In 1877, the University of Manitoba was established in western Canada. Facilities were originally located in downtown Winnipeg before being moved out to Fort Garry in 1929. The School of Architecture, the second in Canada, was established within the Faculty of Arts in 1913. Bachelor of Architecture degrees were conferred after four years of study. In 1920, the School of Architecture joined the new Faculty of Engineering and Architecture. Post-graduate architecture instruction began in 1933. A decade later, the School of Architecture and Fine Arts was established in an attempt to meet the increasing demand for architects and interior decorators. Just previous to the 1959 completion of the Faculty's current facilities, the entire program was reorganised within the School of Architecture. The last major phase of restructuring occurred in 1963 with the formation of the Faculty of Architecture which would soon encompass the undergraduate (Environmental Studies) and graduate programs: Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture and City Planning. Some of the Faculty's better-known graduates include John and Patricia Patkau, Richard Henriquez, John C. Parkin, Etienne Gaboury, Bill Allen, and Harry Seidler (winner of the 1996 Royal Institute of British Architects Royal Gold Metal).

The John A. Russell building was the first curtain wall building in western Canada when it was built in 1959. Centre Space and the Courtyard are the primary public spaces. Centre Space is used frequently for public lectures, studio reviews and exhibitions. In addition, there are two exhibition spaces including the Faculty gallery. Lounges scattered throughout the studios provide informal venues for the exchange of ideas or simply places to relax.

Students in the Faculty of Architecture have ready access to professors teaching in all five of the Faculty's departments. Faculty members have received training in the design disciplines at universities all over the world and are actively engaged in professional practice, research and/or scholarly work. Completed projects by the teaching staff include a wide range of building types and other projects in Winnipeg, across Canada, the United States, and abroad. Instructors have gained numerous prizes, distinctions and recognition at national and international competitions and design award programs, and are published on all continents.
Part-time and sessional faculty members are drawn from the architectural, interior design, planning, landscape architecture, engineering, business, and legal professions to provide state-of-the-art knowledge and experience in the courses offered within the Faculty. The professional activities of the part-time faculty, and the extra-curricular activities of the full- time faculty expand the teaching and professional resource base of the school, and provide a closer relationship between students and the community which they will eventually serve.