How Does One Of The Largest School Systems In The World Design For Success? – Ep 119 with Thierry Paret
This week on Better Buildings for Humans, host Joe Menchefski sits down with Thierry Paret, Vice President of Architecture, Engineering, and Design Management at the NYC School Construction Authority. From Kinshasa to Cork to Queens, Thierry’s global architectural journey is as rich as it is inspiring. He shares how a passion for art and a legacy of design led him to shape one of the world’s largest and most complex school systems. Discover how his team balances safety, sustainability, and design excellence while managing a $20.9 billion capital plan across 1,500+ schools. Hear how mass timber, geothermal innovation, and inclusive design are transforming public education infrastructure—and why bars on school windows send the wrong message. It’s a powerful episode about mission-driven design, civic impact, and what makes a building truly great.
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More About Thierry Paret
Thierry Paret is an award-winning architect and seasoned leader with extensive international management experience in the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. As Vice President of the Architecture and Engineering Department at the New York City School Construction Authority (NYCSCA), he oversees the design of renovations, upgrades, and new construction for approximately 1,500 school buildings. Each year, his team designs or manages external consultants responsible for designing 10-12 new schools for the NYC Department of Education, part of a $20.6 billion capital plan for the nation’s largest unified school system, which serves nearly one million students.
Thierry leads a team of 300 architects, engineers, designers, project managers and administrators, ensuring design excellence across all projects. His leadership extends to two studios responsible for managing contracts with external private-sector firms, further supporting the Authority’s ambitious infrastructure goals.
Prior to joining NYCSCA in 2023, Thierry led the New York State practice at IBI Group-Arcadis, overseeing operations in New York City and Binghamton. He has held senior design leadership roles at several international architecture firms, served as a Design Advisor to the government of Qatar, and acted as Campus Architect for the prestigious King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia which happened to be the first LEED Platinum campus in the Middle East.
A registered architect in multiple U.S. states, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland, Thierry’s portfolio spans university campuses, corporate headquarters, life science facilities, and mixed-use developments, with a focus on sustainability. His commitment to the profession is evident through his service on numerous boards and committees, including the American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Board, where he was a Director-at-Large, founding President of AIA International and AIA Middle East, and member of NCARB's International Competency Workgroup. Thierry was most recently elected to the AIA National’s Strategic Council as a Counselor for the 2025-2027 term.
Thierry has been a presenter at architectural and industry conferences in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East during his extensive international career.
In 2014, Thierry was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects, an honor held by only 2.5% of AIA members. He is also an AIA Richard Upjohn Fellow.
CONTACT:
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www.thierryparet-architect.com
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