|
|
|
|
 |
|
Photo by Fisayo Adelusi |
In this issue: Year End Show Event Photos | Venice Biennale | TMU Awards Gala | Doors Open TO & More! |
| \n\n\n\n\n
|
|
|
Year End Show 2025 Photos Now Online |
 |
|
Photos from opening night are now available - check them out below! |
| Event Photos |
|
|
Important Note for Students Exhibiting at the Year End Show
|
|
The exhibition closes June 23.
-
Third Year Students: Clear east-side studios by June 24 evening.
-
M.Arch Thesis Students: Remove work by June 27. Gallery must be empty by June 30 (early morning).
-
All Others: Retrieve work by July 14. No storage available—unclaimed items will be discarded.
Note: The department cannot store work. If traveling, arrange for someone to collect it. |
|
|
|
Thank you again to our amazing Year End Show Sponsors! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TMU Awards Gala Celebrates Outstanding Contributions
|
|
|
 |
|
Professor Hitesh Doshi |
|
|
 |
|
Associate Professor Dr. Terri Peters
|
|
|
 |
|
Associate Professor Yew-Thong Leong |
|
 |
|
Instructor Scott Sørli |
|
|
|
The Toronto Metropolitan University community gathered on May 8th for the annual TMU Awards Gala, recognizing faculty members who exemplify excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement. Among the honorees were four distinguished members of the Department of Architectural Science (DAS):
Dr. Terri Peters earned the Dean’s Teaching Award for the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science. Read more about the Dean's Teaching Awards - Faculty recipients
Prof. Yew-Thong Leong earned the Alan Shepard Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Employee Award
Read more about the Alan Shepard Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award recipients
Prof. Hitesh Doshi was acknowledged by TMU President and Vice-Chancellor Mohamed Lachemi for 30 years of service to Toronto Metropolitan University.
CUPE instructor Scott Sorli earned the Joe Zboralski Teaching and Community Engagement Award. Read more about this award.Read more about the Joe Zboralski Teaching and Community Engagement Award recipient.
As DAS Chair Lisa Landrum remarked, “these awards for teaching and service speak to the outstanding contributions of these four colleagues and to the overall commitment and care of the Department in providing the best possible learning experience for students.”
Congratulations to all the awardees! A longer story will be published in our next issue.
|
|
|
DAS Shines at Venice Architecture Biennale with Groundbreaking Bio-Architecture Exhibit
|
 |
|
DAS is making waves on the global stage at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, where Professor Vincent Hui and the Living Room Collective unveiled Picoplanktonics—a revolutionary living architecture installation in the Canada Pavilion.
A Living, Breathing Architectural Innovation
Picoplanktonics features the world’s largest 3D-printed living structures, made from cyanobacteria. These dynamic, growing forms challenge traditional construction by demonstrating how architecture can collaborate with nature to heal ecosystems. The pavilion has been specially adapted to nurture the structures, with caretakers (including TMU students) tending to them throughout the exhibition.
TMU’s Role in the Project
Professor Hui, alongside collaborators from ETH Zurich and the University of Toronto, contributed to this four-year research effort, which merges biotechnology, sustainability, and design. Several TMU students helped produce visualizations and will assist in maintaining the exhibit in Venice, gaining hands-on experience in cutting-edge ecological design.
Rethinking Architecture for a Changing Planet
In response to the climate crisis, Picoplanktonics reimagines construction as an act of stewardship rather than exploitation. As Hui explains:
"This project isn’t just about building—it’s about co-existing with living systems. We’re showing how design can actively repair the environment."
The Biennale runs until November 23, 2025. Explore more at the Picoplanktonics website.
|
|
|
Say hello to Wave ん
New entry installation showcases DAS presence and pizzazz
|
 |
|
The ん Wave is a new installation at the Architecture Building’s Church Street entrance, replacing the previous 2022 Cloud installation. Designed and fabricated by students and staff, ん Wave tests the capabilities of plastic composite rice husk wood and digital fabrication to create a playful configuration of curving planks that weave themselves into the existing landscaping, and provide an armature for future plantings. The cascading and cantilevering planks welcome visitors as they ascend the steps and announce the Department of Architectural Science with signage to those passing by on the street.
