Kate Conley

Principal / Architect / Director of Building Excellence (she/her)

Kate Conley, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP, is a Principal at Architects FORA. She is a licensed architect in California, Colorado, and Washington State. Kate started her career on affordable housing projects in Southern California after graduating Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Architecture and minor in Sustainable Environments from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She brings strong technical and design expertise gained as an Associate at Pritzker Prize-winning Foster + Partners and from her mentors in architecture and construction.

Her passion for sustainable design led her to become a LEED AP and drew her to the Bay Area, where she has gained well-rounded technical expertise in a broad spectrum of project types. Focusing first on higher education residential projects, she then pursued flagship retail design opportunities in Chicago and Seattle and commercial office developments in the South Bay.

Improving equity and justice in the design and engineering professions is an expanding area of emphasis for Kate, leading her to participate in the AIA Silicon Valley Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Task Force and serve as Events Director for the WIA Committee.

Kate is a travel-enthusiast and major foodie. She loves baking and cooking, and she is always on the hunt for new restaurants and bars to try out. Her other hobbies include dancing and choreographing, reading (she loves her book clubs!), writing, watching great shows and movies, listening to podcasts, and participating in advocacy to advance social justice.

"Architecture is like writing. You have to edit it over and over so it looks effortless."

- Zaha Hadid

  • AIA Silicon Valley "Merit Award;” David & Joan Traitel Building at the Hoover Institution; with CAW Architects.

    Silicon Valley Business Journal's "Structures Real Estate Award;" Pathline Park won with LPA.

    The Apple Store in Chicago, with Foster + Partners:

    Winner ‘Commercial Architecture’; ArchDaily Building of the Year Awards.

    Special prize ‘Exterior North America (Shops & Stores category)'; 2018; Prix Versailles.

    IALD Lighting Design Award; Merit; 2018.

    American Architecture Award; Chicago Athenaeum; 2018.

    Azure Mazagine's "Best Retail Building;" 2017

    World Architecture News' "Most Read Story of the Month"

  • What makes you excited to come to work?

    The vital nature of the work we do and our engaged and enthusiastic staff.

  • What's your happy place?

    Snuggled on the couch with a cat, coffee, a great show to binge, and my husband.

  • If you could go anywhere (real or fictional, at no cost), where would you go?

    Florence, Italy. In a heartbeat!

  • What's the best meal you've ever had?

    The tasting menu at David Kinch's Manresa. Every bite was so incredible I'm not even sure it qualified as food anymore, just art.

  • Coffee or tea?

    Impossible choice. I have both every day.

  • What's something that made you smile recently?

    Seeing my partners and staff step into their own and succeed. There is such joy in being able to sit back and watch people who are incredible at what they do.

  • What are some things your bucket list?

    Personally, a trip to Japan and professionally, speaking at a national conference.

/ FAVORITE PROJECT

“I'm really enjoying my site walks of Leigh Avenue. The soft, light colors of the building and the sunny elevated courtyard full of plants creates a very soothing environment.”