Riya Chadha is a Senior Program Associate within the Urban Resilience team at WRI India. Her work focuses on advancing and implementing nature-based solutions for long-term climate adaptation, while keeping communities and ecology at the center of planning and design.

She is an architect and urban designer with over seven years of professional experience across New York and Mumbai. Her work spans mixed-use masterplans, waterfront initiatives, and strategic urban studies. She founded The Adda Experiment, a public space initiative focused on participatory design and inclusive planning. Through her work, she ensures diverse community perspectives guide decision-making and shape actionable, context-sensitive urban solutions. 

Riya holds a Master of Science in Architecture and Urban Design from Columbia University, New York and Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, building a strong foundation across design, planning, and systems-based approaches to cities and climate resilience.

Outside of work, you’ll find Riya exploring new cities, cultures, and street life or spending time with her dog.