The architecture world in 2025 is a crucible of opportunity and contradiction for young talent. The U.S. market, valued at $108 billion in 2024 and projected to grow at a 4.1% CAGR through 2030, is booming with demand for sustainable, tech-driven, and human-centric designs. Yet, new architects face steep hurdles: only 23% of architecture graduates secure full-time roles within six months, per a 2023 AIA survey, and the profession’s grueling hours and modest starting salaries, averaging $60,000, test resolve. Add to that the pressure to innovate amidst climate crises and rapid urbanization, and the path for emerging architects like Su Kuce is as daunting as it is exhilarating. But Kuce, a recent University of Southern California graduate, isn’t just navigating this landscape, she’s poised to reshape it with a design philosophy that’s as soulful as it is sharp.
Su Kuce doesn’t design buildings; she designs experiences. Born in Istanbul, where history and emotion seep into every street, she carries a sensitivity to context that’s as instinctive as it is intellectual. “I grew up in a city layered with contrast,” she says, reflecting on how Istanbul’s chaotic beauty shaped her. That foundation informs her work, which spans scales, from urban waterfronts to bespoke furniture, with a singular thread: spaces must resonate. “Architecture is about people: how they think, how they feel, how they live,” she insists. It’s a mantra that could sound trite, but Kuce backs it with rigor, blending emotional nuance with technical precision.
Her journey began at USC’s five-year Bachelor of Architecture program, where she honed a systems-driven approach, tackling projects from city-scale urban plans to intimate interiors. Her thesis, a conceptual retreat center with 16 rooms tailored to distinct MBTI personality types, was a bold exploration of space as a psychological mirror. Hand-painted watercolors from the project, vibrant geometrics for some, fluid calm for others, reveal a designer unafraid to let emotion lead. “I used color, light, and form to express psychological states,” she explains. Those early works, rich with atmosphere, set the stage for her professional ascent.
After graduating, Kuce dove into Los Angeles’ design scene at Wolcott Architecture, crafting workplace environments for finance, wellness, and consumer brands. There, she mastered the art of balancing brand expression with material warmth and daily function. She later joined Rottet Studio, moving from LA to New York, where she now tackles large-scale hospitality and corporate interiors. Her projects, like a luxury hotel where she redesigned public spaces and curated custom finishes, showcase her ability to weave atmosphere, brand identity, and material richness into cohesive experiences. “Every detail supports a larger purpose,” she says, a principle evident in her corporate headquarters work, where screening rooms, makeup suites, and lounges for creative professionals blend discretion with distinction.
One standout project, a corporate HQ for high-profile clients, highlights her knack for emotional sequencing. Kuce led 3D modeling and material selection, creating spaces like velvet-wrapped theaters and wood-paneled lounges that feel both private and prestigious. “I approached it like a sequence of emotional beats,” she explains, emphasizing soft lighting and layered textures. Her renderings, polished yet warm, reflect a design language that’s both inviting and authoritative.
Kuce’s work arrives at a pivotal moment for architecture, where the field is being reshaped by technology and human need. Parametric design tools and AI-driven modeling, used by 68% of U.S. firms, per a 2024 ArchDaily report, are pushing architects to blend data with intuition. Kuce embraces this, wielding digital tools to sharpen her vision while keeping human experience central. She’s also attuned to the rise of biophilic design, where natural elements like light and greenery boost well-being, a trend now standard in 45% of new corporate projects. Her Budapest waterfront project, with its focus on ecological resilience, aligns with this ethos, proving she can marry sustainability with emotional depth.
Yet, Kuce’s edge lies in her refusal to let tech or trends overshadow story. In an era where cookie-cutter minimalism risks numbing spaces, she leans into material honesty and psychological resonance. Her hospitality interiors, think lush textures and soft lighting, counter the sterile aesthetic dominating Instagram feeds. “Design should feel like a quiet conversation between beauty and intention,” she says. This ethos positions her to lead in a field craving spaces that feel alive, not just functional.
Kuce’s versatility shines in her ability to shift scales. She’s as comfortable reimagining Budapest’s waterfront for sustainability and community access as she is designing a sculptural chair. Her USC training instilled a continuum mindset, architecture as a dialogue between macro systems and micro details. “I’m just as excited about rethinking a city block as refining the curve of a chair,” she says. This fluidity sets her apart in a field often siloed by specialization.
Her time across three cities, Istanbul, Los Angeles, New York, has forged a designer who’s adaptive yet uncompromising. Istanbul gave her emotional depth, LA taught her craft and branding, New York honed her precision under pressure. “Each place expanded my language,” she notes, describing how she juggles drawing sets, FF&E, and consultant coordination while protecting the core design idea. It’s a high-wire act, but Kuce thrives on it, blending intuition with intellect.
Looking ahead, Kuce’s ambitions are as bold as her designs. She’s eyeing a furniture line that marries material honesty with sculptural form and, eventually, a studio of her own focused on bespoke architecture and interiors. “I want to create work that’s precise, poetic, and personal,” she says. Her mantra captures her ethos: spaces that linger in memory, intuitive yet deliberate.
In a profession where new architects often struggle to find their voice, Su Kuce is already speaking loudly. Her work, rooted in emotional clarity and technical fluency, signals a talent ready to redefine how we experience space. As she builds her legacy, one carefully crafted room at a time, the architecture world would do well to listen.
