This is us

Martin-Thomsen Architecture PLLC (established in 2020) and TCM Studio (established in 2010), are both based in Chicago, Illinois, and founded by T. Camille Martin-Thomsen, AIA, NCARB, NOMA (she/her/hers). 

Camille is the 476th African American female architect to receive licensure in the U.S and both studios are 100% founded and owned by Camille and currently pending M/WBE certification (Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises). 

The studio’s work and interests span across scale and typology and focus on developing concrete projects that can help push our understanding of how places and spaces can improve people's quality of life. Equity, sustainability and aesthetics are at the core of what the studio believes should be central. Both studios draw on our relationships with local artisans, designers, and craftspeople to create forward-thinking, culturally relevant projects in New York and abroad.

Before founding TCM Studio, Camille worked for the international powerhouse firm, Cannon Design on multi-million-dollar institutional projects as well as several other respected New York architecture studios focusing on institutional and commercial projects. 

Camille was a senior designer at Studio Sofield renowned for designing for retailers like Tom Ford, and The Gap and ultra-high-end residential projects published in Architectural Digest and Elle Decor. 

Camille combines her affinity for public work and background in large scale institutional projects with a talent and intuition for fine detailing and craft cultivated while working on residential projects.  She leverages that expertise in design projects of varying scale and typology. 

The studio also consults with teams of designers, architects and engineers on how to best navigate Landmarks, codes and city agencies to realize projects efficiently. Camille has  25 years of experience in liaising with various public organizations and institutions both in the capacity of a designer and scholar.

Camille earned her Master of Architecture from Washington University in St Louis, Missouri and her BA in Architecture from Miami University, Ohio. Camille’s passion for sustainable, local, culturally contextual design was developed while studying architecture in Finland and Argentina and working with the town council of Dudelange, Luxembourg on a public art installation for the Kosovar refugee population. She has served on Architecture for Humanity’s Steering Committee and co-authored a national design charrette in the Cincinnati, Ohio Over-the-Rhine neighborhood commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Freedom Summer 1964 voter registration drive. 

Camille was the Acting Associate Provost of Academic Affairs at Pratt Institute and a Professor in the Interior Design and Art and Design Education Departments. Her focus was inclusive pedagogy and equitable education spaces through pedagogy and built environments. 

She is a member of the First500 community of licensed Black women architects and of the International Society of Female Professionals.

On August 31st, 2022, Camille joined the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) as its new Dean of Faculty and Vice President of Academic Affairs, the first black woman to be appointed to this position. Read more in the press release from SAIC.

Access Camille's personal LinkedIn page here.

In Martin-Thomsen Architecture Camille is joined by her partner in life, Henning Martin-Thomsen, Architect MAA, Denmark, Int'l Assoc. AIA, (he, him, his). Henning brings his extensive background in urban design, community involvement, communication, education, sustainability, and leadership to the studio and his position as Director of Operations. 

He has worked as Culture & Communications Manager and Senior Consultant for the world-renowned urban design consultancy, Gehl Architects, based in Copenhagen. During his time with Gehl Henning was involved in urban projects in London (UK), Bucharest (Romania), Gdynia (Poland), as well as in capacity building in Chennai (India) together with the Institute for Transport and Development Policy (ITDP). 

Henning was the CEO of the Danish Association of Architects (Danish equivalent to the AIA in the US) and also worked as Head of Division for Realdania, a self-endowed philanthropic association with close to 165.000 members working for the common good by supporting projects in the built environment all over Denmark. 

Working as Head of Division at DAC, the Danish Architecture Center, Henning was responsible for establishing Sustainable Cities, a knowledge-sharing platform aimed at both public and private stakeholders working to improve cities and urban environments around Denmark and the World. Sustainable Cities was chosen as the Danish contribution to the 2008 Venice Architecture Biennale.

Henning has published and lectured extensively on architecture, architectural policies, cities and urban policies in both Europe and the US. He has served on the World Future Council, Commission on Cities and Climate Change in Hamburg (Germany), and as a Thought Leader for CLEAR Village Foundation, based in London (UK).

From 2013 to 2022 Henning served as the Program Director for Architecture & Design and Urban Studies at DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia, a Copenhagen-based study abroad institution serving upper-division undergraduate students from American colleges and universities. Beginning his part-time teaching tenure at DIS already in 1997 Henning over the years has taught both architecture and urban design studio and lecture-based courses on Scandinavian design, urban design theories, international contemporary architecture theory, and Danish architectural history.

Henning graduated as Architect MAA from the Aarhus School of Architecture, Aarhus, Denmark. He holds a degree in political science from Aarhus University, Denmark, and is a Master of Management Development from the Copenhagen Business School, Denmark. Most recently Henning has earned the International Education Diversity & Inclusion Certificate from US based Diversity Abroad.

Access Henning's personal LinkedIn page here.