LTU welcomes Gretchen Wilkins, PhD, RA, as new tenured faculty and chair of Architecture

SOUTHFIELD, Mich.—Lawrence Technological University has announced the appointment of Gretchen Wilkins, PhD, RA, as tenured Associate Professor of Architecture and Chair of Architecture, effective Aug. 1, 2025.

Wilkins earned a Master of Architecture (M.Arch) from the University of Michigan. She holds both a PhD from RMIT University (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) and licensure as a practicing architect, a pairing that reflects CoAD’s commitment to integrating scholarship with real-world application. Her leadership arrives at a time when CoAD is actively refining its definition of the academic design practitioner, a faculty profile that aligns with LTU’s aspirations for innovation, relevance, and research growth.

Before joining LTU, Wilkins held several leadership roles, including Head of Architecture and Interim Dean at Cranbrook Academy of Art. Prior to Cranbrook, she directed the Master of Urban Design program for RMIT University across its campuses in Melbourne, Barcelona, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Her career spans continents, institutions, and scales of design work, giving her a broad and global perspective on architectural education and practice. From launching academic programs in Southeast Asia to leading graduate studio education in Michigan, she consistently approaches academic leadership as a creative and strategic endeavor.

Her scholarly and creative work explores questions at the intersection of architecture and urbanism, addressing themes such as adaptive reuse, urban agriculture, distributed design, and evolving pedagogical models. Through publications, exhibitions, and public discourse, she contributes to both professional and academic conversations, reinforcing design’s role as a tool for civic engagement and critical thinking.

“We recognize the strength of her academic and professional contributions and her hiring marks a key moment in the evolution of the Department of Architecture and CoAD as a whole. Her leadership arrives at a time when CoAD is actively refining its definition of the academic design practitioner, a faculty profile that aligns with LTU’s aspirations for innovation, relevance, and research growth,” said Lilian Crum, Interim Dean of the College of Architecture and Design.

Lawrence Technological University, www.ltu.edu, is one of only 13 independent, technological, comprehensive doctoral universities in the United States. Located in Southfield, Mich., LTU was founded in 1932, and offers more than 100 programs through its Colleges of Architecture and Design, Arts and Sciences, Business and Information Technology, Engineering, and Health Sciences. PayScale lists Lawrence Tech among the nation’s top 11 percent of universities for alumni salaries. Forbes and The Wall Street Journal rank LTU among the nation’s top 10 percent. U.S. News and World Report lists it in the top tier of best in the Midwest colleges. Students benefit from small class sizes and a real-world, hands-on, “theory and practice” education with an emphasis on leadership. Activities on Lawrence Tech’s 107-acre campus include more than 60 student organizations and NAIA varsity sports.