A seasoned architect specializing in public design, Georgeanne Matthews’ portfolio comprises the institutional architecture that fortifies a community’s identity and sense of place: libraries, cultural centers, campus master plans and K-12 design. She joined the University of Maryland School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation in 2022 as an Assistant Professor of Architecture to focus on her research in spatializing memory, community development and design of the public realm. Matthew’s passion for designing resilient communities is informed by a diverse professional and pedagogical resume. She was previously the Director of Urban Practice ad interim at the Catholic University of America where she taught both architecture and urban design at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Her Ph.D. research explores the challenge of providing quality housing across a broad income spectrum and points to population shifts requiring more cost-effective residential units, neighborhood densification, and social equity in housing choice. She gained her architecture experience at Grimm and Parker Architects and later at Moody Nolan Architects in both their Nashville and Washington, DC, offices. In addition, she has managed and developed nine multi-phase real estate projects.
She is the founder and director of the City Lab Urban Design Collective in Washington, DC, a nonprofit group, which assists communities with neighborhood design projects that support underserved residents. The center is currently working with the Metro Nashville Mayor’s Office to design the Edgehill Neighborhood Master Plan as well as the schematic design of a new community library, arts center, and sculpture garden.
As a professor in the UMD Architecture Program and faculty advisor for the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Urban Land Institute (ULI) competitions, she teaches practicum studios that engage in public interest design and support community resiliency and cultural preservation. Her goal is to encourage students to create beautiful architecture, and to understand the importance of identifying, protecting, and preserving cultural context within the architectural landscape. Georgeanne is committed to research and architectural projects that focus on creating just and resilient communities for 21st century living, while preserving the history and character of place.