Student Design Team: Leshin Chew, Samantha Wu, Jeffrey Zee. Student Fabrication Team: Katy Cao, Bernadette Galingan, Sana Galloway, Cici Huang, Avery Jordan, Grace Lee, Massimo Montanari, Angel Nguyen Tran, Rafa Tohan, Jade Yu Tung Wong. Workshop Staff: Jordan So, Jason Ramelson, Filip Tisler. Supervisor: Prof. William Galloway.
|
|
|
Third Year students win big for DAS Transformed
|
 |
|
Students Rachel Kim and Isobel Morris showing off their book prizes with DAS Chair Lisa Landrum and Andrew Frontini. |
|
This year the third year students took on the transformation of DAS’s own Architecture Building, as the project for their integrated studio. Led by studio coordinators Prof. Carlo Parente (fall) and Will Galloway (winter), together with a team of instructors, the students were tasked with reimagining a bigger, better and bolder school, to make TMU's Architecture Building one of the most innovative and sustainable learning spaces on campus. 14 selected team projects were submitted to a distinguished external jury, including Andrew Frontini, Principal and Design Director at Perkins&Will and Siamak Hariri, Founding Partner of Hariri Pontarini.
Stay tuned for a longer article and images of the work.
Congratulations to the entire third year class for their bold visions for the future of TMU’s Architecture Building.
|
|
|
DAS Delivers Updated Mission
|
 |
|
At its retreat on May 12, 2025, the Department of Architectural Science agreed to refine its Mission Statement. The last mission was shaped in 2006, when the Department was in the process of adding new graduate programs and adjusting its undergraduate curriculum for accreditation in alignment with the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB).
The newly refined DAS Mission maintains its four core purposes - to advance high-quality programs, professionalism, interdisciplinarity, and research - while enhancing Departmental commitments to experiential learning, critical thinking, environmental stewardship, and inclusion.
|
| Read More |
|
|
Upcoming Events |
DAS at Doors Open Toronto 2025
|
 |
|
Discover the city’s most fascinating spaces—for free! Doors Open Toronto returns the weekend of May 24th & 25th, opening doors to architecturally, historically, and culturally significant sites across the city. Our building at 325 Church St., will be open to the public. Don’t miss this chance to experience Toronto’s vibrant built environment—and see how our students and faculty are shaping its future!
Time: 10 AM – 5 PM
Share your visit: #DOT25 #TMUDAS
Stay tuned—we’ll share highlights from our community’s explorations!
|
|
|
DAS Planting Event Rescheduled
|
 |
|
The Toronto Metropolitan University Community Planting that was cancelled on Tuesday April 29th due to inclement weather has been rescheduled to take place on Monday May 26th from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.
We would love to see you there! Please re-register at the new event page.
Thank you for your continued support. We're excited to plant native shrubs on TMU's campus with you! |
|
|
Extracurricular |
Mahin Haynes earns Norman Esch Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award
|
|
Mahin Haynes, DAS Co-op student at Giannone Petricone Associates, has earned the Stage 1 Norman Esch Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award for terraLoop—a groundbreaking solution transforming excavated soil into on-site structural materials.
Turning Waste into Opportunity
terraLoop brings an soil‑upcycling plant directly to the construction site, turning excavated soil into building material. This eliminates hauling costs, shrinks schedules, and reduces the embodied carbon in one integrated process. The process builds on research from two papers: the mix‑design methodology outlined in The Development of Soil‑Based 3D‑Printable Mixtures and ETH Zurich’s recent work on robotic earth‑material printing. |
| Read More |
|
|
External Events & Opportunities |
Employment Opportunity at AZ Awards Gala for DAS Students
|
|
AZURE is looking for enthusiastic and reliable students to assist with various tasks during the upcoming AZURE + AZ Awards Celebration, which will be held on June 19, 2025, at the Evergreen Brick Works (550 Bayview Avenue, Toronto ON M4W 3X8).
Selected students will receive $17.50 per hour and will be assigned to two (2) distinct shifts: a Daytime shift from 11am to 4pm and an Evening shift from 4pm to 12am. They are looking to hire 15 students per shift.
Interested students can apply by emailing events@azureonline.com by Friday, May 9.
|
|
|
Competition launched to imagine future of public washrooms in Toronto
|
 |
|
The Toronto Public Space Committee has launched a global design competition aimed at imagining the future of public washrooms in the city.
