Michel Barcelo was born on October 14, 1938.

He was a Canadian architect, urbanist, painter, and honorary professor in the Faculty of Environmental Design and Institut d’urbanisme at Université de Montréal. He was also a Member Emeritus of the Ordre des Urbanistes du Québec (2012). He studied computer graphics at the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University. Throughout his career, he served as a city planner for Montreal, conducted research, and was a guest lecturer at universities all over the world including Germany, China, the United States, France, and Vietnam. In 2013, he showcased his talents as a painter by publishing his book "Rues de Montréal," featuring watercolour illustrations and accompanying text that captures the richness and diversity of Montreal's streets, inviting readers to explore them.

He died on October 26, 2013, in Montreal, Quebec.