Vivian Schwab is an architect who works at the intersection of design, policy, and urban development, examining how cities reflect and reinforce political, economic, and environmental conditions within specific cultural contexts.
Her work spans multiple scales of affordable housing. As a licensed California architect, she worked on affordable housing at building and urban scales. As a researcher, she conducted comparative studies of housing models across Europe, Africa, and Asia. Most recently, as a Community Land Trust developer and board member, she implemented strategies to decommodify land and rethink its relationship to housing.
Born and raised in San Francisco, Vivian holds degrees in Sculpture and Sociology with a focus on Urban and Post-Colonial Studies from Wesleyan University and a Master of Architecture from Rice University.
As a Partnership for the Bay’s Future Fellow, she collaborates with the San Francisco Housing Accelerator Fund and the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development to develop policies and strategies to stabilize, improve, and reimagine Single Room Occupancy (SRO) buildings as critical housing infrastructure in San Francisco.
Beyond her professional work, she enjoys exploring her hometown, swimming in the bay, connecting with nature and community, and creating abstract art objects.
