Robert McIntosh's 2015 MLA Thesis looked at the former Stelco site on Hamilton's harbour. "The steel industry has played an integral role in shaping the city that exists today," he writes, noting that "approaches to addressing similar brownfield sites around the world typically fall into two categories: that of romanticizing and memorializing the past, or that of capping and forgetting the history of the site in a form of 'amnesia.'"

McIntosh was among three Daniels Faculty student who received Honor Awards from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) for their thesis projects. The other students included Logan Littlefield and Rui Felix. The three were among 23 student award recipients, selected from more than 327 entries representing 84 schools around the world.

For more on McIntosh's project, visit his project page in the Work section of the Daniels Faculty's website.

During a trip to Adelaide, Australia in 2015, Jordan Duke witnessed her first wildfire.

“We were driving over a hill and I could see a large plume of smoke in the horizon,” she said. “Thousands of hectares were on fire.” From the plane, the next day when she flew out, Duke was struck by the vast expanse of charred earth. She thought about it the entire flight home.

As a student in the Master of Landscape Architecture program at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, Duke wondered: what could landscape architects do to help mitigate wildfire disasters? In the wake of the fire that struck Fort McMurray in Alberta in May, it’s a question that carries increased relevance — particularly since wildfires are predicted to increase in the future.

For her thesis project the following year, Duke researched how wildfires could be mitigated through tools that exist within the realm of landscape architecture. Her research culminated in the development of a strategy for Cleland Conservation Park. The park is based in South Australia where in February 2009, wildfires claimed over 170 lives. Her plan — which combined remote sensors embedded in the landscape with site-specific landscape design strategies that would produce both short- and long-term results — projected new possibilities, not only for the field of landscape architecture but also for how we could diminish such disasters in the future.

“There’s a lot of planning when it comes to wildfires in terms of where to build neighbourhoods, and there are many techniques to track and evaluate an area’s likelihood of burning, but I found that there were few systems in place to reduce the risk of a large wildfire occurring in the first place, “ says Duke.

Inspired by her work the previous summer at the Daniels Faculty’s Green Roof Innovation Testing Laboratory (gritlab), the first part of her strategy included embedding remote sensors within the landscape that would allow for real-time monitoring of data such as humidity, wind, temperature, vegetation density, and water availability — factors that contribute to the likelihood of a fire.

“At gritlab, we learned that sensor technology is cheap and easy to deploy. I had no computer engineering background, but by the end of the summer, we were installing sensors throughout the green roof, downloading data and doing analysis,” says Duke. “This triggered an idea: what if we could take these sensors and deploy them across a huge site to monitor variables that would let us know in advance when fires are likely to happen?”

Under Duke’s plan, data from the sensors would activate a variety of responses across the landscape. For example, on dry, hot days, weather modifiers installed along the ridges and valleys of the park would disperse mist across the site to increase humidity levels. Using the regular ocean breeze moving across the site, the modifiers would also scatter the seeds of fire-resistent cypress trees along the ridges of the landscape. Over time, the wall of trees that would eventually grow would become windbreaks that could help slow the pace of a fire.

Excess rainwater, which normally flows down the hills to the ocean during heavy rain, would be collected in reservoirs, which could become recreational pools for people visiting the park or sources of water for animals in search of refuge. When sensors indicate the risk of a fire in a particular location, however, the water would be released down the valley to soak the landscape below. The large amount of rapidly released water would also increase erosion runoff, thus creating firebreaks throughout the valley.

Duke also considered vegetation, which provides fuel for burning fires. Artificial watering holes strategically placed throughout the park would attract animals in times of drought. Native wallabies, kangaroos and other animals coming to the pools of water would then feed on nearby vegetation, reducing fuel for a potential fire.

“None of these devices eliminate risk,” says Duke. “Instead, they work to shift risk from large scale, catastrophic events to smaller, everyday risk levels.”

In addition to these and other tactics designed to mitigate risk, Duke explored ways to influence human behavior. The weather monitors along the ridge of the hill above the city, for example, could be programmed to light more brightly at night during periods of high-energy use.  

