Claire Weisz, FAIA, Hon. FRAIC, Hon FASLA, is the founding partner of WXY, the New York City-based architecture, urban design, and planning firm that is globally recognized for its community-centered approach. WXY acts at every scale: from the intimacy of an interior to the complexity of a city, from the scale of a conversation to the scale of a generation, with memorable structures such as SeaGlass at The Battery, the Spring Street Salt Shed and Sanitation Garage, and the Rockaway Boardwalk to precedent-setting planning and urban design work. Claire’s belief in the importance of public space and dialogue in creating a regenerative, equitable and inclusive world is the driving force behind everything WXY does.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Farida recently joined WXY as Director of Global Practice in 2022.With over ten years of professional experience, Farida Abu-Bakare was previously a Project Director of Adjaye Associates in Accra, Ghana and an Associate at HOK Architects in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Farida brings a wealth of global experience to her role as a Director, as she has lived and worked on projects throughout Africa, Canada, the Middle East and the United States on a range of typologies including aviation, cultural, healthcare, higher education, justice, residential and urban design projects. Prior to joining WXY with focus on urban design, she led the design development of three redevelopment masterplanning projects in Accra, Ghana initiated by Ghana’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. The plans aim to transform the city’s waterfront, convention centre and

Ally is a seasoned Human Resources (HR) professional who most recently served as the Human Resources Director for BizFund where she was building the company’s HR function from the ground up. Prior to BizFund, Ally spent 11 years at Issues Management Group (IMG), a strategic communications and public affairs agency, where she was last the Vice President of People & Culture. In this position, Ally led and directed all aspects of HR management, including talent acquisition, retention, employee engagement, cultural transformation, diversity, equity and inclusion, learning and development, performance management and leadership development. She is skilled in building positive corporate culture, employee relations, team effectiveness, and driving continuous organizational development.

Prior to working in HR, Ally was a skillful public relations professional at IMG who excelled at high touch client service and managing account teams and deliverables. Ally oversaw a portfolio of the agency’s real estate accounts, developing and managing strategic communications campaigns from start-up through implementation to support her clients’ business and marketing initiatives. Ally’s responsibilities included client support and counsel, top-tier national and trade media relations, writing/editing, speaking opportunities, event and crisis management.

Ally graduated from Kenyon College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies and History, and she earned her Master’s in Human Resource Management & Development from New York University.

As the Creative Director at WXY, Clinton leads the studio’s creative direction, collaborating closely with senior leadership and design teams to ensure excellence in design and alignment with WXY’s mission. He also leads the integration of motion graphics into the studio’s projects, enhancing visual storytelling and engagement. Clinton’s role involves overseeing multiple projects simultaneously, providing strategic guidance and feedback to maintain rigorous design standards. Previously he was Art Director for The Studio for Research in Sound & Technology where he led the provision of motion graphics, web design, logo design, and comprehensive creative direction for insitutional clients and notable artists. Prior to that he held design positions at Aethyr Agency, and Loom HQ.Clinton holds a Master’s of Find Art in Graphic Design from Rhode Island School of Design and a Bachelor’s of Art in Design Media Arts from University of California, Los Angeles.

Julie Torres Moskovitz joined WXY as a Senior Project Architect in 2022 and has over 20 years of experience practicing architecture in New York City. She has focused on a multitude of projects including new construction and retrofits of residential and commercial spaces, artist and performance spaces, and park designs. After successfully completing the first certified passive house building in NYC in 2012 and writing a book titled The Greenest Home: Superinsulated and Passive House Design published by Princeton Architectural Press, Torres Moskovitz’ architecture and teaching focuses on passive house, hyper-efficient retrofitting, and resiliency. Torres Moskovitz is on the Advisory Board of Street Vendor Project and Youth Design Center. She is a fellow at the Urban Design Forum and a former Pratt Center Taconic Fellow collaborating on greening NYC’s street carts with vendors and Institute for Public Architecture Research Fellow studying work/live for the workforce. She serves as project lead at Design Advocates on a collaboration with NYC Mesh to bring broadband sites to NYCHA complexes in the Bronx and Brooklyn.

