Kyna Leski

Kyna Leski

Principal, Professor, Rower & Navigator of the Creative Process

 

About Kyna Leski

Kyna Leski is an award-winning architect, educator, and author whose work explores and navigates the creative process. As a founding principal of 3SIXØ Architecture and a Professor at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Leski has dedicated her career to bridging design practice, teaching, and artistic exploration.

Her books, The Making of Design Principles and The Storm of Creativity (MIT Press), distill decades of insight into how ideas form, evolve, and come to life. Leski’s lectures, exhibitions, and publications have reached audiences across the globe, inspiring professionals and students alike to embrace creativity as a disciplined, yet deeply human, endeavor.

Awards & Recognition

  • First Place – The Japan Architect’s Shinkenchiku Residential Design Competition (1998)

  • Young Architects Award – Architectural League of New York (1997)

  • Main Stage Speaker – PopTech Conference (2009)

  • Numerous architectural and design accolades for innovative, human-centered projects

Books & Publications

  • The Storm of Creativity – Published by MIT Press (2015), this work examines creativity as a process of navigation, using the metaphor of a storm to describe the unpredictable yet structured journey of making.

  • The Making of Design Principles – Published in 2007, this book presents a design pedagogy developed over decades of teaching and practicing architecture.

Teaching & Creative Process

At RISD, Kyna Leski is known for her innovative, hands-on teaching approach. She challenges students to engage with design as an iterative process, encouraging experimentation, reflection, and critical thinking. Her courses integrate architecture, art, and storytelling, cultivating both technical skills and creative resilience.

Design Leadership & Public Service

Leski has served as City Architect Design Decision Review Advisor to the Mayor of Providence, the Planning Department, the City Planning Commission, and the Downcity Review Commission. Her advisory work reflects a belief that architecture is not only about buildings but also about shaping communities and public spaces that foster connection.

Speaking Engagements

Kyna Leski has spoken throughout the United States and internationally on creativity, design thinking, and architectural practice. Her talks inspire audiences to see creativity as a navigable journey—one that thrives on curiosity, adaptability, and the courage to face uncertainty.

Past Engagements Include:

Education & Early Career

  • B.Arch, The Cooper Union School of Architecture (1985)

  • M.Arch, Harvard University Graduate School of Design (1988)

Beyond Architecture

When not in the studio or classroom, Leski is an avid rower, often found on the Seekonk River and Narragansett Bay before dawn. This practice mirrors her design philosophy—requiring discipline, awareness, and responsiveness to changing conditions.