Key Facts
Career & Education
About
Phyllis Barbara Lambert (née Bronfman), born on January 24, 1927, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, is a prominent Canadian architect, philanthropist, and member of the influential Bronfman family. As the daughter of distilling industrialist Samuel Bronfman and sister to Charles Bronfman, she grew up in a wealthy Jewish family. Educated at The Study in Montreal and Vassar College (BA 1948), she initially worked in the family business before earning a Master of Science in architecture in 1963. Lambert is renowned for her role as director of planning for the Seagram Building in New York and for founding the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA) in Montreal in 1979, where she served as founding director, chair, and later director emeritus. Over her 75+ year career, she has been a scholar, activist, and advocate for urban conservation, heritage preservation, and ethical public architecture. Her numerous honors include Companion of the Order of Canada, Grand Officer of the Order of Quebec, and fellowships in the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, Royal Society of Canada, and Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. Lambert is recognized as a trailblazer for women in architecture and urban planning.