With over a decade of international architectural experience, Shura brings a multidisciplinary approach to design that bridges cultural contexts, digital innovation, and hands-on making. After practicing for 8+ years in Canada and 3 years in China, she has developed a nuanced understanding of how architecture can respond to place, community, and emerging technologies.
Shura completed both undergraduate and graduate studies in architecture and is a Registered Architect with the AIBC. Her portfolio spans residential, mixed-use, transportation, cultural and healthcare projects, with a strong focus on integrating Building Information Modeling (BIM) and digital workflows to enhance coordination and design quality.
Deeply passionate about parametric, generative, and BIM-driven design, Shura explores how computational tools can unlock new spatial possibilities and material expressions. Her interests are grounded in digital fabrication—3D printing, laser cutting, CNC machining, model making, and installation—blending conceptual thinking with practical execution.
A curious and agile thinker, Shura moves fluidly between the digital and physical realms, from Rhino, Grasshopper, and Revit to fabrication and assembly. She believes architecture is both a technical craft and a cultural practice, shaped by collaboration, experimentation, and storytelling.
Outside the studio, Shura finds inspiration in motion and rhythm—whether running along Vancouver’s seawall, cycling through forested trails, or playing badminton and softball with friends. These activities reflect a broader design ethos: one that values balance, precision, and play.
Fluent in English and Mandarin, Shura thrives in cross-cultural environments and brings a global lens to every project. She is excited by the potential of architecture to connect people, technologies, and ecologies in meaningful ways.
From Designing to Speaking
Alfred, a seasoned lecturer, is widely recognized for his innovative thinking. His expertise spans various subjects, with a particular passion for ‘Indigenuity’—a term he coined. This concept brings together indigenous ways of knowing and western knowledge to create architecture that prioritizes cultural sensitivity and environmental responsibility. Alfred’s engaging presentations leave audiences inspired to embrace new perspectives and make conscientious choices for the collective good.
Past Speaking Engagements
2023
Architecture With An Indigenous View – AIBC (virtual)
Earth to Sky Documentary Discussion Panel, Seattle WA
Lecture: Back Together, Educational Facilities as Platforms for Community (re)Connection, Prince Albert, Saskatoon, SK
Indigenuity Lecture, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON
2022
Convocation Keynote Speaker, Yukon University, Whitehorse YK
Indigenuity Lecture, Toronto Metropolitan University, ON
Indigenuity & Sustainable Strategies, AIA Montana, Missoula, MT
Indigenuity Lecture, Arizona State University Design School, AR
Indigenuity Lecture, View to the Future- AIBC
2021
On the Ground Indigenous Voices on Constructed Place, University of Washington
Indigenuity Lecture – University of Toronto
Indigenuity Lecture, Saskatoon Design Week (virtual)
Indigenuity Lecture, Korean wood (virtual)
Indigenuity Lecture, Japanese Resort (virtual)
2020
Indigenuity Lecture, Banff Sessions (virtual)
Indigenuity Lecture, Heather Lands Cultural Centre discussion (virtual)
Indigenuity Lecture, Victoria Interior Design Conference (virtual)
Webinar Presenter – Taking Action: A Conversation on Climate Change & Architecture in Canada, RAIC
Webinar Presenter – Indigenuity presentation, RAIC – Continuing Education Session
Harvard Guest Lecturer, First Nations Reclaim the City
UofC Studio Critic
Speaker – Indigenuity, Banff Lecture Series, Banff, AB
Speaker, AIBC Conference, Vancouver Convention Centre, BC
2019
Keynote Speaker NSAA Annual Conference
Panelist for the RAIC, The Transformative Power of Architecture, The RAIC International Prize and the Meaning of Value in Contemporary Architecture, Vancouver, BC
Future of Architecture, Keynote Speaker, Nova Scotia Architectural Association Annual Conference, Halifax, NS
Speaker at the WoodTalks at the Global Buyers Mission, Conference, Whistler, BC
University of Calgary, AB – Indigenuity
2018
Speaker at the SALA Lecture Series, UBC School of Architecture, Vancouver, BC
Panel Speaker, Committee on Forest and the Forest Industry (COFFI), Vancouver, BC
Speaker for the Seagram Visiting Lecture Series, Faculty of Architecture, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB
Speaker for the Joanne Cuthertson Student Lecture Series, Faculty of Environmental Design, The University of Calgary, Calgary, AB
Guest Speaker, BCIT Architectural Technology Class, Organized by Jim Taggart, FRAIC, BCIT Downtown Campus, Vancouver, BC
2017
Speaker at the Changing Climate Changing Buildings, NWTAA annual Conference, Yellowknife, NWT
Panelist, Architecture as a Step Towards Reconciliation: The Power of Place Language, and Story, APT – National Trust for Canada Joint Conference, Ottawa, ON
Speaker at Respecting the Land and Identity, International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium, RAIC, Wabano Centre, Ottawa, ON
Building Community: Indigeneity in Architectural Education & Practise, Saskatchewan Association of Architects, Saskatoon, SK
RAIC – Ottawa Indigenous Conference
Wood Design and Construction Solutions Conference – Indigenuity in Architecture
BCIT – Wood Works Whistler, BC
2016
RAIC Festival of Architecture Nanaimo, BC – Cultural Sustainability in the Architectural Realm
2015
BCIT Vancouver, BC – Lecture on Cultural Identity and Architecture
University of Saskatoon – Green Conference
National Capital Urbanism Lab – Indigenous Architecture + Design