AIA Central NJ Spotlight Series: Jack Mus, AIA
Posted on Jun. 3, 2026 / Member Spotlight / Subscribe 0
AIA Central NJ is proud to spotlight Jack Mus, AIA, Principal at Studio Hillier. We invite you to learn more about one of our section's esteemed members, whose thoughtful design approach and extensive body of work have helped shape communities throughout the region.
We now invite Jack to share his story in his own words.
I began my architectural career with internships in London, where I worked on the design of an industrial and office complex on the Isle of Man. That experience expanded my perspective early on and showed me how strongly architecture is shaped by context, culture, and place.
I later joined Martin Associates in Philadelphia, contributing to multifamily residential and institutional projects while building a strong technical foundation and gaining hands-on construction experience.
In 2001 I began working at Hillier Architecture in Princeton, New Jersey, where I became involved in a wide range of projects, particularly in healthcare, research facilities, corporate offices, and educational environments. I worked closely on the 630,000-square-foot University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro and major additions to University Hospital in Newark, complex projects that required both technical precision and sensitivity to the communities they serve.
When Bob and Barbara Hillier founded Studio Hillier in 2009, I continued with the firm. My approach has always been shaped by both artistic training and practical experience. I believe architecture should be purposeful and responsive, rooted in its surroundings and thoughtful about how people actually use space.
I pay close attention to user experience, how spaces are inhabited, how they function day to day, and how they hold up over time. Balancing design intent with performance, sustainability, code requirements, budget, and schedule is a constant part of the process. With experience in detailing, code analysis, and interior planning, I value an integrated approach that carries a project carefully from concept through construction.
One project that was especially meaningful to me was the transformation of our own Studio Hillier office, converting a warehouse into a light-filled studio with overhead monitors and expansive windows. The project, Urban Trifecta, received an AIA New Jersey Honor Award in 2013. Helping shape the space where we work every day made it particularly rewarding.
Other projects include The Olden House for Princeton University, The Lawrenceville School’s F.M. Kirby Math and Science Center addition, and the Iona College Residence Hall, envisioned as a new gateway to the campus.
More recently, my work has focused on high-end modern residential projects that emphasize natural light, clarity of space, and carefully composed forms, creating homes that feel both dramatic and livable. What matters most to me is designing spaces that are not only visually strong, but comfortable, lasting, and meaningful for the people who use them.
1. Who or what was your biggest inspiration to pursue a career in Architecture?
My interest in architecture started in elementary school when I came across images of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and Le Corbusier’s chapel at Ronchamp in a book. Those buildings stayed with me.
Later the early work of Richard Meier, with its disciplined white geometries and clarity of proportion, deepened my appreciation for precision and light. Zaha Hadid’s fluid, expressive forms, Rem Koolhaas demonstrated intellectual rigor and urban complexity. Norman Foster and Richard Rogers embodied a high-tech clarity, exposing structure and systems as part of the architectural language.
What captivated me most in architecture was the balance between technical discipline and artistic expression. As a child, I built paper models and studied architecture magazines, drawn to a profession that merges creativity, technology, and social responsibility.
2. What has surprised you the most about the architecture profession?
How much of the work revolves around people communication, collaboration, and negotiation rather than design and technical drawings alone. Buildings don’t get built without strong relationships, even though strong design ideas still matter greatly.
3. What has been your favorite part of being an Architect, or working in the profession?
Seeing an idea move from a sketch to a built reality especially when it positively impacts users and communities never gets old. The first building I sketched, documented, and carried through construction administration attending construction meetings was a Cancer Center addition at Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, New Jersey. That experience remains meaningful to me.
4. What was the best advice you have ever been given?
There is always something to learn from clients, consultants, and colleagues at every level. The Clients can teach you real-world needs and constraints, their priorities, and budgets, how the space will be used. Consultants: technical systems and constructability.
My advice is also never to give up drafting, painting, and sketching those skills remain timeless. I always liked drafting and painting, and they should be at your disposal as a tool.
5. If you could go back in time, would you still choose to be an Architect?
Yes. It’s a challenging profession, but it is deeply rewarding and meaningful. Iona College’s new residence hall has been described as a new gateway to the campus and, when illuminated at night, serves as a prominent landmark and point of orientation, as noted by a faculty member at the opening ceremony.
6. Knowing what you know now, would you have done anything differently on your career path?
I would have worried less early on about having a perfectly defined path and trusted more that experience compounds over time. I would stay closer to a larger city like NYC to gain exposure to bigger firms and more complex projects.
7. What (if any) sacrifices have you made to get where you are today?
Time particularly early in my career. Architecture requires a strong commitment and learning how to balance that commitment has been an important part of my growth.
8. Where do you find design inspiration?
From travel, everyday observations, magazines such as Detail, well-curated architectural websites, conversations with clients, and studying how people actually use spaces.
9. What part of the design process do you enjoy the most?
Early concept development and problem definition, along with sketching and 3D modeling when ideas are fluid and the project’s potential is wide open. We use in the office Revit, Lumion, 3D Studio Max and AI rendering tools.
10. Can you share challenges that left you with wisdom to share?
Every project and client is different, and that adaptability and patience especially with approvals and process—are just as important as technical skill. I learned this from working at Hillier what is important life-long care for community, teamwork on every project, and attention to design quality.
11. What skills have you developed that apply to other aspects of life?
Critical thinking, time management, communication, and the ability to break complex problems into manageable parts.
12. How do you keep your team engaged on long-term projects?
By celebrating milestones, encouraging ownership, and reminding everyone how their individual contributions support the larger vision.
13. Tell us about your early days in architecture.
When I started the profession felt more analog and slower-paced—drafting on boards and erasing by hand. Technology has transformed how we work, but the core principles of architecture remain the same.
14. Give us some examples of meaningful memories from your years working as an architect.
What stays with me most are the reactions at project completion — seeing people genuinely enjoy and inhabit the spaces we designed for them. At the new hospital in Princeton, the feedback from doctors, staff, and patients was incredibly meaningful. Even members of my own family who later began working there have spoken about the light, openness, and positive energy of the building. Knowing that architecture can tangibly improve someone’s daily experience is what continues to drive my work.
15. What do you think is the most significant issue currently affecting our profession?
Balancing increasing demands and project complexity with sustainable and healthy work practices.
16. How do you think the architecture profession can improve?
We do a great job creating thoughtful design, but we need to better advocate for our value and prioritize the wellbeing of our teams.
17. Where would you like to see yourself professionally in five years? In ten?
Continuing to grow as a leader, mentor, and designer, with greater influence on both projects and people.
18. How do you stay relevant in an ever-changing profession?
By staying curious, embracing new technologies such as AI, and committing to continuous learning and self-education. Learning new programs and tools that can enhance the design. I would love to work on more healthcare projects.
19. How has being involved with the AIA impacted you personally, and professionally?
It has expanded my professional network and reinforced the importance of advocacy and community within the profession.
20. Do you have any special tips or tricks to share with our members?
Communicate with clarity, document thoroughly, manage your time with purpose, and remain endlessly curious. Never hesitate to ask questions and sketch constantly.In our office, we believe that no two clients are ever the same. Each brings a distinct personality, a unique challenge, and a site with its own constraints and opportunities. That constant variation is what keeps the work engaging and makes architecture truly rewarding.
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