The global design competition invites designers, architects, urban planners, and creative thinkers from around the world to propose design ideas for inclusive and innovative public washrooms to help advocate and spread awareness for the urgent need of a robust public washroom network in Toronto.
Submission Deadline: May 25, 2025
|
| Learn more |
|
|
The Michael Evamy Scholarship for Architecture Students presented by DIALOG |
|
Are you an architecture student with a big idea? The Michael Evamy Scholarship offers up to $8,000 to support your final research thesis that advances your knowledge and career. This prestigious award, established in honour of Michael Evamy, supports students (graduate and undergraduate) in Canadian architecture programs as they explore a topic of their choice, enriching their personal and professional growth. Find more information about application requirements, funding specifics and eligibility here.
Deadline to submit is 11:59 p.m. MT on May 21, 2025.
|
| Learn more |
|
|
Student Competition:
Retrofit of an Existing Institutional Building |
 |
|
The 2025 Student Retrofit Competition, launching February 3, challenges students to redesign the enclosure of a 40+ year-old institutional building on their university campus. Participants will enhance thermal performance, energy efficiency, and aesthetics while maintaining the building’s original functions. The competition involves performance analysis, design proposals, and a 10-minute video presentation outlining solutions. Winning teams will present at the BSAO Fall Seminar & AGM on October 8, gaining industry recognition and networking opportunities. Submissions are due June 27—register your Intent to Submit today! |
| Learn more |
|
|
2025 Lyceum Competition:
A Community for the Future of Food |
|
Submission Deadline: Thursday, May 22, 2025, 8:00 PM EDT.
https://competition.lyceum-fellowship.org/
Calling all architecture students! The 2025 Lyceum Competition, A Community for the Future of Food, challenges participants to reimagine two reclaimed buildings along Bridgetown, Barbados’s iconic Carlisle Bay. Guided by Program Author and Jury Chair Pierre Serrao (Black Star Barbados, Ghetto Gastro), this year’s theme focuses on sustainable design rooted in the region’s culinary heritage.
Your mission: transform these beachfront spaces into dynamic hubs for culinary innovation and community connection. Highlighting the disparities in the Caribbean's food system, this competition encourages designs that promote ecological farming, local consumption, and cultural pride. Don't miss this opportunity to shape the future of food in the world’s youngest nation!
|
| Learn more |
|
|
Upcoming TSA Events |
|
TSA Open Studio (as part of Doors Open TO)
-
Description: Ever wondered what an architect’s studio looks like? Well now is your chance to find out! For TSA Open Studio 2025, come visit one (or all!) of the 12 amazing studios opening their doors this year, meet the people behind our built environment, and talk to the architects, landscape architects, planners, and interior designers helping shape our city. Explore their workspaces and see how buildings and landscapes go from ideas to built realities! This year you can also visit a number of related sites including the OAA Headquarters, and the schools of architecture at UofT and TMU, who will be exhibiting the work of current students.
-
Date: Saturday & Sunday, May 24-25, 2025
-
Time: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Note: not all sites are open both days)
-
Location: Various locations across Toronto
-
Price: FREE
-
Event Link: https://torontosocietyofarchitects.ca/events/doors-open-toronto-2025-open-studio/
TSA Architects Talk: Spaces For Play (as part of Doors Open TO)
-
Description: When was the last time you went out and played? Join the Toronto Society of Architects (TSA) and Doors Open Toronto for our 2025 Architects Talk as our speakers engage in a series of fast-paced presentations exploring their work encouraging play in our city's public spaces. The presentations will be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A.
-
Date: Sunday, May 25, 2025
-
Time: 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
-
Location: 1 Spadina Cres (Daniels Building Main Hall), Toronto, ON M5S 2J5
-
Price: FREE (RSVP required)
-
Event Link: https://torontosocietyofarchitects.ca/events/doors-open-toronto-2025-architects-talk-spaces-for-play/
TSA Playground Tours (as part of Doors Open TO)
-
Description: This year’s Doors Open theme is all about play, so come out and play with the TSA at three special tours exploring some of Toronto’s most interesting playgrounds! Join us and the teams at DTAH, Earthscape Play, PLANT Architect Inc, and PMA Landscape Architects as we discuss the behind-the-scenes stories of three Toronto playgrounds:
-
Date: Saturday & Sunday, May 24-25, 2025
-
Time: 1 hour tours offered at various times throughout the weekend
-
Price: FREE (RSVP required)
-
Event Link: https://torontosocietyofarchitects.ca/announcements/come-out-and-play-with-the-tsa-at-doors-open-toronto-2025/
TSA Walking Tours are back!
