As the 2022/2023 academic year closes, we asked 10 recent graduates to reflect on their time at the Daniels Faculty. From courses that changed the way they think about their field to the advice they’d share with new students and what the future holds, their responses were incisive and insightful. Take a look at what they had to say.

Angela Yue Gou (she/her)
Program: Master of Architecture   
Hometown: Lanzhou, China  
 
Were you involved with any clubs or organizations at Daniels?  

I have been involved with GALDSU for the past three years and am lucky to have had the chance to serve as president in my final year of studies. Being involved with the school community has been one of the most memorable and enriching experiences of my life.    

Did you have a favourite project and/or course?  

From designing the Mohawk Cultural Centre for ARC1012 (Design Studio II) led by Professor Adrian Phiffer to the House for Piranesi: Drawing as Thesis led by Professor John Shiner, these courses, profs and classmates that I have met have inspired and encouraged me to push my boundaries of how to think about design.   

What community-based or international experience did you acquire?  
 
I have been able to be part of the Little Jamaica Outreach program—an Engage Design Build Project in collaboration with Daniels and high school students from the Toronto District School Board—led by Professor Michael Piper and Otto Ojo.  

We worked with students through various design and construction workshops, tours and events with stakeholders in their local community to help foster design interest and help them create an end of year showcase. It was very inspiring to see the future generation engage with design and explore its career possibilities.   
 
Any tips for current or future students?
 
Be proactive and be open to new ideas, perspectives and information. Join clubs that you are interested in and be involved with the school community, as you will meet and learn from so many people through these activities. Don’t be afraid to reach out for support and support those around you as the journey is much more enjoyable taken with others. Most importantly, enjoy and have fun with your time at Daniels!   

Callum Gauthier (he/him) 
Program: Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies
History and Theory Specialist stream 
Hometown: Merrickville, Ontario  

What is your favourite memory of the Daniels Faculty?  

I loved working in the studio with friends and peers at crunch times throughout my degree. Though I was more often writing than working on models and drawings, it was great to be in a space that was so social and supportive—and where I could bug my friends in the Design stream for Photoshop help when I was making something visual. Our Faculty studies the importance of spaces and places, so it was great to experience a school culture so meaningfully tied to its spaces.  

Did you have a favourite project and/or course?  

Architecture and Media (ARC353), taught by Mary Lou Lobsinger, was an incredible course that offered challenging and enriching ways of thinking about architecture. I found the short writing assignments, in response to course readings, were very helpful in developing my writing: a skill that everyone in the disciplines of architecture and design—not just historians and critics—should constantly be working on.  

What are some of your future plans?  

I’ll be starting a master's degree in Critical, Curatorial and Conceptual Practices at Columbia University’s GSAPP in September. I’m very excited to continue my development as an architectural researcher, and maybe work in exhibition or publication during and after that degree. I think soon after that I may do a Ph.D. in Architectural History, but I’ll have to see where my research takes me.  

Any tips for current or future students?  

Don’t be afraid to explore different types of courses and broaden your horizons, especially in the early years of undergrad. Bachelor’s degrees are a great time to develop your critical thinking, communication and values; ideally, this should be as much, if not more, of a focus than developing specific skills for the professional world. Having a broad knowledge base and keen cultural awareness will make you a better designer, artist or architect in the long run, and better candidates for graduate programs. 

Nazanin Naserian (she/her)
Program: Bachelor of Arts in Visual Studies  
Hometown: Tehran, Iran; Toronto, Ontario 
 
Did you have a favourite project and/or course?  

My favourite classes were those that challenged me while also allowing me to experiment with new mediums and reimagine new ways of interpreting the world around me. Contemporary Printing (VIS209) in particular gave me a renewed appreciation for printmaking and how, in collaboration with textiles, it can be a way to link past and present experiences in a process-oriented and tactile way.  
 
What are some of your future plans?  

My future plans include finding a place in a community where I can work with others to realize a collective artistic vision. I can’t imagine a future where I’m not a creative and don’t get to witness others’ artistic processes. Daniels has taught me that, despite my introverted nature, I find great joy and fulfillment in working together with others to create something bigger than one individual could. 

Any tips for current or future students?  

Even though it’s easier said than done, try to enjoy the process as much as the final product/vision. Your process does not always have to consist of working on your individual project without breaks; it can also include connecting with others in their processes and any difficulties they may be experiencing. In other words, your friends and classmates are a part of your journey and growth as much as you are! 

Samantha Miotto (she/her)
Program: Master of Landscape Architecture 
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario 

Were you involved with any clubs or organizations at Daniels?  

