What was the most enjoyable or memorable part of your degree?
My final thesis project and the experience of collaborating with professors and industry leaders. 

What inspired your thesis topic?
My thesis topic was inspired by my own personal experiences exploring local healthcare settings.

Tell us more about your thesis!
My thesis explored the use of the atrium as an architectural design device to generate a possible therapeutic response within a healthcare setting. I proposed atrium designs that provide: way-finding hierarchy logic, circulation clarity, natural light, and open space for prospect/refuge. The atriums also appeal to both healthcare staff and patient needs. These atriums work in conjunction with courtyards and green spaces to provide occupants with the opportunity for new discoveries. I chose the site of Toronto's Sick Kids Hospital as an exploratory playground from which to create different atrium designs in response to unique needs within a newly proposed and existing historical fabric of the hospital.

What advice would you give to a new student?
Have clear logic for your thesis and maintain it throughout every aspect of the design.

What are your plans after graduation?
I am continuing to design healthcare architecture that would focus on bettering patient experiences.

::::::::::::::::::::::::

Convocation for #UofTDaniels students was on June 14. This month we are featuring our graduates, including their work, their memories, and their advice for new students. Follow #DanielsGrad18 for more!

What was the most memorable part of your Master of Architecture degree?
I think the most enjoyable part of my studies was having a community of classmates and professors whom I was always able to discuss and exchange ideas with. 

What inspired your thesis topic?
My thesis topic was inspired by my frustrations with the way our city is developing, and from the desire to participate constructively in the discussion on how we can change the city we live in.  Defining public spaces in an ever more privatized urban realm is a continued interest of mine, and something I would like to continue to work on in my professional career as well.

Tell us more about your thesis!
My project creates an urban promenade from the ground floor to the roof. Conventional private residence amenities ( gym, party room, and lounge) are converted into public amenities such as co-working spaces, basketball courts, a dance studio, a botanical garden and skating rinks. Seasonal programming such as warming huts in the winter, and market stalls in the summer, transform the podium into an active space all year long. The premise of this research is that without changing the tectonic and infrastructural needs of the tower and podium, spaces can be redesigned with a more public ambition.

What advice would you give to a new student?
Work and travel! If you can, do an internship or semester abroad. 

What are your plans after graduation?
I'd like to get some insight into how other countries in the world are approaching similar architectural and urban problems, and work in an architecture office outside of Canada before maybe one day opening my own office.

::::::::::::::::::::::::

Convocation for #UofTDaniels students was on June 14. This month we are featuring our graduates, including their work, their memories, and their advice for new students. Follow #DanielsGrad18 for more!

What was the most memorable part of your Master of Urban Design degree?
Constantly being exposed to guest speakers and guest critiques provided great opportunities to hear varying experiences, receive advice, and get exposure to diverse perspectives. Becoming acquainted with these guests, who brought real-life experiences and projects, grounded the studio experience and brought extra realism to each project. This made learning and the design process collaborative, which was incredibly rewarding. 

What inspired your thesis topic?
My thesis was inspired by my life experiences and what I have learned as my time as a student and designer. I grew up in the area where my thesis is located and shopped at the very mall in which my project focuses on. Suburban developments, which are characterized by large areas of singular uses and personal vehicles, are no longer sustainable for the environment, or for the people who reside there. The prioritization of certain land uses and transportation modes has propagated this suburban sprawl. Refocusing suburban futures is necessary, and can be achieved by the intensification of existing community nodes, and synthesizing mixed densities, uses, and public transportation. These changes will encourage the suburbs to evolve to better address contemporary ideologies and quality of life. A suburban mall — in this case Markville Mall — has the capacity to become the connective tissue between transportation services and modes of mobility. By increasing the permeability of this site, and adapting it to better suite daily needs and activities, the suburban mall can evolve into a successful and thriving community node.

What advice would you give to a new student?
I would encourage new students to approach their studies with an eagerness to learn and an open mind to take advantage of every experience studying at Daniels will offer. There is something very inspiring about learning and exploring in an environment with peers and instructors with similar interests and goals. The opportunity to grow as a professional is limitless.

What are your plans after graduation?
I am very much looking forward to starting my career as an Urban Designer at IBI Group in Toronto.

