Different Systems was founded on years of practice in Space Architecture at the highest level. The name reflects our conviction that working concurrently outwards and inwards—into the Solar System and with Earth's ecosystems—is critical to our flourishing. It is also a reference to our unique spatial approach to managing the technological systems that go into making a habitat on and beyond our planet.

Our portfolio spans the spectrum of Space Architecture: space stations, surface habitats, construction systems, spaceports, rovers and mobility platforms, and human-machine interfaces. Our practice is continually sharpened by both independent research and the goals of our clients. Beneath the work runs the common thread of translating complex technical constraints into beautiful, high-performance environments.

Team
Jeffrey Montes Founder & Principal
 
Jeffrey started Different Systems after a decade architecting spacecraft and habitats. He brings the technical rigor, creative range, and state of the art of architecture to the aerospace context and vice versa.

Jeffrey held the first Space Architect role in private aerospace when he started as Senior Space Architect at Blue Origin. At Blue, he helped win a $170M NASA contract to design Orbital Reef, a successor to the aging International Space Station. As the company's leading design professional, and at the cusp of an era in which the aerospace industry is beginning to adopt Design methods, Jeffrey learned how to champion a humane design vision onto classically over-constrained engineering problems. He led the team responsible for the design of spacecraft and for how those environments shape the astronaut experience. 

Prior to Blue, Jeffrey developed award-winning habitat designs such as Mars Ice House (2015). Marsha (2019), which he designed as Head of Space Architecture & Research at AI SpaceFactory, was awarded >$600,000 by NASA for its innovative design and for the team’s success in bringing it closer to reality using semi-autonomous 3D-printing. His career began in New York City where he worked on projects small and large as both designer and consulting specialist including on 3D-printed grid shell structures and detailed building envelope design. 

Jeffrey holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Minor in Philosophy from Northeastern University and a Master of Architecture from Columbia University.