Kayleen is a disciplined architect who approaches projects with rigor and zest. She appreciates architecture’s ability to shape people’s experience and define cultures while appealing to their senses. She is inspired and motivated by research investigation and provocative cultural discussion, which informs her creative responses to complex challenges at all scales of design.
She joined WRNS Studio in early 2019 following a move from Chicago where she led programming and architectural design. She worked on large-scale educational, healthcare, and mixed-used projects, developing master plans and schematics, and overseeing construction documents and administration. She began her career in Philadelphia, working on commercial and residential architecture projects and honing her 3D modeling and visualization skills. During her graduate coursework, she taught other grad students and designed and coordinated institutional exhibitions. A natural leader and mentor, she continues this collaborative spirit, working with a group of contemporaries on installations and publications that explore architecture, furniture design, and artistic expression. The group has widely exhibited their work including at the A+D Museum in Los Angeles and the Chicago Design Museum.
Kayleen is excited to continue her career at WRNS while working closely with team members and clients to create culture-rich experiences while expanding her portfolio.
Kayleen is a licensed architect in the state of Illinois. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Architecture concurrently with her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language, Literature, & Culture from University of Maryland, graduating Summa Cum Laude and receiving the University of Maryland Faculty Awards for Academic Excellence and Excellence in Design. She received her Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design, where she was awarded the E. Lewis Dales Traveling Fellowship and Warren Powers Laird Award for Academic Excellence. Having spent multiple summers participating in an archaeological dig outside of Pompeii, Italy, and stemming from various research projects and travel scholarships awarded during her undergraduate and graduate studies, outside of the office, Kayleen most enthusiastically enjoys traveling, exploring, and documenting new cities and environments.