::::::::::::::::::::::::

Convocation for #UofTDaniels students was on June 14. This month we are featuring our graduates, including their work, their memories, and their advice for new students. Follow #DanielsGrad18 for more!

Degree: Honours, Bachelor of Arts, Double major in Architectural Studies and Psychology

What was the most enjoyable or memorable part of your degree?
I know parents won't want to hear it, but definitely the late night antics that happen in the studio during an all-nighter (or my personal favourite, the 3/4 nighter). Going through the intensity of studio work is a lot more fun when you're with your closest friends, listening to music, and bouncing ideas off each other. The most memorable moments don't happen in the classroom, they happen unexpectedly in the studio late-night, at Orientation Week or an AVSSU event, or games night with your arch/vis friends. 

Daniels is a unique experience because it is so community and family based. At no point did I feel in competition with my classmates. We all strive to succeed by helping each other. One of my most enjoyable moments was taking part in the Daniels Mentorship Program as a mentor and then the coordinator of the program a year later. Daniels has a unique community where first years aren't afraid to walk up to a fourth year in the studio and ask for help, and I really enjoyed going out of my way to help first years the way the upper year students did for me when I was a new student.

What advice you would give to a new student?
Architecture may be your start goal, but it may not (and probably won't) be your end goal. What I mean is that architecture is a room with many doors (pun intended), and all those doors can take you in so many directions in the world of design. As my classmates and I graduate, I see more and more of them interested in pursuing other fields, such as video game design, set design, graphic design, furniture and lighting design, urban design, and the list goes on. My advice for prospective students would be to stay open minded, you might just fall in love with something else along the way.

Stay involved, and take advantage of all the events / clubs / organizations that are available to you (most of them offer free food!). The most memorable moments don't happen in the classroom, they happen unexpectedly in the studio late-night, at Orientation Week or an AVSSU event, or games night with your arch/vis friends. 

How has your understanding of architecture changed over the course of your degree?
I think architecture surprised me with its differentiation from the ordinary. Architecture in our everyday life seems so simple and functional, yet there are designers out there making arguments for the 'paper architecture', the challenge of the conventional. Daniels challenges us to not only learn and understand this critical thinking, but to also critique it ourselves.

Architecture surprised me with its collaboration with other disciplines. Not just the classic 'engineer and urban planner' collaboration, but a cross-pollination from the realms of business, technology, psychology, and sociology, and even sports and politics. As someone who has a passion for psych, I was, and am, able to bring my own experiences and interests into architecture using a unique perspective from another discipline. 

What are your plans after graduation? How has this degree prepared you for the future?
I am excited to be continuing my studies in architecture at Daniels as a graduate student in the Master of Architecture program. My BA was instrumental in affirming my passion for architecture, helping me gain knowledge and insight into the design, history, and theory of architecture first before pursuing it at the rigorous and fast-paced level of masters.

::::::::::::::::::::::::

Convocation for #UofTDaniels students was on June 14. This month we are featuring our graduates, including their work, their memories, and their advice for new students. Follow #DanielsGrad18 for more!

Degree: Honours Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies and Visual Studies

What was the most enjoyable or memorable part of your degree?
The most enjoyable part of my undergraduate degree was being able to explore the interdisciplinary intersection between architecture and visual studies and being able to use my education to question the notions of culture and identity in relation to the themes of colonialism, war, and political turmoil.

What advice you would give to a prospective student?
Make sure to take advantage of all the co-curriculars at UofT. Take as many courses outside of your major as you can. Your interests outside your major add a lot of depth in your art and architecture projects. 

How has your understanding of architecture changed over the course of your degree?
Before I started my degree I felt that architectural education was just about making beautiful drawings and endless critiques on form and structure. Once I was here I realized through the instruction of professors like Zeynep Celik, Hans Ibelings, and Jeannie Kim that there’s always a social impact of architecture that manifests itself in the form of occupation, displacement and gentrification which is equally important when we talk about the built environment.

What are your plans after graduation? How has this degree prepared you for the future?
I would like to stay in the interdisciplinary world of arts and architecture as I continue to engage with themes that address the politics of design and how it engages with the society. Being a part of SHIFT magazine has made me realize that the world of publishing is a place where I find a lot of comfort so I’m planning to continue down this path until I’m ready to pursue a master's degree.

