Hayley Eber

Hayley Eber (b. Johannesburg, South Africa) is an architect, designer, and educator who currently serves as the Acting Dean of The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture at The Cooper Union. In this role, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership, driving significant advancements in diversity, student support, financial sustainability, and academic innovation. Notably, she spearheaded initiatives that resulted in the most diverse incoming class in the school’s history and chaired the Antiracist Task Force, leading to a revised History/Theory sequence that broadened the curriculum beyond Western canons. Her commitment to student well-being is evident in the development of a school-wide mentorship program and the establishment of new communication channels, fostering a more supportive and inclusive environment. Moreover, she has forged partnerships with renowned institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Storefront for Art and Architecture and MoMA, enriching public engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration.

As Acting Dean, she expanded elective offerings, incorporating diverse histories, theories, and advanced computational methods, and developed a course for a school-based publication. She successfully led the school through the NAAB accreditation process, demonstrating meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to maintaining high academic standards. Additionally, she initiated community-building programs and a Career Fair, fostering a vibrant and supportive institutional culture.

Alongside her academic leadership, Eber is the Principal of Studio Eber, an award-winning New York-based practice founded in 2008 (formerly EFGH). Studio Eber’s work spans buildings, interiors, objects, environments, and installations, consistently pushing the boundaries of architectural design. Her projects have been showcased in prestigious international exhibitions, including the Venice Architecture Biennale, Tallinn Architecture Biennale, Shanghai SUSAS, and the upcoming Triennale Milano.

She holds a Masters in Architecture from Princeton University School of Architecture, a Bachelors of Architecture from The Cooper Union, and a BAS from the University of Cape Town. She is a licensed architect in New York and has previously taught at Princeton University and Columbia University GSAPP.