Principal, Martin-Thomsen Architecture; Acting Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, Pratt Institute
T. Camille Martin-Thomsen, AIA, NCARB, NOMA is an architect, researcher, and the founding principal of both Martin-Thomsen Architecture, PLLC, and the creative multi-disciplinary design consultancy TCM Studio, both based in Brooklyn, New York. The studio’s work and interests span across scale and typology but focus on developing concrete projects that can help push our understanding of how places and spaces can improve people’s quality of life. Equity, sustainability, and aesthetics are at the core of what the studio believes should be central. Both studios draw on our relationships with local artisans, designers, and craftspeople to create forward-thinking, culturally relevant projects that mediate between temporal and contextual constraints to create meaningful work in New York and abroad.
Camille combines her affinity for public work and background in large scale institutional projects with a talent and intuition for fine detailing and craft cultivated while working on residential projects. She leverages that expertise in design projects of varying scale and typology. The studio also consults with teams of designers, architects and engineers on how to best navigate Landmarks, codes and city agencies to realize projects efficiently. Camille has 25 years of experience in liaising with various public organizations and institutions both in the capacity of a designer and scholar..
Camille honed deep understanding of museum mission, goals and space needs while working for the Cleveland Museum of Art as a Curriculum Writer and Special Lecturer in the Education and Public Programs Department. This experience became bedrock framing for her architectural career as she spent her formative professional years working exclusively on Institutional projects. She wrote a three-part curriculum entitled A World of Difference: Beauty, Race / Ethnicity / Religion in the Arts, in collaboration with the Anti-Defamation League and gave lectures on art to the public at large, focused on American Art Post-1940 and Dance and Movement in Art. Working for several years in a museum has given her first hand, intimate knowledge of museum front of house and back of horse requirements and the spatial experience as an employee and public user.
Before founding the studios over a decade ago, Camille worked for the international powerhouse firm, Cannon Design on multi-million-dollar institutional projects as well as several other respected New York architecture studios focusing on institutional and commercial projects. Camille was a senior designer at Studio Sofield renowned for designing for retailers like Tom Ford, and The Gap and ultra-high-end residential projects published in Architectural Digest and Elle Decor.
Camille’s passion for sustainable, local, culturally contextual design was developed while studying architecture in Finland and Argentina and working with the town council of Dudelange, Luxembourg on a public art installation for the Kosovar refugee population. She has served on Architecture for Humanity’s Steering Committee and co-authored a national design charrette in the Cincinnati, Ohio Over-the-Rhine neighborhood commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Freedom Summer 1964 voter registration drive.
Camille is currently the Acting Associate Provost of the world-renowned School of Design at Pratt Institute and is a Professor in the Interior Design and Art and Design Education Departments. Her focus is on inclusive pedagogy and equitable education spaces through pedagogy and built environments.
Martin-Thomsen Architecture is 100% owned by an African-American woman and is pending M/WBE status.
