Thomas Lee

New York City, New York USA

An architect in New York City since 1995, Thomas says the built environment is a complex amalgamation of objects and systems that aren’t always easy to understand or comprehend. “Every day is a learning day for me -- if I can find something I didn’t know the day before, I’ve made progress; if I can make that discovery as part of a cooperative team working together, it’s an even greater reward.”

As leader of the Data Center Studio in New York, Thomas manages projects and interacts daily with his team members, consultants, and clients. While he interviews and hires staff for the NYC office, he also helps to build the team for the entire Data Center sector for projects across the country. He works to develop and cultivate new business partners while strengthening the relationships with existing clientele. One of his greater joys is helping others realize their goal or dreams. “I love mentoring and providing a culture and environment where we all grow and learn -- seeing younger staff succeed under the stress of practice is a reward unto itself, and hopefully a long-term return for our firm as a whole.”

In his spare time, Thomas enjoys creating meals for his family and friends. Part of that cooking involves cultivating his organic vegetable garden, where he harvests ingredients from raised planter beds he built to deter animals from sharing in the fruits of his labor. He also took up tennis not long ago and plays regularly on the weekends. “I’ve managed to go from a beginner to somewhere between a 3.5 and 4.0 player!” he beams.