Catherine Slessor
Catherine Slessor is an architecture writer, critic and former editor of The Architectural Review, and a contributor to the Guardian, Dezeen and Architects' Journal. She received an MBE in 2016 for services to architectural journalism, and in 2021 was elected president of The Twentieth Century Society.
Catherine Slessor

The Architectural Review · CC0
- Name
- Catherine Slessor
- Occupation
- Journalist
- Education
- University of Edinburgh
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Honours
- Member of the Order of the British Empire
- Languages
- English
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Catherine Slessor is an architecture writer, critic and former editor of The Architectural Review, and a contributor to the Guardian, Dezeen and Architects' Journal. She received an MBE in 2016 for services to architectural journalism, and in 2021 was elected president of The Twentieth Century Society.
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Catherine Slessor was an architect, critic and editor, among other activities, of British nationality.
The architect was educated at The Bartlett. Catherine Slessor held the position of president.
Languages used include English. Honours include Member of the Order of the British Empire.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
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Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Catherine Slessor • Honorific Suffix — MBE • Occupation — Journalist • Education — University of Edinburgh
Biography
Biography
Slessor was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. She studied architecture at the University of Edinburgh, and holds an MA in Architectural History from the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London. Slessor started her writing career as a technical editor at Architects' Journal in 1987. She moved to The Architectural Review in 1992, and was its editor for five years from 2009-2015. She was the magazine's first female editor. Her books have been translated into several languages, including Spanish, German, Dutch and Chinese.
Selected publications
• See-through houses inspirational homes and features in glass (2001, Ryland Peters and Small) • Eco-tech: sustainable architecture and high technology (1997 (2nd ed. 2001), Thames and Hudson) • Contemporary doorways: architectural entrances, transitions and thresholds (1992, Mitchell Beazley) • Contemporary staircases (1990, Mitchell Beazley)
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reference work
- “Catherine Slessor”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q61314969: Catherine Slessor
General reference · Wikidata
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Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.www.gov.uk. Birthday Honours 2016: the Prime Minister's list. 80.
- 2.Wilkinson, Tom. Catherine Slessor: a trailblazer in male-dominated industries. The Architectural Review. 30 March 2015.
- 3.Waite, Richard. End of an era: Catherine Slessor leaves the AR. Architects' Journal. 24 March 2015.
- 4.Foster, Norman. AR readers pay tribute to Catherine Slessor's editorship. Architectural Review. 1419. 34–35. July 2020.
- 5.Sunday Times Staff. The Sunday Times Britain's 500 Most Influential Making Us Look, Listen, Laugh, Cry, Think … and Shop. The Sunday Times. 9933. 2. 25 January 2015.
- 6.Catherine Slessor, Author at Dezeen. Dezeen.
- 7.Catherine Slessor – The Architects' Journal. www.architectsjournal.co.uk.
- 8.61608. B23. 11 June 2016.
- 9.Catherine Slessor. AJ. 14 June 2021.
- 10.Jansen, Theo. Rage, Rage Against the Dying of the Light: On Turncoats, The Cass and Architectural Debate. ArchDaily. 2016-01-26.
- 11.Catherine Slessor titles on WorldCat. WorldCat.
- 12.Dillon, Julie. Drawing inspiration. The Courier Mail. 1. 113. July 2020. 1440-3382 * cite news.
- 13.Davis, Colin. Built to consume. Times Higher Education Supplement. Architectural Association School of Architecture. 147. 1319. 81–85. July 2020. 0307-661X * Cite journal.
- 14.Times staff. Entrance of the flamboyant front door. The Times. 36 Dead link. July 2020.
- 15.Binney, Marcus. Step up for a flight of fancy. The Times. 24[S] Dead link. July 2020.
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