MICHAEL NUGENT
Nine Questions in Architecture & Craft
PORTFOLIO 2016
Hi, My name is Michael, I am a fourth year undergraduate student from the University of Waterloo, School of Architecture in Canada, currently working in Berlin. I come from a strong fabrication and industrial background which has lead my work towards finding new ways of utilizing human activity and local industries to address larger sustainability issues, using architecture & design as a means to feed back into larger urban, social and resource systems. I believe good design comes from unyielding exploration and in-depth research combined with personal observation. I am currently exploring the relationship between urban & landscape tectonics and activity & usage in creating distinct micro cultures, as a means to understand larger social issues. I am involved in a variety of initiatives which aim to bring design discourse out of the professional & academic circles and create an open dialogue about architecture and design with the broader public who live with it.
-Michael Nugent
e: mike_nugent@icloud.com w: thesocialdesigner.com p: +1 (226) 220 4117
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Contents:
4
Curriculum Vitae
6
Letters of References
8
The Evidence Room
16
Keep of Carnality
22
Urban Catalyst
30
Sanctuary
36
William Morris Chair
44
Planetterraeum
48
Art & Anvil Canada
52
The Mirror State
58
Community Involvement
3
CURRICULUM VITAE
Work Experience: Auschwitz, Musealia June 2016 - September 2016, Cambridge, Canada & San Sebastien, Spain
Research Associate and Lead Fabricator working on large urban model and eight building models for a traveling museum exhibition on Auschwitz.
The Evidence Room, la Biennale di Venezia November 2016 - May 2016, Cambridge, Canada & Venice, Italy
Undergraduate Associate responsible for the design and fabrication of two full scale model gas columns and part of installation team in Venice & Montreal.
RAW Design September 2015 - December 2015, Toronto, Canada
Architectural Intern working on Design Development and Construction Drawings for timber mid-rise residential building, sales offices and concrete high-rise in Toronto.
SPF:architects January 2015 - April 2015, Los Angeles, California
Architectural Intern responsible for model making and experimental representation techniques for an private charter school and high-end residences in Los Angeles.
Art & Anvil Canada LTD. May 2014 - August 2014, Oakville, Canada
Junior Fabricator, Blacksmith and Draftsman working in the creation of hand forged custom decorative wrought iron for high-end residences in Ontario & New York State.
Technical Skills: 3D Modeling
Manual Skills:
Rhino 5 Revit Sketch-Up RhinoCAM CNC, Laser Cutting & 3D Printing
Welding & Metal Fabrication Carpentry & Wood Working Hand Drafting Model Making Writing
2D
Office Skills:
AutoCAD V-Ray for Rhino & Sketch-Up Photoshop Illustrator InDesign After Effects 4
Word Excel Acrobat Power Point Design Research Presentations
Additional Initiatives: BRIDGE Centre for Architecture + Design December 2014 - Present, Cambridge, Canada
Undergraduate Director responsible for connecting the School of Architecture to the local community of Cambridge, Ontario through events, gallery shows, & workshops in our independently operated gallery.
Architecture Federation Orientation Committee November 2014 - November 2015, Waterloo, Canada
ArchFOC responsible for co-designing, planning, and implementing six days of events for 77 students for the Architecture Orientation Week at the University of Waterloo.
The Mirror State May 2015 - August 2015, Cambridge, Canada
Site Co-Coordinator & Shop Team responsible for finding and securing venue for theatrical production, organizing logistics, followed by construction of main stage & large set pieces.
Planetterrareum March 2014 - December 2014, Toronto, Canada
Building & Fabrication consulting during design, and fabrication of a 8m Geodesic Dome superstructure as part of a installation created for Toronto’s Nuit Blanche.
Dale Carnegie April 2014 - June 2014 & April 2013 - June 2013, Burlington, Canada
Assistant Coach returning twice, after completing the course, to help others develop personal & business skills and find way to apply the course material to their daily lives.
