Claire Weisz FAIA, is a founding principal of WXY architecture + urban design, WXY is globally recognized for its place-based approach to architecture, urban design, and planning, and has played a vital role in design thinking around resiliency. In 2019 Fast Company named WXY one of the World’s Most Innovative Architecture Firms. Claire was awarded the Medal of Honor from AIANY in 2018 and was honored with a Women in Architecture Award by Architectural Record in 2019.

Mark Yoes is a founding principal of WXY and has over 25 years of experience in architecture and urban design. He received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Rice University and a Master's Degree in Architecture from Yale University. With WXY, Mark focuses on innovative design approaches that benefit public space, structures and cities. Mark and partner Claire Weisz received the League Prize in 1993 and more recently the Emerging Voice Award in 2011 from The Architectural League. Mark has led on WXY’s designs for learning environments including REED Academy, Bronx Charter School for the Arts, and an early childhood center for Christ and St. Stephens. Other recent projects include The Battery’s Seaglass Carousel. In 2012 Mark served on Architect Magazine’s Annual Design Review jury.

Amy Hau joined WXY in Fall 2015. Prior to joining the award-winning architecture and planning firm, she was the Director of Administration and External Affairs at The Noguchi Museum where she was part of the senior management team that stewarded the legacy of the artist’s estate into a world-renown Museum. During her tenure, she played a significant role in increasing the institution’s capacity, expanding its outreach and programs, overseeing its multi-phase $23 Million Capital project and the development of the Master Plan. She serves on her local community board and is a member of the Board of the Asian American Arts Alliance. 

Layng Pew joined WXY as a principal in the summer of 2006, bringing over 24 years of design and project management experience with educational, corporate and residential clients. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture at Yale College and a Masters at the Yale University School of Architecture. He has specialized in complex and uncommon building types in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and the Caribbean. The success of these large projects is in a large part due to his ability to forge strong collaborative relationships between international designers and expert craftsmen in a wide range of trades. Layng is a registered architect in the State of New York and the State of Connecticut and has been a member of the AIA since 2001.

Adam Lubinsky, AICP, PhD, is a principal at WXY Studio. Adam leads a range of planning studies, strategic visions and master plans, and he has created new practice areas that address mobility, education and economic development using data analysis, design and new forms of community engagement. Adam holds a Masters in Architecture from Columbia University and a PhD in planning from the University College London. Adam is a Fellow of the Urban Design Forum and is a frequent speaker on urban issues. Adam is an Associate Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia University and has been a visiting faculty member at Cornell University, the New School and the Bartlett School of Architecture.

Paul joined WXY in 2014 with a background in architecture and urban design. Paul manages architecture and urban design at WXY, including the Brooklyn Navy Yard Master Plan, a comprehensive physcial and strategic plan for the 300-acre, mission-driven industrial campus. Paul also served as Project Manager for the Brooklyn Strand, a large-scale, award-winning urban design action plan for 40 acres in Downtown Brooklyn that brings together over 30 local stakeholder groups. He was key to all aspects of the urban design process, from community engagement and concept development to supporting high-level technical studies and planning analysis. 

Paul graduated from the University of Toronto, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, with a focus on affordable housing, urban revitalization development models, and passive solar design. Independently, Paul has been contracted for design services in North America and in Europe. Most notably, providing design consulting services for the Vimy Foundation’s education center in the north of France.

Colin Montoute has been a practicing architect in New York for over 25 years and joined WXY in 2021. He has worked on a wide range of award-winning projects in both the public and private sector. His work has focused on residential, commercial, and transportation projects for agencies such as the Metropolitan Transit Authority, Port Authority, New York City Transit, and AMTRAK. His international work includes projects in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Africa, Haiti, and China. Previously, Colin was as an Associate Principal at AECOM B+P, Principal at Fx Fowle, and Founding Director of Montoute A+P. Colin is a licensed architect in New York and received his Master of Urban Planning degree from the University of Southern California and his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the New York Institute of Technology.