I was part of the mentorship program during my first year and I highly recommend it. The program was a great way to get to know each other, upper-year classmates, and learn from their experiences.  

Did you have a favourite project and/or course?  

Design Studio II was a favourite for so many reasons. The theme focused on Indigenous culture and knowledge, and taught us to navigate the ever-present relationship between culture and landscape. The process involved a lot of unlearning and relearning to see the world through a non-Western lens, understanding reciprocal relationships between people and plants, and curating meaningful, purposeful material and plant palettes. I feel like this studio truly taught me to see the world through a different lens and its teachings resonate with me still to this day. 

What community-based or international experience did you acquire?  

In my third year at Daniels, I had the opportunity to travel to Vietnam through my Option Studio. It was a great way to learn about landscape practices around the world, especially regarding global issues such as coastal flooding and stormwater management. The studio was driven by community-based solutions and engagement with local residents while in Vietnam. I feel like the studio fostered community-led growth, which is crucial if we want to design landscapes that last for generations. 

Any tips for current or future students?  

Enjoy the experience and soak it all in! Three years will fly by—you will grow so much during this short but memorable chapter. Find people you enjoy collaborating with, and really lean into the sense of community that the studio culture fosters. Work together and build each other up and you will develop friendships that will last a lifetime. 

Anusha Prakash (she/her)  
Program: Master of Urban Design 
Hometown: Bengaluru, India 

What is your favourite memory of the Daniels Faculty?   

The MUD Program offered many exciting experiences as we had the opportunity to explore various locations, ranging from Toronto to as far as Yukon. Along the way, I formed strong connections with my cohort, and what started as mere teammates evolved into deep friendships. The collaborative nature of the program allowed us to learn from each other, and I truly appreciate the invaluable guidance provided by the Daniels faculty.  

What community-based or international experience did you acquire?  

I had the opportunity to engage in a community-based experience through volunteering at the Climate Solution Research Workshop at ChocoSol. This experience allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of Canadian climates and how garden roofs can contribute to sustainable solutions.  

What are some of your future plans?   

Urban Design has equipped me with a comprehensive knowledge base, enabling me to approach projects with a holistic perspective. I am keen on exploring an intricate relationship between architecture, urban development and the social fabric of communities. I aim to contribute to the creation of sustainable and inclusive urban environments that promote well-being and enhance the quality of life for residents.  

Whether it's through working in a design firm, collaborating with urban planning organizations, or pursuing research opportunities, I am eager to apply my skills and contribute to the field of urban design in a meaningful way. 

Any tips for current or future students?  

I would recommend prioritizing a good work-life balance by taking frequent breaks between assignments. Additionally, I recommend managing your time effectively by completing the majority of your design work a week before the deadline. Furthermore, don’t hesitate to explore various elective courses that align with your interests and broaden your skill set. Lastly, networking is crucial. Take advantage of opportunities to connect with professionals in your field and build meaningful relationships that can benefit your future career. 

Aileen Duncan (she/her) 
Program: Master of Forest Conservation
Specialization in Environmental Studies 
Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario 

What is your favourite memory of the Daniels Faculty?   

I really enjoyed the campus tree walks led by alumni and some of our teaching assistants. It was a fantastic way to learn about biodiversity without going very far. The St. George campus has a great variety of trees that represent several forest types in Canada.  

Did you have a favourite project and/or course?  

So hard to choose! I really enjoyed the field courses. The Masters of Forest Conservation program is very hands-on, and I think this is one of its great strengths. For our in-class activities, I really enjoyed learning how to use Geographic Information Systems (ArcGIS). Spatial data is incredibly valuable for forestry, and learning this software inspired me to do my Capstone research project on mapping access to green space in Ottawa. 

What are some of your future plans?   

I am currently working as a policy analyst with the Canadian Forest Service, which is part of Natural Resources Canada. In February, I was granted a provisional license to practice forestry as a Registered Professional Forester in Training. I am particularly interested in urban forestry and sustainable forest management, and I have also discovered how much I enjoy learning how best to look after the health of individual trees. To this end, I am gaining work experience and studying to take the ISA-Arborist certification exam.  

Any tips for current or future students?  

Even if you are busy, spend the time to look for and apply to scholarships. It can really help finance your studies, and it may open you up to new networks or experiences. Also, don’t be afraid to take a break from school, but also know that it is there for you when you are ready to come back. I worked for eight years after my Bachelor’s, and that time was essential for me to understand what I wanted to be doing and what education I needed to do that. I was nervous about going back to school in my early 30s, but trusting my decisions and doing a graduate degree was absolutely worth it. 

Julie Seeger (she/her) 
Program: Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies
Design Specialist stream 
Minor in Buddhism Mental Health and Psychology 
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario 

What is your favourite memory of the Daniels Faculty?   

