Claire Weisz (RA, FAIA, Hon. RAIC) is a founding partner of WXY, a New York firm globally recognized for its community-centered approach to architecture, urban design, and planning. Her work around urban issues has been featured widely in national and international publications, including the New York Times, Metropolis, AD, Architectural Record, and many others. She has received the Architectural League of New York’s Young Architects Award and the Emerging Voices Award. Weisz was named one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business in 2017, awarded the Medal of Honor from AIANY in 2018, honored with the Women in Architecture Award by Architectural Record in 2019, and recognized as ENR’s Legacy Award Winner in 2024.
Her firm, WXY, won the 2016 AIA New York State Firm of the Year Award. WXY is listed as one of Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2019 and Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in Urban Development and Real Estate for 2023. Claire co-founded The Design Trust for Public Space and was the co-executive director from 2000-2005.
She held a seat on the Industry Advisory Group for the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Overseas Operations and serves on the board of the Regional Planning Association. She has served on design juries, both nationally and internationally, including the 2018 Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize, Jury Chair of the Nova Scotia Museum of Contemporary Art, Azure Design Awards; Big Ideas for Small Lots NYC Housing Design Competition and Metals in Construction Design Challenge in 2019.
Claire has served on the New York AIA and OPENHouseNY boards and is active on other non-profit boards. She has received research grants from the New York State Council on the Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Graham Foundation. She has taught and lectured widely in academia and for professional associations in design and planning.
WXY is an innovator in electric vehicle (EV) policy, planning, programming, and design solutions. WXY’s transportation research and development initiatives include the NYC DOT EVSE On-Street Charging Pilot, Curb Enthusiasm: Deployment Guide for On-Street Vehicle Charging, EV Tourism, BMW EV Car Share, Accommodating Garage Orphans in Metropolitan Boston, and NYC Green Loading Zones Study. Through these efforts, WXY continues to advance integrated strategies to address emerging transportation and urban development challenges.
