2024 Women in CRE: Rossana Gutiérrez de Lubetsky, PEI Architects

What recent project, transaction, or accomplishment are you most proud of? 

I recently spoke in Mexico at the Academia Nacional de Arquitectura for a large audience of AEC leaders, and talked about my experience as an architect working with I.M. PEI as well as my current firm, PEI Architects, on projects as far-flung as China, France, México and Qatar.

The talk covered “Architecture as a Universal Language.” When your clients need meticulous design work and complex project leadership, we need to use the lingua franca of architectural practice common worldwide. This is true as much in New York City as it is internationally, where one must navigate diverse cultures, environments and experiences. 

Who inspires you most? What qualities do they possess that inspire you? 

My early work included iconic projects by I.M. Pei, which are still a source of inspiration: the Creative Artists Agency Headquarters in Beverly Hills, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and many others. Now working with PEI Architects, and my colleagues Li Chung (Sandi) Pei and Toh Tsun Lim, that legacy has become our foundational approach. 

Our award-winning projects with PEI Architects circle the globe, from Guanajuato State Library in México to the Museum of Islamic Art Park in Qatar. We’ve worked on hotels, museums, a 14-square-mile urban development, and most recently an elegant winery in France.