Kate Macintosh is an architect who worked for most of her career in public sector offices. Her early works were in housing for the London Boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth. For Southwark she designed the landmark housing scheme, Dawsons Heights, which comprises 296 maisonettes on a hill near Dulwich. 

Kate moved to work for Lambeth borough architects where she designed what was then a new model of accommodation for the elderly, in the form of 45 sheltered flats in 2 storey pavilions set in a garden in Streatham. This housing group, which was renamed Macintosh Court following requests from the tenants, was listed grade ll in 2015 based on an application by Docomomo UK, strongly supported by the residents in a move to thwart Lambeth’s announced intent to demolish. Lambeth have since carried out illegal works, in contravention of the listing, radically compromising the qualities of the architecture and with a cavalier disregard for the safety of residents. Kate campaigned with residents in the technical and local press and 4 residents received some financial compensation as after legal action against the borough.

As funding for public housing became unavaiiable, she moved to the County Council architects department of East Sussex, where she designed buildings for the fire service, social services and schools. Moving to the county of Hampshire she continued to work for the same range of client departments.

She concluded her architectural career in private practice in partnership with George Finch, together they designed Weston Adventure Playground for a charity This won an RIBA award in 2005.

Kate served several terms as an RIBA councillor and was twice elected as a vice-president.

 In 2021 she was awarded the Jane Drew Prize in recognition of her contribution to elevating the profile of women in architecture. In 2024 she was chosen for the Architects Journal 100 award for her contribution to the profession.