Shirley Dugdale, AIA

Shirley Dugdale is an architectural planner who focuses on the strategic use of space to define new visions for environments that will enhance collaboration, learning, organizational transformation and urban vitality.

Long committed to design for environmental sustainability, she focuses now on applying her experience to opportunities for climate action. A resident of Evanston IL, she explores the potential of regenerative design approaches to support community resiliency in the face of our climate challenges.

Shirley’s diverse experience led her to apply urban design principles to enrich campus planning in response to the “new learning landscape” integrating physical and digital experiences. She became a nationally recognized expert in planning for innovative learning environments and research libraries navigating the transition from print to digital resources and scholarship, exploring new roles and services.

Many projects involved anticipating the impact of emerging technologies -- from design of simulation centers for training to adaptive reuse of buildings for emerging hybrid work patterns.  Her methods based on user needs research and scenario planning for alternative futures led her to design many frameworks and workshop tools to gather input and craft community consensus – such as her Innovation Landscape Framework and co-creation of the guidelines of the Learning Space Rating System. 

Some of her campus projects included a Strategic Space Plan for the U. of Washington Libraries, a Strategic Learning Space Plan for the American University in Cairo, and a Learning Environments Master Plan for the three campuses of the SUNY Univ. at Buffalo.  Her early urban design work in NYC included directing a master plan for the revitalization of the World Trade Center’s lower levels in response to the first bombing in 1993, and urban design in a desert climate.

Living for a decade with a young family while restoring a 16’ wide row house in Brooklyn taught lessons about historic passive energy techniques, as well as the value of communal stoop life and dense mixed-use neighborhoods close to transit choices. Since 1999 in a 1860s wood frame house north of Chicago, Shirley and her husband have been able to experiment with sustainable gardening using prairie native plants, rainwater capture and installation of solar collectors – only a short walk from two transit stations.

MEMBER

• Climate Action Evanston

• Design Evanston

• International Living Future Institute

• Consortium for Sustainable Urbanism

• Sustainable Design Network

• Future Trends Forum

• American Institute of Architects

  Prior Memberships:

• Society of College & University Planners

• Association of College & Research Libraries

• Educause Learning Initiative;

• Learning Spaces Collaboratory

• Congress for New Urbanism (signer of the first CNU Charter 1996)

• Board of Directors, American Association of Community & Junior Colleges

• Trustee, private two-year college (1970-1972)

education

Master of Architecture,
Harvard University Graduate School of Design, 1976

Bachelor of Arts
Smith College. Phi Beta Kappa, 1970

Registered Architect
New York, 1981 - 2017