I completed my undergraduate design thesis in April, titled “This is How We Heal.” It investigated how an attitude of care through design can transform the Koffler Centre into a space where students can embody a sense of belonging. I wrestled with what the final design should look like for months, had countless iterations, and had honest conversations about mental health. My final presentation was the cumulation of my interests and experiences I had undergone throughout my degree, and it was very special to share it. 

What community-based or international experience did you acquire?  

Mental health has been an increasingly important topic, both on an individual level and on a wider institutional level. In my second year I joined AVSSU, as well as Health and Wellness’ student advocacy team. I took these experiences with me to VUSAC, where I led the Mental Wellness Commission for two years. Through viewing mental health from different perspectives including policy-making, healthcare and institutional culture, it has become clear that this wicked problem requires a collective effort from multiple fronts. My experiences have driven me to continue pursuing how design can begin to solve this problem. 

What are some of your future plans?   

I am returning to Daniels in the fall to pursue my Master’s of Architecture and I’m really excited to continue exploring the ways design can be used to solve problems surrounding human health.  

Any tips for current or future students?  

Design becomes much more exciting when it is used to solve problems. I tend to bring my personal experiences into my work, and it has made it much more meaningful for me. As you move through the world, pay attention to the experiences or events that elicit strong reactions from you, and learn how you can use your education to begin to solve them. 

Audrey Ammann (she/her) 
Program: Bachelor of Arts in Visual Studies 
Hometown: Barrington, New Hampshire, USA 

What is your favourite memory of the Daniels Faculty?   

One of my favourite memories was the Artists' Multiples exchange we did in VIS321. Everyone in the class made 20-something small art pieces for the final assignment that got distributed so that each person went home with one of each. It was so special to carry home a goody bag full of little heartfelt artworks from such a talented bunch. Some were even customized with names and initials, which totally made me cry. 

Were you involved with any clubs or organizations at Daniels?  

Yes! I was elected as one of the curators of the Daniels Art Directive in my third year, and I was an honorary member of the Applied Architecture and Landscape Design club for my contributions as a lecturer for the Daniels Minecraft Camp.  

Did you have a favourite project and/or course?  

I can say my favourite project was my site-specific sound-art performance at El Mocambo for VIS340: Advanced Sound Studio. I got to play a field recording that I made of myself dancing along to the Rolling Stone’s Honky Tonk Women from their Live at the El Mocambo album on the house sound system, and then host my critique on stage at the historic venue. 

Any tips for current or future students?  

Asking for help serves two purposes: It shows you are committed to doing well, and it shows that you are interested in what your professor (or any faculty member) has to offer. Either way, you are squeezing the most out of your university experience and opening doors to new insights and opportunities. 

Liane Werdina (she/her) 
Program: Master of Architecture 
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario 

What is your favourite memory of the Daniels Faculty?   

Definitely all the amazing connections I made at Daniels. Specifically, the final thesis year was filled with memories with my classmates, peers and professors. The studio culture and camaraderie at Daniels was truly memorable in that last year, as was finishing thesis year by not only presenting my own thesis but attending my colleagues’ thesis presentations. This felt like a great culmination and celebration of years of hard work and was such a rewarding learning experience.  

What community-based or international experience did you acquire?  

My thesis research was rooted in collecting experiences of diaspora in the Kurdish regions of modern-day Turkey. Being allowed to do research on such an important and sensitive topic allowed me to reach out to and connect with many Kurdish people, architects and designers who were also interested in the research of my thesis and helped to contribute to its development. Being able to use the Daniels Faculty and resources to reach out to communities and work abroad helped ground my work in reality.

What are some of your future plans?   

I hope to continue the research I conducted during my time at Daniels, by addressing how design and architecture can be used to expose and represent power relationships in space. My goal is not only to be a good designer and contribute to architecture but to continue to develop methods in which design tools can positively impact and change the way we shape social, cultural and political dynamics.  

Currently, I am working with Lukas Pauer in the Vertical Geopolitics Lab, a research-based practice. We are working on a future exhibition that aims to decode and expose relationships between space and power.  

Any tips for current or future students?  

The program goes by a lot quicker than expected, so take advantage of all the great opportunities available to you at the Daniels Faculty. The studios, specifically thesis, are great opportunities to explore your interests before making your way into the profession of architecture. Some of the best advice I received was to use these as the jumping-off point for discovering where you want to take your career, and to see them as beginnings rather than ends. 

Chloë Quinn Lauder (she/her) 
Program: Master of Landscape Architecture 
Hometown: Unionville, Ontario 

What is your favourite memory of the Daniels Faculty?   

