The Shael Shapiro Papers date from 1954 to 2006 and consist of architectural drawings and reproductions, correspondence, building specifications, photographs (primarily building exteriors and interior details), inspection reports, architect's and engineer's reports, financial and legal documents related to Shapiro's architectural practice on Wooster Street in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, N.Y. from the 1970s to the early 2000s. The architectural drawings and reproductions found in the collection include floor plans, elevations, details, structural, plumbing and mechanical drawings, and some sketches. Most reproductions are diazotypes or ink on plastic, and most original drawings are graphite and/or ink on paper or on plastic. Some architectural drawings and reproductions were produced by consulting engineering firms, most often by WYS Design Partnership, Consulting Engineers. The collection also contains New York City Department of Building applications, permits and certificates, documents and correspondence with the City of New York Landmarks Preservation Commission, as well as correspondence and registrations with the New York City Loft Board. Although Shapiro's most notable work is the conversion of lofts in downtown Manhattan, the collection contains material related to projects (identified by job number and address, building, or client name) throughout New York City, with a small number of projects located outside of New York.

Four architectural projects in this collection contain electronic records, which include correspondence and architectural drawings.