Shelagh McCartney

Shelagh McCartney is a licensed architect and urbanist, currently pursuing her Doctor of Design at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard, studying informal settlements in rapidly expanding urban agglomerations and the effect that emerging institutional and redevelopment practices have on those communities. She is a Fulbright Scholar who received her Masters in Design Studies, concentrating in Urban Development and Housing, from Harvard (2007), and Bachelor of Professional Architecture (2000) and Bachelor of Environmental Studies – Pre professional Architecture (1997) from the University of Waterloo.

Her eight years of professional practice encompass lead design, technical and management roles, on projects in more than 6 countries including Canada, Finland, Italy and, South Africa.  She is a licensed member of the Ontario Association of Architects, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and is a LEED Accredited Professional who provides a multidisciplinary approach in defining and implementing community visions.  As part of a team and individually she has secured wins and mentions in four international competitions, and her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions and publications.  

Shelagh is an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Waterloo, teaching comprehensive building studio and  introductory design, a lecturer at the University of Toronto and has been a guest critic and lecturer at universities in the United States, Canada and Australia.