May 2023
We are honoured to introduce you to Stacy McGhee, MARCH, MRAIC, a member of the RAIC for 32 years, and an active member of the Vancouver Island South network.
Thank you, Stacy!
Why did you decide to become an architect?
I have always wanted to be an architect from as early as I can remember. I grew up on a grain farm in Central Alberta and my dad was always creating and building something in addition to selling grain and livestock. If he could visualize or imagine it, he could build it. When I was four, he built scale models of our farm buildings out of 1/4” plywood. He designed it so the roof came off and you could see inside all the rooms. I played with these models (toys?) for hours, and clearly these helped to develop my spatial awareness.
Another strong influence was Expo 67. Our family had planned to go, and we had all the guidebooks. I knew all the pavilions and where they were located. Unfortunately, the week before we were to leave my grandfather died and our trip was cancelled.
The last impetus came in the late 70’s when we were harvesting and in the mail was the edition of TIME Magazine that featured Arthur Erickson and his new Vancouver Law Courts on the cover. That was the final push to encourage me to get an architecture degree.
Coming from a rural farming community, I felt it would be useful and important to live and work in the city, and in particular to get an office job in an architecture firm. That proved incredibly valuable as it gave me the fortitude to plow through university having a better idea of what I was going to experience after graduation. I loved living and working in the city and Calgary in the late seventies was a boomtown. Thankfully, I also enjoyed the office environment and seeing the creative process at work.
I received both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in architecture from Montana State University in Bozeman. I have only the fondest memories of those years and the endless nights and days in the studio. I still keep in close contact with many classmates.
When I graduated, I returned to Calgary to work and also to gain my registration in Alberta in 1991. My career has seen me work in offices in Boston, Calgary, Budapest and now Victoria. I have also had the experience of being the architect, the coordinating professional, but also the owner’s representative having worked for the Province of BC and here at the District of Saanich. Most of my career has been focused on historic building rehabilitation, correctional centres, public buildings and small scale commercial and residential.
How long have you been an RAIC member and what do you see as the value of your membership?
I have a certificate on my wall that says I have been a member of the RAIC since 1991, 32 years.
For me, the value of being a RAIC member is that I value being part of something that is Canadian and has a national reach. It is valuable to hear and read of what other practitioners are doing and experiencing across the country. Having gone to school in the states and worked there has made me better appreciate the vitality and particularities of a Canadian approach to the built environment.
I value and appreciate reading the RAIC bulletins and emails to learn about events, activities, topics, webinars etc. Being a member of the RAIC, I feel that I can call, email, and reach out to anyone to collaborate, or participate. I feel that the RAIC does a good job of reaching out and encouraging others to share their voice, their experiences, and their viewpoints. The organization continues to prove to be the one unifying voice for architects in Canada.
As an aside and a personal peeve, the one thing I miss is the Governor General Award books being sent to members. I have them all from the early 2000s and I still regularly refer to them. It is unfortunate that they are no longer printed and distributed; I would speculate for cost and logistical reasons. I would not mind paying for them separately if they cannot be included in the annual fee.
Why do you volunteer for the RAIC?
Being a part of a bigger community and contributing to it has always been in my DNA. My dad in our small farming community set a great example for service and leadership. At a young age I saw so much benefit to myself and others from those efforts and realized that a public good can be more important than individual wants. Seeing others contribute hours of their personal time is a motivator and reminds me that often in organizations like the RAIC, not everything can be provided by paid staff and thus relies heavily on volunteer commitment. Beyond that sense of duty though, the opportunities of learning, engaging in meaningful discussion and debate and meeting new colleagues continue to keep me interested and involved.
What advice would you have for those looking to get more involved in advocacy causes related to architecture?
What do you find most challenging about working as an architect?
In the past 20 years, particularly due to media, internet, and social media, design and architecture has been more widely viewed and appreciated by greater numbers of people. While I think many architects are somewhat pleased that architecture has made those strides into popular culture, I would say that I am not sure all of that has been positive. I have done a lot of public engagement in my years of work, particularly while for the province and certainly here at the Municipality. Many people do not know what we really do; the knowledge base required, the creativity and solving of complex problems and unfortunately tend to have preconceived notions that we are self-absorbed, live in comfortable homes and only wear black. I think we are to improve the lives of people and meaningfully contribute to a vital public realm through our work and our allied professions and often that is completely lost in today’s world of media consumption and fascination with celebrity and image. The work we do is not two dimensional; it has depth, tactility and is made to be experienced and lived in, not just photographed.
Why is the area of advocacy important to you?
The tension between the ill-informed public and us in the architecture profession needs to be bridged by being pro-active in overturning the stereotype of the dreamy impractical professional. This needs to be continually met with actions that reflect a commitment to societies’ health and welfare by solving problems with creative, sustainable and affordable solutions and along the way utilizing that Vitruvian triad of firmness, commodity, and delight. The RAIC can, and should, be seen as a vital advocate in this regard. The Rise for Architecture initiative, for example, demonstrates a commitment from professionals to see this matter advanced and better engaged with Canadians.
What do you think will most change/shape practice over the next five years?
Our communities are reeling from the changes and shifts experienced through Covid. While on the surface these changes may appear to be just about the preference to work remotely, they have significantly impacted practically every facet of society. Cities that were previously vibrant with substantial office buildings and sizeable numbers of retail and commercial establishments are now facing decimated downtowns. Also given the growing numbers of homeless, and the cost of housing growing more out of reach for many, these issues have become critical and urgent. Our ability as architects to play a significant role in the rebuilding of our cities is now more pressing and relevant than ever.
What role do you see the RAIC and architects playing in terms of climate action, truth and reconciliation, and procurement reform, among other issues that matter?
Hopefully we can be seen as front-line players in all these issues. We should not be thinking that it could be strictly the responsibility of environmentalists, politicians, indigenous peoples, procurement specialists and the development community. We are integral in all of these conversations, and we should be bold and unafraid to speak and be active. I have been very impressed and inspired by AAHA (Architects Against Housing Alienation) for example. They are very grassroots and passionate. We need more similar initiatives.
What advice would you have for those looking to get more involved in advocacy causes related to architecture?
The profession continues to face significant challenges and I know for many practitioners, it has become a more stressful and frustrating occupation. It will only be us, the professionals in our communities, who will dare to make those changes to start to have incremental effects because no one else will be doing it for us. Being active members of our communities and championing something or advocating causes that impact our society and future generations is perhaps our greatest opportunity.
How do you incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion in your work environment, the built environment, and your volunteer work?
The Municipality I work for, the District of Saanich, on Vancouver Island, is a strong leader in these issues. I find the workplace very empowering for us as staff to champion and implement these important issues. All the projects I work on have integrated these matters through design, processes and behaviors that honour fellow staff and District residents. At the RAIC, I see these values and practices being put front and center and as volunteers we have sought to integrate diversity, equity and inclusion in our events and outreach. Three years ago, territorial acknowledgements for example were just being considered. Today, thankfully, we would not begin an event without reading these statements. Despite the challenges, it is still a very rewarding profession and our opportunities to make a difference are greater than ever.
What do you like to do outside of architecture?
My wife and I value having a home and property that allows us to host and entertain our friends from our various communities of work, neighbourhood and church. I am a mad gardener and relish having a warm, welcoming, and lived-in home. Music and reading are key to keeping my mind balanced and not obsessing over work issues. Travel of course is rejuvenating and can inspire and remind us that Canada, while big and beautiful is a small and still young country in the world. We went on a great long postponed trip to Europe last summer and thoroughly enjoyed reconnecting with friends in Budapest where we lived for 7 years.