Robert joined WXY in 2023. A transformational design leader with more than 35 years in professional practice, Robert has served in significant principal positions at a variety of practices throughout the industry, most recently as Senior Vice President and Business Unit Head for the LiRo Group, an ENR top 100 E/A firm. Prior to LiRo, Robert practiced at Grimshaw, serving as Design Team Leader and Senior Technical Director for the multiple award-winning Terra: The Sustainability Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai; the reimagining of Belmont Park in Elmont NY; the JFK Airport Masterplan; the newly opened Terminal 1A at Newark International Airport.Robert spent 7 years in Washington DC, initially as the Design Principal for the DC office of Perkins+Will, then with Gensler as Design Director. Prior to his time in DC, Robert spent 15+ years as an Associate Partner at Polshek Partnership Architects in New York, where he was responsible for leading the design on the Newseum in Washington DC; the National Museum of Jewish History in Philadelphia PA; Scandinavia House in NYC, the College of Business at UNT in Denton TX; the Entry Pavilion at the Brooklyn Museum. Before joining Polshek Partnership, Robert was a founding member of Bernard Tschumi Architects NYC serving as Project Director on 40+ notable competitions and award winning projects.

David Vega-Barachowitz joined WXY in 2019. He is a recognized leader in master planning, public realm design, mobility, and placemaking and has extensive experience working with cities and public sector clients. At WXY, David leads planning and urban design efforts including the Toledo Riverwalk, the Jacksonville Riverfront Activation Plan, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) Vision, the Downtown Davenport Master Plan, and the Meatpacking District Western Gateway Vision. David is the former Director of the Designing Cities Initiative at NACTO, where he spearheaded the production of NACTO’s Urban Street Design Guide and Urban Bikeway Design Guide. He also served as a Senior Urban Designer at the New York City Department of City Planning, where he launched the agency’s computational design practice and worked with NYCHA to create guidelines for infill development and neighborhood planning. David received a Master of City Planning from MIT and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies with Architecture from Columbia University.

Jacob joined WXY in 2011 with experience in architectural design, urban design, ecology, and construction management. Jacob Dugopolski manages architecture and urban design projects for WXY with over ten years of experience with the firm. He has worked with multiple private developers and city agencies focusing on innovation in the design and planning of buildings, public spaces, and cities. Jacob leads WXY’s zoning and pre-construction work from master plan studies in Brooklyn to multi-family development in the Bronx. Jacob received his Master of Architecture degree from Yale University and Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Michigan. At Yale, he was the Project Manager for the Building Project and was chosen as the Parsons Award winner for excellence in urban design.

Farida recently joined WXY as Director of Global Practice in 2022.With over ten years of professional experience, Farida Abu-Bakare was previously a Project Director of Adjaye Associates in Accra, Ghana and an Associate at HOK Architects in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Farida brings a wealth of global experience to her role as a Director, as she has lived and worked on projects throughout Africa, Canada, the Middle East and the United States on a range of typologies including aviation, cultural, healthcare, higher education, justice, residential and urban design projects. Prior to joining WXY with focus on urban design, she led the design development of three redevelopment masterplanning projects in Accra, Ghana initiated by Ghana’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. The plans aim to transform the city’s waterfront, convention centre and

Kaija joined WXY in 2019 with over ten years of experience as a design director and project strategist specializing in architecture, design, and strategic systems thinking. At the firm, Kaija directs varied projects merging strategy, master planning, urban design, architecture and policy. She has led several upstate New York projects, including a feasibility design study as a part of the Reimagining the Erie Canal work, Castle on the Hill, a market feasibility and redevelopment strategy for the Greater Binghamton Health Center and a comprehensive plan update for the New Milford riverfront. Prior to WXY, Kaija led the award-winning design practice Laavu in Detroit taking on projects that were complex and layered in social, racial and economic challenges. Kaija received her Master’s Degree in Architecture and Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Detroit Mercy

Kushan first joined WXY in 2015 and then again in 2019 to help the firm expand its footprint in the Washington D.C. region. Kushan has a background in architecture, planning, policy, and geospatial analysis. Over the years, he has worked across a variety of scales to create impactful urban projects that synthesize identity, sustainability, and equity. At WXY, Kushan brings programmatic legibility to his projects through a collaborative approach that carefully stiches clients and stakeholders. Given his diverse experiences, Kushan leads a wide range of projects including mixed-use and transit-oriented development, campus planning, public realm design, as well as school boundary and facility studies. Kushan has a particular interest in the issues of density and its intersection with the public realm and the programmatic relationship it creates within the city. Prior to WXY, Kushan worked with AECOM’s Design, Economics and Planning division and worked as a project architect for Rahul Mehrotra & Associates in Mumbai, India. Kushan received his degree in Master of City and Regional Planning from Cornell University and Bachelor or Architecture degree from India.