“The idea is to change the collective consciousness of the local population by highlighting invisible phenomena and patterns that are contributing to climate change and wildfire occurrences,” says Duke. Energy consumption in the city of Adelaide is among the highest in Australia.

While the scope of her thesis was to research and propose a new approach to mitigating wildfires, Duke does hope to one day build and test her project.

Her hope is that the strategy she devised will plant the seeds for ways that landscape architects can contribute to wildfire mitigation in the future.

“Developing science fiction scenarios are necessary,” says Duke. “Imagining what could be done is usually the first step towards something actually happening.”

Assistant Professor Liat Margolis was Duke’s thesis advisor. Duke received the American Society of Landscape Architects Certificate of Honor and the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects Student Award of Merit at this year’s graduation awards ceremony.

Current MArch student Evan Wakelin created architectural collages for his thesis research project that represent the emotional and physical experience of migration. The illustrations were recently featured in Dezeen — an online magazine dedicated to showcasing architecture, design, and interior projects from around the world.

"The drawings illustrate hypothetical migrations to the city, whereby the original home of the migrant is layered with their current home within the city of Toronto," explains Wakelin in his thesis research paper. "This intersection of past and present, over different geographical locations, describes a divided identity where the sense of belonging and sentiment exist somewhere in between."

“In the drawings, elements of architecture and interior design that evoke particular residential styles are stacked and presented in section,” writes Dezeen's Alyn Griffiths. “Like dolls' houses, they offer an insight into the past lives of the occupants.”

Wakelin has previously created other architectural imagery; his illustrations printed on various accessories are available for purchase from Society6.

Master of Landscape Architecture students Tom Kwok, Leonard Flot, and Andrey Chernykh received first place in the landscape design category and second place in the industrial design category of the Ontario Tire Stewardship design competition.

Assistant Professor Elise Shelley served as advisor and judge for the competition, and will continue to work with the students to realize the design later this year.

“It is a great opportunity for students to make contacts in the city as there are many stakeholders involved,” says Shelley. "In addition to working with me to realize the site design, they will also have the opportunity to develop the furniture component directly with manufacturers."

Started in 2011, the Ontario Tire Stewardship design competition spreads awareness about recycled tire derived products. The first project was built at Evergreen Brickworks, and the second was built at the Grosvenor Street YMCA. The winners of the second competition were Daniels Faculty graduate students David Garcia Gonzales, Greg Bunker, and Jessica Wagner. This year’s winning design will be built at Artscape Youngplace in the fall of 2016.

Place-Holder, a graduate student-run publication, has been awarded a grant from the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts. The third edition of the journal, edited by Michael Abel (MArch 2016) and Mina Hanna (MArch 2014), includes work by contributors Patrick Pregesbauer, Maarten Lambrechts, Daniel Tudor Munteanu, Nancy Webb, Zoé Renaud-Drouin (MArch 2014), Elliott Sturtevant (MArch 2014), Max Powell (MArch 2015), and many more.

Place-Holder was started in 2012 as “an active catalogue of design, for contemporary use and future reference, a repository and mediator of ideas that are floating in our (corporeal and digital) memories.”

From the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts website:

This student-run journal addresses the unspoken aspects of architectural pedagogy and reveals the relics of the architecture design process, which form an archive of unseen products, set-aside ideas, and scrapped technologies. Whether they are temporary trends or resilient values, these, too, are part of the public discourse on design and cities and should be part of the conversation. Place-Holder creates a home for that which is otherwise lost—off-hand musings, abandoned models, interviews with practitioners—as well as the residual effects of the making of architecture. It is active catalogue of design, for contemporary use and future reference, a repository and mediator of ideas that are floating in our (corporeal and digital) memories. Place-Holder is an open conversation.

Last year, Place-Holder’s interview with Greg Lynn — conducted by Roya Mottahedeh (MArch 2014), Mark Ross (MArch 2014), and Paul Harrison (MArch 2014) — was featured in Archinect’s Screen/Print series.

