Dorothy Schuster, a registered architect
in the State of New York, is known for her
carefully-considered architectural and
interior designs and highly refined aesthetic
sensibility. She established MKDS Architects
with her husband, Mark Kates, in 1984,
and is now running the office.
Dorothy’s contributions to Waterside Plaza,
an apartment complex on the East River in
New York City, include plaza landscaping,
and the design of fountains, play spaces,
a model apartment and the public corridors.
For the Allen School, which provides
medical assistant and certified nursing
programs at two campuses, Dorothy organized
a graphic and signage program and designed
administrative offices and classrooms.
As the project designer for Gracious Home’s
three-story West Side Store and the Lighting
Store on the East Side, she provided store
planning, custom display and shelving systems.
She greatly enjoys working on projects
centered around designs for children: nursery
schools, educational and interpretive exhibits,
and play areas. Other notable projects include
the Childrens Zoo at the Bronx Zoo, the
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Grace Church School
and numerous private residences.
Dorothy’s experience encompasses project
management, architectural, interior, and
exhibition design, as well as landscape
and graphic design. She has also worked
on planning studies and has prepared
presentations for local planning authorities
and press conferences.
Her illustrations have appeared
in the New York Times, Print Casebook,
and ID Magazine. Her projects have been
published in Interiors Magazine, ID
Magazine, the New Yorker, the New York
Times and the Sunday Times.
Prior to her association with Mark Kates,
Dorothy was affiliated with the New York
Zoological Society, Joseph A. Wetzel
Associates, Walker/Group, and Ecart, Ltd.,
the New York office of Andree Putman.
Dorothy has degrees in Architecture from
City College of the City of New York and
in Interior Design from Pratt Institute.
She lives in Brooklyn Heights and works
in Tribeca.