::::::::::::::::::::::::

Convocation for #UofTDaniels students is on June 14. This month we are featuring our graduates, including their work, their memories, and their advice for new students. Follow #DanielsGrad18 for more!

What was the most enjoyable/memorable part of your Master of Architecture degree?
I remember that when I received my admission — I was so happy. It was a really memorable moment for me. I hope that the same emotional situation happens to me in the future! I thought it was a great achievement at that time because I was being selected among the many talented students in Canada and worldwide. 

What inspired your thesis topic?
The feminism movement in Islamic countries such as Morocco inspired me to work on the issue of space dichotomies in women's workspaces in remote areas of the MENA region. I traveled to southern Morocco and Central Iran to find a specific location for my thesis project and also to learn more about the women's workspaces in the rural areas in the MENA region. 
In short, my thesis project tackles issues of politics, the experience economy, and women's empowerment within the spatial arrangement of handicraft cooperatives in rural areas, in the face of the fast-growing tourist industry in the Guelmim region (located in southern Morocco). 

What is a piece of advice you would say to a prospective student?
Many students do not believe in themselves because they have no idea how talented they are!  I recommend students to rely on and believe in their skills and beliefs. In my opinion, the future of every country in the world is constructed by university students.  Being at school is the proper time to reconstruct, construct, and revise old and new ideas and strategies for the future. 

What are your plans after graduation?
My long-term plan after graduation is to establish my own business to help people to live in better conditions by providing them with better design solutions. I hope this dream comes true soon!  
 

::::::::::::::::::::::::

Convocation for #UofTDaniels students is on June 14. This month we are featuring our graduates, including their work, their memories, and their advice for new students. Follow #DanielsGrad18 for more!

What was the most enjoyable part of your Master of Landscape Architecture degree?
The most enjoyable part was definitely getting to know my amazing classmates and professors. We created some great memories to look back on!

What inspired your thesis topic?
My thesis project is a response to the vast areas of urban landscapes that are highly maintained, mowed, and managed, including vast tracks of our hydro corridors. I envision cities as epicentres of biodiversity, connectivity, and resilient natural systems.

Tell us more about your thesis!
My thesis is about how spontaneous plants are a new kind of wilderness that thrives in cities.  They are able to grow in the harshest conditions without being planted or cared for.  Plants in the cities require more water, have less access to nutrients, and are more vulnerable to diseases.  Choosing the most resilient plants, regardless or origin is essential for cities' capacity to adapt.  Spontaneous plants give us an opportunity to create landscapes that are ecologically beneficial at a low cost and with minimal maintenance.  My thesis creates a framework to allow nature to establish its own communities and build resiliency in the face of climate change and increasing urban degradation.

What is one piece of advice you would give to a new student?
My advice for new students is to make every project your own. There is always a way to bring your interests to the forefront. 

What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation, I am moving to the Netherlands to work at a landscape architecture firm called Lodewijk Baljon, based in Amsterdam!

::::::::::::::::::::::::

Convocation for #UofTDaniels students is on June 14. This month we are featuring our graduates, including their work, their memories, and their advice for new students. Follow #DanielsGrad18 for more!

What inspired your thesis topic?
My thesis project is about waterway renovation. During my one year experience in the Netherlands working as a landscape designer, I realized how powerful and colourful an advanced ecological waterway project could be and how it can bring change to our daily lives. I decided to do one for Canada as my thesis project when I came back to school.

Tell us more about your thesis!
The Lachine Canal is a 14km long manmade waterway created to support Canada's industrial expansion. Industrial and residential neighborhoods grew around the canals as the City of Montreal densified.  The canal closed in 1970 when the design of modern ships allowed direct navigation through nearby rapids, leaving the canal with declining industries and contaminated waters.

As the population of Montreal continues to grow, the pressure for housing and public space in the area is increasing.  Through the ecological restoration of the waterway and the strategic development of the land at its edges, this thesis looks to reestablish the Lachine Canal as a vital place in the heart of Montreal.

What are your plans after graduation?
I would like to stay in Canada to work as landscape designer for a few years, to continue train myself in this profession and in the future explore more of landscape design opportunities around the world.

