BOSTON–Ashley Merchant, AIA, LEED AP, is a Senior Associate and Project Manager at Annum Architects, Inc., a minority-owned architecture and planning firm recognized for its work with mission-driven clients and historically significant places. With a career rooted in public service and cultural stewardship, Merchant has emerged as a leader in community-centered design that balances technical excellence with social impact.
Merchant specializes in libraries, museums, and civic spaces, guiding projects from early planning through construction administration. Her work spans both complex renovations and ground-up construction, often within sensitive historic and cultural contexts. She currently leads a 70,000-square-foot renovation for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, a high-profile project that underscores her expertise in managing large, multidisciplinary teams and nationally significant institutions.
Her portfolio also includes an 8,320-square-foot addition to the Ecotarium in Worcester, as well as award-winning projects at the Peterborough Town Library and the Mattatuck Museum. In Boston, Merchant supports planning and feasibility studies for the Boston Public Library’s Egleston Square and West End branches, helping expand access to essential civic resources and strengthen neighborhood connections.
Merchant holds a Master of Architecture II from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Southern California. She has taught at the Boston Architectural College and plays an active leadership role at Annum, co-leading the firm’s BIM task group. Across her work, Merchant is driven by a commitment to design that honors community voices, preserves cultural heritage, and creates inclusive public spaces.
