Waterloo Students work showcased at Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery

Avery Ross, Kate Cummings, and Megan Sobkowich

Inspired by the dynamic, flowing form of kelp, Fronds presents a customizable, modular screen system that conveys a sense of movement and softness in juxtaposition with its masonry context. The undulating geometry and edge overhangs create an illusion of fluidity, while inverse symmetry within the modules allows the assembly to function as a threshold, filtering views and light through the ceramic curtain. Building on this formal expression, Fronds provides opportunities for a highly variable system that achieves a wide range of apertures by modifying the inner curvilinear partitions of each unit while maintaining a consistent exterior geometry. This geometric differentiation approach achieves a strong compromise between visual complexity and constructability, reducing construction costs by facilitating assembly and installation while maintaining a high level of visual interest and formal richness. 

Kalen Schellenberg, Nabeeha Rahman, and Mariem Saad

Morpha explores a gradient of apertures across a series of X-shaped units. Each unit embodies a push-and-pull dynamic: as the form experiences more tension, the apertures open wider, creating a dynamic interplay of enclosure and release across the surface. Functionally, the façade provides visual permeability and privacy while modulating light, shadow, and airflow. Aesthetically, it creates a cohesive, visually engaging surface where units interact purposefully with one another. Acting as a threshold condition, the wall mediates transitions between spaces, encouraging user engagement through shifting levels of openness and visibility. The system allows numerous configurations through its modular unit design, offering customizable arrangements with varied connections that respond to specific spatial needs. What makes Morpha unique is its adaptability: the design can grow, compress, or reconfigure while maintaining a consistent, workable scale, offering endless possibilities for site-specific expression. 

Ian Bryane, Brienna Tran, and Mikayla Brennan

Architecture is a visual profession, where spaces and buildings often overlook the needs of the visually impaired who rely on non-visual cues to navigate and orient themselves within buildings. Clay 3D Printing offers a high level of customization and textural qualities, uniquely positioned to develop tactile environments that support universal accessibility through tactile functional features such as braille dots. The architectural feature composed of clay bricks embedded with braille, forming navigable surface language and undulating wave-patterned bricks that frame the braille elements and the wall. The custom clay brick feature transforms the wall into an active wayfinding system, communicating location, changes in level, and approaching doors, corners, or thresholds through both touch and sight. By embedding tactile and visual cues within fabricated masonry, Texturizing Wayfinding positions architecture as multi-sensory medium, where accessibility is integrated into design to ensure equitable access for visually impaired users.