Archinect
Amy Nicole Swift

Amy Nicole Swift

Detroit, MI, US

 

About 

Amy Nicole Swift is an architectural design-builder, writer, and artist living-working-advocating in the city of Detroit. In 2012, she formed Building Hugger to fill what she saw as a void in accessible renovation design and development services focused on marginalized vernacular structures. BH also serves as a platform for experimentation with and promotion of creative methods of material and building reuse. 

Amy taught adaptive architectural design at the University of Detroit Mercy in 2012. She now teaches 20th Century Architecture and Integrated Design Studio labs focused on building tectonics, materials, and space at Lawrence Technological University. 

She studied Architecture at Kent State University, holds a BS in Interior Architecture from Lawrence Technological University, and completed a MS in Historic Preservation from Columbia University in NYC. 

She boasts 8 years of experience in architectural practice and has worked previously with firms in Chicago, New York, and San Francisco.

Employment 

Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, MI, US, adjunct professor

20th Century Architecture (4 semesters)
Integrated Design 2 Lab (1 semester)
Integrated Design 3 Lab (1 semester)

Jan 2013 - current
 

Building Hugger L3C, Detroit, MI, US, Principal

May 2012 - current
 

University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI, US, adjunct professor

Vertical Design Studio, adaptive reuse (1 semester)

Aug 2012 - Dec 2012
 

Perkins&Will, New York / Chicago / San Francisco, Designer II & Sustainability Leader

Jun 2006 - Aug 2011
 

Education 

Columbia University, Masters, Historic Preservation

Aug 2009 - Oct 2011
 

Lawrence Technological University, Bachelors, Interior Architecture

Aug 2003 - May 2006
 

Kent State University, Architecture

Aug 2001 - May 2003
 

Awards 

Dorothy Miner Thesis Research Travel Award, Scholarship

2011
 

Areas of Specialization 

Skills