Tom Offord has been an essential member of the WXY team since 2018 with 8 years of previous experience in architecture in the US and Australia. At WXY, Tom leads the studio’s effort on Revit-intensive projects and has been the project manager for the Peninsula Campus, a 4.75-acre mixed-use development with affordable housing, cultural, commercial and community facilities in Hunts Point, Bronx. Prior to joining WXY, Tom was a project architect at Selldorf Architects, leading the design and management of a condominium tower and a large retail development in Queens, as well as the office’s transition from AutoCAD to Revit, creating and implementing a BIM process for the office. Tom also previously worked at Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects focusing on multi-unit residential, institutional, and cultural projects.

Joining WXY in 2019, Kendall is a licensed architect in New York with a professional background in cultural, civic and high-end residential projects. As an Associate, she leads the design development of several of the studio’s architectural projects with a strong focus on detailing, material exploration and building systems coordination. She is currently managing a 15,000 square foot rooftop pavilion and 2-acre green roof expansion project for the Javits Convention Center, and the design of a new 8,000 square foot facility for artists-in-residence on Captiva Island, Florida. Prior to joining WXY, Kendall worked at Thomas Phifer and Partners, Eisenman Architects and Grimshaw Architects. She holds a Master of Architecture II degree from Princeton University and Bachelor of Architecture degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where she was the recipient of numerous awards including the Alpha Rho Chi Medal and the Faculty Award.

Clara joined WXY as an Associate in 2022. Prior to WXY, Clara worked at Adjaye Associates New York for 6 years, where she rose to Project Director, and focused on civic and residential projects. Clara is an architect with extensive design and leadership experience in the United States and Spain. Her background spans a spectrum of typologies: civic, educational, mixed-use, healthcare, residential, and urban. She received her Master of Architecture in 2008 at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain, graduating with the school’s Honors Scholarship. During her career, Clara has led all aspects of projects—initial feasibility studies, due diligence, concept design, architectural and interior design, construction documentation, agency approvals, entitlements processes, and construction administration. Before her work in New York, she worked in Spain at multiple nationally acclaimed firms. In Madrid, Clara co-founded Daily Bicycle Co., an urban bicycle store, workshop, and meeting place inspired by her vision of boosting bicycles' visibility and viability as a healthy and engaging mode of transportation.

Abby joined WXY in 2019 with a background in cultural and educational sectors, with specific expertise in strategy, research, design, and planning. At WXY, Abby is currently working in our D.C. offices, and has worked on the Montgomery County School Boundary Analysis, a district-wide boundary analysis for Montgomery County Public Schools, and the Bowie and Vicinity Area Master Plan, which combines market analysis, creative community engagement, land use analysis, transportation planning and urban design for the Bowie, Maryland area. Prior to WXY, Abby developed Climate of Change, an action research project and design prototype for collaboratively envisioning and planning climate resilience in Washington, D.C. Other notable projects include Shifting Foundations, a design and policy brief about disaster recovery and social cohesion in The Rockaways, and a research project in San Juan, Puerto Rico about participation and equity in disaster mitigation, supported by a grant from the Zolberg Institute.

Rob Daurio joined the WXY team in 2016 where he works to develop solution and strategies at a variety of scales, from regional plans to buildings and maps. He has been involved in various comprehensive master plans including the Brooklyn Navy Yard and the 130-acre Kearny Point Industrial Campus, which he led the efforts in. Prior to WXY, Rob conducted academic research and has served as lead research associate and project manager for the Harvard Graduate School of Design’s Sustainable Future for Exuma, Bahamas project. Rob has also been involved in several significant master plans including OMA’s entry for the European Commission in Brussels, as well as projects in Italy, the Netherlands, France, and Korea. Rob received his Master of Architecture II degree from Harvard Graduate School of Design with a focus in Urban Design and Geography, and his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Syracuse University, where he graduated cum laude.

A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Asher has a background in both architecture and business, and joined WXY in 2018. At WXY, he is currently working on a variety of projects including: envisioning a multi-phased masterplan for the renowned Storm King Art Center and completing Construction Documentation for the first phase of work; framing the urban design strategy for Anable Basin, a large-scale  rezoning project on the waterfront of Long Island City; devising the Elmhurst Dairy Urban Design Masterplan in Jamaica; and advising clients on the development potential of various complex sites across the five Boroughs. Prior to joining WXY, Asher worked with Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, where he collaborated on the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.

