Billie Tsien’s first degree was in fine arts from Yale University, and she went on to study architecture at the University of California, Los Angeles.
She is currently the Charles Gwathmey Professor in Practice at Yale University and contributes to a range of cultural institutions such as the Architectural League of New York, the National Academy of Design, the American Philosophical Society, the American Academy in Rome, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters, where she serves as president. Her work has been recognized with the Thomas Jefferson Medal Award in Architecture, the Architecture Firm Award of the American Institute of Architects, the Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize, and the National Medal of Arts. Tsien is steadfast in her mission to create a better world through architecture and to contribute to supporting a broader and more diverse cultural landscape.
Billie Tsien, AIA, is an architect and a founding partner of the New York City-based studio Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners. She is the guest lecturer at ShowLTU CoAD 2025, CoAD’s annual student exhibition.
Tsien said, “Given the current climate of division and turmoil—the challenge is to understand how we can use our abilities as architects to serve the world. This lecture will look at processes and projects that aspire to bring people together. My lecture will discuss ways of working that help to align work with belief. It will speak about how I work with hope and optimism. Participants will hopefully walk away with a desire to collaborate and leave a positive mark on the earth.”
Tsien’s work and the firm’s focus aim to reflect the values of educational, non-profit, and cultural institutions. She is chair of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts; a Fellow of the American Academy in Rome; and an Inductee of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the National Academy of Design, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society. She is a registered architect in 10 U.S. states, including Michigan.
Tsien has frequently led architecture classes at her alma mater and colleges and universities across the country.
Dean Karl Daubmann said, “It is a true honor for us to have Billie Tsien as our guest lecturer this year. Our students and professional architects and designers have the opportunity to hear from a legendary architect whose voluminous work is synonymous with creativity, practicality, and inclusion.”
By: Renée Ahee
