The  Kurylas  Studio

ABOUT

Principal

Larysa Kurylas, Architect

Larysa Kurylas has practiced architecture for over 35 years.

In 1991, she founded The Kurylas Studio — small by design — and specializing in a variety of building types. Larysa Kurylas received a Bachelor of Architecture degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Maryland, where she was the also the recipient of the AIA School Medal, the Dean’s Prize, and a Certificate of Merit form the Henry Adams Fund. After winning a Stewardson Traveling Fellowship, she completed the Master of Architecture program at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.

Prior to founding The Kurylas Studio, Larysa Kurylas worked in various architectural firms in Philadelphia, Princeton and Boston. Upon settling In Washington DC, she first worked at Keyes, Condon and Florance Architects and later, as an associate,  at Frank Schlesinger Associates.

In 2021, Larysa Kurylas received the Order of Princess Olha civilian honor from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. As a Fulbright Scholar, her travels in February 2022 to research the form of memorial design in Ukraine were curtailed by the start of the Russian invasion.

Larysa Kurylas has taught at the Boston Architectural Center and is licensed to practice architecture in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

Resume »

Contact

Larysa Kurylas
THE KURYLAS STUDIO
911 2nd Street NE, Unit 201 
Washington, DC  20002
larysa@thekurylasstudio.com
202-487-6005

Awards

  • Order of Princess Olha, Third Class, Government of Ukraine, 2021
  • Finalist, “Equality, Freedoms, Justice, Representation”, Victims of Communism Memorial in Ottawa Canada Competition, 2017
  • Metropolitan Sheptytsky Medal of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, National Holodomor Memorial, 2015
  • Finalist: “The Crucible”, Victims of Communism Memorial International Design Competition, Ottawa, Canada, 2014
  • Winner: “Field of Wheat”, Holodomor Memorial International Design Competition, Washington, DC, 2009
  • Vision Award: Washington Ethical Society, The Committee of 100 on the Federal City, 2009
  • Honorable Mention: Water Feature, National Garden at the U.S. Botanic Garden Competition, 1993

Fellowships

  • U.S Fulbright Research Scholar, “Thirty Years of Memorialization in Independent Ukraine,” 2021-22

Exhibitions

  • “Making the National Holodomor Memorial”, Ukraine House, 2022
  • “Making the Holodomor Memorial: Context and Questions”, Kibel Gallery, University of Maryland School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, 2020-2022
  • “Field of Wheat”, Artists Respond to Genocide Exhibition, Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, 2013
  • “Manhattan Island”, Capital Visions Exhibition, National Building Museum, 1997
  • “DCAC Canopy”, Exhibition of Design Competitions, The Collector Gallery/Restaurant, 1996
  • “Cabin Kit”, Visions of Home Exhibition, National Building Museum, 1994
  • “Improving the Small Reservations”, Visions/Revisions Exhibition, National Building Museum, 1992

Publications

Kurylas, L. (2026).  The National Holodomor Memorial. In S. Levinson (Ed.) Who Tells Your Story, On the Construction of Public Memory (pp.197-217). Duke University Press.

Press

  •  “A monument to the lost”, William Ehart, Marigold Magazine, 2025
  • “Wheat and War in Ukraine”, Isabel Mehta, Harvard Magazine, July 28, 2022
  • “A Tumultuous History Cast in Stone and Bronze”, Maggie Haslam, Maryland Today, March 10, 2022
  • “With Gratitude to the Sisterhood”. Larysa Kurylas, Our Life Magazine, November 2020
  • “Architect Larysa Kurylas speaks about the making of the Holodomor Memorial”, Yaro Bihun, The Ukrainian Weekly, March 8, 2020
  • “How Washington Holodomor Monument won the race against time”, Askold Krushelnycky, Kyiv Post, 23 February 2020
  • “Millions Gone, But Not Forgotten”, Sala Levin, Terp Magazine, Spring 2020
  •  “The Kibel Gallery discusses the making of the Holodomor Memorial”, Anneta Mathur-Ashton, Unwind Magazine, November 2018
  • “Local Architect designs Washington memorial to victims of genocidal famine in Ukraine”, Deborah K. Dietsch,
  • The Washington Post Magazine, 24 July 2014
  • “Holodomor Memorial in Washington, D.C.: Interview with Architect Larysa Kurylas”, Olesia Wallo, Our Life Magazine, December 2013
  • “Field of Wheat” in Washington as a Holodomor memorial. The history of the creation of the project as explained by its author Larysa Kurylas.”, Lydia Korsun, Chas i Podii, 14 November 2013 (in Ukrainian)
  • “Genocide through the eyes of artists” at the UIMA, Chicago””, Vira Bodnaruk, Chas i Podii, 17 October 2013 (in Ukrainian)
  • Larysa Kurylas: “It is very difficult to convey the concept of famine artistically”, Svitlana Ivanyshyn-Uhryna, Chas i Podii, 17 October 2013 (in Ukrainian)
  • “Memorial to Victims of the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide 1932-1933”, Thomas Leubke ed., Civic Art: A Centennial History of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, University of Massachusetts Press, 2013
  • “Kitchen and Bath Case Study”, Home and Design Annual Sourcebook, 2013
  • “Ukrainian Famine Memorial raises questions over payment and content”, Phillip Kennicott, The Washington Post, 21 September 2012
  • “Kensington couple create contemporary, open living space for themselves”, Deborah K. Dietsch, The Washington Post, 3 November 2012
  • “From a Good Kitchen to a Great Kitchen”, Remodeling Today, Spring/Summer 2012
  • “Larysa Kurylas – winning project for the Holodomor Memorial in Washington, DC”, Chrystyna Shepelavy, Our Life Magazine, March 2012 (in Ukrainian)
  • “The Holodomor Memorial competition, Stanley Collyer, Competitions Newsletter, January 2012
  • “A Glorious Kitchen Renovation”, Jennifer Sergent, DCbyDesign.com, October 9, 2011“Washington checkmate”, Ukrainskyi Tyzhden, Andrew Sorokowski, 21 July 2011
  • “Ukraine may lose the land designated in the USA, for the Holodomor Memorial”, VOA News.com, Myroslava Gongadze, 23 May 2011
  • “Telling the Story of the Holodomor”, Editorial, The Ukrainian Weekly, 8 May 2011
  • “News and views: The shape of famine”, Andrew Sorokowski, The Ukrainian Weekly, 8 May 2011
  • “Holodomor Memorial in D.C.”, Editorial, The Ukrainian Weekly, 19 December 2010
  • “Holodomor Memorial in Washington: a progress report”, Alla Rogers, The Ukrainian Weekly, 5 December 2010
  • “Architect’s design statement: Memorial to victims of the Holodomor”, Larysa Kurylas, The Ukrainian Weekly, 5 December 2010
  • “Memorial to Victims of the Holodomor: from Ukraine to America”, Novaya.com.ua, Iryna Neseniuk, 23 December 2009
  • “Nuance Speaks Volumes”, Trish Donnally, Washington Spaces, Early Winter 2009
  • “Beachcomber Revival”, Michael Tardiff, Waterfront Home and Design, Spring 2008
  • “Design ethics: WES gets a makeover, Carol Buckley, The Northwest Current, 23 January 2008

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