Award for Excellence in Public Architecture 2026: Kate Diamond, FAIA, LEED AP

Kate Diamond, FAIA, LEED AP, is a nationally recognized architect and civic design leader whose career has fundamentally reshaped the role of public architecture in advancing environmental responsibility, social equity, and civic trust. As Civic Design Director at HDR, she has led a body of work that demonstrates how high-performance, regenerative design can elevate public infrastructure into meaningful civic assets.

Diamond’s projects challenge conventional expectations of public buildings, transforming infrastructure into places of education, engagement, and community identity. Her work on the Orange County Sanitation District Headquarters establishes a new model for infrastructure design, integrating net-zero energy strategies, biophilic design, and public accessibility to communicate the value of sustainable systems. Similarly, the Puente Hills Environmental Justice Center reclaims one of the nation’s largest landfills as a regenerative public park and community resource, demonstrating how design can advance both environmental restoration and social equity.  

Across a diverse portfolio including courthouses, transit facilities, water infrastructure, and justice-centered environments. Diamond consistently brings design excellence to projects that shape daily civic life. Her work on facilities such as the Douglas County Juvenile Justice Center reimagines public institutions through restorative, human-centered design, improving outcomes for both users and communities. She approaches each project as an opportunity to align performance, beauty, and long-term value, proving that sustainable design is not an added feature, but a foundational principle embedded from the outset.  

Diamond’s influence extends beyond individual projects to the systems and policies that shape the built environment. She has contributed to foundational sustainable design efforts, including early guidelines that informed the evolution of national standards, and continues to serve as a trusted voice in advancing climate-responsive public architecture. Her leadership with AIA Los Angeles, including serving as its first woman president, along with her service on national juries, advisory groups, and professional organizations, has helped expand the architect’s role as a civic leader and advocate.  

A committed mentor and champion for equity in the profession, Diamond has opened pathways for generations of architects, particularly women and underrepresented leaders. From co-founding one of the largest women-owned architecture firms in the United States to advancing inclusive leadership within global practice, she has consistently worked to remove barriers and create opportunities within the field.  

Throughout her career, Diamond has demonstrated that public architecture can do more than serve functional needs it can inspire, educate, and catalyze change. Her work continues to set new standards for how design can deliver environmental stewardship, social impact, and lasting civic value.