Vishaan Chakrabarti

Vishaan Chakrabarti, FAIA, is the founder and creative director of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism | PAU, where he leads a global portfolio of cultural, institutional, and public projects in the field of urban architecture and design. With more than 30 years of experience, Chakrabarti has held leadership roles at SHoP Architects and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, served as president of the Moynihan Station Venture at Related Companies, directed the Manhattan Office for the New York Department of City Planning during the Bloomberg administration, and was the William W. Wurster Dean of the College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley. These roles have provided Chakrabarti with a comprehensive perspective on urban development, city planning, and architectural innovation.

During his tenure with the New York Department of City Planning, Chakrabarti contributed to projects such as the preservation of the High Line, the extension of the 7 subway line, the redevelopment of the East River Waterfront, the expansion of Columbia University’s campus, and the reintegration of the street grid at the World Trade Center site. This experience informs PAU’s approach to creating resilient, inclusive, and sustainable urban environments.

PAU’s design process emphasizes emotional, social, and cultural connections, resulting in tailored solutions that use material, structure, light, and space to foster community and civic engagement. The firm prioritizes understanding the daily lives of diverse urban populations, creating multi-functional spaces that encourage civic interaction, environmental responsibility, and cross-cultural exchange.

Notable projects include the design of a sustainable air traffic control tower prototype for the Federal Aviation Administration, the expansion of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the planning and redevelopment of downtown Niagara Falls, and the adaptive reuse of the Domino Sugar Factory on Brooklyn’s waterfront into a contemporary office complex.

Chakrabarti is the author of "A Country of Cities: A Manifesto for an Urban America" and "The Architecture of Urbanity: Designing Cities for Pluralism and Planet." He has taught at Columbia University and serves on the boards of the Architectural League of New York, Regional Planning Association, Norman Foster Foundation, The World Around, and Prometheus Materials. Chakrabarti is a frequent keynote speaker at design and urbanism conferences, and his work has received recognition for design excellence and urban innovation. He holds degrees in architecture, urban planning, art history, and engineering.