Billie Tsien

Billie Tsien is an Adjunct Associate Professor at The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture at Cooper Union. She co-founded Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners in 1986, specializing in culturally significant and enduring architectural designs for non-profit, academic, and cultural institutions. Her work emphasizes rootedness, light, texture, and user experience. Notable projects include the Obama Presidential Center (Chicago), David Geffen Hall (Lincoln Center), and the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.

Education: B.A. from Yale University, M.Arch from UCLA. She also holds the Charles Gwathmey Professor in Practice role at Yale and serves on prestigious boards such as the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. Her firm’s projects reflect a commitment to sustainability (e.g., LEED Silver certification for the Mexico City embassy) and community integration.

• Awards: National Medal of Arts, AIA Firm of the Year, Praemium Imperiale, multiple academy memberships.
• Current Projects: Obama Presidential Center (2026), U.S. Embassy Mexico City, David Geffen Hall renovation.

Her professional mission includes advancing cultural landscapes and diversity through architecture. Recent Cooper Union collaborations include a lecture series with Jennifer Dempsey on gender dynamics in the profession.