Tammy Gaber

Dr. Tammy Gaber is a Full Professor and Director at the McEwen School of Architecture, Laurentian University (Canada), where she teaches architecture design and theory courses. She joined Laurentian as founding faculty in 2013 and has previously taught at the University of Waterloo, American University in Cairo, and the British University in Egypt. Her research focuses on Islamic architecture, Canadian mosque design, gender in architecture, and the intersection of sacred spaces with modernist design principles.

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Architecture, Cairo University
• Master of Architecture Engineering (MSc.), Cairo University
• Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch), University of Waterloo

Her research explores Canadian mosque design, gender allocations in sacred spaces, and the influence of modernist architects like Alvar Aalto on religious architecture. She has published extensively on these topics, including chapters in Habitat: Vernacular Architecture for a Changing Planet and The Religious Architecture of Islam.

Dr. Gaber has received significant recognition, including the 2020 Laurentian University Teaching Excellence Award and the 2019 Women Who Inspire Award from the Canadian Council of Muslim Women. She was awarded SSHRC funding in 2022 for her work on the Aalto family’s sacred spaces.

• 2025: Canadian Mosques: Hybridity of Form and Program
• 2022: Beyond the Divide: A Century of Canadian Mosque Design
• 2021: New Australian Mosques
• 2016: The Cosmic Script: Sacred Geometry and the Science of Arabic Penmanship

Her creative activities include large-scale public art installations like the Collage City mural in Sudbury and participation in the Aalto Residency Program in Finland. She integrates design-build pedagogy into her teaching, emphasizing hands-on learning and community engagement.