Mavis Wiggins, FIIDA, Managing Executive and Global Workplace Creative Director at TPG Architecture, has announced she will retire from the New York City-based design firm in January 2025. This milestone will conclude a more than four-decades-long professional career, throughout which Wiggins has been celebrated as an illustrious leader, daring creative, and dedicated client steward.
“I just love the work we as designers get to do," says Wiggins. "We are so passionate and committed to making experiences better wherever and however we can. This profession has allowed me to grow in ways I couldn’t have imagined, first as a young person joining the community, and still now. So much you continue to learn once you realize the power of what you offer is a window into the possible.”
Wiggins' attentive ear, inspired eye, and collaborative touch have built an industry-defining legacy. Her passion for design and its power to transform the human experience is evident across her prolific portfolio – a dynamic body of work that spans financial services, hospitality, media, and entertainment, as well as workplaces for consumer brands. During her 14-year tenure at TPG Architecture, her team has brought to life countless award-winning spaces in many of New York City's most iconic towers, including the Seagram Building and One Vanderbilt Tower.
"It has been both a privilege and a pleasure to build a profession around invigorating the spaces we live, work, and play in," says Wiggins. "There weren’t many women in the industry who looked like me, particularly in the corporate design world, and I am proud to have been part of the movement toward greater diversity and inclusion. I will continue to make that my mission as I make this transition. Representation, inclusion, and collaboration are key to good design—to creating spaces that inspire and empower people to thrive and grow. Often, the most rewarding outcome is one where people experience the positive influence of design without realizing it."
Throughout her career, Wiggins has brought an avant-garde approach to design that honors each client's unique vision, listening to their concerns and addressing their needs to bring their ideal space to life. From her successful interpretation of a challenging, multi-directional brief for HBO’s Santa Monica Headquarters to her award-winning program for a prominent quantitative asset management group, her guiding hand has transformed workplaces across industries. Wiggins skillfully translated each company's culture and founding principles, capturing the essence of firms like BDT, MSD, DZ Bank, Heidrick & Struggles, IEX Group, Lexington Partners, Assured Guaranty and SwissRe.
Wiggins' far-reaching influence has been recognized on numerous occasions, including at IIDA’s 2018 Leaders Breakfast and the St. Francis Food Pantries Shelters’ 2019 Women of Valor Awards. The following year, she was selected as Interior Design's Best Interior Designer: Corporate Interiors. In 2021, Wiggins was inducted into the IIDA College of Fellows – the highest honor given by the IIDA to its professional members – and in 2022, Interior Design's Hall of Fame, which recognizes those who have contributed to the growth and prominence of the interior design field.
Wiggins has used this platform to inspire creativity and innovation within her studio and encourage young BIPOC designers to pursue their career aspirations – something she plans to continue in retirement.
"This may mark the end of my formal career, but it’s not a goodbye," says Wiggins. "I can’t imagine a life without creativity, and I look forward to exploring what that looks like as I take this next step. I am eager to remain active in the design community and continue finding opportunities to expose the next generation to the power of design, particularly in underprivileged communities, with greater concentration. You haven’t heard the last from me yet!"
"We are deeply grateful for Mavis’ contributions to the development of our practice," says Jim Phillips, AIA, Founding Partner at TPG Architecture. "She has been a driving force in establishing TPG’s reputation as a distinguished design firm. Her guidance has been an incredible source of inspiration for our younger staff, who admire her as both a mentor and a role model. We wish her all the best in this next chapter and extend our heartfelt thanks for her years of dedicated service and the enormous impact she’s had on our team and our work."
