About

WXY is a multi-disciplinary agency for the built environment focused on creating equitable, vibrant, and healthy buildings, places, neighborhoods, and systems. 

Claire Weisz, FAIA, and Mark Yoes, FAIA, founded WXY in 1998. Partners Layng Pew, AIA, and Adam Lubinsky, PhD, AICP, joined them in 2006 and 2011, respectively. Today, the studio is a diverse group of over 60 people, including architects, urban designers, planners, policymakers, thinkers, strategists, and artists—collaborating to instigate adaptable, resilient, and sustainable designs that meet today’s needs while preparing for tomorrow. 

WXY is a certified Women Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) in many states and cities around the United States. Our staff are certified in LEED, WELL-healthy buildings, and WEDG waterfront design. 

Our Team

Our approach requires a diversity of backgrounds and disciplines, making our people our most valuable asset.   

People

  • Headshot of Claire Weisz wearing a dark blazer over a black top with a blue background.

    Claire Weisz

    RA, FAIA. Hon. FRAIC, Honorary ASLA, Principal-in-Charge

    Claire Weisz, RA, FAIA, Hon. RAIC, is a founding partner of WXY, a New York based studio globally recognized for its community-centered approach to design. Combining architecture and planning the practice works at all scales. WXY was one of Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2019 and Most Innovative Companies in Urban Development and Real Estate for 2023. WXY was AIA New York State Firm of the Year Award in 2016.  With her partner Mark Yoes, she received the Architectural League of New York’s Young Architects Award and the Emerging Voices Award. Weisz was named one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business in 2017, awarded the Medal of Honor from AIANY in 2018, honored with the Women in Architecture Award by Architectural Record and recognized as ENR’s New York Legacy Award Winner in 2024. 

  • Headshot of Mark Yoes with a dark shirt and red background.

    Mark Yoes

    FAIA, LEED AP, Design Principal

    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.

  • Headshot of Layng Pew with a white shirt and yellow background.

    Layng Pew

    AIA, Principal

    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.

  • Headshot of Adam Lubinsky with a dark blazer and green background.

    Adam Lubinsky

    PhD, AICP, Principal

    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.

  • Headshot of Jacob Dugopolski with a grey blazer and yellow background.

    Jacob Dugopolski

    AIA, AICP, LEED AP, Associate Principal

    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.

  • Headshot of David Vega-Barachowitz with a grey blazer and green background.

    David Vega-Barachowitz

    Associate Principal

    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.

  • Headshot of Chris Rice with a dark shirt and yellow background.

    Chris Rice

    AICP, Associate Principal
  • Headshot Kendall Baldwin wearing a green sweater against a yellow background.

    Kendall Baldwin

    RA, Associate Principal, Managing Director

    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.

  • Headshot of Farida Abu-Bakare in a white top against a green background.

    Farida Abu-Bakare

    OAA, FRAIC, Associate Principal, Director of Global Practice

    Farida Abu-Bakare, FRAIC, is the Director of Global Practice at WXY. Her experience includes roles as Project Director at Adjaye Associates in Accra, Ghana, and Associate at HOK in Toronto, Canada. She holds a Master of Architecture from Ryerson University (2012) and a Bachelor of Architectural Studies from Carleton University (2009). At WXY, Farida leads prominent New York City projects such as the Packer Collegiate Institute Facilities Campus Master Plan, and the Kingsbridge Armory Visioning Study. Her global portfolio extends across Africa, Canada, the Middle East, and the United States, focusing on civic, cultural, and urban design projects. Farida also collaborates with artists and collectives to design, direct, and curate public experiences at galleries and cultural institutions. A work of note is the Palaver Bench, launched at the 2023 Venice Biennale to foster communication and connection. Farida served as an elected Council member of the Ontario Architects Association (OAA), has been a Critic at the Yale School of Architecture Bass Studio, and contributes as a Sessional Lecturer at the University of Toronto, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture. 

  • Headshot of Robert Young with a grey blazer against a blue background.

    Robert Young

    AIA, RIBA, NCARB, Associate Principal

    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.

  • Headshot of Bahij Chancey against a red backdrop.

    Bahij Chancey

    AICP, Senior Associate, Director of Planning, Managing Director

    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.

  • Headshot of Robert Daurio in a blue shirt against a blue background.

    Robert Daurio

    AICP, ENV SP, Senior Associate, Director of Urban Sustainability

    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.

