Michael joined Shah Architecture, a private practice started in 2010 with his wife, in early 2013 after 18 years working with and managing other firms. Michael and his wife relocated to Savannah, Ga. in 2000 after working in several major metropolitan areas, looking for a smaller town with the bustle and activity of a big city.
Michael has served as the Advocacy Chair for the Savannah Ga. chapter of AIA since 2010. Since that time he has worked to position AIA Savannah as an expert resource for local School Boards, City & County government agencies in authoring new codes and developing policy. Michael has also worked to create and organize Savannah AIA’s annual Grassroots Road Trip. Running for its third year in 2014, the chapter has had great success in putting both AIA members and Students from the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) in front of legislators during Grassroots Georgia. This Annual trip averages a component presence of 10-12 members each year. Michael also serves a founding member of SCAD’s Design Review Council for the School of Architecture, and is heavily involved in his local PTA.
Michael is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, College of Design, Art, Architecture, & Planning. Since graduating he has worked in Cleveland, Baltimore, & Atlanta before finally settling down in Savannah. He has spent most of his time organizing his practice around institutional users and their specific project management needs. Whether it be a University, State Agency, County, or Library System; Michael’s success has been in creating new architecture through the rigorous and creative integration of site, user program, and building technology. He brings a thorough knowledge of the needs of his clients and a unique understanding of the architectural language to any design team.