Studio Gang

Margaret Cavenagh

Based in Chicago, Architect Margaret Cavenagh (she/her) is a Design Principal at Studio Gang. Drawing on her expert observations of how people use space, Margaret designs and develops all interior concepts for the Studio’s public, cultural, institutional, office, and residential projects. Ranging widely in scale and typology, her award-winning work holistically extends building concepts into the interior using layered, flexible programs that expand the Studio’s ethos of material exploration at an intimate scale.

Margaret’s recent built work includes the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, MIRA, Writers Theatre, Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, and Maisonette. She is currently working on the Spelman College Center for Innovation & the Arts, a new arts and STEM center in Atlanta, GA, focused on interdisciplinary collaboration. Her projects have obtained some of the highest sustainability ratings, including LEED Platinum and Living Building Challenge certifications. Actively engaged in the field, she chaired the jury for the 2022 American Institute of Architect’s COTE Top Ten Awards. She has also served on juries for AIA Design Awards in Wisconsin and Missouri and lectured at the University of Pennsylvania Women in Design Symposium.

Margaret holds a Master of Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia (UVA). She is the Chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board at UVA’s School of Architecture and is currently a Lecturer on Professional Practice for the School’s graduate program.

Registrations & Certifications
Registered Architect, Illinois
Member, American Institute of Architects
LEED Accredited Professional

Now

Archinect — "Women [Re]Build" Book Release

A conversation between Jeanne Gang and Margaret Cavenagh, Principal of Interior Architecture at Studio Gang, was published in a new book released by the University of Pennsylvania.

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Margaret Cavenagh Judges 2022 COTE Awards at AIA Conference on Architecture

“On Earth Day, The American Institute of Architects announced the winners of the 2022 COTE Top Ten Awards, who have been recognized for their significant achievements in advancing climate action. Scroll down to see the project galleries for the 2022 winners.

“We were looking for things that can spark change,” says COTE Top Ten Awards jury chair Margaret Cavenagh, AIA.”

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Madame Architect — "Hitting Her Stride: Margaret Cavenagh on Opportunity, Adaptability, and True Balance"

“In her interview with Amy Stone, Margaret talks about her love for interior architecture and her pursuit for balance, advising those just starting their careers to think deeply about the kind of architecture that most interests them.”

Project

Maisonette Chicago, IL, 2009

Materiality

Now

Margaret Cavenagh on the Design Voice Podcast

Principal of Interior Architecture Margaret Cavenagh speaks with the Design Voice podcast about her favorite Studio Gang projects, our design process, and our mission to help people, organizations, and cities design their futures.

Project