  • Headshot of Majed Abdulsamad in a white shirt against a blue background.

    Majed Abdulsamad

    AICP, Senior Associate, Managing Director

    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.

  • Headshot of Mario Giampieri in a dark shirt against a green background.

    Mario Giampieri

    Senior Associate

    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.

  • Headshot of Asher Intebi in a white shirt against a green background.

    Asher Intebi

    RA, Senior Associate

    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.

  • Headshot of Tom Offord in a white shirt against a blue background.

    Tom Offord

    Senior Associate

    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.

  • Headshot of Manasi Punde in a dark top against a red background.

    Manasi Punde

    Senior Associate

    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.

  • Headshot of Radhika Singh against a green background.

    Radhika Singh

    Senior Associate

    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.

  • Headshot of Anna Hajdo in a dark top against a green background.

    Anna Hajdo

    Senior Associate

    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.

  • Headshot of Dare Brawley against a green background.

    Dare Brawley

    Associate

    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.

  • Headshot of Pierre de Brun in a blue shirt against a blue background.

    Pierre de Brun

    Associate

    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.

  • Headshot of Peter Eichberger against a blue background.

    Peter Eichberger

    Associate

    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.

  • Headshot of Annie Peyton in a grey shirt against a red background.

    Annie Peyton

    AICP, Associate

    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.

  • Headshot of Abby Zan in a dark top against a yellow background.

    Abby Zan

    Associate

    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.

  • Headshot of Nathalie Kauz against a yellow background.

    Nathalie Kauz

    Associate

    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.  

  • Headshot of Richard Jolta against a red background.

    Richard Jolta

    RA, Senior Project Architect

    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.

  • Nick Hornig

    ARB, RIBA, Senior Architect

    In 2024, Nick joined WXY with over twenty years’ experience in higher education, mixed use, cultural and master planning projects. As Senior Architect, Nick is currently leading the development of construction documents for the renovation of Jones Beach East Bathhouse, a landmark public project supporting the NY State Governor’s “Learn to Swim” initiative.

    Nick holds a masters Urban Planning from the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University. He completed his undergraduate and Diploma degrees in Architecture at the University of Cambridge

  • Headshot of Nobuhiko Arai in dark shirt against a green background.

    Nobuhiko Arai

    Senior Architect

    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.

  • Headshot of Serena Ching in dark shirt against a yellow background.

    Serena Ching

    RA, WEDG, Architect

    Serena joined WXY in 2020 after graduating with a M.Arch 1 Degree from the Yale School of Architecture. At Yale, she was awarded the William E. Parsons Medal for Excellence in City Planning and held positions as a teaching fellow, Jim Vlock Building Project field crew manager, and exhibition designer at the Swedish Embassy in DC. Prior to WXY, she has had 3 years of experience researching, designing, and building at various offices, startups, and community organizations in projects related to Eco Conservation, Adaptive Reuse, Interior Design, and Civic/Education. She is a licensed Architect in NY and at WXY, she furthers her passion and expertise for affordable housing, adaptive reuse, and urban design in projects such as Soundview Commons, Pioneer Works, Graham Windham Youth & Family Support Center, and the Rochester Aqueduct.

  • Headshot of Angel Castillo in a grey jacket against a green background.

    Angel Castillo

    Senior Architectural Designer

    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.

  • Headshot of Santiago Vasquez Carvajal in a dark shirt against a red backdrop.

    Santiago Vasquez Carvajal

    Senior Architectural Designer

    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. 

  • Headshot of Sijia Zhou in a white shirt with a yellow background.

    Sijia Zhou

    Senior Architectural Designer
  • Headshot of Alice Song in a green top against a blue background.

    Alice Song

    Senior Architectural Designer

    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.

  • Headshot of Govardan Rajasekaran Umashankar in a white shirt against a red background.

    Govardan Rajasekaran Umashankar

    Senior Urban Designer

    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.

  • Headshot of Moon Mengqi He in a white top against a blue background.

    Moon Mengqi He

    AICP, Senior Urban Designer

    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.

  • Headshot of Olivia Jia in a black top against a red background.