Thesis reviews were one of my favourite memories at the Daniels Faculty. It was incredible to see the deeply personal, innovative and beautiful work that my peers presented. It made me feel so proud to be a part of this talented body of students.  

Did you have a favourite project and/or course?  

My favourite project, titled “Unearthed,” took place in the Integrated Urbanism Studio. I had so much fun working with an amazing team to produce drawings at the urban fabric scale, and investigating the impact that inequitable policy and planning has on landscapes in Toronto.  

What community-based or international experience did you acquire?  

I visited Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam during my Option Studio. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience where I worked with international faculty and students from the University of Architecture Ho Chi Minh City (UAH) to better understand the challenges of climate change, and how culture shapes common spaces.   

Any tips for current or future students?  

Time flies, so make the most of your experience and remember to put your mental health first. Be bold, try new things, and have fun! 

A Daniels Faculty tradition, the 2022/2023 End of Year Show showcases a wide range of student work from architecture, landscape architecture, forestry, urban design and visual studies.  

By the end of this academic year—the first since the Faculty’s full return to in-person learning—our studios, classrooms, labs, shops and galleries were flooded with objects and things. The return was met with exceptional enthusiasm, optimism and an unparalleled appetite to engage again with the culture of making. The models, artwork, plants and equipment left behind are a testament to the energy exerted in their production. 

Curated by Assistant Professor Mauricio Quirós Pacheco, the 2022/2023 End of Year Show not only displays what we produce as a school, but honours this work by inviting the community to experience its scope, range and quality. It is also an effort to invite the public into our walls to directly experience the nature of the output we create and the spaces we inhabit. This year’s exhibition coordination included Associate Professor Jeannie Kim, Taryn Magee, Sifei Mo and Kari Silver.  

The exhibition is on view in the Student Commons area of the Daniels Building until June 16. The building is open to the public 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, closed on weekends. 

Image Credit: (1-2) Mauricio Quirós Pacheco; (3) Taryn Magee.

The Daniels Building at 1 Spadina Crescent will be open for self-guided tours as part of the 2023 Doors Open Toronto program this weekend.

More than 140 buildings and sites are on the roster of this year’s instalment of the popular annual event, which sees normally inaccessible local landmarks throw their doors open to the public.

The Daniels Building will be open to visitors from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on both Saturday, May 27 and Sunday, May 28. Last admittance on each day is at 4:30 p.m.

In addition to taking in the architectural splendours of the revitalized 1 Spadina hub, participants have three on-site exhibitions to check out—Recent Work by Marina Tabassum Architects in the Larry Wayne Richards Gallery, Resolutions for the Antarctic: International Stations & the Antarctic Data Space in the lower-level Architecture & Design Gallery and the annual End of Year Show highlighting student work from across the Faculty’s disciplines—as well as the art installation on the north facade of the Building by Indigenous artist Que Rock. 

Admission to the Building and to all Doors Open venues is free. A dedicated brochure with map of the Daniels Building has been produced to hand out to visitors.

To view the Daniels Building’s Doors Open page, click here. To see the full list of Doors Open Buildings and Sites, click here. 

The biggest U of T alumni gathering of the year takes place across campus and online May 30–June 4. Check out what the Daniels Faculty has lined up for Alumni Reunion 2023.

Campus Tree Walk

Friday, June 2, 10:00-12:00, Huron Street and Willcocks Street

Join alumni for a guided walk around campus exploring different tree species. This tour runs rain or shine. This walk will be led by Jack Radecki (Registered Consultant Arborist, U of T B.Sc. Forestry alumni) and Eric Davies (Managed Forest Plan Approver, U of T Ph.D. Candidate in Forest Ecology). 

Building in a Forest 

Friday, June 2, 12:30-1:30 pm, Main Hall 
Free and open to the public

Join Assistant Professor Jay Pooley and Adam Gorgolewski of Haliburton Forest and Wildlife Preserve for a lecture on the Daniels Faculty Design Build Studio, a cornerstone of experiential learning at U of T. Uniquely powerful as the primary mode of hands-on building instruction, it offers lasting engagement opportunities and reflection within the design degrees.

Every summer, this Design Build Studio, which is now in its fifth year, hosts a group of undergraduate students at Bone Lake Research Camp at the Haliburton Forest, where they work to design and build a small piece of infrastructural architecture. The students engage faculty, community members, and Forestry staff to build with local materials while engaging in multiple aspects of design, construction, and forestry management.

Register for the in-person event.