Annie joined WXY in 2022 with a decade of experience in urban design and architecture and a passion for public space, infrastructure, and transit. At WXY, her work ranges from street design to district planning strategies to waterfront revitalization. Prior to joining WXY, Annie spent several years with NACTO’s Global Designing Cities Initiative, where her work focused on enhancing child-friendly urban design and planning around the world. She co-authored the award-winning design guidebook Designing Streets for Kids (published 2020) and managed street design projects, programming, and partnerships on multiplecontinents. She developed, managed, and presented training programs to dozens of professional practitioners, ranging from on-the-ground design elements to policy case studies.

Peter is a Senior Architectural Designer at WXY and joined the team in 2020. He has 9 years of architectural experience working on projects both large and small. At WXY, he has led the delivery of several multi-family housing projects as part of the Stevenson Commons development. Currently, Peter is working on multiple cultural renovation projects around New York City.

Manasi graduated with a Master’s Degree in Architecture from Yale University and joined WXY in 2020. At WXY, she has been involved in a wide range of work including waterfront revitalization projects, affordable housing, and streetscape designs. Most recently she has been a part of the core team for the Metroparks Toledo–Glass City Riverwalk project, the OMNI Affordable housing project sited in Brooklyn and an Uber Future of Cities Report which focuses on future of transport and mobility. Prior to joining WXY, Manasi worked for more than three years as an architectural designer in India and the United States on interior, architecture and urban design projects. While at Sameep Padora and Associates, she led two winning entries for international design competitions.

Raphael has been a part of the WXY team since 2018 with a background in mobility, geographic information systems, and computer science. At WXY, Raphael has led the production of over 100 graphics for OneNYC 250 and led the analysis and boundary modeling for the firm’s recent school planning work. During his tenure at WXY, he developed a redistricting model to algorithmically draw new school boundaries, optimizing the redistricting process. Prior to WXY, Raphael worked on incorporating equity metrics into Oakland’s paving policy and bringing demand responsive parking to the City’s Downtown and Chinatown. Raphael was also a graphic designer for a non-profit where he aided in translating research in renewable energy and hydraulic fracturing into accessible infographics. Raphael received his Bachelor of Science degree in Urban and Regional Studies from Cornell University.

With a focus on equitable mobility, sustainable urban design, urban policy, and data analysis, Bahij joined WXY in 2021. At WXY, Bahij is managing a report on the future of mobility in Indian cities for Uber and coordinating the design-build Glass City Riverwalk project in Toledo, OH. Prior to WXY, Bahij held positions as a Researcher at MIT’s City Form Lab and as a Senior Manager of Development and External Relations at Green City Force, where he managed a large philanthropic project aimed to make New York City public housing communities more environmentally sustainable. Bahij is a founding member of Mechanical Gardens Bicycle Co-op and is involved with several community organizations centered around cycling, transportation and waste management.

After interning at WXY in 2017, Mario returned to WXY in 2019 with an expertise in mapping, modeling/python, zoning analysis, resiliency, and computational design. At WXY, Mario is currently working on the Montgomery County School Boundary Analysis, a district-wide boundary analysis for Montgomery County Public Schools, assisted in the “Cuidad Central in San Salvador” strategic plan among other urban planning projects. Prior to WXY, Mario was a Research Associate for the Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism at MIT, where he designed a modeling framework and worked as a Research Assistant in the Civic Data Design Lab, where he researched and prototyped ambient sensing techniques. Mario’s work has been included in various publications and he has lectured at a variety of universities.

Radhika joined WXY in 2019 after completing her Master of Architecture at the Yale School of Architecture where she held positions as a teaching fellow and guest critic. Prior to her tenure at WXY, Radhika has held design and research positions in distinguished offices between India, New Haven and New York. While studying at Yale, she was an assistant researcher at Keller Easterling Architect where she contributed to the Venice Architecture Biennale 2018 exhibition. Since 2018, she has also been an invited critic at the Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture at the Cooper Union, the University of Pennsylvania School of Design, and at Barnard College in New York.