    Olivia Jia

    AICP, Planner II

    With interests in open space and the public realm, placemaking/keeping, user experience design, and spatial analysis, Olivia joined WXY in 2023. At WXY, Olivia is currently working on neighborhood planning projects in Long Island City, South Bronx, and the Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Prior to joining WXY, Olivia held roles in planning, design, research, strategy, and communications at Gehl, SOM, the Metropolitan Planning Council, and the University of Chicago, where she received her BA in Sociology and Environmental and Urban Studies. A 2024 MS in Urban Planning graduate from Columbia University GSAPP, her research capstone developed a framework for revisiting NYC’s privately owned space program to deliver a more comprehensive, equitably distributed public realm network throughout the city.

  • Headshot of Mallory Thatch against a yellow background.

    Mallory Thatch

    Planner II

    Mallory joined WXY in the fall of 2024. She is an urban planner with interest in climate resiliency, micromobility, and equitable engagement. She is currently supporting with the Brooklyn Marine Terminal engagement efforts led by NYCEDC and WXY. Previously, Mallory worked in Brownsville, Brooklyn where she focused on placekeeping, public space activations, and community engagement.

  • Headshot of Ien Boodan in a black shirt against a green background.

    Ien Boodan

    Architectural Visualization Specialist

    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.

  • Headshot of James Kwon against a green background.

    James Kwon

    Architectural Designer II

    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.

  • Headshot of Helen Fialkowski in a white top against a red background.

    Helen Fialkowski

    Architectural Designer II

    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.

  • Headshot of Sarah Yoes in a black top against a red background.

    Sarah Yoes

    Architectural Designer II

    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.

  • Headshot of Johane Clermont in a dark top against a green background.

    Johane Clermont

    Architectural Designer  II

    Johane joined WXY in 2019 as an urban designer with a professional background in city planning prior to pursuing graduate degrees in architecture and real estate development. She rejoined WXY in 2024 after two years focused on affordable housing development across New York State. She holds an MS in City and Regional Planning from the Pratt Institute and dual degrees (MArch and MSRED) from Columbia’s Graduate School of Architecture, Preservation, and Planning.

  • Headshot of Alexis Luna against a yellow background.

    Alexis Luna

    Urban Designer II

    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.

  • Headshot of Aakanksha Jain in a dark top against a red background.

    Aakanksha Jain

    Urban Designer II

    Aakanksha is an Urban Designer who has been with WXY since 2023. She graduated from Harvard Graduate school of design with a Master of Architecture in Urban Design. Her focus is on leveraging research and integrated thinking to develop contextual strategies that are mindful of geography, communities, and fluctuating urban contexts across the globe. She is co-founder of ‘Purifyx’, an initiative committed to providing clean drinking water in rural India through interventions on an urban and domestic scale. As an architect and urban designer, she has worked on large scale institutional and infrastructural projects in India and USA.

  • Headshot of Chai Eun Hwang against a yellow background.

    Chai Eun Hwang

    Urban Designer I

    Chai joined WXY in 2024 as an Architectural and Urban Designer after earning her Master of Architecture from Pratt Institute. She also holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Urban Planning & Design from the University of Seoul, where she founded DesignUs, an academic club that connects students and alumni to put urban design ideas into practice.

    Before WXY, Chai worked for three years as an Urban Planner and Designer in Seoul, focusing on master planning, mixed-use developments, and housing reconstruction. In New York, she transitioned into architectural design, contributing to a museum expansion project, working on design from Concept to Schematic phases.

    Chai enjoys working across scales, from objects and street furniture to architecture, landscape, and urban design, focusing on enhancing the public realm and creating welcoming, sustainable, and equitable spaces.

  • Headshot of Sarah Lohmar in a dark top against a red background.

    Sarah Lohmar

    Urban Analyst

    Sarah graduated from MIT with her B.S. in Urban Science and Planning and a minor in Computer Science and Energy Studies. She then continued on at MIT to earn her M.C.P. Master in City Planning.

    While at MIT, Sarah was a Public Data Fellow at the Leventhal Map and Educational Center, and she completed a Data Science Pathways internship at the US DOT Volpe Transportation Research Center in the Energy Analysis and Sustainability Division. There she developed Python script to parse 1400+ PDF Site Survey Reports and constructed a dataset of the site records, evaluated transportation datasets, and analyzed FAA dataset relationships with ArcGIS and SQL queries to construct historical records of sites.

    Since graduating from MIT last year, Sarah has also been working as a Urban Design and Planning Fellow at the NYC Department of City Planning in the Urban Design Division. She has been responsible for supporting site modeling and public realm mapping analysis as the division’s GIS Liaison for the Jamaica Neighborhood Study, developing graphics and layouts for public guides that outline proposed zoning under the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, and exploring new feature developments for an existing RhinoCommon plugin used by urban designers for site and envelope modelling.

