Lauren Matchison

Lauren Matchison is a Professor of Practice and Director of Undergraduate Architecture Programs & Pre-College Programs at the USC School of Architecture. She holds academic leadership roles overseeing programs such as the Bachelor of Architecture (B.ARCH), Bachelor of Science in Architecture + Inventive Technologies (BSAIT), and the A-Lab Architecture Development Program. Her research focuses on architectural education, health/wellness integration in design, and socio-cultural practices. She has been recognized with the ACSA Diversity Achievement Award (2020) and the Provost’s Teaching Award (2019).

Education: B.Arch from the University of Arizona and M.Arch from Syracuse University. She has taught at USC since 2007, emphasizing design fundamentals, cultural research, and shelter studies. Her courses include ARCH 303 and 306m Shelter, exploring social/cultural dimensions of architectural design.

Award-winning initiatives include A-LAB’s high school outreach programs, supported by USC Good Neighbors grants. Her work bridges academia with community through programs like the Exploration of Architecture and the A-Lab Development Program, fostering inclusivity in architectural education.