Jay Pooley is a Toronto-based architect, art director and journeyman carpenter. His work demonstrates expertise in the design and rapid realization of technically complex set constructions, installations and special effects for film production on a global scale. Pooley is currently an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, where he coordinates the first-year undergraduate design studios How to Design Almost Anything, a collaborative design studio with the Faculty of Applied Science: Design + Engineering I, and the fourth-year Design-Build Research Opportunity Program. 

Adam Gorgolewski is the Research Coordinator at Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve. He established and runs Haliburton Forest Research Institute, and is in charge of facilitating and coordinating internal and external research projects at Haliburton Forest. He is an active member of the forest management team, and also runs Haliburton Forest’s maple syrup operation. He holds a Ph.D. in forestry from the University of Toronto, and is a registered professional forester in training.

How are forests managed and grown?

Friday, June 2, 6:00-7:00 pm, New College

What do you know about sustainable forest management and forestry? Come hear a forester talk about how they sustainably manage and grow forests! This lecture will be given by Catherine Edwards (Registered Professional Forester, and U of T Master of Forest Conservation alumna).

A team of researchers led by Professor Sean Thomas of Forestry has been awarded a $1.3-million grant by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

The grant, provided through NSERC’s Alliance Mission program, is one of the largest single research grants ever provided for an individual project at the Daniels Faculty.

The funding is intended to support the creation of “novel strategies” for mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from urban forestry waste.

“Everyone has seen urban forestry waste, but it kind of goes unnoticed,” says Professor Thomas, who is also the Faculty’s Associate Dean, Research. “Think of the tree-pruning guys with the aerial lift and the noisy chipper. Where does all that stuff go? It turns out that all the chipped bits of branches and leaves are first taken to large storage yards, and then mostly end up in compost facilities. A large part, unfortunately, also goes to landfill. From forestry studies, we know that this kind of material can be a large source of greenhouse gas emissions—not just carbon dioxide, but also methane, which now represents about 30 percent of climate forcing. The GHG emissions specific to urban forestry waste have not previously been quantified.”

To measure and potentially mitigate those emissions, Thomas has been joined by a cadre of co-researchers. Fellow “principal investigators” include Sandy M. Smith and Rasoul Yousefpour of Forestry, Alison D. Munson and Janani Sivarajah from Université Laval, Carly Ziter of Concordia University and Scott Chang of the University of Alberta.

Other collaborators include Liat Margolis of the Daniels Faculty, Deborah Wunch from U of T’s Department of Physics and Nathan Basiliko of Lakehead University.

The endeavour also extends beyond academia. Among the project’s municipal partners are City of Toronto Forestry, Quebec City Forestry and City of Edmonton Parks and Roads Services. Partners from the private sector include Titan Smart Carbon Technologies, Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve Ltd., Airex Énergie, Innovative Reduction Strategies and Seed the North.

In addition to better quantifying direct GHG emissions from urban soils and vegetation in Canada, including the elucidation of urban GHG-emission “hotspots” connected with urban forestry waste, the far-flung team aims to explore novel soil amendment and vegetation planting strategies to reduce emissions, with a focus on the use of modified forms of pyrolyzed organic matter (biochar) as an urban soil amendment to enhance urban soil C sequestration, reduce direct GHG emissions, and increase urban vegetation growth and resilience to stresses. 

“Integration, modeling and life-cycle analysis components of the project,” the grant proposal states, “will address the potential for novel strategies to generate a ‘virtuous cycle’ in which waste material from urban vegetation is recycled via pyrolysis for use in urban green infrastructure, with knock-on benefits that include reduced urban energy demand.”

Examples of “urban green infrastructure,” Professor Thomas says, run the gamut from green roofs to bioswales to street trees—any kind of vegetation or soils “valued for providing ecosystem services, like reducing urban flooding and mitigating the urban heat-island effect.”

He adds: “Urban forestry waste isn’t exactly glamorous, but urgent action is needed on climate change, which is ultimately driven by various kinds of waste. This project addresses a small part of the big picture of GHG emissions, but it is a part we can really do something about in the short term. The most gratifying part is to work as part of a team to actually have an impact.”

On that note, Professor Thomas says, “it’s great to get this grant, but I need help. We have funding in hand for students (undergrads, Masters, PhDs) to make the measurements, implement experiments, do inventories, run the economic numbers, take action. It’s important.”

Any students who are interested in participating, he notes, should connect with him via e-mail at sc.thomas@utoronto.ca. 

“If you’re grabbed by this, please contact me. You can be part of this unglamorous but important effort.”

Tree waste image: A significant amount of urban tree-pruning waste, shown above next to a chipper, ends up in landfills. It is also a source of GHG emissions.

A paper co-authored and -supervised by Rasoul Yousefpour, assistant professor of forestry economics and policy at the Daniels Faculty, has just been published in the open-access online journal Nature Communications.

