Vandana Nayak

AIA, LEED AP
Principal, Dallas

Born in Bangalore, India, Vandana realized at a very young age that architecture was her passion. She loved building with her hands, enjoyed art, and also had a knack for math and science. Understanding what a powerful combination this could be for her future, her father took her on daddy-daughter dates to buildings that were designed by female architects, and on the first day she entered architecture school, she knew it was the perfect fit for her.

Vandana has a unique ability to understand her clients’ intentions and aspirations beyond simply listening to the words they say. This is especially powerful for her education clients who typically have a large number of constituents involved, all with diverse perspectives. She is able to navigate through the many voices, create a clear vision, and translate that into a built facility that exceeds her clients’ expectations.

vandana working with ron
Internal design charrette with Design Director, Ron Stelmarski
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned in architecture is that it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. And it’s a game of persistence – you must be able to stay the course, and have a clear vision of where you’re headed.”
Vandana’s favorite part of a project is planning and programming – when the client has a dream, but they don’t yet know the full possibility of what it can be.
Vandana working with clients
Preliminary planning meeting
Learn more about Vandana:

Living in Coppell, Texas with her husband of 20 years and their two boys, Vandana enjoys volunteering for her boys’ Scout Troop in her free time. She also serves as a mentor to young women in architecture, helping them to break barriers and move forward in their career while keeping a work-life balance in check. She loves to cook, which she learned from helping grandma in the kitchen at a young age, and believes it’s important to eat dinner as a family each night when they can put technology aside and share stories while enjoying a home cooked meal.

Vandana's Featured Work

tutor rooms with students
Work
Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy
DeSoto, Texas
Work
Collin College Technical Campus
Allen, Texas
Work
Parker University
Dallas, Texas