Elena Murgoski Architectural Principal at Montera Infrastructure
At Montera Infrastructure, delivering hyperscale data centers is built through close collaboration with high‑performing, deeply integrated teams – teams capable of aligning complex, interdependent systems and translating them into infrastructure that performs predictably from day one and across decades of operation.
Elena Murgoski is the Architectural Principal at Montera, where she leads product‑level architecture for the hyperscale data center platform. Her background spans high‑performance data center architecture and mission‑critical design leadership across multiple roles and project phases – experience that informs how she approaches architecture today at the product scale.
In her current role, she defines the architectural framework that enables multidisciplinary teams to align decisions, systems, and execution, translating complex engineering requirements into buildings that are coherent, constructible, and operational.
In this spotlight, Elena shares her path into data centers, how her role and experience bridge disciplines, and how designing for real‑world operation is shaping the next generation of AI and cloud infrastructure.
What first drew you to this industry? How did your journey begin?
Architecture was never accidental for me. What was unexpected was how much it would allow me to practice my craft across contexts, cultures, and increasingly complex environments.
Throughout graduate school, I worked full time at Corgan, intentionally pairing academic rigor with real world delivery. That overlap was demanding, but it accelerated my understanding of how design decisions move from concept to construction under real constraints. Shortly after joining Corgan, I was immersed in active projects. Within months, I was walking sites and data centers and learning to sequence building systems I had never encountered before. The pace and exposure were energizing, I saw architecture operate at full scale, with concept, coordination, and execution unfolding in real time.
I was also fortunate to be part of some of the strongest data center teams at that point in my career, working alongside experienced data center managers and principals who taught me a great deal. Being surrounded by that level of expertise raised the bar quickly. I learned how disciplined coordination, clear decision making, and respect for technical rigor directly shape outcomes in the field.
That environment accelerated my growth and deepened my appreciation for the craft. I wasn’t just learning new systems, I was learning how high performing teams think, communicate, and deliver under pressure.
Which early experiences most shaped how you approach design and leadership today?
Those early professional years exposed me to the full arc of how a building comes together – design, documentation, site realities, and client coordination operating as a single discipline rather than separate phases. It became clear to me early on that design and delivery are not distinct efforts; they are the same work viewed at different altitudes. Strong mentorship during that period mattered. It shaped how I approach leadership today and reinforced the importance of clarity, accountability, and trusting people with real responsibility as a means of growth.
Alongside project work, I participated in design charrettes and competitions and received several design awards. Those experiences consistently pushed me to hold technical rigor and design quality together – treating neither as a justification to compromise the other. Receiving the 2023 AIA Florida Bronze Medal at the time of my graduation from the University of Florida (M.Arch) was a proud and meaningful milestone.
Those years established a standard I still carry: architecture is fundamentally about integration – turning complex, interdependent systems into something a team can build and an operator can rely on.
What’s unique about your role at Montera?
My role sits at the intersection of product, design, and delivery – where the most consequential decisions are made. As Architectural Principal, I am responsible for defining and advancing the architectural direction of Montera’s data center product, working across disciplines to ensure what we design is technically sound, constructible, and aligned with how our clients actually operate – not just how a specification reads.
Architecture plays an active, central role in hyperscale environments. It provides the spatial framework that allows every system to function together – mechanical, electrical, structural, and others. My responsibility is to establish that logic early, carry it through the design process, and ensure it holds through delivery, so speed is achieved without losing predictability.
At Montera, this also means contributing directly to how the product itself is defined. Our design platform is developed to accommodate a range of client requirements while remaining consistent to deliver with speed, reliability, and certainty. I work closely with leadership and multidisciplinary teams to ensure that flexibility is intentional and structured – supporting different operational needs without introducing inconsistency, drift, or risk.
What I value most about this environment is that architecture is embraced as one of the core drivers of outcome and performance. It has a real seat at the table from the beginning, with design decisions made in direct connection to delivery and long term operation. That early alignment allows architecture to shape how systems come together, how teams execute, and how facilities ultimately perform in the field. Protecting that connection – between intent, execution, and real world performance – is where I focus most of my time, and where I believe architecture delivers its greatest impact.
How do you apply engineering certainty in your day-to-day work?
Engineering certainty, to me, means creating a framework the entire team can trust. It means decisions are made deliberately, at the right moment, by the right people – and that they hold, because the reasoning behind them is clear and sound.
I focus on establishing clear standards and repeatable details early, so alignment is built in and complexity doesn’t compound as projects progress. I push for cross discipline coordination before issues surface – not after – and I ensure the architectural product remains traceable throughout design and delivery. Decisions should be explainable, intent should be documented, and the building delivered should reflect the building that was designed.
