AIA National 2026 President
COP 30 Delegation Chair
Illya Azaroff, FAIA
Architect, Geographer and Educator
Founder +lab architect
Be the change!
We must #bethechange you want to see in the world, because #leadershipCantWait
Be the change!
Now more than ever, architects must be change agents, audaciously shaping the future of our post-pandemic cities, acting on the climate crisis, and reimagining our environments to create, sustain, and build resilient capacity. We can, and we must, harness the power of AIA’s 100,000 members to actively shape policy. Our capacity to tackle today’s complex challenges must be linked to a strategic allocation of AIA resources, member support and action focused on powerful solutions. It’s time to #betherchange #bethechangeyouwanttoseeintheworld
Climate Migration
People are on the move. Global warming and extreme weather, resource stresses, and political instability are driving huge migrations across the world - 2024 events alone displaced 124 million people. Architects can prepare receiving communities and facilitate adaptation to a hotter, wetter world. Giving communities new opportunities is at heart of our work as Architects - designing a better future. #climateaction #climatejustice #regenerativedesign #equity
Elevate and Accelerate!
We are living through the greatest market transformation that we have experienced in our lifetimes. It’s time to elevate and accelerate – to elevate the work of each and every AIA member and to accelerate the significant transformation that is needed within the Institute to achieve our mission. The role of the Institute is to support members through robust resources, highlight and amplify fantastic stories of success, and advocate for greater visibility of the profession in the eyes of the public and governing bodies. #transformation
Leadership
Global challenges need global solutions, and architects are leading communities to a better future by visualizing these solutions through co-design and community engagement. It is within our power to demonstrate the transformative value that we bring to these challenges. Our work is the greatest exemplar of demonstrated action. At any scale, architects make a difference every day. #leadershipCantWait
Illya Azaroff, FAIA. Professor in practice at New York City of Technology (CUNY) and founding principal of +lab architect pllc, whose mission is to build resilient capacity and advance goals for a sustainable, regenerative future while giving underserved communities greater voice and visibility. He is an internationally recognized leader in disaster mitigation, resilient planning, and regenerative design strategies. He is part of Resilient 21, a coalition advising the white-house on resilient strategies. He served as a COP27 delegate and leads the COP-30 AIA team. He is a technical advisor on the New York State Climate Impact Assessment for the governor’s office. Illya worked with NYC OEM on 2023 Hazard Mitigation Plan for the city. As New York state disaster coordinator, he created the AIA Unified Task Force City and State addressing impacts of COVID19 pandemic Video Task Force. Illya is advised HUD, the federal government, as part of the Resilient Housing Taskforce. While with ICC/ANCR- the Alliance for National Community Resilience helped create community resilience benchmarking system. He is a founding director of KIGRR - Kalinago Institute for Global Resilience and Regeneration on the island of Dominica. His office is advancing culturally significant community resilience hubs and regenerative cluster housing in several communities across the world. The US State department deployed Illya to missions in Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and the Republic of Turkey following the devastating earthquakes. He served as the 2021 AIA New York State president and is currently serving as the AIA National President. Prior to coming to New York, he worked in Germany, Italy, and Holland. He has worked in the field for over 30 years.
Bio | Video
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2026 AIA National President
2025-26 AIA National President-Elect
2023-24 AIA National board of directors At-large Director
2023 chair AIA COP-28 delegation
2023-24 Chair CCADE committee on climate action and design excellence AIA National
2020-23 Chair AIA Unified Crisis Task Force City and State COVID-19
2021 AIA New York State President
2020 AIA New York State Board as First Vice President
2015-18 AIA National Strategic Council, New York Regional Representative Leading Resilient working group and technology transformation
2017-23 New York State Disaster Co-Coordinator by AIA National
2019 Houston Visions 2020 Advisor and Design Competition jury
2018-19 Appointed to AIA Manufacturers Council
2017 Appointed Chair, AIA National Board Knowledge Committee
2016-17 Appointed Chair, AIA National Honor Awards
2015-16 AIA National Advocacy Director, Young Architects Forum (YAF), Advisory Committee
2013-18 AIA New York Board of Directors, Vice President for Design Excellence
2012-14 AIA New York State Board of Directors
2011-14 AIA Regional Director, Young Architects Forum (YAF)
2012-14 Founding Co-Chair, AIA Regional Recovery Working Group (AIANYS, AIANJ, AIARI, AIACT, AIANY)
2011-2021 Founding Co-Chair, (DfRR) Design for Risk & Reconstruction Committee AIANY
2008 Chair Design Awards Committee - AIA New York Chapter
2007 Member AIA New York Chapter
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MArch, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, 1997
BArch, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, 1996
BSAS, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, 1992
BA, Geography, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, 1991
NDPTC National Disaster Preparedness Training Center, Certified Trainer (FEMA)
Cal EMA SAP Certified Trainer
ULI Urban Plan Certified Educator
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Founding Principal +lab architect pllc. NYC 2009-Present
Founding Partner Design Collective PC. NYC 1999-09
Project Architect Carol Marion Architect NYC 1997-99
Project Architect Buro Pechtold PRSSR, Berlin, Germany 1993-95
Studio Carlo Bellini Milan, Italy. 1993
Wilke und Partner, Hanover, Germany 1992-93
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2008-Present Professor, NYCCT - CUNY New York City College of Technology.
2008-2014 Adjunct, SVA School of Visual Arts Interior Design
2005-2007 Adjunct, NYIT New York Institute of Technology
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2024-26 SHIFT.Global DGNB Ambassador
2023-26 SME - ICC CODES - Code Official Digitization and Efficiency Support
2021-25 FLASH - Federal Alliance for Safe Homes - Resilience Policy Council
2021-24 Appointed to New York State Climate Impacts Assessment, Governor Hochul
2024-25 US Department of State mission to the Republic of Moldova
2023 US Department of State missions to Kyrgyzstan and Turkey disaster recovery
2023 SME - Hazard Mitigation Plan for New York City with OEM
2021-22 Appointed New York City Mayor Adams transition team, sustainability & Infrastructure
2019-Present US Department of State Subject Mater Expert foreign delegations
2019-20 Appointed to Waterfront Alliance’s working group on land use policy, Resilience Task Force
2019-21 Appointed to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s National Resilient Housing Task Force
2018-19 Enterprise Community Partners, SME - Keep Safe Puerto Rico Guide
2019-20 New York City Mayor’s Office of Climate Resilience (MOCR)’s Technical Advisory Group, Subject Matter Expert for Future Flood Maps Future Flood, NYC
2020 New York City Mayor’s Office of Climate Resilience (MOCR)’s Rapid Research & Assessment Team
2016 ICC/ANCR- Alliance for National Community Resilience - community resilience benchmarking
2018-Present Founding director of KIGRR - Kalinago Institute for Global Resilience & Regeneration, Dominica
2019-Present Oceanic Global’s scientific advisory board
2019-21 Building Energy Exchange (BE-Ex)’s Architecture Advisory Board
2019-24 NYSERDA Buildings of Excellence Advisory Group
2023 NYC 2030 District Advisory Board
2018-21 HHS - Subject Matter Expert, Hazard Mitigation Plan U.S. Virgin Islands
2016-Present Advisory Board SHADE – Sustainable, Humanitarian, Architecture, Design for the Earth
2015-16 Subject Matter Expert, 100 Resilient Cities, Rockefeller Foundation
2015-16 Advisor to the National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF)’s Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR)
2011-15 Advisor to Regional Catastrophic Planning Team (RCPT) and Housing Recovery Center NYC
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