  • Headshot of Zoe Lin in a dark top against a blue background.

    Zoe Lin

    Urban Analyst

    Zoe Lin joined WXY in 2024. She is interested in the intersection of data and society, particularly in incorporating human consideration and feedback through grounded observations of the data’s locality. With an M.S. in Computational Design Practices from Columbia GSAPP, she brings an interdisciplinary perspective rooted in her background in Cognitive Science to her research. Prior to joining WXY, she held positions as an Associate Research Scholar for the Center Spatial Research at Columbia University, where she also taught as a Teaching Associate, and a Research Fellow at Cornell Tech's Digital Life Initiative.

  • Xueyuan Wang

    Architectural Designer I

    Xueyuan Wang, Architectural Designer I, joined WXY in 2024 and brings 7 years of experience in Architecture and Urban Design. At WXY, Xueyuan supports multiple projects including the BAT/MiNY Strategic Development Plan, with a focus on public realm strategies and building design fit outs. Xueyuan holds a B.Arch from Rice University, with a minor in Museums and Cultural Heritage. She also received her M.S. in Architecture and Urban Design from Columbia University GSAPP, where she graduated with the Honor Award for Excellence in Urban Design.

    Xueyuan has recently been invited as a guest speaker at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. She was also awarded first prize in the AIA Continental Europe Design Awards 2024, Student Category, for her project addressing connectivity and sustainability in the Greater Paris Metropolis. Xueyuan has previously worked as an architectural designer at Diller Scofidio + Renfro, New York, and Gensler, Shanghai.

  • Headshot of Jessica Wong in a white top against a blue background.

    Jessica Wong

    Architectural Designer I

    Jess received her Master of Architecture with distinction from the University of Pennsylvania where she developed strong interests in urban design, community engagement strategies, and understanding the social impacts of architecture. Her graduate thesis explored infrastructural development in Philadelphia's Chinatown and as a research assistant, Jess collaborated on community design workshops and designs for alternative urban futures with students, faculty and members of the Save Chinatown Coalition. Her professional experience includes time spent at MAD Architects in Los Angeles, where she contributed to international cultural and master planning projects, and at Digsau in Philadelphia, focusing on mixed-use and multi-family housing developments. Jess also served as a Design Fellow with Penn Praxis, engaging high school students in collaborative design projects in West Philadelphia. She holds a B.S. in Architecture with a minor in Sociology from the University of Cincinnati, where she developed a strong foundation in socially conscious design approaches

  • Headshot of Jacqueline McGrath against a green background.

    Jacqueline McGrath

    Human Resources Manager

    Jacqueline McGrath, SHRM-SCP, joined WXY in 2024 as their Human Resources and Operations Manager.  She has 18 years of hands-on experience developing and executing on people/HR strategies and solutions that meet organizational goals.  Her areas of strength include talent acquisition/talent development, employee engagement, policy development and HR compliance.   Jacqueline received a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Delaware and a M.S. in Human Resources Management from Fordham University. 

  • Headshot of Maïra Gomis in a white top against a green background.

    Maïra Gomis

    Senior Contract & Project Administrator
  • Headshot of Ella Sprick in a black top against a blue background.

    Ella Sprick

    Proposal Manager

    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.

  • Headshot of Ella Erwin against a green background.

    Ella Erwin

    Marketing Coordinator

    Ella Kay Erwin (EK) is an agender, queer artist working at the intersection of urban design, social research, and education. EK received their Masters of Science in Design and Urban Ecologies and Creative Community Development from Parsons School of Design in 2023. As a mixed media practitioner, their body of work aims to reimagine our academic systems and engagement strategies to support communal creative exploration. Before WXY, EK worked as a community organizer and educational programmer in New York, creating original artwork for canvassing materials and co-facilitating professional coursework in advocacy and policy making.

  • Headshot of Jack Ramsdale in a white shirt against a yellow background.

    Jack Ramsdale

    Studio Coordinator

    Jack joined WXY in 2024. Graduating from Cardiff University in 2021 with a B.A. (Hons) in Marketing Management and a M.Sc. in Business Management from Loughborough University in 2022, he has developed a comprehensive skill set in both marketing and business management. Originally from the UK he has experience in operations, sales and financial reporting. Prior to WXY he worked for Fitch Group as a Marketing Associate.