Architectural Record’s Women in Architecture Awards program recognizes Kimberly Dowdell, principal in HOK’s Chicago studio and acting president of NOMA, for activism within the architecture profession.
Excerpted from Architectural Record:
Activist: Kimberly Dowdell
The 2019–20 president of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), Kimberly Dowdell is a licensed architect and frequent speaker on the topic of architecture, diversity, sustainability, and the future of cities, whose overarching mission is to improve the quality of life for people living in urban areas. Her career aspirations are rooted in her upbringing in Detroit, where she was initially driven to utilize architecture as a tool to revitalize cities.
With the staff and board of directors of NOMA, Dowdell is working to increase the opportunities for women and for people of color to gain more equitable access to the design profession. A LEED-accredited professional, she holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University and Master in Public Administration from Harvard University. Dowdell is a principal in the global design firm HOK’s Chicago office.