Michelle Laboy

Michelle Laboy is an Associate Professor in the School of Architecture at Northeastern University, with affiliate appointments in Civil & Environmental Engineering and the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs. She holds a Master of Architecture and Urban Planning from the University of Michigan (2005) and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico (2001). Her research focuses on transdisciplinary design methods that integrate socio-ecological systems with built environment resilience, emphasizing material circularity and long-term sustainability. Key projects include the Boston LightWells initiative and Common SENSES, which explore community-driven solutions for urban resilience. Laboy has received prestigious awards including the Latrobe Prize (2017 and 2022) and Excellence in Teaching (2020). She co-founded FieLDworkshop, a design research practice addressing ecological and cultural regeneration in cities.

Her work bridges architecture, engineering, and policy through projects funded by NSF, DOE ARPA-E, and Autodesk. Research themes include green infrastructure planning, climate-resilient building systems, and participatory modeling for equitable urban development. Laboy has authored/co-authored books such as *The Architecture of Persistence* and over 30 peer-reviewed articles in journals like *Journal of Industrial Ecology* and *Journal of Architecture*. Her teaching spans comprehensive design studios and systems integration courses, emphasizing transdisciplinary collaboration.

• Education:
  • MArch/MUP, University of Michigan, 2005
  • BSc Civil Engineering, University of Puerto Rico, 2001
• Key Awards:
  • 2022 Latrobe Prize (AIA College of Fellows)
  • 2020 Excellence in Teaching Award (CAMD)
  • 2017 Latrobe Prize (AIA College of Fellows)
• Grants & Projects:
  • Principal Investigator: Boston LightWells (Autodesk/ Boston Groundwater Trust)
  • Co-PI: Community Resilience in Extreme Temperatures (Northeastern)
  • DOE ARPA-E grant for carbon-negative timber construction

Laboy’s practice, FieLDworkshop, operationalizes research into built projects ranging from residential designs to urban-scale interventions. Her scholarly contributions highlight the interplay between technical innovation and social equity in achieving sustainable urban futures.