Billie Tsien, AIA
Founder of Studio Tsien and Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects
(New York, NY)

Billie Tsien is a New York-based architect, mentor, and leading voice in the design and broader cultural community. Her approach to architecture is rooted in the spirit of collaboration with a portfolio imbued with a sense of optimism, warmth, texture, and serenity. She is a founding partner of Studio Tsien and Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects. In parallel to her architecture practice, Billie has taught at many institutions and is a devoted participant in many arts organizations. From 2021-2024 Billie was the Chair of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the first Asian-American and woman to hold this position. Her dedication to work and the cultural landscape at large has garnered her numerous awards including the National Medal of Arts from President Obama, the 2013 AIA Architecture Firm Award, and the 2019 Praemium Imperiale presented by the Japan Art Association. As an educator, arts advocate and practitioner, Billie is steadfast in her mission to create a better world through architecture.