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September 29th Issue
DAS News |
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TimberFever students participate in the project construction stage. |
In this issue: Ozaawaa Babigoyaan Giizhigad / Orange Shirt Day | TimberFever | Exhibition Stevan Evans' On the Edge: Photographs of Toronto’s Downtown Waterfront on Thursday, September 25th | Guest Lecture with Arancha González Bernardo & Michael Fohring of Odami Studio & More! |
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Ozaawaa Babigoyaan Giizhigad / Orange Shirt Day
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TMU community members participate in a memorial walk on Orange Shirt Day. As part of TMU activities on September 30, Orange Shirt Day historian Mary Jane Logan McCallum will present findings from her groundbreaking book on one of Canada’s first residential schools. |
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September 30th is Ozaawaa Babigoyaan Giizhigad / Orange Shirt Day / the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is a commemorative day of recognition and awareness-raising about the impacts of Canada's Indian Residential School System on Indigenous Peoples. TMU programming for this day is available here.
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada released the report Honouring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future, which outlines the history of Canada’s residential school system and 94 Calls to Action to redress the legacy of those schools and advance the process of reconciliation.
This year TMU is honoring September 30th with a First Ten / Next Ten initiative, circulating posters on the actions TMU has taken over the last ten years, and actions intended in the next ten years. The Architecture Building atrium will feature slides showing student work and DAS initiatives toward Truth and Reconciliation. |
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TimberFever 2025
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Celebrating Student Collaboration through Timber Design
TimberFever is a Design-Build Competition that brings together 16 teams of undergraduate architecture and engineering students from across North America.
This year, the students collaborated to respond to the theme of Third Places; the spaces between home and work where people gather, connect and build community. |
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Park(ing) Day 2025
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Using materials salvaged from previous design-build projects, a team of DAS undergraduate students reimagined them into something entirely new: a sculptural threshold made from vibrant red pipes. The installation is part of a larger city initiative to temporarily repurpose on-street, boulevard or parking lot spaces into tiny parks and places for art, play, and activism. Walking through TMU’s downtown campus, students are fixed on their destinations, rarely finding a moment to pause. The installation provides a space where students can slow down and enjoy being surrounded by the city.
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Steven Evans Exhibition Opening Delves Into the Complex History of Toronto's Waterfront
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The opening reception of On the Edge began with a lively panel discussion between Steven Evans, Elsa Lam, editor of Canadian Architect Magazine, Marco Polo, DAS professor, and journalist and editor John Lorinc. Be sure to check out photos from the opening reception on our Flickr account!
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| Photos from Opening Night |
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Upcoming Events |
DAS x CTBUH Lecture Series: David Pontarini - CTBUH Canada Office Launch Event
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Pre-registration required.
CTBUH is proud to announce the opening of the CTBUH Canada office at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Department of Architectural Science! Join us for our official opening reception, hosted in conjunction with TMU’s Guest Lecture Series, featuring David Pontarini, Founding Partner of Hariri Pontarini Architects. Light snacks/refreshments will be provided and admission is free to conference attendees and the TMU community. Register here.
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DAS Guest Lecture with Arancha González Bernardo &
Michael Fohring of Odami Studio
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October 23, 2025
6:30 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT
Department of Architectural Science, 325 Church St, ARC 202 (the Pit)
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Behind the work:
Tales & Lessons from Running a Small Practice
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Starting a practice is intimidating, and running it successfully is hard. This “lecture” walks through select projects completed since the studio’s inception in 2018, using them to reflect upon the critical lessons learned along the way, from identity building, to dealing with contractors and clients, to structuring your day and workflow. In doing so, we hope to look beyond the work and shed some light on the aspects of running a practice that are often hidden from view, and offer some candid insights – and perhaps some entertaining stories – about what it takes to go out on your own.
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Arancha (Aránzazu) González Bernardo
B.Sc.Arch, M.Arch
Born and raised in the Asturias region of Spain, Arancha grew up playing and helping out in her family’s busy fabric and clothing shops. She carried forward a strong relationship with composition and materials as well as a creative pragmatism in designing spaces that are jointly functional, welcoming, and resonant.
Arancha studied architecture at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura in La Coruña, and has worked with award-winning design firms in Spain, Austria, Montréal, and Toronto, collaborating on projects across Europe and North America. In addition to leading Odami, she also teaches at the Toronto Metropolitan University School of Interior Design.
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Michael Fohring
B.Sc.Arch, M.Arch
Michael grew up in Ontario, Canada, in a family of carpenters, mechanics, and general tinkerers. Prior to studying architecture, he worked on construction sites and developed a deep interest in craft, assemblage, and making, driven by a desire to uncover more efficient and compelling approaches to design and fabrication.
Michael studied architecture at McGill University in Montréal, where, upon graduation, he was named to the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Honour Roll. He was also awarded the American Institute of Architects Henry Adams Medal and the RAIC Student Medal. Since 2017, he has taught as a Sessional Lecturer at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture and the Toronto Metropolitan University School of Interior Design.