Called High economic costs of reduced carbon sinks and declining biome stability in Central American forests, the article is the result of a multi-year study into ecosystem services (ES) in the forests of the title region.

ES refer to the many social and climate benefits provided by tropical forests, such as carbon sinks for climate regulation and crucial habitats for unique biodiversity.

The study—which Yousefpour conducted with three colleagues at the University of Freiburg in Germany, from which he obtained his PhD in 2009—looks at the implications of climate change “for the economic value of these services,” an area that the co-authors say has “rarely [been] explored before.”

Among their findings: “projected ES declines in 24 to 62 percent of the study region with associated economic costs of $51 billion to 314 billion a year until 2100.”

These declines, they add, will particularly affect montane and dry forests and have strong economic implications for Central America’s lower-middle-income countries, such as El Salvador and Honduras.

“In addition, economic losses were mostly higher for habitat services than for climate regulation. This highlights the need to expand the focus from mere maximization of carbon dioxide sequestration and avoid false incentives from carbon markets.”

The maps above show what the authors call economic hotspots, forested areas with the highest projected monetary losses as a result of climate stress.

In his study of adaptive forest management and decision-making, which is Yousefpour’s specialty, he uses ecological modelling approaches to forecast the ways in which forests will grow and change over time, then performs analysis on those models to determine the effects of different human interventions.

The paper in Nature Communications is the latest of several he has written on the subject of forest management. His co-authors for this one are Lukas Baumbach, Thomas Hickler and Marc Hanewinkel.

Banner image of Costa Rican montane forest by wirestock on Freepik

9 a.m., Tuesday, April 11 to 6 p.m., Friday, April 28
Daniels Faculty Building,
1 Spadina Crescent, Toronto, Ontario

Throughout April, students in architecture, landscape architecture, urban design and forestry will present final projects to their instructors. Students of the Daniels Faculty will also present to guest critics from both academia and the professional community in attendance.

Follow the Daniels Faculty @UofTDaniels on Twitter and Instagram, and join the conversation using the hashtag #DanielsReviews.

Tuesday, April 11 | Undergraduate

Design Studio I
JAV101H1
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructors: Jay Pooley (Coordinator), Anamarija Korolj, Batoul Faour, Phat Le, Jeffrey Garcia, Katy Chey, Kara Verbeek, Kearon Roy Taylor, Samantha Eby, Jennifer Kudlats, Brian Boigon, Monifa Charles-Dedier, Mariano Martellacci, Jamie Lipson, Mohammed Soroor

Rooms: 215, 230, 240, 315, 330, Main Hall

Wednesday, April 12 | Undergraduate

Design Studio II
ARC201H1
9 a.m.–1 p.m. ET

Instructors: Fiona Lim Tung (Coordinator), Dan Briker, Quan Thai, Carol Moukheiber, Shane Williamson, Nova Tayona, David Verbeek, Anne Ma, Tomg Ngo, Gonzalo Munoz Vera, Francesco Martire

Rooms: 209, 215, 230, 240, 315, 340, Main Hall

Landscape Architecture Studio IV
ARC364Y1
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructor: Pete North

Room: 330

Thursday, April 13 | Undergraduate

Architecture Studio IV
ARC362Y1
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructors: Mauricio Quiros Pacheco (Coordinator), Chloe Town, Jon Cummings

Rooms: 215, 230, 240, 330

Technology Studio IV
ARC381Y1
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructors: Andrew Bako (Coordinator), Timothy Boll

Room: Main Hall

Friday, April 14 | Graduate & Undergraduate

Design Studio 2
LAN1012Y
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructors: Elise Shelley (Coordinator), Terence Radford, Agata Mrozowski

Room: 330

Urban Design Studio Options
URD1012Y
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructor: Simon Rabyniuk

Room: 230

Design + Engineering I
ARC112H1
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructors: Jay Pooley (Coordinator), Jennifer Davis, Clinton Langevin

Rooms: 200

Drawing and Representation I
ARC200H1
9 a.m.–1 p.m. ET

Instructors: Roberto Damiani (Coordinator), Jon Cummings, Francesco Valente-Gorjup, Otto Ojo, Scott Norsworthy

Rooms: 215, 240, 315, 340

Monday, April 17 | Graduate

Design Studio 2
ARC1012Y
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructors: Adrian Phiffer (Coordinator), James Bird, Chloe Town, Anne-Marie Armstrong, Mauricio Quiros Pacheco, Behnaz Assadi, Julia DiCastri

