The Brummer Lecture: Billie Tsien

The Department of Architecture welcomes Billie Tsien for her lecture, "What Now."

Billie Tsien along with her partner, Tod Williams, founded their New York-based practice Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners in 1986.  Their practice is committed to reflecting the values of non-profit, cultural and academic institutions toward an architecture of permanence and enduring vision.  A sense of rootedness, light, texture, detail, and most of all, experience, are at the heart of what they design. 

Some of their notable projects include the renovation of David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City, the Asia Society Hong Kong, the Lefrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park and the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia.  Their current works in construction include the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, and the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park, Chicago.

Over the past three decades, their dedication to this work has been recognized by numerous national and international citations including the National Medal of the Arts from President Obama, the 2013 Firm of the Year Award from the American Institute of Architects, and the 2019 Praemium Imperiale presented by the Japan Art Association. In 2018, Tsien, along with with Todd Williams, received the inaugural Kanter Tritsch Medal for Excellence in Architecture and Environmental Design from the Weitzman School.

In parallel to her practice, Billie teaches and lectures across the country and is a devoted participant in the broader cultural community.  She currently serves as a Fellow of the American Academy in Rome, and has been inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, National Academy of Design, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society.  In 2021 Billie was appointed by President Biden to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, serving as the first Asian-American and woman to be Chair.  She is steadfast in her mission to create a better world through architecture and support a broader and more diverse cultural landscape.
 

If you require any accessibility accommodation, such as live captioning, audio description, or a sign language interpreter, please email news@design.upenn.edu. Please note, we require at least five (5) business days’ notice.