Majed joined WXY in 2021, managing architecture and urban design projects. He is currently managing a project for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to assess and propose improvements to the quality of life across several NYCHA sites. Previously, he has worked for public, non-profit, and private organizations focusing on urban design, transportation planning, and public realm design in cities. Majed has worked with city agencies in New York, Sao Paulo, Fortaleza, Mumbai and Addis Ababa through his work at the Global Designing Cities Initiative. Majed was also a fellow at NACTO and an Urban Design Intern with the New York City Department of City Planning. Born and raised in Damascus, Syria, Majed co-founded the Syrian Youth Empowerment Initiative, a non-profit organization providing youth in conflict zones a path to higher education.

Richard Jolta is a licensed architect and joined WXY in 2021. He is currently involved in projects with city organizations, design commissions, and regulatory agencies across various project phases. Richard is part of a large team tasked with assessing and making proposals for impactful quality of life improvements across 7 sites owned by the New York City Housing Authority. Prior to WXY, Richard has more than 10 years of experience working on a variety of project types including retail, affordable and market rate housing, corporate interiors, and industrial design at HOK, Dattner Architects and Studio V. Richard holds a Master’s Degree in Architecture from Cornell University.

Julie Torres Moskovitz joined WXY as a Senior Project Architect in 2022 and has over 20 years of experience practicing architecture in New York City. She has focused on a multitude of projects including new construction and retrofits of residential and commercial spaces, artist and performance spaces, and park designs. After successfully completing the first certified passive house building in NYC in 2012 and writing a book titled The Greenest Home: Superinsulated and Passive House Design published by Princeton Architectural Press, Torres Moskovitz’ architecture and teaching focuses on passive house, hyper-efficient retrofitting, and resiliency. Torres Moskovitz is on the Advisory Board of Street Vendor Project and Youth Design Center. She is a fellow at the Urban Design Forum and a former Pratt Center Taconic Fellow collaborating on greening NYC’s street carts with vendors and Institute for Public Architecture Research Fellow studying work/live for the workforce. She serves as project lead at Design Advocates on a collaboration with NYC Mesh to bring broadband sites to NYCHA complexes in the Bronx and Brooklyn.

Anna joined WXY in 2022 as a Senior Project Manager with fifteen years of architectural experience. She has completed variously sized multifamily residential, commercial, and educational projects. Her work included both, market-rate and affordable housing on all stages of design and construction process. Along with architectural projects, Anna managed meticulously crafted high-end residential interiors and expanded her academic knowledge in Business Administration in NYC. Before moving to New York, Anna received her Master’s Degree in Architecture at Wroclaw University of Science and Technology in Poland, EU. In 2013, she became a Licensed Architect within the countries of the European Union while managing award-winning projects at Kurylowicz & Associates, one of the most prominent architectural studios in Poland.

Ien joined WXY in 2019 as an Architectural Visualizations Specialist after graduating from the University of Waterloo, where he previously interned for WXY as an Architectural Intern. Ien brings extensive visualizations knowledge and experience to the firm, leading as WXY’s in-house specialist. Prior to WXY, Ien took on a number of architectural and 3D internships in Toronto and New York. Notably, one of these internships included MOSO Studio, a boutique rendering firm in FiDi, where Ien assisted on visualizations for Madison Square Park Tower, Aloft, Trinity Church, and Pier 6 Condos in Brooklyn.

Ella joined WXY in 2023 as Proposal Manager. A graduate from The University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2021 with B.A. in Communications, she demonstrates an in-depth understanding of language and human relationships that delivers efficacious results when handling various marketing and business development efforts. During her undergraduate studies, she co-authored and researched for an open-source textbook with a focus on teaching through a media literacy lens, called “Building Democracy for All: Interactive Explorations of Government and Civic Life”. She joins the team with experience from OneSource Consulting where she served as a Marketing and Business Services Consultant, as well as Dyer Brown & Associates, where she was a Marketing Assistant and a change management practitioner.

Dalia is a designer with a background in architecture from London, UK. She joined WXY in 2021 after graduating with a master’s degree in Urban Studies from Parsons School of Design. With past experience in the UK and France, Dalia works between design, writing, publishing, and research practices. During her Bachelor of Arts in Architecture at Central Saint Martins, Dalia won a competition to design an installation for LVMH. She later went on to work as an artistic director in Paris, contributed to the Venice Biennale 2021, and assisted with graphic design and editing for a number of publications. 

