Laurentian University has appointed David Fortin as the next Director of the McEwen School of Architecture, effective January 1, 2018. Fortin succeeds the founding director, Terrance Galvin, whose second three-year term ended on December 31, 2017.
Pursuant to the terms of the faculty collective agreement, school directors and department chairs may only serve two three-year terms. Dr. Galvin, a tenured Full Professor, continues to contribute at the School as a faculty member.
David Fortin is an Assistant Professor at the McEwen School of Architecture since 2013. He holds a Doctorate from the University of Edinburgh and a Masters of Architecture from the University of Calgary. He previously spent 5 years as a faculty member at the Montana State University School of Architecture and practiced with several firms as a professional architect. Fortin is of Métis ancestry with an active research program in Indigenous design processes. He holds a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Insight Development Grant and has published numerous scholarly works in this field.
Earlier this year. Fortin was named Associate Director of the Maamwizing Research Institute, Laurentian’s Indigenous research centre. He is member of the Alberta Association of Architects, and of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Throughout his career, he has merited scholarships and awards, including the Science North Partnership Award in 2015. With this appointment, Dr. Fortin is the first indigenous architect to become a Director of a Canadian school of architecture.
“Terrance leaves big shoes to fill as the founding director of the McEwen School of Architecture. I look forward to working with students, faculty, staff and our numerous community partners in pursuing the vision of the steering committee that resulted in the creation of the School, led and enhanced by Terrance over the past six years,” commented Fortin.
Fortin is also a co-curator of UNCEDED, Canada’s entry at the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennial. Led by legendary architect Douglas Cardinal, UNCEDED will emphasize and celebrate the work of Indigenous architects and designers throughout Turtle Island, with a dedicated website now launched for the upcoming exhibition.