Diane Athaide

Diane Athaide is a Senior Urban Designer with over 8 years of interdisciplinary experience leading the master planning and visioning for award winning higher-education campus plans, urban districts, waterfronts, and mixed-use developments in Canada, USA, and India. Her expertise guides projects through all phases, from analysis and concept iterations, through to design development and implementation. She brings a collaborative, cross-disciplinary approach to design, developing innovative and implementable frameworks that integrate built-form, land use, landscape, mobility, and resilience, to create vibrant and inclusive environments grounded in an adaptable and sustainable vision.

Diane leads the end-to-end design process, from 2D drawings, 3D massing, sketches, and model making to refined graphics and reports, that translate design strategies into compelling visual narratives. Her experience extends to developing urban design guidelines and facilitating community engagement through in-person sessions and the use of digital, interactive tools, ensuring successful integration of feedback into the plans. She cultivates strong working relationships with clients, stakeholders, and a wide range of consultants to develop a rich and nuanced understanding of context and institutional priorities, that are seamlessly integrated into recommendations.

With a Master of Architecture in Urban Design from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Architecture, Diane brings an integrated understanding of architecture and urban design to her work. Her architectural training informs her building scale perspective on broader planning initiatives, including infill developments and major renovations within larger master plans. She also holds a LEED AP ND accreditation bringing a focus on sustainability and resilience to the planning and design process.