In the data center-built environments, uncertainty carries real cost. A late coordination miss can affect schedule, introduce rework, and disrupt momentum across teams. Architecture has a unique opportunity – and responsibility – to reduce that risk at the source by defining the spatial and systems logic that prevents conflict in the first place. With clear accountability in place, architecture works alongside engineering and delivery teams to help align systems, decisions, and execution.
What is one design decision people often underestimate?
Access and maintainability.
Not in the abstract, but in the practical reality of how a facility is serviced – where hands go, how tools move, and what can be accessed under real operating conditions. Maintainable geometry, service clearances, equipment access paths, and sequencing all matter more than most people realize.
These decisions are resolved early and embedded in the architecture – within section drawings, equipment layouts, and coordination between structure and MEP systems. When they are not handled deliberately upfront, they surface later as commissioning challenges and operational constraints.
At the same time, we hold the front of house to equally high standards. Architecture plays a critical role in shaping environments that are functional, durable, and thoughtfully designed-spaces that reflect care for the people who work there and responsiveness to their surrounding context. That includes designing with sustainability and environmental impact in mind, ensuring performance extends beyond the building itself.
Architecture provides the shared spatial logic that allows every discipline to work together without friction. That logic shows up in aisle widths that function, access points that are truly reachable, and system routing that supports both maintenance and longevity. When it is done well, teams downstream can execute more efficiently, operations remain predictable, and the building performs as intended.
At its best, architecture creates the structure that allows all disciplines to do their work well – supporting both the technical rigor behind the scenes and the quality, responsibility, and presence of what the building contributes to its environment.
How does designing for long-term operability change design decisions upfront?
At Montera we design for how a facility will operate over its full lifecycle, not just how it is handed over. That perspective shapes decisions from the outset and shifts focus toward long term reliability and ease of operation.
From the earliest stages, I prioritize choices that reduce downstream uncertainty -resolving access sequencing early, selecting CSA systems that behave predictably under part load conditions, minimizing field modification, and closing coordination issues on paper rather than on site. I also push teams to address fault case scenarios directly, so the building supports operators when issues arise instead of creating friction.
In data center environments, the cost of uncertainty is real. Architecture can either reinforce operational resilience or undermine it. My role is to work closely with engineering and delivery teams to ensure the design decisions we make support predictable performance for the people who will operate the facility for decades.
How are AI workloads reshaping how hyperscale infrastructure is designed?
AI workloads don’t just scale differently from traditional cloud workloads-they behave differently, and that changes how hyperscale infrastructure has to be designed.
Variable load profiles, rapid ramping, and rising power densities require planning for flexibility and resilience from the outset. That means thinking early about commissioning, testing, and operations as workloads evolve.
Those conditions also drive different decisions around access, maintenance, and lifecycle planning. AI optimized facilities need to accommodate frequent hardware changes and shifting cooling strategies without requiring fundamental architectural intervention. That adaptability has to be designed in from the beginning.
At Montera, sustainability is part of the same discipline. It informs decisions around energy, water, and site impact from day one and is embedded in the product definition itself. Designing infrastructure that performs reliably, responsibly, and over the long term is both a technical requirement and a responsibility I take seriously.
What differentiates how Montera approaches design and delivery?
What differentiates Montera is the quality of alignment – and how early it happens. Architecture, development, delivery and the rest of the engineering disciplines are integrated from the outset, with design decisions made alongside delivery and operations teams rather than handed off later. That early collaboration reduces friction, accelerates decision making, and leads to better outcomes in the field.
That integration shows up in the details. When a design decision conflicts with budget, schedule, or constructability, the team works collaboratively to find solutions that preserve intent while meeting real constraints. It requires trust, a shared technical language, and a collective commitment to quality – rather than defaulting to the quickest or most expedient answer.
Architecture is an integral part of those conversations from the outset. Front of house environments – the spaces experienced by operators, clients, and visitors – are designed with the same care and rigor as back of house systems. That balance reflects a culture focused on delivering infrastructure we collectively stand behind and are proud to put into operation.
That level of collaborative rigor is what allows Montera teams to deliver with both speed and certainty, while ensuring the facilities perform as intended over their full lifecycle.
Building for the Long Run
Elena’s perspective reflects how the industry is evolving. At Montera, architecture is a delivery discipline, creating clarity across complexity, aligning disciplines early, and ensuring infrastructure performs predictably from day one through long-term operation.
That thinking is embedded in how teams work. Architecture, engineering, and delivery are treated as connected parts of a single process, not separate phases. Responsibility is shared, and decisions are made with the full lifecycle in mind.
As infrastructure demands continue to shift with AI and cloud growth, that approach becomes increasingly important, enabling environments that are not only scalable but also dependable in their operation. It is what allows partners to rely on what Montera builds, and focus on what matters most.
