Dr. Ailin Iwan Poon 潘余禮美博士
Founding Partner
Ailin is a Chinese Indonesian American designer, scholar, and educator whose interdisciplinary work bridges architecture, education, and sustainability. Born in Jakarta, Indonesia, she has pursued her academic training across the United States and Hong Kong, developing a global perspective that enriches her research and practice.
Her doctoral research at the University of Hong Kong represents a significant contribution to the field, integrating architectural design with early childhood education to examine the quality and sustainability of early learning environments. She possesses specialized expertise in aligning pedagogical frameworks with environmental design, including the application of Early Childhood Environment Rating Scales (ECERS) in preschool settings. Notably, she is among the few design professionals to hold a California Child Development Program Director Permit, reflecting her rare combination of design and educational leadership credentials.
Ailin earned her Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley, with double minors in Business Administration and City Planning, and a Master of Arts in Education from San Francisco State University.
Across her academic and professional trajectory, Ailin has developed a strong commitment to advancing green living and sustainable education as essential components of improving present quality of life and securing a resilient future for the next generation. Her work focuses on addressing climate change and social inequality through research, design innovation, and public education. This integrated vision forms the foundation of Philia Earth’s distinctive research-based design approach.
Expertise
Ailin leads the sustainable design of early childhood environments, including childcare centers, preschools, and kindergartens. She brings deep expertise in a range of educational pedagogies and the application of Early Childhood Environment Rating Scales (ECERS), ensuring that design strategies align with developmental and educational best practices.