The partners of DXA Studio, the renowned New York City-based architecture and design firm, announced today that Sando Thordarson has been promoted to Principal.
Sando brings a wide breadth of experience to the position, having contributed to projects ranging from urban to rural, single-family to large-scale buildings, and much more. He believes rigorous design can respond to the constraints of any given project in a way that has a meaningful and layered impact on its surrounding community.
“As our firm expands and takes on larger and more prominent projects, we are so thrilled to have Sando in the role of Principal,” explain Jordan Rogove and Wayne Norbeck, the founding partners of DXA Studio. “Sando has shown his enormous capabilities as a designer and manager time and time again and we know he will contribute to the continued success of our firm.”
During his tenure at DXA Studio, Sando has approached each project with a respect for both historic context and contemporary needs to bridge the past and future. He has led the designs for award-winning competitions. Among these are the Midtown Viaduct in NYC, winner of the 2020 NYCxDESIGN Grand Prize, and the firm’s Sandy Hook Memorial entry for Newton, CT, which was shortlisted for the award. Sando’s work at DXA have included ground up multi-family residences in NYC, the restoration and expansion of a landmarked Upper West Side church, a masterplan for a pedestrian neighborhood and buildings in Washington, D.C., the renewal of an Art Deco historic neighborhood in Florida, and a custom single-family home in the mountains of Colorado.
Sando received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta and a Master of Architecture from the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto, where he was the recipient of the 2010 Kuwabara-Jackman Architecture Thesis Prize. During his studies, Sando also traveled to Beijing as part of the Global Architecture program, and to Berlin, Chicago and New York. Prior to working at DXA studio, Sando worked on various cultural and infrastructural projects at the London offices of both Grimshaw Architects and Amanda Levete Architects. He brings a wealth of unique experiences and international perspective to the position.
In addition to Sando’s promotion, DXA Studio has also announced the promotion of Hyejin Oh, Brandon Conde and Shahab Faroughi as Associates at the firm. These three exemplar members of staff have a range of skills that have served to set DXA Studio apart.
Hyejin Oh joined DXA Studio in 2014. She has a varied background – her skills center on architecture, environmental design, and housing/interior design. Her experience has featured projects large and small. She is a registered architect in D.C. and New York with NCARB Certificate, and LEED Accredited Professional in BD+C.
Recently she joined the elite 800 people worldwide to be honored with the Master Code Professional status, the highest certification granted by the International Code Council.
Brandon Conde joined DXA Studio in 2017. His background includes architectural research, development, and prototyping. He has worked on a variety of interior projects, from hospitality and offices to multi-family residences. His design philosophy focuses on the ways that architecture and design impact our daily lives.
Shahab Faroughi has over 20 years of experience working on projects in Tehran and NYC. He began his career working in Tehran and co-founded Metamorphosis Method architectural firm. In 2013 he moved to Brooklyn, and received his Master of Architecture at Pratt. He joined DXA Studio in 2018, and brings a lifetime of experience to each new project. He is also an adjunct instructor at NYIT and makes code art in his spare time.
About DXA Studio
Founded in 2011 by architects Jordan Rogove and Wayne Norbeck, DXA Studio seeks to marry art and science through innovative, sustainable design. The firm approaches each project with a modern outlook, but maintains a regard for the history of the space. DXA Studio has completed a wide array of projects in NYC and around the world, from offices and multi-family homes in Manhattan to pro-bono projects such as a new housing prototype for HIV/AIDS patients in Haiti.
DXA Studio has been the recipient of numerous design awards, including several Best of Design Awards from The Architect’s Newspaper, awards from the American Institute of Architects, and the Society of Registered Architects (SARA) awards. The firm’s first monograph, titled DXA NYC: 10 Years of Building on History, was published by ORO in June 2022.