Waterloo Engineering grad from the School of Architecture turns talent for drawing into a flourishing academic career
A passion for art and drawing led Nicole Cao to pursue a degree in architecture, a journey that has now led to graduate studies at Yale University. Studying at the University of Waterloo’s School of Architecture and living in Cambridge, Ontario provided Cao with unique experiences that inspired a desire to continue learning and researching in her field.
“Architecture is an interdisciplinary subject,” Cao says, reflecting on why she chose her program. “Buildings are where all sorts of ideas about culture, science and technology intersect.” Her decision to pursue a career in architecture was cemented during an exchange program in Germany. “Being in a new country really emphasized to me the connection between people and their environment, and how both are shaped by one another.”
As a talented artist, Cao also saw studying architecture as an opportunity to harness her creative abilities. “One of the first things that you’re told in architecture school is that architects don't make buildings, they make drawings of buildings,” Cao shares. “Beyond just buildings, I was most interested in the idea of drawing as a way to explore and communicate new ideas about space and its implications.”
As recognition for her capacity for innovation and creativity, Cao received the 2023 Azure AZ Awards' A+ Student Award in her third year at Waterloo. The award is issued annually by Toronto-based architecture and design magazine, Azure, to celebrate exceptional projects from professionals and students. Cao received this prestigious recognition for her project Solar Steps, which reimagines affordable housing using adjustable doors, windows and other thresholds.
“What I find most interesting about architecture is how it allows us to rethink the way we live, work and communicate,” Cao says. “The thesis of the project was that allowing thresholds to be adjustable could lead to a dynamic merging between private residence zones and a more public shared community space.”
As the School of Architecture celebrates its 20th anniversary of the Cambridge campus, the success of students like Cao highlights the unique strengths of the institution and its location. “The facilities and workspaces are beautiful and very well-equipped, which helps with inspiration,” Cao says. She also emphasizes the importance of making connections in the city and across the university. “The size and scale of Cambridge makes it much less intimidating to take on initiatives outside the School. There is a real opportunity to reach out, meet new people, and for your creative voice to have an impact.”
Drawing on the skillsets and experiences developed in Cambridge and from her co-ops abroad, Cao is now starting a new journey at Yale University. “The guidance I got at Waterloo really helped shape the way I approach architecture,” Cao says. “I thought as soon as I got into undergrad, there would be no room for my illustration background. But my instructors encouraged me to leverage my illustration experience as a valid part of the architectural design process I was learning to develop.”
She now plans to build on this foundation by delving into research, writing and theory, finding new ways to communicate relevant ideas about architecture and design, and all the intertwined social and cultural themes. “Architecture is still at its core a practice-based discipline,” Cao emphasizes. “Many instructors are also practitioners, and I think that’s a path I’d like to follow.”
