Magdalena Kaczmarczyk, master's in Architecture

As a recipient of the Graduate Studies International Experience Award, Magdalena (she/her) was given the opportunity to travel to Rome, Italy, during her Master’s of Architecture degree. Thanks to the scholarship, she was able to join the current undergraduate cohort as part of the Rome program, an otherwise integral experience that was lost during her undergrad degree due to Covid-19. In addition to this foundational experience, Magdalena was able to further develop her thesis and engage with her research material in a personal way. 

Her research involves looking at Architectural Utopias and analysing them through the Italian Avant-Garde movement in the 1970’s. The experience allowed Magdalena the opportunity to look at intimately understanding and appreciating architecture through important historical architectural sites, and understanding thematic trends of utopia through local museums, artists, and visiting ideal cities. The research visit to Italy didn’t just reinforce Magdalena’s knowledge of the roots of architecture, but had ultimately benefited her as a future architect.

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Graduate Student International Experience award funds are available to University of Waterloo graduate students who participate in:

• an academic exchange
• a study term abroad related to research or an academic requirement
• work, or volunteer experience in another country.