Blog — dtls.architecture

In 2021, Alicia was selected for the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Civic Leadership Program. She was able to join the Emerging New York Architects Committee where she spent time learning from industry leaders about career development, design excellence, and public outreach. Through this experience, Alicia grew her knowledge as an architect and even presented on issues like Community Land Trusts, Zoning Reform, and Basement Legalization to the AIA. Her passion for public service didn’t end there - Alicia has continued on to assist her community board in Bushwick and a number of local non-profits. Driving Alicia’s activism is a deep belief that spaces should be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (also known as ADA accessible.) In addition to creating inclusive spaces for everyone, Alicia enjoys that ADA guidelines often make spaces roomier and more pleasant to be in.

Alicia started at dtls.ARCHITECTURE ten months ago and hasn’t looked back. In talking to Alicia about why she chose dtls, Alicia said

“DTLS cares about relationships--they take the time to really listen to their clients and deliver homes that reflect their visions. In my work, that means bringing the experience and expertise of all the DTLS team members into any given project but remaining open to new ideas and technologies in order to deliver spaces perfectly tailored to the clients' needs.”

Alicia’s favorite part of being an architect is seeing her projects in their final stages of construction. The moment that she and her client can see a theoretical product made into reality fuels Alicia’s love for architecture. Her favorite architect is I.M. Pei and his work on the Suzhou Museum. Alicia particularly appreciates the geometry of the space, which uses light and shadows to create a stunning visual. While the museum is modern, it takes cues from the aesthetic of a Chinese courtyard house, framing a beautiful rock and water landscape that’s a piece of art in and of itself.

When not designing projects or working with the AIA, Alicia enjoys spending time at home with her husband and cat. She also enjoys writing speculative fiction, which we hope she will soon share with the office.

To know Alicia DuQue-French is to know passion, expertise, and collaboration. Alicia was born and raised in Northern California and has family ties in Louisiana. Alicia initially studied Architectural History at Peking University in Beijing before deciding that she wanted to participate in building beautiful structures like the ones she studied. She continued on to earn her Masters in Architecture from Columbia University, where her career in NYC started to bloom.