::::::::::::::::::::::::

Convocation for #UofTDaniels students is on June 14. This month we are featuring our graduates, including their work, their memories, and their advice for new students. Follow #DanielsGrad18 for more!

What will you remember most about your Master of Landscape Architecture degree?
We had the opportunity to travel to the Netherlands in my first‐year studio class and visit the sites that we had been studying for the first half of the semester. It was so fascinating to experience these sites first‐hand after pouring over drawings and photographs for weeks. Being new to the world of design, this trip opened my eyes to Dutch design and played a huge inspirational role in my subsequent projects. This trip also brought our MLA class together as a group and laid the foundations for some of the best friendships I will ever have.

What inspired your thesis topic?
My thesis site is the infamous Stelco steel plant in Hamilton, Ontario. Hamilton is my hometown; I grew up hearing about its history of steel and catching glimpses of the factories across the Bay. I have always loved Hamilton and appreciated its grit and eccentricities so, it was surprising for me to learn about its negative perception when I moved away from home. I set out to create a thesis that would not only reinvent this waterfront site into usable, forward‐thinking space for the city, but also to highlight Hamilton's existing conditions, its strong history and spirit, and to give outsiders a full picture of the city; from waterfalls to steel factories.

Tell us more about your thesis!
My thesis explores how a post-industrial waterfront can be recycled into mixed-use development that will maintain an industrial legacy and solve issues associated with sprawling cities. Using a contrasted adjacency zoning strategy, the project aims to combine areas of access with non-access, industry with recreation, commercial with residential, and remediation with preservation. By employing cut and fill between the heavily contaminated Stelco Steel site and the western shoreline, I propose a series of piers that will physically knit the estranged east and west together while providing differentiated civic programming, an ecologically-rich shoreline, and space for Hamilton’s growing population. Steel to City reimagines Hamilton, Ontario’s waterfront as a center for city-building.

What advice would you give to a prospective student?
I have learned more skills in this program than I ever thought possible. I was disillusioned with school after my undergrad; this program reinstated my love of learning and pushed me to create work that I am proud of and can actually see, as opposed to an essay or test. If you are both creative and technically‐minded I would wholeheartedly recommend this program to you, it will change the way you view the world and give you a clear, exciting career path.

What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation I plan to enjoy the summer, biking and hiking as much as possible, as well as applying to Landscape Architecture firms that inspire me and push the field to new heights.

::::::::::::::::::::::::

Convocation for #UofTDaniels students is on June 14. This month we are featuring our graduates, including their work, their memories, and their advice for new students. Follow #DanielsGrad18 for more!

What was the most enjoyable part of your Master of Architecture degree?
The most enjoyable part of my degree was working on my thesis at my own pace while making time to research, read and learn so much within my electives.

What inspired your thesis topic?
After travelling to an array of diverse cities around the world to explore their varying cultures and architectures, I was overcome by the importance of removing oneself from the noise of the metropolis and all of the benefits that come with a solitary experience. I wanted to foster the architecture of convents, monasteries, and other meditative spaces I had experienced into the city that I live in. Naturally, I was swayed to Toronto Island where the Artscape Gibraltar Point commune is located. The artists residency was not only an incredibly relevant program, but also in need of more space, resources and amenities. The site also happened to be seriously affected by erosion and flooding, so the design evolved into a solitary retreat that also incorporated the crucial coastal solution of a groyne field to build back up the land over time. 

Tell us more about your project!
My thesis explores architecture's ability to adapt over time. Located on Toronto Island, Artscape Gibraltar Point is an international, live-in artists residency that occupies a former schoolhouse. The design proposes an environmental solution to coastal erosion in the form of a groyne field, while incorporating the architecture of the artist's commune. The program is very carefully separated into the solitary and the communal and the architecture serves to frame its surroundings. As the groynes build up the land over time, the dynamics of the spaces between will evolve. As the program continues to expand, the axis are designed to accommodate fragmented additions as necessary.  

What is one piece of advice you would say to a new student?
Stressing will never help you, but sleep will.

What are your plans after graduation?
I took a two month trip around South America and am currently working at Diamond Schmitt Architects.

::::::::::::::::::::::::

Convocation for #UofTDaniels students is on June 14. This month we are featuring our graduates, including their work, their memories, and their advice for new students. Follow #DanielsGrad18 for more!