Women in Architecture Awardee

The AIA Connecticut Women in Architecture Award honors registered and practicing female architects in Connecticut who demonstrate
design excellence, promote equitable & sustainable practice, and are affecting change in the profession.

Congratulations to the 2023 Women in Architecture Awardees!

Amanda Martocchio, AIA
Founder and Principal, Amanda Martocchio Architecture

Amanda leads a thriving Connecticut practice whose work reflects clarity of intention, rigorous detailing, and a focus on sustainable materials and building practices. Design excellence is evidenced by the multiple design awards, LEED certification and superior energy ratings her studio has received.

In her community, Amanda has been a driving force in the design and approval process for the new New Canaan Library. Collaborating with the building design team, she ensured that the design was grounded in principles of equity and access for all. She also contributed to mediating a solution that included the relocation and inclusion of part of the historic library, while maintaining the important green space for community enjoyment and the town’s ecological health. In addition, Amanda had a pivotal role chairing the multi-phased expansion of St. Luke’s School where she pushed for architectural spaces that promoted collaborative learning and community engagement. She met with diverse constituencies throughout the design and approval process, including addressing neighbors’ concerns. Amanda is an ambassador for Grace Farm’s Design for Freedom initiative to cultivate ethical practices in the profession and to eliminate forced labor in the global building supply chains. Also, beyond her community, Amanda led the design and construction of a prototype for a health clinic in a remote village in Nicaragua based on resident input regarding local practices, building materials and methods.

Focused on affecting positive change within her profession, Amanda mentors students and supports junior architects. Her studio environment prioritizes flexibility, diversity, and work-life balance.

Ming Thompson, AIA, IIDA, NOMA
Founder, Atelier Cho Thompson

Ming Thompson, NOMA, AIA, IIDA is focused on bettering human experience through design; she insists that good design must occur at all scales, from the building to the furniture to the logo, and everything in between. Ming was a winner of the 2020 AIA Young Architect Award and is co-founder of Atelier Cho Thompson.

At the start of her career, she spent time working for large and small firms around the globe, including Zephyr Architects in Beijing and Bohlin Cywinski Jackson in SF. She has also worked as a designer for non-profits, with a specialty in building community around design. Deeply interested in bringing the arts to the public, Ming has worked in museums and galleries throughout her career, including the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the National Gallery of Art, and has created and managed exhibitions as an independent curator.

Outside of architecture, Ming is a Critic for the Yale Building Project, a First-Year Advisor at Yale, and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Yale-China Association, the Board of Directors of the New Haven Preservation Trust, and the Alumni Council of the Harvard Graduate School of Design. She is former co-chair of the Women in Architecture Committee of AIA Connecticut and frequently speaks and writes on the topic of equity in architecture.