UCLA AUD presents inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award to Billie Tsien (MArch '77)

UCLA Architecture and Urban Design is honored to present its inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award to Billie Tsien (MArch '77), Founder of Studio Tsien and Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects.

The Distinguished Alumni Award celebrates individuals whose achievements embody the values and aspirations of UCLA AUD, and is established to recognize alumni whose work has made significant and lasting contributions to architecture, urbanism, design culture, education, research, public service, and the broader built environment.

UCLA AUD Chair Mariana Ibañez presented the award (virtually) to Tsien on June 9, 2026, as part of AUD’s Rumble60 celebration.

“Throughout her career, Billie Tsien has advanced architecture as both a cultural and civic practice,” Ibañez said. “Her work has produced some of the most thoughtful and influential buildings of her generation through projects distinguished by their intellectual rigor, material sensitivity, and deep commitment to the people and institutions they serve. Her work has expanded the cultural impact of architecture while demonstrating the capacity of design to engage questions of memory, community, education, and public life.

“As UCLA Architecture and Urban Design celebrates its 60th anniversary,” Ibañez continued, “it is fitting that the Distinguished Alumni Award be presented to an alumna whose work has enriched the profession, elevated architectural culture, and demonstrated the enduring value of architecture in society.”

In her remarks, Tsien applauded UCLA AUD for its impact in shaping and inspiring her work and career. Tsien shared that she entered UCLA intending to study graphic design–but, barring that, a friend suggested architecture. The rest is history.

“What I found [at AUD] was studio culture: a community that shared the belief that we could make the world a better place,” Tsien noted. “Falling asleep on a mattress under the stairs, the hysterical laughter that was the result of very late nights working together, and a shared sense of purpose in the world: these were the experiences that have shaped my life.

“Our job is to make containers that hold and nourish life,” Tsien added. “We can make the world a better place and the world needs us, particularly now, to move forward with optimism and to make places both large and small of meaning and grace.”

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, Tsien 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, Tsien is steadfast in her mission to create a better world through architecture.

Tsien presented AUD’s annual Distinguished Alumni Lecture in April 2023.

Established as part of the Department’s 60th anniversary, the UCLA AUD Distinguished Alumni Award celebrates individuals whose achievements embody the values and aspirations of UCLA AUD, and is established to recognize alumni whose work has made significant and lasting contributions to architecture, urbanism, design culture, education, research, public service, and the broader built environment. The award honors individuals whose accomplishments exemplify the spirit of UCLA AUD: a commitment to advancing architectural knowledge, expanding the cultural and social impact of design, and shaping the future of the discipline through innovation, leadership, and critical engagement.

Recipients are recognized for distinguished professional practice, influential scholarship, transformative teaching, institutional leadership, public advocacy, creative production, and other forms of contribution that have advanced architecture and its role in society. While the paths taken by recipients may differ, each demonstrates a sustained commitment to excellence and a meaningful impact on the discipline, the profession, and the communities they serve.
The Distinguished Alumni Award celebrates not only individual achievement, but also the collective legacy of UCLA AUD and its enduring influence on architecture and urbanism across generations.