Ke-An Chiang
Architectural Designer
Specialty
Historic PreservationLocation
DallasKe-An is an architectural designer in Treanor’s Historic Preservation studio, based in our Dallas office. With a background in both architecture and preservation, Ke-An brings a thoughtful, research-driven approach to protecting and reimagining historic places for future generations.
Originally from Taiwan, Ke-An holds a B.S. in Architecture from National Cheng Kung University and an M.S. in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania. Her academic and professional journey reflects a deep curiosity about how design thinking and conservation science can work together to strengthen the resilience of historic structures—especially in the face of environmental change.
Ke-An is particularly interested in adaptive reuse, long-term planning, and building diagnostics. Her recent work includes contributing to the nomination of Penn’s Greenfield Intercultural Center to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, earning selection as a 2025 APT Student Scholar, and presenting her thesis on micro-abrasive graffiti removal at the ANAGPIC conference. She also completed training through ICCROM’s 2025 Summer School on sustainable conservation at the archaeological site of Herculaneum, Italy.
Now in Dallas, Ke-An is excited to explore the city’s vibrant culture while contributing to preservation projects that honor place, history, and community identity. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling to historic sites, sketching, photography, hiking, writing, and experimenting with new drinks.
Get to know Ke-An
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Before high school, I wanted to be a novelist. I loved using words to capture the stories of people and the subtle emotions that often go unspoken. Writing felt like a way to make the invisible visible.
That changed in high school when I encountered several architecture exhibitions—the first one I remember was Zaha Hadid’s. At the time, I thought, “Maybe this could be a way to make a living.” But more importantly, I was struck by how architecture, like literature, could have narratives—not through sentences, but through spaces. I began to see how people experience and move through architecture in sequence—how buildings hold function, memory, and meaning—and that completely drew me in.
What is on your bucket list?
I want to road trip east to west across the U.S., explore several countries in South America, and visit my friend in Namibia to watch the desert sunset. I also dream of writing a literary fiction novel with sectional drawings and creating a garden of herbs and flowers for making my own distilled drinks.
What is your favorite quote?
“Real without being actual, ideal without being abstract.” – Marcel Proust, Time Regained: In Search of Lost Time