-
Description: Get your walking shoes ready – TSA Walking Tours are back! 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 season of public tours, ON NOW through October. 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 approx. 2 hours in length and this year we have 12 unique themes to choose from!
-
Dates: May 10 – October, 2025
-
Times: Every weekend (please see link for full schedule)
-
Price: $15 General Admission, FREE for TSA Members (student membership is free!)
-
Event Link: https://torontosocietyofarchitects.ca/tours/
Come March with the TSA at the 2025 Pride Toronto Parade!
-
Description: Come join the TSA and help us represent the architecture and construction industry in one of the largest celebrations of diversity anywhere in the world! This year we have 100 spots available for TSA Members, family, friends, and colleagues to join us during the march. All participants will receive a TSA Pride t-shirt and get to be a part of this year's float! We will be accepting registrations until the day of the parade (June 29) OR whenever all 100 spots have been filled, whichever comes sooner. So make sure to register early to secure your spot!
-
Date: Sunday afternoon, June 29, 2025
-
Price: FREE
-
Register: Send a quick email to the TSA for the link to register! https://torontosocietyofarchitects.ca/contact-us/
The TSA Invites You to Drop By Their Pride Street Fair Booth!
-
Description: The TSA is excited to be once again hosting a booth in the annual Pride Toronto Street Fair where we’ll have an exhibition remembering and celebrating our city’s Queer Spaces, as well as selling some queer space merchandise. They invite everyone to come visit their booth during Pride to learn more about Toronto’s 2SLGBTQ+ spaces, contribute to the conversation, and pick up some limited-edition merch!
-
Date: Friday-Sunday, June 27-29, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
TMU Programming |
Bytes & Barriers: Addressing Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence for Women and Girls with Disabilities |
 |
|
May 28, 2025, 8:30 am - 6 pm
Oakham Lounge – 35 Gould St, TMU (in-person & virtual)
Breakfast & Lunch provided for in-person attendees
RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/bytes-barriers
This public symposium will bring together researchers, advocates, and policymakers to address technology-facilitated GBV and its impact on women and girls with disabilities.
For access inquiries, please contact Tarndeep Pannu at tarndeep.pannu@torontomu.ca by May 15, 2025.
|
|
|
Architecture Camp Summer 2025 Now Accepting Applications! |
 |
|
DAS presents this week-long camp for campers looking to unleash their creativity! Campers learn from some of the top Architectural Science students at Toronto Metropolitan, and participate in innovative and engaging team and individual exercises.
Each week's program culminates in a distinct take-home project that campers develop and take home on the final day of the week.
Camp days comprise an even balance of Architecture programming and physically active Camp games, so your camper goes home each day having nurtured both their body and brain.
The curriculum for Architecture Camp is developed by Prof. Vince Hui, who is a past recipient of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations Teacher Award.
|
| Learn more |
|
|
|
|
Nominations Now Open for the Viola Desmond Awards |
|
The Viola Desmond Awards are here! Recognizing the outstanding impact of Black women and gender-diverse people in our community. #ViolaDesmondAwards
The 2024 Viola Desmond Awards and Bursary Program is led by the Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion (OVPECI). This year, OVPECI is partnering with the Lincoln Alexander School of Law, with contributions from campus partners serving on the Viola Desmond Planning Committee.
Submit a nomination to the Viola Desmond Awards by June 10.
|
| Learn more |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Missed an event? |
|
|
Most of our guest lectures are live-streamed. Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch our recordings! |
|
| YouTube Channel |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2024 Department of Architectural Science, Toronto Metropolitan University, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you are part of the Department of Architectural Science, Toronto Metropolitan (formerly Ryerson) University community.
Our mailing address is:
Department of Architectural Science, Toronto Metropolitan University
325 Church Street
Toronto, ON M5B 2K3
Canada |
|
|
|
|
