In Memoriam, Laura Shinn, AIA, AICP

In Memoriam, Laura Shinn, AIA, AICP

The Knowlton School is saddened to report the passing on July 20, 2021, of alumna and longtime Ohio State University employee and school lecturer Laura Shinn (MArch ’89, MCRP ’02). Laura was 57 and is survived by her husband, Steven Shinn.

Laura worked at Ohio State for over 15 years. She began her career in 1998 as Senior Campus Planner. From 2006–13, Laura was the university’s Director of Planning, where she had oversight of all campus-wide planning efforts, including capital, campus, and master planning initiatives.

Laura was a lecturer in the City and Regional Planning Section from 2007–13. She created and taught CRPLAN 731, Outlines of Urban Design. The course explored the nature, purpose, and methods of urban design through an exploration of practice and scope, historical precedent, the role of the design disciplines and human behavior, and tools and strategies for implementing urban design.

Laura left Ohio State in December 2013 to become Director of Facilities Planning at San Diego State University, where she was responsible for campus strategic, master, space, and capital planning, as well as planning, programming, and design phases of major and minor capital projects.

Laura grew up in Brazil, Mexico, and Northern Virginia. She received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia in 1985. After moving to Columbus in 1987, Laura worked as an architect at Schooley Caldwell Associates and served as Associate Director of Design for the Columbus Neighborhood Design Center.

During her professional career, Laura lived in urban neighborhoods or downtowns and promoted walking, cycling, or taking public transit to work. She died after being struck by a car while cycling to work at San Diego State. In lieu of flowers, her family suggests that donations in Laura's memory be made to the Knowlton School Scholarship Fund.