Tatyana Zaichenko was born into a Moldovan family in the rural Telenești District of central Moldova. Unable, despite trying, to enter Moscow Architectural Institute, she proceeded to study architecture at Chişinău Polytechnic Institute, graduating in 1970. She was recognized as the best student of her year, and offered a position at Chişinăugorproekt, where she would eventually rise to head of architects’ group. In this role, she designed several prefabricated residential buildings in Chişinău. In the aftermath of the independence of Moldova, she designed residential buildings, cultural buildings (including a children’s theater, a cinema, and a school library), and commercial spaces. She also worked on projects of preservation and reconstruction of historic buildings, including the rebuilding of the National History Museum of Moldova in 1980-1987.