Sybil Wa

Sybil Wa is a principal at Diamond Schmitt and an adjunct faculty member at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation.

Originally from Canada, Sybil now practices in the New York City studio of Diamond Schmitt and has contributed to a broad range of civic and institutional projects ranging from playgrounds to opera houses. She is currently working to strengthen the connection between the community and the arts in the renovation of David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center. Her design work for the performing arts also includes the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto; the New Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia; and FirstOntario Arts Centre in St. Catharines. Working to create places for our communities to thrive is a personal and professional priority.

Sybil was invited to serve on the Toronto Community Housing Design Review Panel when it was originally formed over a decade ago and was elected to vice-chair the panel in 2020. In this role, she continues to be an advocate for urban family housing, sustainability, and the public realm. In addition, she has been a panelist at the City of Toronto’s Symposium on Tall Buildings and the Chief Planner’s Roundtable on Planning City’s for Families. Sybil is a former member of Ryerson University’s City Building Institute Advisory Committee where she developed a greater understanding of the role of research in championing design excellence for cities.

Her advocacy on urban issues has attracted media coverage across Canada in television, radio, and newspapers where she has written Op-Ed articles on various topics including the importance of community engagement in the shaping of the city.