“The so-called Issue 1/2 takes a look at the things that may seem out of architecture’s wheelhouse, but in the end prove themselves as major influencers,” writes Archinect in its introduction to the interview, “in short, the life around architecture always bleeds back in.”

The third edition of Place-Holder will be released soon. This most recent edition will focus on the influence of the network in the public domain and the implications it has on architecture’s autonomy as a discipline. For more information, visit www.place-holder.net

Artist Kaegan Walsh (MArch 2016) has completed a permanent installation entitled Provenance located in a rural region of Ontario.

The piece positions concrete as unintentional land art. The key concept for the project is how an individual concrete construction can be traced back to a very specific location within the natural environment by identifying the unique stone types found in every sample of concrete that uses a natural aggregate. In this way, all concrete buildings and infrastructure, ubiquitous in our cities, can be linked to a unique origin within the natural environment.

Provenance consists of three 1m concrete cubes installed in the landscape; abstract boulders that mimic the natural boulders deposited in this region during the last ice age. In this era, an ice sheet moved through the landscape, depositing these boulders along the way and grinding massive amounts of stone into what is now used for aggregate in our concrete. Our concrete constructions are once again displacing the rock material created by this phenomenon. This project's abstract boulders juxtapose these natural and human geologic actions.

Paradoxically, the transformation of our planet through our built environment appears both drastic and minute when considered in direct comparison to a natural counterpart. In illustrating this link between modern construction techniques and ancient history, this project argues for a new consideration to architectural preservation that incorporates this unique feature of concrete and the geologic history in which it plays a part.

Provenance will be documented in an upcoming edition of the journal Prospect.

View the gallery below for more images of the project, courtesy of Kaegan Walsh.

For more information on Walsh's work, visit his website: www.kaeganwalsh.com

It is pretty rare for three stellar students to be hired by one office, but within weeks of their final day of reviews, Master of Landscape Architecture students Nicholas Gosselin, Jordan Duke, and Dayne Roy-Caldwell found themselves working together for Janet Rosenberg, one of Toronto’s most prominent Landscape Architects. Over the past three years, the MLA class of ’16 has developed a reputation for its tight dynamic. As the Daniels Faculty gears up for convocation on June 16^th, the three soon-to-be graduates and their new boss told us about the transition from school to work, the importance of developing close friendships while in grad school, and the need to foster passion and leadership within the field.

You were part of a really close-knit class. What impact did that have on your experience at school?

Dayne Roy-Caldwell: Our class was always very open. If someone sitting across from you was having trouble with something, then you would take the five to ten minutes to help them figure it out. The next time you were having trouble with something then they would be the first one there helping you.

Jordan Duke: Being close and working collaboratively constantly elevated everyone’s skill level.

DRC: We were always competitive with each other, but in a very healthy way.

JD: Like sibling rivalry.

Nicholas Gosselin: We wanted to do well just as much as we wanted each other to succeed. This was reflected in a variety of ways, such as not having to ask anyone to take notes for you during a review because they would automatically do it for you. Those kinds of things are rare.

JD: Alissa North, our program director, always told us that you can really tell which people were involved in collaboration. Their work just got steadily stronger.

The landscape architecture program at the Daniels Faculty is a three-year degree. Was there a particular project during your time here that changed how you viewed the field over the course of your studies?

DRC: For me it was a second year project, which involved developing a submission for the Uxbridge Gravel Pit competition. A representative from the gravel pit came to our class to tell us what they were looking for, and said “Please, no more golf courses.” Nicolas and I looked at each other and said, “we’re going do a golf course like they’ve never seen before.” Our project wasn’t about designing a golf course for permanent use. Instead, we envisioned a golf course that would be a source of revenue for the remediation of the site over time, so that the land could be completely returned to the Oak Ridges Marine. The project involved thinking over a much larger time span, which is needed when you’re designing with landscape.

NG: I also loved our third year studio, which was based in Georgian Bay. I have a cottage there, and it forced me to consider it through a totally different lens. The studio involved us projecting future conditions, such as water levels, invasive species, and the impact of climate change. It helped us understand large-scale processes that affect a region and the difference you can make with small interventions.

