Jaya Kader is the founder and principal of KZ Architecture, a Miami-based full services design studio committed to design excellence and sustainable building practices. Born and raised in San Jose Costa Rica, Jaya Kader spent 15 years in Boston before moving to Miami. She earned a Master of Architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 1988 and is currently a member of its Alumni Council. Throughout her professional tenure, and under the tutelage of world renown mentors, Jaya has worked on numerous projects including public libraries, schools, municipal centers, houses of worship, residences and resorts.
Jaya has been an advocate for sustainable design since the inception of her practice in 2003. She is a member of the International Living Future Institute and the US Green Building Council as well as a LEED accredited professional. In 2018, her team was one of the winners of The Resilient Home Challenge, a competition sponsored by the World Bank and the United Nations Habitat for a Better Urban Future.
Jaya’s latest initiative “Regen Design Lab” services regenerative projects in her native Costa Rica, Miami and worldwide. The vision of the project highlights the power of design to help manifest sustainable practices that address environmental, social and economic concerns. Jaya weaves many of her core interests and values into her work, including nature, yoga, diverse cultural perspectives, mindfulness, art, healing and spiritual yearning.
