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Creativity and Community Core Components of Architecture Career

Creativity and Community Core Components of Architecture Career

Two Northern Ontario Master of Architecture Alumni say the career is better than they could have imagined.

January 15, 2024 - When Laurentian University welcomed the inaugural class to the McEwen School of Architecture in 2013, Taylor Kreps was part of that cohort. Today she is a Project Architect at an architectural firm based in Sudbury. Alain Roy works at the same Northern Ontario firm as an Intern Architect. The road to becoming an architect is long but according to these two Laurentian alumni, it’s also full of rewarding experiences. 

To become a licensed architect, a person has to complete their undergraduate degree in Architectural Studies, their graduate degree in Architecture, and then complete a certain number of hours as an intern at an architecture firm. Throughout the entire process, the learning is hands-on. Students start working with materials in the shop in their first year of study. 

Taylor says that from the beginning, her values as an architect were being formed by her experience in the program. “Part of being a good architect is listening. Almost everything we did in the program at Laurentian was in groups or teams, always involving the community,” says Taylor. “It built my understanding of how to be an architect but also built my love of working with communities.” 

Alain Roy, just beginning his career having graduated from the Master of Architecture program in 2022, recently supported a project that involved designing an addition to the Louis-Riel Centre at College Boreal. “It’s a place where Indigenous students and community members can gather,” Alain explained. “The project has been a learning experience for me. It is currently being constructed and I have really enjoyed being a part of the design team from the start.”

Both Taylor and Alain are from Ontario and knew they wanted to be licensed here but more than that, they wanted their education to happen in the North because they love what the area has to offer. “Sudbury offers so much for architects. There are large scale commercial projects and intimate community-based projects all within this huge Northern Ontario geographical area,” says Taylor. “Having grown up in the north and in a small community, learning in this setting was a big factor in shaping my student experience.” The setting was a determining factor for Alain as well, “I wanted to stay in the North but most of all, I wanted to be able to study and practice in French. Now in my work, many of my colleagues are bilingual and I often work on projects that require bilingualism. It’s a core value for me.” 

Taylor, on the other hand, is four-years-in to her career and is starting to visualize what the future looks like for her. She loves the firm where she works and is hoping to take on leadership roles on projects. “I like design and I like exploring how to effectively serve the community with well-designed spaces. For example, I like working on healthcare projects because the final product really supports the needs of the community.” Taylor worked with a team on the emergency department addition at the Manitoulin Health Centre and cites that project as being a most fulfilling and favoured project for her. 

For future students considering the program, both Taylor and Alain agree that creativity, community, and hands-on learning are key to a well-rounded education. “We are taught to be crafts people. We understand detailing and we understand design. The education we received offered enough of a spectrum that students are prepared for any aspect of the field and can pick what they want the focus of their work to be,” said Taylor. Alain agrees, advising future students to “make the most of it and enjoy the creative freedom in school”. Both are as enthusiastic about their love of their career as they are for their love of their community. “This career is better than I ever expected. I love it.” 

McEwen School of Architecture students celebrate successful Nuit Blanche

McEwen School of Architecture students celebrate successful Nuit Blanche

Event well attended by community members across Northern Ontario

(March 30, 2023) - On Saturday, March 25th, Laurentian University’s McEwen School of Architecture (MSoA) students curated the fifth annual Nuit Blanche, an evening dedicated to celebrating unity, culture and pride within Sudbury’s arts community. Nuit Blanche was first conceived by MSoA students in 2017 and involves art installations, musical and dance performances, as well as local vendors.  

“Nuit Blanche is all about bringing students and the northern community together through art and music,” explained Event Coordinator, Jenna El Takkale (Cairo, Egypt), third year Architectural Studies student. “Being able to enjoy artistic experiences as a community is powerful, and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate many artists from across Northern Ontario.” 

Nuit Blanche refers to night-time arts festivals that have become popular across the world. 