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About the exhibition
The fifty photographs in this exhibition collectively present a record of the expansive downtown waterfront in its current state of flux, from the water’s edge in the south to the Gardiner Expressway in the north, and from Cherry Street in the east to Dufferin Street in the west. Steven Evans began photographing the industrial lands south of the Gardiner Expressway over 40 years ago as a media studies student. His long-standing fascination with the waterfront industrial landscapes and their architecture has endured through the years, and he has returned to photograph some of the inevitable changes as warehouses and factories gave way to condominiums and tourist attractions.
Over the past two years, in the aftermath of the destruction of West Island at Ontario Place by the provincial government, Evans has undertaken an in-depth photographic project documenting the complex transformation of the downtown waterfront. Covering the expanse of the lakeshore, in the exhibition ‘On the Edge,’ Evans has created a much-needed record that highlights what we often overlook – the mundane, the typical, the absurd, and even the extraordinary.
An illustrated brochure accompanies the exhibition with essays by Steven Evans, John Lorinc, and Marco Polo.
This exhibition is curated by Julia Jamrozik, Associate Professor, Department of Architectural Science, Toronto Metropolitan University with exhibition and graphic design by Hyo Yeon Tiana Lee.
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Extracurricular |
Embodied Architectonics Workshop
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Led and designed by Architecture PhD student Pantea Eslami in collaboration with AIAS, this shared spatial model was produced in a two-hour workshop on Sept. 24, 2025, with undergraduate students examining how architectural space emerges through movement, perception, and connection. The process moved from individual investigations to collective constructions, culminating in a collaborative form that tested a cross-disciplinary mode of embodied pedagogy. Stay tuned for more! |
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Student Opportunities |
27th International Garden Festival Issues Call for Proposals |
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The 27th International Garden Festival is calling for proposals for new temporary gardens to be showcased at Les Jardins de Métis – Reford Gardens, opening June 20, 2026. This edition, themed “Mapping Sensitivity,” invites designers to explore the emotional, relational, and subjective dimensions of space, encouraging gardens that are inclusive, experiential, and shaped by their users. Open to landscape architects, architects, visual artists, and multidisciplinary teams worldwide, the festival seeks proposals that consider sustainability and the afterlife of materials, with selected gardens to be exhibited for at least two summers. The submission deadline is October 27, 2025. |
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James Harrison Steedman Fellowship in Architecture |
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The 2026 Steedman Fellowship invites proposals exploring the theme Collective Form / Forums, inspired by architect Fumihiko Maki’s influential ideas on architecture’s role in shaping pluralistic societies. This year’s fellowship asks how architecture can bring people together, amplify overlooked voices, and engage political and cultural challenges—particularly in the face of climate change and shifting collective values. Open worldwide to architects with a professional degree earned in the last eight years, the fellowship awards $100,000 for research to be completed within 18 months, with results shared through the Washington University and AIA St. Louis communities. Applications, including a portfolio, research proposal, and supporting materials, are due by November 1, 2025. |
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The Future of Design and Construction: Collaboration, Implementation, and Adoption |
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The Future of Design and Construction: Collaboration, Implementation, & Adoption Industry Summit will unite three of our annual gatherings into one comprehensive and future-focused event. Together, we will spotlight the critical importance of collaborative approaches, effective implementation strategies, and the widespread adoption of innovation and technology across the design and construction lifecycle. |
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2026 FORM Student Innovation Competition Now Open! |
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Submit your furniture design projects by Feb. 27, 2026, for your chance to win a trip to join Formica Corporation at NeoCon 2026 and a cash prize!
Formica Corporation invites architecture and design students to submit a furniture design embodying the theme “mood-boosting design”.
As expressive, meaningful and mood-boosting spaces are on the rise, Formica Corporation is inviting students to answer the call and create furniture pieces that inspire, emotionally uplift and spark joy. This can come to life, for example, with bold colors, unexpected color combinations, layered textures — all elements that can be achieved by experimenting with optical and physical textures across Formica Corporation’s product range. Pieces can be used for any residential and commercial setting and must incorporate at least three or more Formica® Brand and/or FENIX® products.
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Upcoming TSA Events & Call For Volunteers |
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Looking to take a more active role in the TSA? We’re currently working on some exciting initiatives and need your help to make them happen! From a day of fun with our Kids’ Main Street program to multiple recurring roles joining us over the next year of TSA programming, we’re sure you will find an initiative that is right for you. For our fall 2025 Call for TSA Volunteers, we have four open calls throughout several of our programs. Check out each of the calls below to learn more:
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Link: torontosocietyofarchitects.ca/announcements/call-for-tsa-volunteers-fall-2025/
TSA CONNECT: Volunteering
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Brief Description: For our next session of our TSA CONNECT networking events, we’re so excited to be bringing back one of our favourite topics: volunteering! Come join us for a night of networking and relationship building with Featured Guests representing a wide variety of volunteer roles and organizations. If you are looking to give back to the community, this is the perfect event to see what opportunities are out there for both senior and first-time volunteers.