JD: I had the same realization during what we called our “bee course,” (Contemporary Issues in the Urban Landscape). You could design something hyper-specific and then deploy it across a landscape. Those hyper-specific objects would then interplay with larger processes. I carried that idea through to my thesis.

What will you miss most about being a student at the Daniels Faculty?

JD: The studio culture.

NG: My classmates and the constant sound of laughter.

DRC: I’ll miss those late-nights and days with everyone in studio because we were all close friends.

JD: We used to goof around a lot. We were probably the only class that got told to shut up four or five times a week by the other groups.

What has the transition from school to work been like?

NG: It’s a whole different skill-set that we’re using. In the office, we are very specific about plants, materials and details, which is a transition in scale from the one we typically explored while at school. U of T prepared us to be critical thinkers, leaders, innovators, and fast learners. Janet’s office is great because everyone here knows where we’re coming from and we’re assigned a mentor who knows our skill sets.

Janet Rosenberg: We love the U of T students that join our firm! But there is a lot of learning that starts after graduation. You get much more site experience and, through that, learn about the seasonality involved in the profession. I don’t think there are that many professions that are still so incredibly responsive to the seasons, which forces you to cede some control and respond to different and often unexpected conditions.

What advice do you have for people who are starting their degree in September?

JD: Start making friends and try to bring the class together right away. Go out for dinner; spend time together. Being friends with your classmates will make a world of difference as far as making grad school an enjoyable experience.

NG: In your studios, you’ll start to develop a system in terms of how you approach a project. Sometimes it becomes comfortable, but don’t be afraid to try something new and have those moments where you’re like: I have no idea what I’m going to do. A lot of times, that’s how you end up with the best results. Don’t be afraid to totally venture in a new direction.

JR: It’s a really broad profession and you should really explore the breadth of it before deciding where you want to sit within it. There’s been more growth in the landscape architecture than I think in most professions, especially with environmental elements such as brown fields and green standards.

Janet, as someone who has worked with a lot of new graduates and is a seasoned professional, what advice would you have for someone who is just starting out after graduation?

JR: I think its important to recognize that landscape architecture is a very young profession, and it really needs advocates to dig in a little bit and take responsibility for how the profession is going. There is lots of room for leadership. Graduates should feel very proud about working within the field of landscape architecture and become advocates for it. Passion is really important, because I think passion really drives the industry. And it’s through your passion that you’ll be able to connect with people all around the world.

What would you say are the strengths of the students you work with from our program?

JR: U of T students are really smart. They’re educated; they’re able to have conversations; you can send them out to meetings. They have a thirst to fill in all those blanks that don’t always get filled in. We’ve had people who don’t want to fill in those blanks. They want to do standard details; they don’t want to think; they don’t want to talk; they don’t want to be collaborative. Everybody here gets excited — they ask to do design competitions, which we do.

So, Jordan, Dayne, and Nicholas, how will you celebrate convocation on June 16^th?

DRC: My mom asked me this question last night, and I thought, because we’re all such close friends and none of our parents have met, perhaps we should all just get together. In some ways, these guys know me more than friends I’ve had for years because we’ve been through a lot together.

JR: It’s a real celebration, isn’t it? Somebody has to have a party. Someone’s parents have to say: everyone come over!

The Daniels Faculty would like to thank Janet Rosenberg & Studio for the generous gift commitment the firm has made to the University of Toronto’s campaign for One Spadina Crescent. The gift will contribute to the Faculty’s international credentials in landscape research, education, and practice, particularly in addressing today’s challenges in ecological urbanism and sustainability.

It’s not common for undergraduate students studying architecture to get a job in the field after their first year of study, but Nicole Orofino, who 10 years later on June 16 will graduate from the Daniels Faculty’s Master of Architecture Program, did just that. Having seized the opportunity to travel to Singapore and Holland while completing her degrees, Orofino is now working in the Netherlands at the European Headquarters of Nike. Orofino chatted with Honours Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies student Josie Harrison (HBA 2017) about the value of travel and networking, and how she plans to celebrate her convocation from U of T.   

