Alison has fostered a rich, noteworthy professional legacy spanning more than 40 years. She has left a significant mark on San Diego architecture as a designer, planner, leader, mentor, teambuilder, neuroscience advocate, sustainability expert, and teacher.
Alison Whitelaw grew up in the Midlands region of England, where she was inspired at the young age of 15 to study architecture. Although not a common profession for women at the time, she pursued her chosen field at the University of Edinburgh where she received her Bachelor in Architecture.
An avid traveler, Alison ventured throughout Europe and the U.S, her sojourns greatly inspiring her architectural pursuits. Upon graduation, she and her young family would eventually settle in San Diego. In addition to raising her family, Alison threw herself into her career, gaining experience in a number of roles at numerous firms while working to become licensed. Alison quickly rose to become an industry leader, spearheading many important commissions and eventually taking over the management of the firm that would become Platt/Whitelaw.
Alison’s accomplishments include numerous significant award-winning projects completed during her 29-year tenure as Principal of Platt/Whitelaw Architects, where she remained until her retirement in 2020. A tireless advocate for sustainability, she developed and taught sustainable design courses at the NewSchool of Architecture and Design at a time when such coursework was not standard. In 2004, in recognition of her notable contributions to sustainable design, Alison was elevated to AIA Fellow.
Her professional achievements include leadership roles as past President of the San Diego Chapter of the AIA, the San Diego Architectural Foundation, and AIA San Diego’s Women in Architecture. Alison was a leader and founding member of the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture (ANFA) and a champion for research based, human-centered design.
