Shannon Bassett

It is with heavy hearts we reflect on the passing of our colleague Shannon Bassett, in Ottawa on December 26, 2024. Shannon joined the McEwen School of Architecture as a faculty member in 2018, having studied architecture at Carleton (B.Arch) and urban design at Harvard University (MAUD). While at MSoA, Shannon enthusiastically taught a range of courses in the undergraduate and graduate programs and supervised M.Arch thesis students. Beyond the classroom, Shannon actively mentored students in several international design competitions and was one of the co-founders of ‘Building Equality in Architecture North’ BEA(N) group, which continues to have a growing membership.  She will be deeply missed by our community.

A celebration of life was held for Shannon by MSoA that commemorated her contributions to our school and the profession, in January 2025. Shannon generously bequeathed her book collection to the MSoA Library, which once catalogued, will be highlighted amongst our donor collections. In the fall of 2025 it is planned that MSoA will plant a mature native species tree in her honour at MSoA.