You started working after the first year of your undergraduate degree — how did you get a start in the professional world at such an early stage in your education?

Before starting my degree, I worked for a low-rise residential developer in the suburbs of Toronto as an on-site administrator. When I told my supervisor that I was pursuing a career in architecture and looking for work experience at a firm, they were good enough to refer me to an architecture firm they were working with at the time (Quadrangle Architects). This led to an interview and review of my initial portfolio. I ended up working for Quadrangle that summer and continued on part-time into the school year. I’ve found that in many cases, if you reach out to your network, and let people know what you’re looking for, they will try to help you.

Do you think that work experience gave you a different perspective during your studio courses in your undergrad and masters?

Absolutely. It was a challenge in the beginning. In studio, at school, you focus more on ideation and the concepts that drive a project. The thinking process that we’re afforded in school is different from the professional world. The professional world has a very systematic approach — design is completed in phases, and projects are realized through construction schedules that involve a number of different people and teams. The studio is more flexible. You have the time and capacity to explore different concepts and imagine new possibilities, based on your own intent.

How did studying in Toronto influence your experience as a student of architecture?

Toronto is incredibly inspirational and makes studying architecture at U of T really exciting as the Faculty is located in the heart of city. Being able to experience the cultural diversity, urban renewal and revitalization, circulation patterns, and the change in the built environment really helps to influence design and inspire creativity. As a student, you spend a lot of your time in the studio, and being able to instantly step out into the buzz of the city is one of the many benefits of studying at U of T.

You also spent some time during your degree studying and working abroad. How did this contribute to your experience as a student?

During my undergraduate degree, I went to Singapore for one semester. I chose to go because I thought there would be no better way and time to combine studying with travel. It was an incredibly valuable learning and personal experience. Similarly, I sought international experience three years into my Masters Degree. I took two semesters off, before entering into my thesis term, to work for a creative agency located in The Netherlands. I was interested in working for a creative agency because it is quite different than a typical architectural firm (which I had worked for in the past) with a client list of developers or cities. Agencies focus more on ideation, strategy, and concept creation. I told my thesis prep advisor, Laura Miller, about my desire to pursue international work experience, and she was completely supportive of my decision to take the break, as was the Daniels Faculty’s registrar and assistant dean of students Andrea McGee. Taking a step back and exploring opportunities outside of the degree was the best thing that I could’ve done at the time. By being in Amsterdam and networking, I was able to jump to the position that I’m in now.

Could you describe your current role and a project you have worked on?

I am a Project Manager for Brand Design and Strategic Account functions for Nike, working out of their European headquarters located in The Netherlands. I lead a team of designers and partnered vendors. We are responsible for creating and elevating retail and event spaces within partnered retailers across Western Europe, by creating consumer experiences, bespoke fixture systems, and curated product presentation strategies. We deliver environments that enable Nike to showcase and launch new product and innovation stories. My role is a combination of creative direction, concept creation, design, and management.

Last year, we teamed up with Nike’s Central European team to create an event that would launch the Nike Sneakerboot in Moscow, Russia. My team was responsible for concepting, planning, and creatively directing the five-day-long event, which included scouting the location in the centre of Moscow, designing massive art installations and bespoke fixtures that would showcase the Nike product, and working closely with our partnered vendors in Moscow to deliver an unforgettable experience. We designed programmed light installations, a rainwall that people could walk into, and fixtures made out of ice that held the Nike Sneakerboot. My role as project lead was to work closely with the art director and partnered vendors in Moscow. I was responsible for securing the location, locating the installations within the space, working with production on material choices, over-seeing the production of the fixtures, and ensuring the quality of the completion of the built environment so that the products were shown in the best way possible for media. The project, though successful, tested my skillset, and I was able to learn about processes that I hadn’t been familiar with prior to the event launch.

Do you have any advice for students starting their undergrad or masters?

