News

The University of Waterloo School of Architecture in Cambridge is showcasing student-led research that responds to community needs at local and international scales. Two recent projects highlight how Waterloo students combine design, technology, and collaboration to advance affordable housing and accessibility.

Waterloo Architecture Professor Lola Sheppard is co-curator of Sikumit Aisimajugut / At Home on Ice, an exhibition that explores ideas of home and housing across Inuit Nunangat—from the intimate scale of domestic spaces to the broader forces of policy, logistics, and climate change.

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.

Assistant Professor Anwar Jaber presented the paper "Tegart Forts: Materializing Palestinian Statehood in Military Structures" in November at the Architectural Humanities Research Association's 22nd Annual International Conference at the University of Liverpool, UK.

Students from the University of Waterloo School of Architecture have earned top recognition in the 4th Annual GVSA Student Competition, an event that celebrates innovation and creativity in architectural design.

After a year of dedicated work, galt. celebrated the launch of Noise on October 30 at the Bridge Centre for Architecture + Design in the Gaslight District.

School of Architecture Associate Professor Marie-Paule Macdonald contributed her expertise to a recent Toronto Star feature: “Is Toronto’s design bad for our health? How urban spaces affect well-being and how we compare to others.”

Congratulations to Project Lead Linda Zhang and the entire team behind Let’s Build a Collective Memory of Chinatown! This groundbreaking initiative has been recognized with the Heritage Toronto Public History Award, celebrating its innovative approach to preserving living heritage through community-led storytelling and design.

Two University of Waterloo architecture students, Matthew Dlugosz and Simon Liao, have been recognized for their outstanding design work at the 35th Toronto Urban Design Awards, held on September 10, 2025, at the Palais Royale.

Associate Professor Adrian Blackwell and Professor Dr. David Fortin are among the key organizers of a bold, collaborative initiative for the 2025–2026 academic year: a Superstudio focused on ending housing alienation. This nationwide effort brings together students and faculty from 14 institutions, including the University of Waterloo School of Architecture, to explore design solutions that address housing unaffordability, disrepair, precarity, and homelessness.