Biosketch

Amale Andraos, AIA, HFRAIC, is a principal of WORKac, which she co-founded with her partner Dan Wood in 2003. An award-winning architecture and design practice, WORKac is committed to creating architecture that engages environmental and social concerns with a particular emphasis on public, cultural and civic projects. WORKac was the recipient of the 2023 Arts and Letters Award in Architecture, was named the #1 design firm in the US by Architect Magazine, as well as selected as an AIA New York State “Firm of the Year.” The practice has achieved international acclaim for projects such as the RISD Student Success Center, the Miami Museum Garage, Marea in Batroun, Lebanon and the North Boulder Public Library. Current projects include the Beirut Museum of Art, the Sibley Dome Renovation at Cornell University, The People’s Theatre: Centro Cultural Inmigrante in New York City, and the Sultan Haitham City Cultural Center in Oman.

Andraos is also Professor and Dean Emeritus at Columbia University where she recently served as Special Advisor for the Climate School. As the first woman dean of Columbia’s Graduate School of Architecture Planning and Preservation (2014-2021), Andraos strived to empower the next generation of architects to engage with urgent issues such as climate change, social equity, and the impact of data and technology on the built environment. During her tenure, the school also made meaningful strides towards increased diversity among faculty and students. She was named one of the “25 Most Admired Educators for 2016” by DesignIntelligence, which described her as integrating “real-world problems into the curriculum with a bold vision and strong leadership.” Her publications include The Arab City: Architecture and Representation, co-edited with Nora Akawi, Buildings for People and Plants, We’ll Get There When We Cross That Bridge, 49 Cities and Above the Pavement the Farm, in collaboration with Dan Wood.