My advice for undergraduates is to be mindful about your goals. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. You’re here to learn, and to become better. Sometimes, as creatives, we tend to work best under pressure. My advice would be to step back, and think about whether the pressure will help you or hinder you. More often than not, the pressure hinders your imagination, and autopilot sets in — especially in third and fourth year. Try your best to keep the pressure at arms length, so that you can keep the ideas flowing poetically.

My advice for Masters students would be to constantly remind yourself why you started. I cannot emphasize this enough. Keep a reminder somewhere: on your desk, your laptop, or your phone. Reminding yourself why you started will keep you focused. To keep you motivated and inspired, try to travel as much as you can - there is plenty of support given by the Daniels Faculty to travel, like the Global Architecture Program, and the various travel awards available. Lastly, be mindful of a strategy. Take the time to network yourself — this can only benefit you post-grad.

How will you celebrate your convocation?

I will be travelling back to Toronto for convocation. My family has planned a lovely dinner party — my sister and my mom have outdone themselves with the planning. I’m looking forward to spending time with my family — they have supported me fully throughout my degrees. I truly couldn’t have asked for a better support system, and I owe them the world for that, so it’s only fitting that I celebrate this milestone with them.

Today until Monday, work by second year Master of Landscape Architecture students is on dispay at Metro Hall. Created as part of a studio course that investigated phased design strategies and a revitalization framework for Humber Bay Park in Toronto, the projects explore the relationship between site design and ecological systems.

Directed by Assistant Professor Pete North and Instructor Nicolas Koff, the student exhibitors include: Andrey Chernykh, Leonard Flot, Kamila Grigo, Asuka Kono, Tom Kwok, Kaitlyn Pelletier, Rachel Salmela, Natasha Varga, Zhufan Wan, Shaine Wong, and Yuan Zhuong.

Humber Bay Park
Metro Hall, 200 Wellington Street West, Toronto
June 9th - 13th

Forty-two hectares along the Toronto Waterfront, Humber Bay Park consists of two engineered landforms extending into Lake Ontario, which were created through lake filling in the 1970s and 1980s. As part of the studio course, Students were expected to identity and thoroughly evaluate alternative solutions for a long term revitalization of the site and were encouraged to question the significance, and redefine the potential, of a contemporary metropolitan scale park.

This student project was undertaken independently adn does not reflec City of Toronto plans or public consultations. The project was an opportunity for students to think outside the box and explore ideas free of many constraints.

Thanks to generous donations made by alumni and donors, Daniels Faculty students can apply for grants, fellowships, or scholarships to fund travel and research at sites of interest both within Canada and abroad.

We’ve asked students who received travel awards last year to share their experiences with us. Last week, we heard from Saarinen Balagengatharadilak and Vanessa Abram. Today, we hear from Master of Architecture student Hamza Vora , who spent six weeks conducting research in Casablanca, Marrakesh, and Fez in Morroco, and Tunis in Tunisia with support from the Paul Oberman Graduate Student Endowment Fund.

Why did you decide to go to Casablanca, Marrakesh, Fez, and Tunis, and what did you hope to learn while you were there?
I wanted to study street vendors in North African cities to see the urban condition and context they currently operate in.  I intended to observe the street vendors and public life of the souks (markets) that are still vital part of the old city centres. Morocco and Tunisia both have well preserved and vibrant old city centres where street vendors in the souks are an integral part of daily life.

Tell us about something interesting that you discovered.
I had this idea of authenticity and that the markets would only sell local goods and support the local community. It was a bit shocking to see that majority of the street vendors sold counterfeit goods made in China. This was particularly in the case Tunis. It is a real problem as it has been devastating to the local industries.

How has this travel research opportunity enhanced your academic career?
I got a better understanding of the meaning of public space. It informed some of my decisions for my thesis project. Urban life in these North African cities is very chaotic. It is an organized mess. To comprehend that, you have to experience it first hand.

How will this research inform your future work?
I am still very interested in street vendors and how they contribute to an informal economy. During my research trip I was looking at how they function and negotiate public pace. I still want to continue learning about this and how they contribute to different public spaces.

For more information on Hamza’s research download his report [PDF].

Visit the Current Students section of the Daniels Faculy's website for more information on the travel awards.