Darina Zlateva AIA

Elevating the Workplace

Darina takes a humanistic approach to designing workplaces and headquarters for top companies in New York and around the world. Drawing on her depth of experience, she translates corporate identity into space, creating lively, engaging environments that are flexibly planned to adapt to changing needs. At One Vanderbilt, Darina used rich materials such as glazed terra cotta, statuary bronze, and Italian marble to draw building users along a compelling journey through space. In Vancouver, her work on Burrard Exchange puts the structural materials of a hybrid mass-timber office tower on display and provides a biophilic work environment, supplemented by outdoor loggias and a reimagined public plaza.

One Vanderbilt

New York, NY, U.S.A.

Burrard Exchange

Vancouver, Canada

245 Park Avenue

New York, NY, U.S.A.

Resolving Complexity Through Design

Darina is adept at finding elegant design solutions to complex architectural puzzles, whether large mixed-use developments that must accommodate a range of program types, or technically challenging adaptive reuse and repositioning projects. At the multi-building Lansdowne Redevelopment in Richmond, Darina played a pivotal role in designing an inviting residential community that seamlessly integrates condominium, market-rate rental, and affordable housing to revitalize a district on the urban fringe. At 1411 Broadway, in the heart of Manhattan’s Garment District, she led the transformation of an unremarkable office building with an art-filled lobby and rooftop amenity that reflects the neighborhood’s creative heritage.

Lansdowne Redevelopment

Richmond, Canada

1411 Broadway

New York, NY, U.S.A.

Guangzhou One Pengrui

Guangzhou, China

Industry Leadership

An active member of her architectural community, she has taught as an Adjunct Professor at both Harvard GSD, RISD, and Columbia GSAPP. In her tenure at KPF, she founded the Young Designers’ Forum.