Dare Brawley joined WXY in 2022. Her work combines advanced spatial analysis methods with creative visualization and communication design to execute projects that further equitable urban environments through discourse and action. At WXY she is currently working on efforts to address inequality and climate vulnerability with the New York City Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice; and on school planning, including an evaluation of the District 15 Diversity Plan. Previously she was Associate Director of the Center Spatial Research at Columbia University (CSR) where she developed research initiatives about emerging technologies and spatial inequality. She recently co-edited “Ways of Knowing Cities” (Columbia Books on Architecture and the City, 2019). Dare received her M.S. in Urban Planning from Columbia, GSAPP and holds a BA in Architecture from Barnard College. Dare is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Columbia GSAPP where she teaches courses on drawing as a tool for collective decision making and is a thesis advisor in the MS in Computational Design Practices program.

Govardan joined WXY in 2022 after graduating with a Master of Science in Architecture and Urban Design from Columbia University. He received the William Kinne Fellows Traveling Prize for his critical discourse on building sciences and allied disciplines. His interest lies at the intersection of the built environment, public realm, and urban systems focused on community integration and social justice. Before joining WXY, Govardan facilitated community lead initiatives in his hometown Sivakasi, India - to build stewardship for its traditional water systems. He has professional experience in India, working on Flying Elephant Studio’s international and domestic urban design, cultural and institutional projects.

Alexis joined WXY as an Urban Designer in 2022. His past experiences include residential design in California and New York state where he managed renovations and ground-ups from Schematic Design to Construction Documentation, co-authoring RFQs for the NYC Economic Development Corporation, and office renovations for the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. He is a founding member of Share Shed NYC, a resource-sharing platform for Urban Growers/ Gardeners and is passionate about designing food accessibility in cities. He has previously worked with the offices of Leroy Street Studio, HECTOR, FOOD New York, LeCavalier R+D, Future Expansion and was most recently part of the 2021 class of Forefront Fellows for the Urban Design Forum. Alexis holds a B.Arch and a Master of Infrastructure Planning from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where he is a regular guest critic. When not in the office Alexis can be found in the Fort Greene farmers market or eating his way through Queens.

Moon joined WXY as an Urban Designer in 2022 with experience in large-scale urban design, urban simulation and analytics, and computational design. Her work combines spatial design and data-driven insights to create meaningful spaces. At WXY, Moon focuses on urban design and analytics. She is currently working on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Central and Corridor Vision, and assisting in Hillsborough County Public Schools Attendance Boundary Analysis. Prior to joining WXY, Moon was a Computational Urban Designer at the Urban Interface Group at Kohn Pedersen Fox in New York. Her work facilitated design development and zoning review for master planning and high-rise projects, notably including the 480-meter skyscraper in North Bund, Shanghai and North End Development in Dallas. Moon earned her Masters in Architectural Studies with a focus on urban studies and design from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She contributed to research projects including measuring the built environment with data for a transportation agency in Paris, sustainable neighborhood planning for seafarers in Silang, and developing water resilience design guidelines in CDMX. During her time as Co-President of the Chinese Student Association at MIT SA+P, she spearheaded the initiation of a graduate-level practice-focused course on urban activation and managed partnerships with public and private entities.

Nathalie Kauz joined WXY in 2021 with a background in curriculum development, community engagement, and program planning and implementation. In her role as Project Coordinator, she supports WXY’s schools-based work including the School District of Philadelphia and presentation development with NYC School District 15, project planning with District 3, and historical research and interview design and facilitation with District 13. Before joining WXY, Nathalie was based in Durham, NC, and worked closely with Durham Public Schools. She first served as an environmental elementary school educator through FoodCorps, then as a manager at a non-profit running advocacy support programs for high school students through AmeriCorps VISTA. Nathalie received a Bachelor of Arts degree with Distinction in Public Policy from Duke University in 2018.  

Nobuhiko Arai joined WXY in 2022. Nobuhiko has over fifteen years of experience as a senior architectural designer for projects of varying scales and typologies across the country and overseas from residential, commercial, educational, cultural, and transportation/infrastructure projects. He focuses on the high-performance exterior envelop design, detailing, and material exploration. Nobu was the job captain for the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which comprises seven development parcels totaling 8,000,000 SF. Programmatic components include office, residential, educational, retail, cultural, and Religious sites. Before joining WXY, Nobuhiko worked as a senior technical designer at FxCollaborative, AECOM B+P, and STV Inc. He holds a Master of Architecture degree from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree from the University of Hartford.

