Taking Stock: Voices of Women in Architecture Across Canada Symposium

Save the Date! “Taking Stock: Voices of Women in Architecture Across Canada” is a 2-day symposium at Toronto Metropolitan University, Department of Architectural Science, 6-7 March, that brings together students, architects, academics, advocates, historians, journalists, policymakers, statisticians, and others to share knowledge and experiences, advance essential conversations, and spark systemic, embedded change in pedagogy, practice, and policy for women in architecture.

This event is supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), researchers from Laurentian University, McGill University, Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto Metropolitan University, and University of Toronto, as well as partners Black Architects and Interior Designers Association, Building Equality in Architecture North, Building Equality in Architecture Toronto, KPMB Architects, Northern Ontario Society of Architects, Ontario Association of Architects, South Asian Society of Architects, and Together Design Lab.

EVENT SCHEDULE:

The event will feature two distinguished keynote speakers:

• Dr. Annmarie Adams, Professor, McGill University (external link)  (DAY ONE)
• Marianne McKenna, Founding Partner, KPMB Architects (external link)  (DAY TWO)

Historic and contemporary conditions will be probed through four moderated panels with presentations. The event is intended to culminate in a fifth session, Taking Stock | Next Steps, which will identify paths for moving forward and implementation of new frameworks and possible policy change.

Stay tuned for more information in 2026 regarding ticket sales and panellists! 

DAY ONE: March 6th

Panel 1: Women in Academia

This panel foregrounds current research and leadership that interrogates identity, pedagogy, and institutional frameworks within architecture and design schools. Together, these perspectives provide a critical view of how academia can both entrench traditional hierarchies and serve as a site for rethinking the future of architectural education and practice.

Panel 2: Intersectional Barriers, the Politics of Design, and Rethinking “the Body” in Design

This panel reframes equity as core to how architecture is taught and practiced, centering underrepresented women’s lived experience to move from representation to structural change. It surfaces intersectional, under-documented barriers — licensure pinch points, caregiving and economic pressures, credential and language hurdles, and the gap between mentorship and sponsorship — while tracing how bias is embedded in briefs, studios, hiring, licensure, and procurement. 

DAY TWO: March 7th

Panel 3: Indigenous Women in Architecture

This panel will bring together the voices of Indigenous women within architectural pedagogy and practice from across Turtle Island. Focus will be placed on current and unique challenges and opportunities, the integration of cultural and land-based knowledge within design grounded in distinct Indigenous nations, and visions and aspirations for the future of Indigenous-led design in the Canadian context.

Panel 4: Women in Practice

This panel investigates the practice of architecture and frameworks that either support or undermine women’s progression from graduation to leadership. Mentorship, advocacy, culture, flexibility, and policy will be examined to build a shared understanding of the barriers and opportunities, leading to actionable guidelines for firm adoption and systemic change.

PROJECT TEAM:

We have assembled a team of cross-institutional leaders to coordinate the event. We also have students from the University of Toronto, OCAD University, Toronto Metropolitan University, and McGill University working alongside those listed below. 

• Dr. Annmarie Adams (McGill University)
• Ramona Adlakha (KPMB Architects)
• Anne-Marie Armstrong (University of Toronto and AAmp Studio)
• Maya Desai (OCAD University and Moriyama Teshima Architects)
• Jennifer Esposito (Toronto Metropolitan University and Place of Work) 
• Amina Lalor (Laurentian University)
• Dr. Shelagh McCartney (Toronto Metropolitan University and Together Design Lab)
• Rhys Phillips (Contributor, Canadian Architect)