For nearly thirty incoming graduate students, the fall term meant the beginning of their masters degree, when they initiated their pursuit of an independent architectural thesis. The Waterloo Architecture graduate program is increasingly drawing students from across the country, with applicants from Dalhousie, Ryerson, and Carleton Universities, as well as internationally, from Asia and the Middle East, to pursue academic research and design here in Cambridge. This past term, Associate Professor Val Rynnimeri and new Associate Professor, Mona El Khafif offered two M1 Studios, which provided both catalyst and organizational framework for developing each student’s thesis proposition. Each studio saw a diverse breadth of research objectives, ranging from proposals for new theoretical urbanisms to explorations in responsive architecture, from illustrated architectural narratives to speculations on digital infrastructure. What was produced over the course of the term was a depth of research, critical analysis, and initial explorations that serve as a foundation for their forthcoming graduate thesis.
The M1 Open Studio Night served to collectively culminate the term’s endeavours and present the M1 students’ thesis work to the broader school community. On Wednesday, December 18th, the loft was a buzz of activity as graduate students and professors mingled, discussing the research and ideas pursued over the course of the term. Each M1 student presented their work on a series of posters that displayed both their overall thesis objective and supporting research and initial speculations. The event exposed the diversity of work and rich academic culture of the masters program here at Waterloo and connected students with potential collaborators and academic advisors.
To continue uncovering the diverse extent of graduate work happening within and beyond the walls of the school, we will be posting a series that profiles these (otherwise somewhat anonymous) masters students. Look for more masters on Bridge in the coming weeks!
Photo credit: Chanel Dehond.
