In memoriam: Joan Klawans Wood (1932-2026)

In Memoriam: Joan Klawans Wood (BArch 1960)

The MIT Department of Architecture mourns the passing of alumna Joan Klawans Wood (BArch 1960), who died on May 9, 2026, at the age of 93.

After studying at Harvard's Graduate School of Design, Wood enrolled in MIT's Bachelor of Architecture program, graduating in 1960. As her family writes, she was “one of two women in her class,” at a time when women remained underrepresented in the profession.

Wood established her own architectural practice in Boston in 1962 and went on to renovate more than 100 nineteenth-century row houses in the South End. Her work also included residential, institutional, and community projects throughout the region. She served on numerous public boards and committees and mentored generations of young women architects.

Her family writes that “life, for Joan, was never separate from architecture as well as politics.” Throughout her life, she paired architectural practice with civic engagement, advocating for neighborhood preservation, racial justice, school integration, and women's equality.

The Department of Architecture extends its condolences to Wood's family, friends, former colleagues, and all who were touched by her life and work.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/bostonglobe/name/joan-wood-obituary?id=61851028