2000 - Present By evaluating the impact of space on human behavior, Ms. Ehsan has evoked awareness of space and
developed features to improve the quality of our man-made environment. Currently, she is writing a book on the
subject of “The Spirit of Space” and lecturing to professionals and the public at large. She has been a keynote speaker
and lecturer in many universities, national and international conferences in the US, China, Japan, Thailand, Singapore,
Iran, Russia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Ireland, England, Italy, Germany, and
South Africa. For the past five years, Noushin Ehsan has provided a second opinion in design for projects large and
small. These projects include: the cursory review of the master plan of Sofia in Bulgaria; the review of the development
of over 100,000 new residential and commercial spaces in different towns in China; the evaluation of the design of a
community of over 100 apartments and villas in Krtole, Montenegro, which is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site;
and the evaluation of client objectives for many residential buildings. She has also been a juror in national and
international architectural and planning competitions. Her professional goal is to encourage a holistic approach to
design, and through second opinions, guide projects to their fullest potential.
1985 -Present President and founder of Accessible Architecture PC in New York. The work includes restoration and
renovation of educational and institutional buildings for clients, with projects such as: the New York Technical College
buildings in Brooklyn for The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, La Guardia Airport Ground Crew Communication
Centers for The Port Authority of NY & NJ, five different Multi Service Centers for the Human Resources Administration,
and over 400 private clients. Founded in 1985, Accessible Architecture’s publications and projects have increased public
knowledge of how architecture can improve the quality of life.
1975 - 1985 Managing Director of BEB Consultants, Architecture & Planning, with offices in New York, London, Paris,
and Tehran. Designed major projects including master plan for four new towns and two campus plans, a 5,000-unit housing
complex and design of a 42-story hotel with 300 deluxe rooms in Tehran, Iran; apartment/hotel complex in Algarve, Portugal;
Diplomatic Quarters of Arab Satellite in Riyadh; apartment complex in Mecca, Saudi Arabia; a multi-purpose clinic in Los
Angeles; and elderly housing in Sacramento, California. Also Partner-In-Charge of design for a commercial center
consisting of offices, hotel, apartments and shopping mall in Mashhad, Iran, (a joint venture with S.O.M. of Chicago) and
Co-Designer of the Museum of Modern Art, in Berlin (a joint venture with Gutbrod office in Berlin).
Some of these projects cans can be viewed in the portfolio. |
Education
 Architectural License, New York State
Master of Architecture & Urban Design, University of California at Los Angeles
One-year special study, Ecole Des Beaux Arts, Paris
Bachelor of Architecture, Tehran University
Bachelor of Fine Arts and Interior Design at the school of Fine Art, Tehran
Teaching
Guest Lecturer in: Tsinghua University, Beijing; Chongqing University and Xian University
in China. Also guest Lecturer, in universities in: Japan, Czech Republic, England, Germany,
Ireland, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Russia, Africa, Thailand, and Singapore.
Adjunct Professor, Architectural Association (AA), London
Associate Professor, North East London Polytechnic, London
Adjunct Professor, Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Boston, MA
Assistant Professor, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Selected Lectures:
AIA New York Chapter, New York, NY "The Spirit of Space" Lecturer
National Arts Club, New York, NY, "The Spirit of Space" Lecturer
Association for Baha’i Studies, Toronto, Canada, "Passion as an Engine to Creation," lecture and workshop
Center for Art and Architecture, Budapest, Hungary "Education as a Barrier," lecture
International Architectural Conference, Slovenia, "Passion as an Engine to Creation," keynote speaker
Eco City Development Conference, Yangzhou, China "Spirit of Space," keynote speaker
Association for Architecture, Tokyo, Japan, "Spirit of Space," speaker
Shanghai International Residential Conference 2000, China, "Spirit of Space," keynote speaker
AIA/ NYC Public Committee, "China's New Development in 14 Cities," lecture
Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, Knoxville, Texas, "Education as a Barrier," lecture
China Institute in America, NYC, "An Architect's View of Development in China," guest speaker
International Symposium on Sustainable Development, China, "Quality of Emptiness," keynote speaker
Habitat II NGO Forum '96 in Istanbul, "Impact of Built Environment on Human Behavior," workshops
Beijing '95 NGO Forum on Women, "Spirit of Space," speaker
Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC "Influence of Space on Productivity," workshop
School of Architectures in Thailand and Singapore, "Spirit of Space," series of lectures
School of Architecture in Johannesburg, South Africa, "Ethics and Architecture," lecture
University of St. Petersburg, Russia, "Unity in Form," lecture
