Canadian Architect celebrates Marianne McKenna and Shirley Blumberg

Canadian Architect’s annual RAIC Gold Medal issue celebrates the extraordinary careers of Marianne McKenna and Shirley Blumberg, co-founders of KPMB Architects, who have been jointly awarded the 2025 Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) Gold Medal. As the highest honour the RAIC bestows, the Gold Medal recognizes a significant and lasting contribution to Canadian architecture, and this year’s issue pays tribute to two practitioners who have shaped the profession through design excellence, mentorship, and advocacy. 

The issue begins with The Genius of Collaboration, a tribute by Bruce Kuwabara to the creative partnership of Marianne McKenna and Shirley Blumberg. As fellow founding partner, Bruce offers a personal perspective on how their complementary strengths and shared values have shaped a culture of design excellence, trust, and purpose. It’s a powerful reflection on collaboration as a catalyst for transformation. 

In the lead feature, Charting the Course, Canadian Architect traces the arc of Marianne’s and Shirley’s partnership and the evolution of KPMB into one of Canada’s most influential firms. Their legacy is defined not only by award-winning work, but by a shared commitment to social responsibility, inclusive practice, and building a more equitable and sustainable future. 

The issue also includes insightful Q&As with both laureates: Community Champion explores Marianne’s dedication to public life and architecture that serves the common good, while Ethics in Action features Shirley reflecting on the values that have grounded her career.  

In Fierce, Passionate and Visionary, colleagues and friends reflect on Marianne’s and Shirley’s impact with deeply personal tributes. The contributors include Phyllis Lambert, Brigitte Shim, Deborah Berke, Sarah Polley, Omar Gandhi, Ron McCoy, Meryl Streep, Ken Greenberg, Meg Graham, and Betsy Williamson, each offering a window into the profound influence these two leaders have had across disciplines and generations. 

The issue concludes with Passing the Torch, a thoughtful piece by Paulo Rocha, one of KPMB’s longstanding team members and now a partner, reflects on the meaning of leadership as part of the firm’s next generation. As Paulo and his six partners continue to steer the firm’s evolution, he shares insights on continuity, transformation, and carrying forward the values instilled by Marianne and Shirley. 

Together, the issue presents a rich and multi-dimensional portrait of two architects whose work has not only defined an era but paved the way for what comes next. 

Read the full issue at CanadianArchitect.com.