international research center for Teacher’s College at Columbia University, and ongoing projects for New York University.

The minimalist palette she incorporates into each project embodies a carefully considered use of space and materials. Her work continually draws on a sensitivity to visual arts and materials, fostered by prior work as an independent curator and gallerist, managing the fabrication and installation of contemporary art in museums and galleries. These projects were recognized by the New York Times and Artform International.

Prior to joining BFA, Haan worked as a designer on a new campus for San Francisco State University, and One Santa Fe, a mixed use project in Los Angeles, at Michael Maltzan Architects.

Haan has led academic, cultural, and civic projects including:

• Walt Whitman Branch, Brooklyn Public Library
• Business School, Columbia University
• Faculty Housing, New York University
• Freelancer’s Union Medical and Headquarters Office
• Provost’s Office, Stevens Institute of Technology
• Teacher’s College, Columbia University
• The International House, New York
• The Yale Club of New York City

Pratt Institute: Bachelor of Architecture, 2007

Alex joined BFA in 2013 and was elevated to Principal in 2020 for his record of leading some of the firm’s most important and technically complex projects through construction. As Principal and Technical Director, Alex collaborates with the entire BFA team on all aspects of technical design, detailing, and coordination of building systems, and comprehensively addresses quality control, compliance with codes and regulations, and advances the firm’s sustainable design efforts.

Specializing in projects with exacting construction requirements, Alex’s significant projects include the historic preservation at the Yale Club of New York City and the environmentally-sensitive development of an expansive oceanfront residence in Martha’s Vineyard.

A craftsman’s sensibility, deep care for materials, and a passion for drawing as a means to explore ideas with clients define Alex’s professional identity. His “hands on” building experience with framed houses, built furniture, and welded steel fosters advanced solutions to technical detailing and coordination challenges.

Alex believes that protecting the environment through sustainable design is his most vital social responsibility as an architect. He continually seeks to ensure that the firm’s practices align with the American Institute of Architects’ greater goals for sustainability, resilience, and inclusivity.

Licensed as an architect in the State of New York, he also holds certification from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

Alex has served as lead project architect on BFA’s commercial and residential projects including:

• Alfred Lerner Hall, Columbia University
• Chelsea Art Studio 
• Chelsea Private Residence  
• FDNY Engine Company 23
• Martha’s Vineyard Residence
• Operations Assistance Unit, NYC Department of Sanitation 
• Stockwell-Rodríguez Residence
• Sushi Yasuda
• The Yale Club of New York City

University of Minnesota: Master of Architecture, 2022
University of St. Thomas: BS, Civil Engineering, 2019

Tom joined BFA in 2022 as an architectural designer. His duties range from schematic design through construction administration. Before joining the firm, he worked on a variety of residential and commercial projects across the Midwest and Western U.S.

Tom’s curiosity extends beyond the project site alone to include the design of material ecologies and geographies. He believes that architects have the unique ability and responsibility to design landscapes as well as architectural spaces. Tom brings these ideas to his projects whenever possible, and shares his research through his writings. He is an advocate for resilient design, sustainable selections, and material research. Inspiration finds Tom while he's hiking in the forest and wandering the busy streets of Manhattan.

Tom is currently working on these BFA projects:

• Martha’s Vineyard Residence
• Grand Central Optical
• 15 West 84^th Lobby Renovation

Columbia University, GSAPP: Master of Architecture, 2022
University of Puerto Rico, School of Architecture: B.A. Environmental Design, 2018

Osvaldo joined BFA in 2022. He worked on various institutional, civic, and private projects in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean before moving to New York in 2019 to continue his education.

A young Latin American, he is keenly interested in understanding the role of architecture in our political and cultural identities as well as its relationship to popular culture. In parallel to his work at the firm, Osvaldo is involved in editorial ventures. He has written for the architecture journal Log; is co-founding editor of Patio, a Columbia GSAPP magazine that probes Latin America's relationship to architecture; and is a contributing editor and writer to the New York Review of Architecture and their weekly newsletter, Skyline.

Osvaldo is currently working on these BFA projects:

• Brooklyn Public Library Walt Whitman Branch
• NYU Faculty Housing
• NYCEDC Hub 149th Street

New York University, Tisch School of the Arts: BFA, Dance, 2016

Maddie joined BFA in her current role in 2019. Their previous experience as a production and operational assistant at industrial design studio Smart Design, as well as in the performing arts as an artist, choreographer, and self-taught costume designer, provided them with rich creative problem-solving skills. These talents in addition to their passion for peer collaboration solidly “set the stage” for Maddie’s transition to BFA. 

An adventurous spirit, Maddie feels most comfortable when they are learning a new skill or trying something they have never done before. This resourcefulness has proven to be a valuable asset to the firm. Leveraging their diverse work skills and experience across a host of responsibilities, they seek to optimally support and develop their colleagues’ visions for the benefit of BFA’s clients.

Avocationally, Maddie still pursues costume and clothing design, realizing them for themself as well as other performers and choreographers. Discovering their love for working with textiles has expanded their appreciation for all design processes rooted in researching the behavior of materials, an integral aspect of BFA’s work.