Bahij Chancey AICP is an Urban Planner who designs and constructs equitable physical, social, and economic infrastructure. 

As Director of Planning at WXY Studio, Bahij manages planning processes for city government agencies, school districts, business associations, and nonprofits that blend novel public engagement with data analytic findings. 

Bahij was formerly Senior Manager for partnerships and external relations at Green City Force, a workforce development nonprofit that trains NYC housing authority residents for career pathways in the green economy. Bahij previously served as an AmeriCorps Member with the NYC Parks Department, and as an architectural draftsman.  

Bahij has served on the board of Transportation Alternatives, Mechanical Gardens Bike Co-op, is a member of the Gowanus Oversight Task Force, and a former public member of Brooklyn Community Board Six. He holds a Master’s in City Planning from MIT, a BFA in Architecture from Yale, and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Nick is an RIBA chartered architect with over twenty years’ experience in the UK and US. At WXY Nick is currently working on the redevelopment of Jones Beach East Bathhouse and the Brooklyn Army Terminal “Made in NYC” initiative.

Prior to joining WXY, as Project Architect, Nick led architectural design and master planning efforts at distinguished design firms that include Ennead, NBBJ and Eric Parry Architects. Nick has worked across market sectors and scales: from public space design and activation strategies, to exhibit design, commercial mixed use/ offices, higher education lab facilities, libraries as well as K-12 high schools. Nick is an Urban Design Forum Fellow, and an eager videographer/editor. He has taught an urban design studio at the Boston Architectural College and been an invited critic at Columbia GSAPP’s Urban Design, architecture programs, as well as at Pratt, NYIT and NJIT. Nick received his B.A. and Diploma in Architecture at Cambridge University, and holds Master in Urban Planning from the Graduate School of Design, Harvard.

With extensive experience in cultural buildings, Anne brings decades of public project expertise to WXY Studio. At Selldorf, Anne guided the technical aspects of the design of the International Contemporary Wing addition to the Art Gallery of Ontario and the winning competition entry for the renovation of the National Gallery in London, both currently under construction. Ten years were focused on designing and reconstructing three different areas of the New York World Trade Center Rebuild, including the WTC PATH Hub with Santiago Calatrava and the entry pavilion for the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum with Snohetta. Before that, she worked on national museums in Washington, DC, with Pei Cobb Freed and Partners.

Her initial work in New York with envelope and roof repair details continues to influence Anne’s work on both new and existing buildings. In addition, she has spent 20 years working with CultureNOW, a not-for-profit organization that provides public art programs, walking tours, and mapping to support sustainable tourism for locals and visitors.

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.

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.

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. 

Nani joined WXY in 2021 with a background in policy analysis, curriculum development, community engagement, and strategic program design. In their role as Senior Planner, they lead a number of WXY's engagement, capacity-building, and evaluation work, such as with school districts in NYC Community School District 15, District 13, District 3, and the School District of Philadelphia. Nani has also led WXY’s recent work with the Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity supporting the implementation and monitoring of the Greater Rockaway Coastal Resilience Plan–including technical assistance around a range of community education efforts and curriculum development and design with local educators. Nani received a Bachelor’s with Distinction in Public Policy from Duke University in 2018 and has roots in Ecuador and Switzerland.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Xueyuan joined WXY in 2024 with a background in both architecture and urban design. Her work emphasizes the dynamic functionality of built environments and the fostering of inclusive cohabitation among diverse stakeholders. Recently, she was 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's passion for multi-scalar placemaking was cultivated through her experiences at Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Gensler Shanghai, where she designed projects ranging from single-family houses and educational institutions to mixed-use campus masterplan. She holds a B.Arch from Rice University and an M.S. in Architecture and Urban Design from Columbia University GSAPP, where she graduated with the Honor Award for Excellence in Urban Design.

Lane joined WXY in 2023. He received a Master of Architecture degree from the Daniels faculty at the University of Toronto where he presented his thesis on bio-climatic architecture in the Caribbean. Additionally, he has been involved in the creation of furniture and art installations in Toronto.

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.

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.