Hilary Hawthorne Simon is an Architect whose interest in glass began in 2019 during a residency course at Pilchuck Glass School. Since then, she has continued developing her personal work through the In-Depth courses offered at Berlin Glassworks, where she met the other founding members of the non-profit collective GlassConnectionBerlin. Hilary is originally from California, having attained her Bachelor of Architecture from California Polytechnic State University in Pomona and her Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University in New York. She is a licensed architect in New York State and has worked for various acclaimed offices for the past 14 years, including Reiser+Umemoto and currently MVRDV. She has also taught graduate design studios with Nanako Umemoto at Columbia University, Pratt Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Southern California University of Architecture, and Washington University in St. Louis. With GlassConnectionBerlin she hopes to continue collaborations with fellow founders, developing and sharing glass working-skills as well as create a platform for veteran and future architects to experience glass as malleable medium.
1984 | Born | California, USA2003-08 | California Polytechnic State University | Pomona California | Bachelor of Architecture2006-07 | Fachhochschule Biberach | Biberach an der Riss | Architecture Study Abraod2008-09 | Columbia University | New York City | Master of Science Advanced Architectural Design2010-11 | Haberstroh Schneider Architekten | Basel, Switzerland | Junior Architect2011-17 | Reiser + Umemoto | New York City | Architect / Associate 2018-19 | Studio Gollwitzer Architekten | Berlin, Germany | ArchitectSummer 2019 | Pilchuck Glass School | Stanwood, Washington State | Summer Session with Brandyn Callahan & Phirak Suon2019-2024 | Sauerbruch Hutton | Berlin, Germany | Senior Architect 2022-present | GlassConnectionBerlin | Berlin, Germany | Founding Member | non-profit open-access glass studioSummer 2023 | Pilchuck Glass School | Stanwood, Washington State | Form & Color with Boyd Sugiki & Lisa Zerkowitz2024-present | MVRDV | Berlin, Germany | Project Leader / Architect
Selected Projects
2012-17 | Taipei Music Center | with Reiser+Umemoto | Taipei, Taiwan | 62,000m² | performance venues, recording studios, classrooms, retail, museum 2019-22 | High-Rise at Alexanderplatz | with Sauerbruch Hutton | Berlin, Germany | 90,200m² | offices, apartments, retail2020-21 | Luisenblock Deutscher Bundestag | with Sauerbruch Hutton | Berlin, Germany | 19,900m² | offices for german parlament
Teaching Experiencewith Nanako Umemoto | Advanced Design Studio
Summer 2012 | Columbia University GSAPP | Teaching AssistantFall 2012 | Southern California Institute of Architecture | Teaching AssistantSummer 2013 | Columbia University GSAPP, | Teaching AssistantFall 2013 | Southern California Institute of Architecture | Teaching AssistantFall 2014 | Columbia University GSAPP | Teaching AssistantSummer 2014 | Columbia University GSAPP | Teaching AssistantSpring 2015 | University of Pennsylvania School of Design | LecturerSummer 2015 | Columbia University GSAPP, | Teaching AssistantFall 2015 | Washington University in St. Louis | Teaching AssistantFall 2016 | Pratt Institute, School of Architecture | Visiting Assistant ProfessorSpring 2016 | University of Pennsylvania School of Design | LecturerSpring 2017 | Washington University in St. Louis | Visiting Assistant ProfessorFall 2017 | University of Virginia | Visiting Assistant Professor
Awards2004, 05, 06 | Outstanding Design Award | Cal Poly Pomona2006-07 | Baden-Württemburg Stipendium | scholarship for 1 year study abroad2008 | Thesis Award | Cal Poly Pomona2023 | Alexander Tutsek Stiftung | scholarship for Pilchuck Glass School
Recent Exhibitions
2023 | Ortstermin | GlassConnectionBerlin | Alt-Moabit, Berlin
2022 | Ortstermin | GlassConnectionBerlin | Alt-Moabit, Berlin
2021 | Capricci Moderni | ‘Homage to the Glass Pavilion’ | Docomomo Italia | with Sauerbruch Hutton