Pascale Sablan on Leadership, Advocacy, and Expanding the Canon
Pascale Sablan, FAIA, NOMAC, LEED AP, is a force—and the moment a dear friend of mine connected us this fall, I knew she belonged in The Comm Sheet. As only the 315th living Black women to become a registered architects in the U.S. in 2014, Pascale is now CEO of Adjaye Associates' New York Studio, leading work across the Americas and the Caribbean with a team that is 52% women and 87% BIPOC.
African American women make up just 1% of licensed architects nationwide, but Pascale has never let that sobering stat limit her impact. “That number is both humbling and galvanizing,” she says. Earning her license affirmed her place in a profession that has long excluded women and people of color, and it fueled everything that followed.
In 2021, her advocacy earned her the AIA Whitney M. Young Jr. Award, making her the youngest African American Fellow in AIA history and only the second African American woman Fellow in New York State. For Pascale, the honor matters less for the title than for what it represents: a profession expanding its definition of excellence to include advocacy, authorship, and justice.
She founded Beyond the Built Environment to spotlight diverse designers, launched the Great Diverse Designers Library, and authored GREATNESS: Diverse Designers of Architecture. A former NOMA president, NCARB Presidential Medal recipient, UIA Professional Practice Commission member, and Board Chair of NYCxDESIGN, Pascale’s influence spans practice, policy, and culture.
Elevating voices like Pascale’s is core to The Comm Sheet, and we’re proud to amplify her work, her leadership, and the future she’s actively reshaping.
On leadership and impact
“Recently stepping into the role of CEO of Adjaye Associates’ New York Studio has been profoundly meaningful. When leadership reflects the world we serve, the work itself becomes more grounded, more resonant, and more just.
“Each of my accomplishments matters because they’re interconnected—personal achievement, advocacy, recognition, and leadership. Together they reaffirm a single truth: We move the profession forward when we widen the path for others and insist that the built environment reflects all the people who inhabit it.”
On influence
“My greatest influence has been my mother, Odeline Fenelus. She anticipated many of the challenges I would face as a Black woman pursuing architecture and made sure I was prepared. In high school, she insisted I attend a “What Is an Architect?” workshop to confirm that this path was truly mine. Once I committed, she was unwavering in her support, ensuring I attended schools best suited for the field. This foundation gave me confidence and clarity, shaping how seriously I approached my education, my craft, and my purpose.
“Equally influential have been the leaders I have worked for in practice. At FXFowle (now FX Collaborative), Sudhir Jambhekar modeled principled leadership; the late Navid Maqami of S9ARCHITECTURE led with empathy; and from David Adjaye, I learned that being an architect and an advocate are not opposing roles. Together, these influences have shaped the architect I am and the leader I strive to be.”
On advice to her younger self
“I would tell her to trust her voice sooner and understand that belonging is not something to be earned through perfection. I would remind her that growth is not linear, and that moments of doubt are often signs of expansion, not failure—to be patient with the process, protect her joy, and remember that leadership does not require abandoning empathy.
“Most importantly, I would tell her that it’s possible to pursue excellence without shrinking, and to lead with conviction while remaining deeply human. The work will come. The impact will grow. And staying true to who you are will always matter more than fitting into someone else’s expectations.”
On her book GREATNESS: Diverse Designers of Architecture
“GREATNESS was more than four years in the making, shaped by years of curating SAY IT LOUD exhibitions and building the Great Diverse Designers Library. I was witnessing extraordinary women and designers of color doing impactful work, yet remaining undocumented or excluded from the architectural record.
“When I began pitching the book, I encountered resistance. Some publishers wanted me to exclude white women. I refused. While women face different challenges across race and identity, the injustices within the profession are deeply connected.
“Other publishers insisted on creating a paywall around the digital library, but that was a nonstarter for me. My mission has always been to make this information accessible. I was proud to partner with Oro Editions to realize the book in a way that honored those values.
“Assembling the book didn’t take long. I reread every profile [in our Library], organized the work by typology, and curated a final selection ranging from well-known practitioners to emerging voices. The designers featured are people readers can visit, learn from, follow, and engage with in real time.
“GREATNESS became not just a book, but a record of our time and a corrective to the canon.”
Pascale reread every profile in the Great Diverse Designers Library and organized her copious notes along the wall to curate content for her book.
On life and architecture
“My journey as an architect has taught me that progress is built slowly, through patience, persistence, and care. Architecture reminds you that meaningful work takes time, foundations matter, and shortcuts always show themselves in the end.
“It’s taught me the importance of listening before acting. Architecture has also taught me humility. No project is created alone; the work is always collective, shaped by collaboration, trust, and shared responsibility. Leadership, like design, is not about control but about creating conditions where others can thrive.
“Above all, this journey has taught me that life—like architecture—is about making space for growth, difference, beauty, and humanity. When we approach both with intention and care, what we build can endure far beyond us.”
—Danine Alati