The Formula
It reflects a shift from leading within a single organization to advising across many, while remaining grounded in the same commitment to impact, equity, and excellence.
The first, grounded in practice and leadership within a firm.
The second, grounded in advocacy, visibility, and collective advancement across the profession.
The Third Office emerges from the intersection of these two.
It is a strategic advisory practice that combines executive leadership with advocacy, applying the skills, insights, and structures developed within one organization across many. It exists to support firms, developers, and institutions in navigating complexity, strengthening alignment, and advancing projects with both rigor and purpose.
Where the first office is focused on building within a firm, and the second on building the field, the third is about supporting both, extending that work across a broader network and engaging multiple partners simultaneously.
The Work
Strategic advisory at the intersection of design, development, leadership, and social impact. Supporting organizations, developers, and institutions in advancing mission-driven work through clarity, positioning, and partnership.
Executive Advisory
Strategic assessment and alignment of operations, business strategy, and organizational structure.
Business Development + Opportunity Alignment
Identification, positioning, and pursuit of strategic project opportunities.
Owner’s Advisory + Team Assembly
Curation and alignment of high-performing consultant teams.
Project Advisory + Implementation Support
Strategic oversight and coordination during project execution.
Strategic Advisory + Venture Development
Early-stage advisory to define vision, structure, and positioning for new initiatives.
A Trusted Space
The Third Office is a strategic advisory practice operating between organizations, leadership, and execution. It provides a neutral, trusted space where complex ideas are clarified, decisions are strengthened, and teams move forward with alignment and confidence.
A strategic layer between vision and delivery.
Supporting Leadership at Critical Moments
Neither fully internal nor external, The Third Office operates in the space between—supporting leaders, institutions, and project teams during moments where clarity, discretion, and strategic direction are essential.
Grounded in Practice
Rooted in experience across architecture, business development, and advocacy, The Third Office brings a holistic perspective that connects vision to execution and ensures ideas are positioned to move forward with impact.
About me.
Pascale Sablan, FAIA, NOMAC, LEED AP
Pascale Sablan, is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Third Office. She is the 315th living African American woman registered architect in the United States and a globally recognized leader operating at the intersection of design, leadership, and cultural impact.
With over 20 years of experience, Pascale has led and contributed to internationally significant projects that shape cities through cultural infrastructure, civic investment, and community-centered design. Her work advances urban development as a driver of economic growth, social impact, and long-term resilience.
In parallel, she has led global organizations and run a business at the executive level, developing expertise across operations, human resources, finance, and business development. This dual lens, design leadership and business strategy, enables her to advise clients not only on vision, but on the systems, teams, and execution required to deliver it. Through The Third Office, she provides integrated guidance across organizational strategy, project delivery, and long-term growth.
Most recently, she served as Chief Executive Officer of the New York Studio at Adjaye Associates, where she was responsible for leading the firm’s work across the Americas. Her leadership is defined by her ability to navigate complex environments, align diverse stakeholders, and deliver projects that serve as catalysts for neighborhood transformation and cultural legacy.
Pascale is also the Founder of Beyond the Built Environment, an advocacy organization dedicated to addressing inequities in architecture and expanding pathways for women and BIPOC designers. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, and Forbes has recognized her as “a powerhouse woman actively changing history.” She was also featured on Oprah’s Future Rising as a Black trailblazer advancing the world forward.
She currently serves on the International Union of Architects Professional Practice Commission and is the immediate past President of the National Organization of Minority Architects, where she made history as the fifth woman to lead the organization.
Her honors include the 2025 Presidential Medal for Distinguished Service from NCARB, the Architectural League of New York Emerging Voices Award, and elevation to the AIA College of Fellows as the youngest African American to receive this distinction in the organization’s 167-year history.
Why choose us
Strategic Advisory
Providing high-level guidance to help leaders navigate complexity, define direction, and move forward with clarity and confidence.
Executive-Level Project Support
Partnering with leadership teams to strengthen oversight, ensure alignment, and support critical milestones from vision through delivery.
Stakeholder Alignment + Facilitation
Facilitating conversations across diverse stakeholders to build consensus, resolve friction, and drive unified decision-making.
Design + Development Strategy
Advising at the intersection of design intent, development goals, and project feasibility to ensure cohesive and impactful outcomes.
Communication + Positioning
Shaping clear, compelling narratives that strengthen how projects, ideas, and organizations are understood and advanced.
Organizational Navigation
Supporting teams in navigating internal dynamics, structures, and challenges to improve effectiveness and maintain forward momentum.
Special Projects + Partnerships
Collaborating on unique initiatives and strategic partnerships that require discretion, creativity, and tailored execution.
///////// FOR CLIENTS / DEVELOPERS /////////
“The success of a project is not just measured by what gets built, but by how it is delivered. The right team brings more than design, they bring foresight, coordination, and the ability to navigate complexity with precision, ensuring outcomes that are both impactful and executable.”
Pascale Sablan
CEO
Philosophy
///////// FOR FIRM OWNERS /////////
“Running a design practice today requires more than great design. It demands operational clarity, disciplined business development, and leadership that can align people, process, and performance. The firms that thrive are not only creative—they are structured to sustain growth.”
Pascale Sablan
CEO
///////// FOR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS /////////
“The most powerful projects are born from alignment, where vision, capital, and community are in conversation from the start. When development is approached as a partnership rather than a transaction, it creates value that extends far beyond the site.”
Pascale Sablan
CEO