Mhairi McVicar is a director of collaborative design studio. Prior to starting the studio, Mhairi worked with award winning architects PTEa in London and James & Kutyla Architecture in Chicago. Thoroughly experienced with all aspects of project implementation and construction, Mhairi was a 2003 Chicago Architecture Club ‘Emerging Visions’ finalist and received a joint 2005 James Beard Award for best US Restaurant Design with Thomas Sclessor and Donald Madia.
Born in Scotland, Mhairi completed a BSc at Robert Gordon University with first class honours, and received a scholarship to attend the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago where she completed her professional M. Arch degree. Mhairi is a licensed architect in the State of Illinois, USA and a registered architect with NCARB.
Mhairi is a Lecturer at the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University (http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/archi/). Her PhD research into precision in architectural practice examines relationships between conceptual intent and constructed reality. Other research interests include hands-on construction through 'live' project workshops. Previous to WSA, Mhairi held an adjunct assistant professorship at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
She is currently co-editor of made, the journal of the Welsh School of Architecture and a committee member of Design Circle, Royal Society of Architects in Wales South.