According to El Takkale, the success of Nuit Blanche was made possible by a team of passionate student volunteers. Alongside her, student leads coordinated and curated an event that was enjoyed by hundreds of visitors to the MSoA: 

  • Artist management lead: Sophie Jenson (Bradford, ON), 3rd year Architectural Studies student;
  • Music lead: Melanie Vanco (Sudbury, ON), 4th year Architectural Studies student;
  • Vendor lead: Siah Klassen (Emonston, AB), 3rd year Architectural Studies student; 
  • Media lead: Tanya D’Souza (Lubumbashi, DR Congo), 4th year Architectural Studies student; 
  • Graphic design lead: Justine Raso (Hamilton, ON), 3rd Architectural Studies student. 

Many special guests performed at this year’s Nuit Blanche, including:

  • Indigenous Pow Wow performers such as LU’s Drumming Circle; 
  • Bad Actors, a local acoustic duo that played original folk music on banjo and guitar;
  • Sierra MacMillan, talented 4th year Architectural Studies indie-alternative acoustic musician;
  • Cassidy Houston, LU alumna and local folk singer and songwriter;
  • Spiced Islands; local funk rock hand; 
  • Teleporters, local rock band;
  • Nico See at the Boulevard, hip hop rap artist from New Liskeard (ON), accompanied by live music.

“Local vendors were also on the scene,” said El Takkale. “It felt great to be able to support Northern Ontario small businesses by inviting them to be a part of Nuit Blanche.” 

“Nuit Blanche is an important student-led tradition at the McEwen School of Architecture,” said Dr. Tammy Gaber, Director of the McEwen School of Architecture. “Our students have hosted several very successful Nuit Blanches, including in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. This year’s Nuit Blanche was no exception in its grandeur. The creative energies of our MSoA student body and members of the local community were celebrated, and this event was enjoyed by all who attended.” 

Architecture students are already excited about next year’s event, as the intention is for Nuit Blanche to return to being delivered annually. This year’s Nuit Blanche returned after a two year (2021 and 2022) hiatus that was catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic. “It felt amazing to be able to offer Nuit Blanche once again to a community that I am proud to be a part of,” said El Takkale.

Laurentian soon to celebrate graduates at 2022 fall convocation

Laurentian soon to celebrate graduates at 2022 fall convocation

Ceremonies will occur on October 29, 2022.

(October 27, 2022) - Laurentian University looks forward to celebrating a new cohort of graduates at the upcoming fall convocation. Ceremonies will be held on Saturday, October 29th at 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to commemorate the achievements of nearly four hundred graduating students. For those who are unable to attend in-person, the ceremonies will be live streamed on laurentian.ca. 

Twinkle Arora is one of these graduates, eager to travel north with her family from her home community in Toronto (ON) to attend convocation. She recently defended her thesis, “Finding friends in fiction: Fan writing, parasocial interactions and social belongingness,” a study that she describes “explored how creative writing impacts social functioning by way of parasocial interactions, or in other words, one-sided imaginary connections with media/textual characters.”  

Dr. Arora will obtain her PhD Human Studies and Interdisciplinarity.

“I am driven by my love of research and the wish to contribute to the broader sphere of knowledge,” she described. “My supervisors, Drs. Parveen Nangia, Hoi Cheu and Cynthia Whissell, have been instrumental in the successful completion of my doctoral degree. I can’t thank them enough for their continued mentorship and encouragement. I am also extremely grateful for my friends, peers and professors at LU whom I shared my academic journey with. The culmination of my studies brings me great joy, and I look forward to sharing my skills with the real world. I will cherish the plethora of good memories that I cultivated at Laurentian University.”

Connor Smith, from Red Lake (ON) is another fall graduate. He first attended Laurentian in 2016 to obtain his Bachelor of Architectural Studies in 2020. He has now completed the requirements of his Masters in Architecture.  

“Growing up in remote Northwestern Ontario, architecture never really held meaning because the majority of the buildings constructed were built cheaply and end with the absence of creativity. It wasn't until high school that my perspective changed… I chose Laurentian University to allow for a more hands-on creation process with design-build. I'm excited to finish my degree and complete my architectural requirements to become a licensed architect in Ontario to help the people of Northwestern Ontario in the remote areas in which I grew up,” contemplated Smith about the completion of his degree. 

Congratulations to all graduates, and best of luck in your future endeavors.

Learn more about convocation ceremonies and get to know other graduates on https://laurentian.ca/alumni/convocation.