Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this video, leaders of the socially oriented collaborative discuss the organization’s evolution since 2020, including recent projects and new strategies, organized by Pratt School of Architecture.
Speakers
Alexandra Barker is the principal of Barker Architecture Office and a founder of Pratt Institute’s Graduate Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Design department (Pratt GAUD), where she is currently the interim chair and associate professor. Barker was elevated to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 2020. She is a member of the Design Advocates’ Leadership Team.
Michael K. Chen is an architect and principal of architecture and design firm MKCA, based in New York City. From 2004-2019, Chen taught undergraduate design studios and seminars at Pratt Institute. He is a co-founder and board president of Design Advocates.
Abigail Coover is founder and director of design firm Overlay Office. Coover currently teaches studios at Pratt Institute, and previously taught architectural design at the University of Pennsylvania and the Yale School of Architecture. She is a co-founder and board secretary of Design Advocates.
Fauzia Khanani is the founder of Studio For, an architecture and interiors firm based in New York City. She is a founding member and a former co-chair of the AIANY Social Science and Architecture Committee and a core organizer for the Design As Protest Collective. Khanani is a co-founder and board vice president of Design Advocates.
Jane Lea is the principal of Lea Architecture and is the design partner for The All Along Project. Lea has taught at Cooper Union, Parsons, and Pratt and is a licensed architect in New York and Pennsylvania. She is a co-founder and board treasurer of Design Advocates.
Nicholas McDermott is a partner and co-founder of FE, office of architecture and urbanism, based in Brooklyn. McDermott is on the faculty at the Yale School of Architecture where he teaches graduate-level design studios. He is a registered architect in New York State, a LEED Accredited Professional, and serves on the board of directors at Design Advocates.
In this video, leaders of the socially oriented collaborative discuss the organization’s evolution since 2020, including recent projects and new strategies, organized by Pratt School of Architecture.
Speakers
Alexandra Barker is the principal of Barker Architecture Office and a founder of Pratt Institute’s Graduate Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Design department (Pratt GAUD), where she is currently the interim chair and associate professor. Barker was elevated to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 2020. She is a member of the Design Advocates’ Leadership Team.
Michael K. Chen is an architect and principal of architecture and design firm MKCA, based in New York City. From 2004-2019, Chen taught undergraduate design studios and seminars at Pratt Institute. He is a co-founder and board president of Design Advocates.
Abigail Coover is founder and director of design firm Overlay Office. Coover currently teaches studios at Pratt Institute, and previously taught architectural design at the University of Pennsylvania and the Yale School of Architecture. She is a co-founder and board secretary of Design Advocates.
Fauzia Khanani is the founder of Studio For, an architecture and interiors firm based in New York City. She is a founding member and a former co-chair of the AIANY Social Science and Architecture Committee and a core organizer for the Design As Protest Collective. Khanani is a co-founder and board vice president of Design Advocates.
Jane Lea is the principal of Lea Architecture and is the design partner for The All Along Project. Lea has taught at Cooper Union, Parsons, and Pratt and is a licensed architect in New York and Pennsylvania. She is a co-founder and board treasurer of Design Advocates.
Nicholas McDermott is a partner and co-founder of FE, office of architecture and urbanism, based in Brooklyn. McDermott is on the faculty at the Yale School of Architecture where he teaches graduate-level design studios. He is a registered architect in New York State, a LEED Accredited Professional, and serves on the board of directors at Design Advocates.