Room: Main Hall

Tuesday, April 18 | Graduate

Design Studio 4
ARC2014Y
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructors: Samuel Dufaux (Coordinator), Brigitte Shim, Steven Fong, Chris Cornecelli, James Macgillivray, Carol Moukheiber, Carol Phillips, Francesco Martire

Rooms: 230, 330, Main Hall

Wednesday, April 19 | Graduate

Design Studio 4
ARC2014Y
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructors: Samuel Dufaux (Coordinator), Brigitte Shim, Steven Fong, Chris Cornecelli, James Macgillivray, Carol Moukheiber, Carol Phillips, Francesco Martire

Rooms: 230, 215, Main Hall

Design Studio 4
LAN2014Y
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructors: Alissa North, Todd Douglas

Room: 330

Thursday, April 20 | Graduate & Undergraduate

Design Studio Thesis
LAN3017Y
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructors: Fadi Masoud (Coordinator), Elise Shelley, Behnaz Assadi, Pete North, Alissa North, Jane Wolff, Francesco Martire, Matthew Perotto, Megan Esopenko

Rooms: 209, 230, 242, 330

Senior Seminar in Design (Thesis)
ARC462Y1
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructor: Laura Miller

Room: Main Hall A

Senior Seminar in Technology (Thesis)
ARC487Y1
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructor: Nicholas Hoban

Rooms: Main Hall B & C

Friday, April 21 | Graduate & Undergraduate

Design Studio Thesis
LAN3017Y
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructors: Fadi Masoud (Coordinator), Elise Shelley, Behnaz Assadi, Pete North, Alissa North, Jane Wolff, Francesco Martire, Matthew Perotto, Megan Esopenko

Rooms: 209, 230, 242, 330

Urban Design Studio Thesis
URD2015Y
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructors: Michael Piper, Otto Ojo

Rooms: 315, 340

Senior Seminar in Design (Thesis)
ARC462Y1
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructor: Laura Miller

Room: Main Hall A

Senior Seminar in Technology (Thesis)
ARC487Y1
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructor: Nicholas Hoban

Rooms: Main Hall B & C

Monday, April 24 | Graduate

Architectural Design Studio: Research 2
ARC3021Y
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructors: Brian Boigon, Lukas Pauer, Laura Miller, Zachary Mollica, Petros Babasikas

Rooms: 215, 230, 240, 330, Main Hall

Tuesday, April 25 | Graduate

Architectural Design Studio: Research 2
ARC3021Y
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructors: Jeannie Kim, Laura Miller, Petros Babasikas, Zachary Mollica, John Shnier

Rooms: 209, 215, 230, 240, 242, 330, Main Hall, 1st Floor Hallway

Wednesday, April 26 | Graduate

Architectural Design Studio: Research 2
ARC3021Y
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructors: Jeannie Kim, Shane Williamson, Marc McQuade, Marina Tabassum, John Shnier

Rooms: 209, 215, 230, 240, 242, 330, Main Hall, 1st Floor Hallway

Thursday, April 27 | Graduate & Undergraduate

Thesis 2
ALA4022Y
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructor: Mason White (Coordinator)

Rooms: 215, 240

Senior Seminar in History and Theory (Thesis)
ARC457Y1
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructor: Simon Rabyniuk

Room: Main Hall

Friday, April 28 | Undergraduate

Senior Seminar in History and Theory (Thesis)
ARC457Y1
9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

Instructor: Simon Rabyniuk

Room: Main Hall

The Daniels Faculty is in the process of creating a new Academic Plan (2024-2029) to articulate our vision and define our priorities for the coming years. An integral part of this process is the consultation phase, a period for our community to share ideas and priorities regarding the future of our school. To that end, the Faculty is canvassing faculty, students, staff and alumni for their input on this important project over the coming weeks. 

There will be a number of ways for all to participate.

*For students, a dedicated Townhall will be held from noon to 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 30 in the Main Hall of the Daniels Building. To register to attend, click here. 

*For faculty and staff, a Townhall Workshop will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, March 31 in the Main Hall of the Daniels Building (a calendar invite will be issued). Those who are unable to make this in-person event may attend an Online Workshop on Tuesday, April 4 (a calendar invite will be issued).

Furthermore, all members of the Daniels Faculty community will be able to participate through: 

*A Pop-up Studio, for drop-in conversations and feedback throughout the day. It will be operating daily, from Monday, March 27 to Thursday, April 6, in the Graduate Student Lounge (DA165) off the Student Commons at 1 Spadina Crescent.

*A Digital Survey, available from Wednesday, March 29 to Monday, April 10; fill it out by clicking here. 

