Brigitte Shim facts for kids

Brigitte Shim is a super talented Canadian architect. She was born in Kingston, Jamaica, on December 8, 1958. Brigitte is famous for starting her own architecture company, Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, in 1994 with her husband, Howard Sutcliffe.

She is also a professor at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto. Brigitte and Howard created their company because they love how buildings, outdoor spaces, inside designs, and even furniture can all work together. For over 30 years, their firm has designed many different projects for homes, public spaces, and more!

Growing Up and Learning

Brigitte Shim's family moved to Canada in 1965 when she was young. She started her university journey at the University of Waterloo. First, she studied environmental topics and earned a degree in 1981.

After that, she decided to study architecture at the same university, finishing in 1983. This is also where she met Howard Sutcliffe. They quickly started working on projects together, which was the beginning of their amazing partnership.

Between 1981 and 1987, Brigitte worked for other famous architects. Then, in 1988, she began teaching at the University of Toronto. That same year, Brigitte and Howard finished their first big project. It was called the Garden Pavilion and Reflecting Pool. This cool building, made of concrete and steel, is in Toronto.

Teaching Architecture

Since 1988, Brigitte Shim has been a professor at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto. She still teaches there today!

Brigitte teaches many different classes. Some are basic design classes, while others are more advanced. She also teaches special courses about her favorite topics. These include the history of landscape design or how to build homes in small city spaces.

Brigitte has also been invited to teach at other famous universities around the world:

• She was a visiting professor at Yale University School of Architecture several times.
• She taught at the Ecole d’Architecture in Switzerland.
• She was a visiting professor at Harvard University.

Helping the Architecture World

Throughout her career, Brigitte has been a part of many important groups. These groups work to make cities better and help the architecture field grow. She was on an advisory board for Canada's National Capital Commission for eight years. She also helps review designs for Waterfront Toronto, which plans projects along the city's waterfront.

She is also a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (FRAIC). This is a special honor for architects in Canada. She is also an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (Hon. FAIA), which is a similar honor in the United States.

Amazing Awards

Besides the awards her company, Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, has won, Brigitte Shim has received many personal honors. These awards celebrate her fantastic work in architecture and design.

Some of her top awards include:

• The Royal Architecture Institute of Canada Gold Medal (2021): This is one of the highest honors for an architect in Canada.
• Invested Member of the Order of Canada (2013): This means she was recognized for her outstanding contributions to Canada.
• The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal (2013): This medal celebrated her service to Canada.
• Association of Chinese Canadian Entrepreneurs Lifetime Achievement Award (2022): This award recognized her long and successful career.