Cara Armstrong

“My goal is to help students develop the skills and confidence to think critically, work creatively, and use architecture as a means of shaping a better world.”

Cara Armstrong is a designer, educator, artist, and writer who serves as the Associate Dean for the College of Professional Schools and the Director of the School of Architecture + Art. With dual master's degrees in architecture from Columbia University, poetry from Drew University, and dual undergraduate degrees in environmental design and interdisciplinary studies from Miami University, her multidisciplinary approach bridges creative and technical disciplines. Coming to Norwich in 2011 as a Visiting Professor, since 2013 she has led the School of Architecture + Art, where she also founded the Design + Build Collaborative. This interdisciplinary initiative emphasizes community-centered, resilient design, bringing innovative housing and public infrastructure projects to fruition.

Armstrong’s artwork has been showcased in prominent venues such as the Boston Architecture College and Crystal Bridges, alongside local exhibitions like Everyday Alchemy at T.W. Wood Gallery in Montpelier and Aloft at Mad River Valley Arts. Her art reflects themes of place, memory, and the sensory experience of space, seamlessly integrating with her academic focus on the intersection of neuroscience, architecture, and resilience. A writer and illustrator, she has published children’s books, poetry, and essays that explore architecture and creativity. Armstrong’s time as Curator of Buildings and Collections and then as Curator of Education at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, a UNESCO World Heritage site, further exemplifies her ability to merge disciplines, developing programs that enriched public understanding of Frank Lloyd Wright’s legacy.

As an educator, Armstrong regularly teaches architectural fundamentals, history, and design courses while mentoring graduate theses and independent research projects. She is an active member of the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture's (ANFA’s) advisory board, contributing to advancing international interdisciplinary architectural education and practice. Through her art, writing, and teaching, she continues to explore how built environments shape human behavior, perception, and resilience, offering innovative insights into the transformative power of design. 

MFA, Drew University
MArch, Columbia University
B. Phil. of Interdisciplinary Studies, Miami University
B.E.D. (Bachelors of Environmental Design), Miami University

Cara Armstrong conducts research in the intersection of neuroscience and architecture, focusing on how design influences perception, cognition, and well-being. She investigates how thoughtfully designed spaces can foster resilience, enhance psychological wayfinding, and shape human experiences. Her research journey began through personal experiences, professional interests, and her time working at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, which was pivotal in shaping her approach to architecture and its impact on human experience. They actively mentor students, advising that students remain curious and open to interdisciplinary exploration and the value of hands-on, immersive experiences like drawing or visiting architectural sites. She collaborates with colleagues at Norwich and beyond, including Dr. Margaret Tarampi, Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Hartford, on projects related to the cognitive and emotional impacts of architecture. Dr. Claire Gallagher, a Senior Research Fellow at the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture (ANFA), Brent Capron, a Principal at Corgan, Luis Othon Villegas, a Principal at LVS Architecture, and the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture (ANFA) as part of their Advisory Council and as a member of their Education Portfolio.

AP 111 Fundamentals of Architecture
AP 118 Fundamentals of Architecture II
AP 414/514 Architectural Seminar in Design
AP 434/534 Architecture Seminar in Process
AP 211 Architecture Design I
AP 212 Architecture Design II
AP 311 Architecture Design III
AP 531 Architectural Internship
AP XIX – Vertical Design Studio
EG 400 Design Thinking and Innovation
EN 101 Composition and Literature I
FA 308 History + Theory of Architecture III
FA 309 History + Theory of Architecture IV
SA 104 Introduction to Visual Design
SA 200 Intermediate Studio

Author and Illustrator:

• A Trick of Living: Sketches and Poems.
• Counting with Cats who Dream/Compte avec les Chats qui Revent/Contando con Gatos que Suenan, a trilingual counting book, Moxie the Dachshund of Fallingwater.

Contributor/Co-author:

• Drawing from Within: Immersive Sketching as Neuroscientific Inquiry, a chapter in Handbook of Neuroscience and the Built Environment, (forthcoming 2025.)
• Wright, Eric Lloyd and Cara Armstrong, Scott Perkins, Margo Stipe, Marta Wojcik. Wright Panorama: Elements of Frank Lloyd Wright's Architecture in 360 Degrees.
• Armstrong, Foster and Richard Klein, Cara Armstrong. A Guide to Cleveland's Sacred Landmarks.