The ideas and input of the Daniels Faculty community are vital as we map out the future of our school, and everyone is encouraged to contribute to this important vision plan. Thank you in advance for your feedback!

This winter has seen a bumper crop of awards go to Daniels Faculty instructors in Landscape Architecture and Forestry.

In February, Assistant Professor Fadi Masoud was named the recipient of the 2023 CELA Excellence in Design Studio Teaching Award—Junior Level. The highly competitive award is conferred annually by the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture, the premier international organization for educators in the field. Assistant Professor Masoud, whose research and design work engages the landscape as an operational force in shaping urbanism, also directs the Faculty’s Centre for Landscape Research.

“Masoud’s professional achievements are extensive, and he brings a wealth of knowledge to the students he teaches,” one of the CELA jury members wrote. “His strengths include [the] incorporation of salient global social and environmental challenges to studios; transdisciplinary…program-based studio projects; diverse methods and tools used for problem-solving; and a high number of student awards and publications.”

On March 17, Masoud will be on hand at CELA’s 2023 Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas to officially accept the award. A week later, he will also be in Pittsburgh to take part in a Carnegie Mellon University symposium entitled Architecture’s Ecological Restructuring, which invites six leading academics and practitioners to speculate on the ongoing reimagination of the discipline as it pertains to the natural world.

In other awards news, Associate Professor Liat Margolis, who directs the Faculty’s Green Roof Innovation Testing Laboratory (gritlab) and formerly oversaw the Master of Landscape Architecture program, has been awarded a Minister’s Award of Excellence by the Government of Ontario.

Launched in 2020 to recognize postsecondary leaders who worked to address and mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the province, the Minister’s Awards now celebrate the positive impact of leading and emerging educators, researchers and changemakers in five categories.

Associate Professor Margolis was cited in the category of Equality of Opportunity, which recognizes “faculty and staff who have excelled at creating opportunities in postsecondary education for marginalized and underrepresented groups.”

In particular, she was singled out for her “tireless work” supporting “Indigenous and racialized youth” at the Faculty.

The awards, which attracted more than 500 nominations from across the province, were handed out by Jill Dunlop, Ontario’s Minister of Colleges and Universities, at a ceremony in Toronto on February 6.

Lastly, Md Abdul Halim, a postdoctoral fellow at Forestry since 2019, has been awarded the 2022 Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Co-led by the University of Toronto’s Data Sciences Institute, the fellowship is part of a larger initiative launched by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and his journalist-activist wife Wendy to accelerate scientific research through the application of artificial intelligence.

Halim, who acquired his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the Department of Forestry and Environmental Science at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology in Bangladesh, earned his PhD in biometeorology at U of T three years ago.

Currently, his research examines the energy balance of green roofs and greenhouse gas fluxes from green roof substrates.

The Schmidt Fellowship, which kicks off this month, will provide Halim with research funding for up to two years, plus the opportunity to participate in funded travel and training activities.

The Daniels Faculty is honouring Black History and Black Futures Month with a series of initiatives and events aimed at uplifting the ongoing movement for racial justice and celebrating the achievements and contributions of Black individuals. This year’s theme in Canada is “Ours to Tell,” emphasizing the importance of sharing stories of success, sacrifice and triumph in the Black community to inspire a more equitable society. 

As noted in the University Commitment in the Scarborough Charter, the work of Black flourishing and thriving should “be informed, shaped and co-created by communities” to be effective. The Daniels Faculty is committed to this principle, starting with the Designing Black Spaces with Community Accountability event on February 1, featuring Tura Cousins Wilson of SOCA, Jessica Kirk of the Wildseed Centre for Art and Activism, and Jessica Hines of Black Urbanism Toronto. The event will focus on accountability in design and Black community engagement. 

Other events in the series include the student-led Black Flourishing through Design gathering — part of the Daniels Faculty mentorship program Building Black Success through Design — on February 15. This event will provide young and upcoming designers with feedback on their projects and opportunities for dialogue on themes such as community, Black spaces and Black excellence. The design work is rooted in the shaping of the built environment, and the reviewers will include the Faculty’s Otto Ojo, Joshua Kirk, Bomani Khemet and Camille Michelle. It is bring coordinated by Jewel Amoah and Clara James. Stay tuned for further details. 

Toward the end of the month, the Community for Belonging Reading Group: Black Futures will take place on February 28, bringing together faculty, staff and students from Daniels and across the University of Toronto to discuss works by authors Sekou Cooke and Tina M. Campt. 

The month-long celebration concludes with the Blackness in Architectural Pedagogy and Practice workshop on March 1, aimed at designers and educators. 

For more information on Black History and Black Futures Month events at the Daniels Faculty, visit the events page here. Updates will be provided regularly.