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Spitzer’s New Department Chair

07. 14. 2025
  • A professional headshot features Frank Melendez, a man with a dark complexion and dark hair, directly facing the camera with a serious expression. He has short, dark hair that is slightly graying at the temples, and a well-maintained dark goatee and mustache. He is wearing a dark, collared shirt. The background is softly blurred, showing an indoor setting with hints of windows and natural light.

    Frank Melendez

Associate Prof. Frank Melendez is the new chair of the Department of Architecture at CCNY’s Spitzer School of Architecture. He began his three-year term on July 1, succeeding Associate Prof. Sean Weiss.

Dean Gutman extended a warm welcome to Frank Melendez. “I’m grateful that Prof. Melendez decided to stand for election as chair of the Department of Architecture, and that the Spitzer faculty elected him unanimously. Frank, I look forward to fruitful exchange and collaboration as we work together to make Spitzer an even better architecture school than it already is.”

Prof. Melendez stated, “I’m honored to have this opportunity to serve as the chair of the Spitzer School of Architecture. I look forward to working with the students, staff, and faculty in this new capacity to foster critical thinking and design experimentation while supporting our mission of creating a just, sustainable, and imaginative future.”

Frank Melendez is an associate professor and serves as chair of the Department of Architecture at the Spitzer School of Architecture, City College of New York, CUNY. He is a founding partner of bioMATTERS, LLC, based in New York City and London. Frank is the author of Drawing from the Model (Wiley, 2019) and a co-editor of Data, Matter, Design (Routledge, 2020). His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally at various venues including NYCxDesign, London Design Festival, Lisbon Architecture Triennale, and Made In Platform Slovenia. Frank has been awarded grants, residencies, and memberships, including the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) / Van Alen Institute, MacDowell, Haystack, Nature Art & Habitat Residency (NAHR), and NEW INC / New Museum NYC.

We enthusiastically welcome Prof. Melendez to his new role and look forward to an inspiring new chapter for SSA! 🎉

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