Monica Ponce de Leon

Monica Ponce de Leon serves as Dean and Professor of Architectural Design at Princeton University's School of Architecture. She previously led Taubman College at the University of Michigan (2008–2015) and taught at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design, where she directed the Digital Fabrication Lab. She holds a B.Arch from the University of Miami and M.Arch in Urban Design from Harvard.

Education:

• Bachelor of Architecture, University of Miami
• Master of Architecture in Urban Design, Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Research Interests: Her work bridges practice and academia, focusing on architectural innovation through digital fabrication, urban design, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Her studio, MPdL Studio, designs across scales including residential, cultural, and civic projects. She emphasizes sustainability and integration of built environments with social contexts.

Awards:

• National Design Award in Architecture (Cooper Hewitt)
• Harleston Parker Medal (2016)
• Inducted into National Academy of Design

Labs & Teams: Directed the Digital Fabrication Lab at Harvard. MPdL Studio operates interdisciplinary teams across offices in New York, Boston, Ann Arbor, and Princeton.