I Am AIA:

Liz Pisciotta AIA

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Liz Pisciotta, AIA, is a licensed architect and partner at Neiman Taber Architects. Her interdisciplinary approach, which blends anthropology, art, urban and interior design with architecture, informs her diverse project portfolio, including retail, commercial, and institutional work, alongside NTA’s award-winning residential designs.

Passionate about equitable design, Liz believes everyone deserves to take pride in their spaces. She is particularly interested in third-places—social environments distinct from home and work.

Since 2021, Liz has been on the AIA Seattle Housing Design Forum Task Force. She also has led housing advocacy tours and is currently the Hawthorne Elementary playground design committee lead.

WHY DID YOU JOIN AIA SEATTLE?

I was craving deeper connection—with fellow architects, with the community, and with the ideas shaping our city. My days are full, but I didn’t want that to be a barrier to giving back or staying engaged and AIA Seattle offered a way to plug into meaningful conversations and contribute through volunteer work.

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF AIA TO YOU?

It keeps me attuned to what’s happening in Seattle’s architectural community and offers a space to explore the concerns and inspirations that are shaping our field. AIA helps me stay in dialogue with the broader community.

WHAT RELATIONSHIPS HAVE YOU CREATED?

Serving on the Housing Design Forum Task Force has connected me with a wide range of housing leaders—locally and beyond. It’s been a dynamic space for collaboration and idea-sharing, and I’m continually impressed by the AIA Seattle staff who skillfully wrangle our diverse input into something meaningful.

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOU DO FOR A LIVING?

My expertise is in multifamily housing—mostly space planning and interior design—and a big part of my job is imagining how people will live in the spaces we create. I’m always thinking about how someone moves through a room, where they’d drop their keys, or how light might fill a hallway. At the same time, most of the projects I work on have tight budgets, so I’m also balancing how I can get the most impact within those limited resources. Figuring out that solution is rewarding because I think thoughtful design should be for everyone.

WHAT PROJECT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?

Currently my design work is focused on an ownership housing project that is a partnership between a land trust and a local Black church. It’s an exciting project that is addressing racial and housing inequity and I feel honored to be part of it. Alongside that, I’m diving into interior design work for several other projects in the office, which keeps my creative wheels turning in lots of different directions.

As a partner in a firm, a large part of my work is also the project of building and maintaining a firm. I work on tasks like team building, office standards and hiring. Being in a leadership position includes checking in with staff’s interests and goals and matching opportunities with that. Giving people credit and acknowledging individual and team accomplishments is so important for morale.

WHERE IS THE FIELD OF ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING, OR CONSTRUCTION HEADING?

Many architects want to solve society’s problems, but we also work within the constraints of city and state policy. So, I think advocacy has become increasingly important, especially for architects working in housing.

AI is already impacting how architects work. We are learning how to collaborate with this new tool and I’m excited to see what opportunities will open up. At the same time, there is a way that humans bring new ideas that shouldn’t be lost.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO CONTRIBUTE FROM YOUR WORK?

I hope that my work provides plentiful housing that improves people’s lives. I studied anthropology and so I’m very interested in creating spaces that foster social interaction and connection. Studying in Copenhagen and learning about urban designers like Jan Gehl also impacted my thinking about how people move through space and come together. I apply that all the time when I design interior common spaces. Ultimately, I want residents to be proud of where they live and excited to share it.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TODAY?

My daughter and I have been thinking about creating a family motto. We always have projects going and are working on different goals, so she proposed “Someday” as our motto. I think a growth mentality is so important, but we also need to be grateful for and celebrate what we have now. So, we landed on “Someday and Today” to express both feelings.

CAN DESIGN SAVE THE WORLD?

Design is part of the solution, but we need to rely on all different types of thinkers and technologies. I’m excited to be on the team.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEATTLE-AREA STRUCTURE?

I love the whole Seattle Center campus because it reflects the optimism of the 1962 World’s Fair. The Pacific Science Center, in particular, has always spoken to me. The arches, reflecting pools and the pavilions are interwoven with core memories from my childhood. You can see how Minoru Yamasaki carries a motif through the whole project in such an elegant, almost lacy way. It’s Modernist and also doesn’t shy away from ornament. It’s a space that feels intimate and civic at the same time.

IF YOU COULD SUM UP YOUR OUTLOOK ON LIFE IN A BUMPER STICKER, WHAT WOULD IT SAY?

I guess I kind of already answered this one: “Someday and Today!”