Mary Imrie

In 1957, their firm won a Canadian Housing Design Council award. Despite the high caliber of their work, as female architects they had a harder time obtaining larger commissions. Women in that era were often regulated to the less lucrative residential or interior design markets. Imrie and Wallbridge also traveled extensively, visiting several continents, and writing about their experiences for a journal owned by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.

In 1950, Imrie and Wallbridge formed a business partnership in Edmonton, working together until 1979, the time of Wallbridge's death. They built mostly homes that were known for their elegant yet modern lines. They were also able to procure several commercial contracts, such as elementary schools and housing for senior citizens.

Born in Toronto, Ontario to a well-to-do family, Imrie's parents moved to Edmonton, Alberta when she was three years old. Her father was John M. Imrie, an Edmonton newspaper publisher who won a Pulitzer prize. She first studied architecture at the University of Alberta and then at the University of Toronto, studying under Eric Arthur and graduating in 1944. From 1946-1949, she worked for the city of Edmonton as a draftsman, along with her future partner Jean Wallbridge. While there, the municipality sent both of them to Europe to study post-war reconstruction methods.

Mary Imrie (August 29, 1918 – April 11, 1988) was a Canadian architect. She was one of the first women in Canada to establish an architectural firm. She is also considered to be Edmonton's first female architect.