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Date/Time: Wednesday, October 8, 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM (Doors Open: 6:30 PM)
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Location: Centre for Social Innovation: Annex - Lounge, 720 Bathurst St, Toronto
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Price: $15 + HST General Admission, FREE for TSA Members (student membership is free!) Tickets are sure to sell out, so make sure to secure your spot soon!
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Event Link: torontosocietyofarchitects.ca/events/tsa-connect-2025-volunteering/
TSA Boat Tours (new!)
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Brief Description: All aboard!! Come set sail with the TSA as we take you on an architectural boat tour of Toronto’s Inner Harbour. Hosted by our TSA Tour Guides aboard the Miss Kim Simpson vessel, these 90-minute cruises will reveal the fascinating story behind the buildings and landscapes of Toronto’s Inner Harbour all from the comfort of our enclosed boat.
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Dates: Sept. 20 - Oct. 5 (select dates, see link for full schedule)
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Price: $30 General Admission, $15 for TSA Members (student membership is free!)
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Link: torontosocietyofarchitects.ca/tours/type/boat-tours/
TSA Walking Tours (Less than 2 months left to the 2025 season!)
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Brief Description: All summer through to the end of October, join the TSA for fun and informative walks as we share some of the many captivating stories behind Toronto’s buildings and landscapes through our TSA Walking Tours. From well-known landmarks to hidden treasures, our volunteer TSA tour guides will share tales that will help you uncover the untold stories of our city’s built environment. Tours are 1.5-2 hours in length and we have 11 unique themes to choose from (new 2025 tour: King Spadina)!
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Dates: May – October 25, 2025 (see link for full schedule)
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Price: $15 General Admission, Free for TSA Members (student membership is free!)
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Link: torontosocietyofarchitects.ca/tours/type/walking-tours/
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2025 Canadian Engineering Graduate Studies Fair |
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If you are thinking about grad school, the 2025 Canadian Engineering Graduate Studies Fair with Canada's top Engineering Master's and PhD programs will be held at TMU next week on Thursday, September 24 from 2:00 – 5:00 pm at The Sears Atrium.
Representatives from all 7 partner universities will be there. You can register at engineeringgradstudies.com/register. |
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Creating the City Within the City Competition |
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What is the “Creating the City within the City” competition?
An architecture ideas competition led by the McEwen School of Architecture, in collaboration with Vista Hospitality Co. Canada / Elm Place, open to architecture students and to intern architects. It offers the opportunity for entrants to think creatively about the potential adaptation of the Elm Place shopping center located in the heart of downtown Sudbury, filling in urban voids around the mall and building on top of/within the mall to transform an inward-facing commercial complex into a more diverse, vibrant and livable place by introducing new residential program.
The competition will demonstrate how architecture can lead the way in urban regeneration by rethinking the shopping mall so it can play a key role in transforming the Sudbury downtown core into the vibrant neighborhood it once was.
The competition calls the architects of tomorrow to imagine how we can reclaim space, redefine urban living, and create (or recreate) the city within the city…
Deadline to submit proposal: October 17th at 2 PM EST
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Competition - Spatializing Justice: Building Blocks
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Critical intervention into the urban field requires first recognizing the contested spatial and institutional power dynamics that drive today’s urban and bio-regional crises. The 2026 Lyceum Fellowship competition asks participants to first expose and visualize a particular conflict—reflecting on the requisite political, economic, social, and spatial processes—then design the conditions to tackle this conflict. |
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Alumni News |
You’re Invited: Oct. 3 - BArchSc consultation session with alumni (2019-2025) |
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Friday, October 3 10:00 - 11am EDT
Location: TMU Architecture Building (325 Church St.), ARC 206.
DAS Alumni,
Did you graduate from TMU’s B.Arch.Sc program in the last 6-years? Would you like to participate in a consultation session to help our undergraduate program grow and evolve?
This session is part of our Periodic Program Review (PPR), required by the Ontario’s Quality Council. It will be led by three external reviewers (two architecture professors from other Ontario universities and a professor from TMU, outside of DAS).
During this one-hour session you will be asked to provide feedback on your experience in the program, and share perspectives on the curriculum, extracurricular activities, overall effectiveness, and areas in need of enhancement.
RSVP Now - by September 29.
In-person participation is encouraged. A follow-up communication will be sent to confirmed attendees before October 3.
Thank you for your support and participation! |
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Call For Mentors |
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Are you ready to give back to the next generation of architecture leaders?
The Discover Mentorship Program at FEAS matches senior career professionals with third and fourth year students. Our goal is to provide students with professional development, support, and guidance as they prepare to embark in meaningful careers.
Mentorship can inspire and motivate students to achieve their full potential in the transition from university to the professional world. If you have five years of career experience and would like to learn more about getting involved as a mentor, please contact Kieran Lynch at kieran.lynch@torontomu.ca.
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Missed an event? |
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Most of our guest lectures are live-streamed. Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch our recordings! |
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Department of Architectural Science, Toronto Metropolitan University
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