He holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Southern California Institute of Architecture and a Master of Science, Advanced Architectural Design degree from Columbia University. Prior to founding Hirsuta in 2008 he worked as project designer for Reiser + Umemoto/RUR Architects and Daniel Libeskind Studio and co-partnered the award winning office Gnuform, best known for the No Good Television Headquarters (2006 AIA Design Award,) the 2006 MoMA/P.S.1 entry Purple Haze (competition finalist,) and inclusion in the 2006 Architecture Beijing Biennial. He has held teaching positions at The Ohio State University, Rice University, Pratt Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Bennington College. Committed to the creative synthesis of scholarship and practice, Payne has established a reputation as a leading educator and designer in his generation.