Inge Donovan

Smiling woman with long brown hair wearing a blue jacket and brown turtleneck, standing against a textured stone wall, conveying warmth and approachability.
Overhead view of abstract architectural models on a textured concrete surface. The models are white and geometric, casting shadows, with a calm, creative feel.
A stack of gray cement blocks is vertically supported by a wooden frame with horizontal beams. The simple, industrial design evokes stability and strength.
Three architectural models on display: a pagoda, a modern structure, and a high-rise building. They rest on a curved wooden table against a textured gray wall.
Curved, minimalist wooden structure with a natural finish, featuring a simple arch supported by small, evenly spaced blocks, set against a white background.
A large, industrial metal panel supported by a frame in a workshop. The space is cluttered, suggesting ongoing construction or manufacturing.
A man in a tan coat observes architectural models on a table in a dimly lit exhibit. Blurred figures suggest movement and add a dynamic, contemplative mood.
A small architectural model of a partially constructed building, featuring exposed wooden beams, a red brick facade, and an unfinished interior.

Education

  • B.A. Architectural Design & Architectural History, Theory and Criticism – Daniels Faculty of Architecture, University of Toronto, 2019
  • M.Arch – Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2024
  • Masters of Science in Building Technology – Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2024

Bio / Research

Inge Donovan achieved her Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Design and Architectural History, Theory and Criticism from the Daniels Faculty of Architecture at the University of Toronto in 2019 after growing up in Nova Scotia, Canada. After professional experience in Berlin, she attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she achieved a Masters of Architecture and a Masters of Science in Building Technology. She is the cofounder of Future Assemblies, an interdisciplinary research collective working between design, computation, engineering and industry, and Pixelframe, a startup developing modular systems designed for reuse. Her research and design work is centered around the decarbonization of the built environment, leveraging design, material research, and computational tools to rethink building for the circular economy. Her approach integrates innovation and novel methodologies with a deep engagement with materiality and construction history. 

Selected Publications/Projects

From Liquid to Stone: A reconfigurable concrete tectonic against obsolescence. 19th International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Biennale, curated by Carlo Ratti, 2025. 

J. Schnitzler, I. Donovan, M.A. Ismail, and C.T. Mueller. The technics of elegance: negotiating efficiency and standardization in three prestressed concrete systems by Aldo Favini and Angelo Mangiarotti. 8th International Congress on Construction History, Zurich 2024.

I. Donovan, J. Schnitzler, K.J. Lee, P. Wongsittikan, Y Liu and C.T. Mueller. PixelFrame: A reconfigurable, precast, post-tensioned concrete structural system for a circular building economy. Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2600 no. 192007 (2023). 
 

Faculty and staff      Department of Architecture faculty