Pierre De Brun is an Architectural Designer at WXY and has been a part of the team since 2019. Prior to WXY, Pierre was a founding member of UN1ON, a collective based in Belgium and France in which he took part in several self-initiated projects, educational activities, and public competitions. Pierre’s past work includes collaborating with various architecture firms in Belgium and in the USA and working on a vast array of goals ranging from large scale urban studies to medium-size public buildings and housing.

Angel Castillo joined WXY in 2022 and is an architectural designer focused on the systems that make up our built environment. Based in New York City, he is looking for ways we can reshape the way our world is put together to address our climate crisis and social divides. Angel holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Florida Atlantic University and a Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University. He is currently teaching at the New Jersey Institute of Technology Hillier College of Architecture.

Santiago joined the WXY team in 2022. Having recently completed a post graduate degree in Architectural Design at Cornell AAP, Santiago’s interest focuses on the creation of spaces that contribute to the identity of the place in which they manifest. Prior to WXY, Santiago worked in Colombia for five years where he participated in the design and coordination of housing projects, hotel complexes and architectural design competitions. 

Leslie joined WXY in 2021. She is an accomplished graduate of the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture. At WXY, Leslie is currently working on the Brooklyn Navy Yard On-Call project and the Rogers Alleyway Activation Plan. Awarded NOMA Student Member of the Year 2019, Leslie founded the CCNY NOMAS Chapter in 2018 and served as President until early 2020. Leslie also received the title of NOMA Student Representative and serves on the NOMA Board of Directors for the role.

Shurui completed her master’s degrees in both Landscape Architecture and Architecture at the University of Virginia in 2020 and joined the WXY team in 2022. Before joining WXY, she was a Virginia Sea Grant fellow in the Office of Secretary of Natural Resources of Virginia. She was involved in both the administrative and research work of the Virginia Coastal Adaptation Master Plan.

James joined WXY in 2022. He received an Honors Bachelor of Architecture degree with Distinction from Waterloo University, and has been involved in the realization of furniture, art installations, theaters, masterplans, and a wide range of public institutions in Paris, Toronto, Detroit and New York.

Helen joined WXY in 2022. She recently received her Master of Architecture from Princeton University’s School of Architecture with advanced standing where her research focused on the architectural convergence of social and environmental factors in coastal communities. As a continuation of her thesis, she worked alongside Princeton faculty, Paul Lewis, and Guy Nordenson, in the design and installation of Resilient Coasts: Forests and Adaptation, an exhibition for Rome’s MAXXI Museum. Prior to joining WXY, Helen taught architecture courses at Georgia Institute of Technology and has been invited as a guest critic to Princeton University and New York City College of Technology.

Sarah Yoes recently graduated from Dalhousie University School of Architecture with a Bachelor of Environmental Design, and a Master of Architecture, and joined WXY in 2021. Sarah’s work focuses on public infrastructure and constructed landscape—as a result of her thesis research, Sarah recently participated in the exhibition Conceiving the Plan: Nuance and Intimacy in the Construction of Civic Space at the Venice Biennale this past fall, a group project which explored the construction of Amsterdam. In addition to the study of civic spaces, Sarah has been contracted for design services in Canada, with a focus on residential work.

Alice joined WXY as an Architectural Designer in 2022. Alice hails from Tianjin, China by way of Toronto, Canada. She is a recent graduate of the MIT Master of Architecture program where she presented her thesis on the role of narrative and parafiction in architecture. Alice's work ranges from large-scale adaptive reuse projects, exhibition design, publication design, and web design. Her favorite built project to date is an installation for a space of repose in Downtown Detroit that was converted into a chicken coop on a community farm.

Stephanie joined WXY in 2023. She came to Architecture from a non-traditional background and received her B.A. in English Literature from the University of Cambridge in the UK and her M. Arch from the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP). She has been an Adjunct Lecturer at the Spitzer School of Architecture, City College of New York and has also had the pleasure of working with the Neighborhood Design Center in Maryland, the Cornell University School of Art, Architecture and Planning and Brandt Haferd. Her professional and academic interests are centered around incorporating the spatial practices and narratives of communities of color into design and preserving the multi-cultural heritage of NYC.