Waterloo Architecture Students Reimagine Affordable Housing for Kensington Market

Earlier this month, students from the University of Waterloo School of Architecture showcased innovative housing concepts in Toronto’s Kensington Market as part of an exhibition titled “What Could a Community Land Trust Neighbourhood Look Like?” The exhibition, held December 13 - 21, featured work from the studio course “Architectures of Relation: Infilling Affordable Housing in Kensington Market,” led by Associate Professor Adrian Blackwell.

The course partnered with the Kensington Market Community Land Trust (KMCLT) to explore strategies for securing affordability and resisting gentrification in one of Toronto’s most culturally vibrant neighborhoods. Students analyzed local conditions and proposed infill designs that integrate new housing into the existing urban fabric while respecting community culture.

Student contributors included: Andy Chen, Graydon Clarke, Gretta Duggan, Isaac Duong, Kavyah Gandhiram, Afra Nawar, Sophie Nicholls, Matthias Pahlavi, Nabeeha Rahman, Kalen Schellenberg, Alessia Sciardi, Cecilia Sereda, Sophie Spiegl, Lamiya Effat Ummay, and Leah Woo with graduate student support from Daniel Beg.

The initiative was part of “End Housing Alienation Now!”, a nationwide Superstudio involving 14 architecture schools committed to addressing Canada’s housing emergency. By collaborating with KMCLT, Waterloo students contributed design ideas that support the trust’s mission to provide long-term, community-controlled housing.