University of Moscow, Russia, "The Impact of Technology Building," lecture
Architecture Association (AA), London, England, "Knowledge Change Gap," lecture
London Northeast Polytechnic, England, "Vernacular Architecture," lecture
International Architectural Conference, Shiraz, Iran, "The Knowledge Change Gap," speaker
International Congress of Women Architects, Ramsar, Iran, "Architecture's Identity in Crisis," speaker
Dublin Institute of Architecture, Ireland, "Islamic Architecture," guest speaker
Baha'i Center, Sophia, Bulgaria, "The Quality of Emptiness in Man-made Environments," Lecturer
Selected Awards
Business Achievement Award from former NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani
Certificate of Appreciation from New York Regional Education Center for Economic Development
Recipient of $10,000 Award for an entrepreneurial/professional firm in NYC from former Mayor Ed Koch
Certificate of Merit for Design, Hunter College, New York
Recipient of Gold Medal from Her Majesty (Princes Farah) for preserving tradition in modern design
1st prize recipient of competition for design of elderly housing in Sacramento, California
Sarah Armstrong Award, University of California at Los Angeles
Selected Publications & Interviews
Republican-American titled, March 30, 2012 “Hugged by an Igloo,” interview
Baha’i Faith, December 16, 2011, “Homes for Haiti have Space and Spirit,” interview
E-Oculus, January 25th, 2011 “Design Ideas Converge on Haiti,” interview
Daily Kos, January 16. 2011 “One Year After Earthquake, AIA's Creative Homes for Haiti,” report
Stewardship Report, January 16. 2011 “One Year After Earthquake, AIA's Creative Homes for Haiti,” report
Huffington Post, December 30, 2010 “Architects Announce Six Final Plans for Haiti Housing Collaborative,” report
The Examiner, January 12,2012 “Who Says Haiti is Beyond Help?” Interview
ENR NY, January 5, 2011 “AIANY’s Haiti Housing Collaborative Announces 12 Finalist Designs,”
Passport, Autumn 2008 "Price of Oil, Not an Iusse" Interview
AIArchitect, August 2008 "Do You Need a Second Opinion?" Interview
eOculus, May 2008 "May the Spirit of Space Be With You" Article
Noushin Ehsan, Janurary 2008 "Constructing the Ineffable" Article
Architectural Record, Janurary 2008 "The Spirit of Space" Lecture's web review
Progressive Woman, May 2006 "The Gates: a musical enhancement," article
Arts & Opinion, Vol. 5, No. 4, 2006 "Reflections on Museum Design," article
Architecture, May 2005 "Don't Be Superficial. Appearances Aren't Everything," article
Housatonic Home, April 2000, interview
Architecture, July 1996 "Earn Your Client's Respect," article
One World, December, 2002, interview
Stadt Sulzbach-Rosenberg, (a German newspaper), November 2002, interview
The New York Times Editorial Page, July 26, 2002, "Getting Involved," opinion
The Sofia Echo, June 2002, interview
The City of the Covenant News, April 2002, "Coincidence and Determination Create Opportunities," article
Kultura (a daily news paper in Zagreb, Croatia), July 2001, interview
Newspaper of New Canaan, CT, December 1999, "Architect to present view of China," biography
Association of Collegiate School of Architecture, 1998 "Education as a Barrier," article
Architectural International, February 1998, "Quality of Emptiness," article (in Chinese)
International Symposium on Sustainable Development, 1997, "The Spirit of Space," article (in Chinese)
The City of the Covenant News, February 1997, "Architecture has Spiritual Foundations," article
Architectural Point, October 1997 "Spirit of Space," article (in Chinese)
Architecture, August 1996 "UN Habitat II Conference," at Istanbul, Turkey, article
The Management Component, July 1996 "Earn Your Client's Respect," article
Salar-Zanan, a book about Women Leaders in Iran, 1995 Publication, various design and biography (in Persian)
The Friends of Persian Culture, 1995 "Unity in Form," article (in Persian)
New York Construction News, June 27, 1994, interview
Real Estate Weekly, November 23, 1988 "Architecture Can Be Affordable," article
Cornwall/Kent, June 1987, interview
Audio Times, December 1985, "Grand Stereo Store Design," in Manhattan
Shop Magazine, March 1985, "Impact of Design in Living Environment," article
UCLA Architecture and Planning Publication, 1984, Projects in Riyadh,"
Home Improvement Guide, 1981, "East Meets West: a Restoration of a Victorian Building," in Hempstead, London
Art & Architecture, December 1979, "Projects in Tehran,"
Art & Architecture, November 1979, recipient of gold medal for design of ancient style modern hotel in Mahshahr
Daneshmand, 1977, "Why New Town Projects are not Successful," interview (in Persian)
Progressive Architecture, January 1977, "Iran's Congress of Women Architects," interview
Art & Architecture, November 1976, "The Knowledge Change Gap," article
Talash, September 1976, "City Planning Needs Nurturing as Child Needs Mothering," article (in Persian)
Tehran Journal, October 1976, "Architecture's Identity in Crisis," articles and interviews
Art & Architecture, August, 1976, design of Tehran University Housing and Military Apartment Complexes
Various magazines and newspapers, 1976, "Iran's Congress of Women Architects," articles and interviews
Rastakhiz, 1975 issue 53, "Form and its Influence on Human Behavior," article and interview (in Persian)
Videos
|