Published, Showcases & Awards: Architecture as Evidence
Exhibition, Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2016
To Build a Gas Column Essay, The Evidence Room, The New Jewish Press, 2016
Architecture for the Other 99% Essay, BRIDGE Centre for Architecture + Design, blog, 2015
School of Architecture Student Showcase Design at Riverside Gallery, May 2014 & May 2016
National Champion, Skills Canada Competition Architectural Technology, May 2012
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LETTERS OF REFERENCES 6
To Whom It May Concern: Michael Nugent is one of the most ambitious young men I have had the pleasure of getting to know over the last 4 years. One thing that indicated his ambition was taking the Dale Carnegie course when he was still in high school. He then came back twice to volunteer his time to continue to grow as well as to help new participants get the most from the program. I also know that he is unique in how he takes leadership among his peers to lead innovative non-core school focus projects. I find this extremely impressive! Michael also has a mature understanding of the importance of relationships. He knows that people are his greatest resource and he nurtures his network already when he hasn’t even finished his undergraduate studies yet. He knows how to keep his doors open; he sees the importance of it, and with people who may seem frustrating at times Michael is able to continue to keep those relationships strong. He also knows how to motivate others through his understanding of their motivations. I heartily recommend Michael as a leader in his current role as a student and know he will lead strongly in his career path in the future. He is a wonderful young person. Troy Treleaven
Regional Vice-President/Managing Partner Dale Carnegie Business Group 905-928-1034
May 12, 2015 To whom it may concern: It is my absolute pleasure to write a recommendation for Michael Nugent, who was under my direct supervision for numerous projects as an May 12, intern at 2015 SPF:a May 12, 2015 To whom may concern: Asitan intern Michael quickly gained respect from the entire office as whoconcern: is extremely capable, working independently or as a part To someone whom it may It isHe mywas absolute write recommendation forfilled Michael of a team. willing pleasure to accept to any roleathat was asked to be with Nugent, was under my direct supervision for numerous projects as an a senseItwho of confidence, pride and thoughtfulness. I found Michael knew is my absolute pleasure to write a recommendation for Michael intern at SPF:a when to ask as well as being able to explore Nugent, whoquestions was underand my take directdirection, supervision for numerous projects as an other and provide alternative solutions. internoptions at SPF:a As an intern Michael quickly gained respect from the entire office as someone is extremely capable, working independently orto asanalog aoffice part Michael has aMichael very well rounded set of skills from digital As anwho intern quickly gained respect the entire of asomeone team.I He wasis willing to accept that in was to be but what found sets him apart atany thisrole stage hisasked development his as who extremely capable, working independently or filled as aiswith part a sense of confidence, pride and thoughtfulness. I found Michael knew character and drive to bring success to all the projects he works on. of a team. He was willing to accept any role that was asked to be filled with when to ask questions and take direction, as well asI being to explore a sense of confidence, pride and thoughtfulness. found able Michael knew other options and provide alternative solutions. believe Michael be a great assetastobeing any firm to let when toI highly ask questions and takewill direction, as well ablewilling to explore him part ofand theirprovide team and I wish him the best of luck. otherbeoptions alternative solutions. Michael has a very well rounded set of skills from digital to analog but what I found sets him well apart at this set stage in hisfrom development is his Sincerely. Michael has a very rounded of skills digital to analog character drive to bring success to allstage the projects he works on. is his Michael but whatLindell Iand found sets him apart at this in his development character and drive to bring success to all the projects he works on. I highly believe Michael will be a great asset to any firm willing to let him be Ipart of their team and I wish him the best of luck. highly believe Michael will be a great asset to any firm willing to let him be part of their team and I wish him the best of luck. Sincerely. Michael Lindell Sincerely. Michael Lindell
Michael Lindell 310-558-0902 ext.115 Senior Designer 8609 Washington Blvd Culver City, CA 90232 Michael Lindell 310-558-0902 Michael Lindellext.115 Senior Designer 310-558-0902 ext.115 8609 Washington Senior Designer Blvd
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THE EVIDENCE ROOM 8
WHAT IS THE WORST CRIME EVER COMMITTED BY AN ARCHITECT? 15th International Architecture Exhibition la Biennale di Venezia Robert Jan van Pelt, Donald McKay, Anne Bordeleau & Sascha Hasting with Siobhan Allman, Piper Bernbaum, Anna Beznogova, Carol Kaifosh, Louis-Charles Lasnier, Anna Longrigg, Bradley Paddock & Alexandru Vilcu photos by Fred Hunsberger The Evidence Room is based on work presented by Dr. Robert Jan van Pelt, in the Irving Trial (2000) held in London, proving without a doubt that Auschwitz had been designed and used as a mass extermination camp. The exhibit delves into the camps archives and forensically analyses both drawings and building remnants, to show how the camp developed from an interment camp into highly industrialized genocide machine. The exhibition consists of two walls of plasters casts, depicting architectural drawings, letters, eye witness accounts and photographs. Within the room lie three full scale models of architectural monuments designed for dehumanized industrialize killing: A gas column, a gas proof hatch and gas proof door. My role was to design and fabricate the gas column, the key piece of evidence in the original holocaust denial case, and the only piece of evidence never recovered. Based on thorough research into the building’s operation, historical fabrication methods, local industrial resources and an understanding of the columns’ purpose we recreated how we believe it could have been built.
Model Gas Column 9
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The Evidence Room, Central Pavilion, la Biennale di Venezia 11
Evidence from Irving Trial, Cast in Plaster
Cast of Section Drawn by David Olère 12
Gas Proof Hatch with Ladder
Protected Peep Hole, Prisoner Side, Gas Proof Door 13
Gas Column Preliminary Drawings
Gas Column As-Built Drawings
Gas Column Fabrication in Hamilton, Ontario 14
Near Final Exhibition Design
Gas Column Fabrication in Hamilton, Ontario 15
KEEPER OF CARNALITY 16
HOW CAN ARCHITECTURE FRAME, THAT WHICH SOCIETY DISPLACES? Third Year Affect Design Studio Joshua Tree, California Dereck Revington
“My fascination with nature is this: Why is it that humans put on masks, or feathers to conceal their identity. And why do they saddle horse and feel the urge to chase the bad guy. Why does a chimp not utilize inferior animals. He could straddle a goat and ride off into the sunset.� -Werner Herzog (Encounters at the End of the World) While exploring transformations in matter and durational space with Dereck Revington, I was asked to distill the percept from a film clip of water displacing a grease fire and the condescension of the erupting steam cloud into a refrain which would guide the forming of an affective, heterotopic space. From those initial experiments, and heavy influence from Deuluzian philosophy, I began designing a speculative project which spacializes the deterrtorialized sexualization of our primal survival and aesthetic instincts. The project exists a ruinistic staging ground for a Burning Man style festival that manifests the sensorial and kinetic expression which has been displaced by cultural status-quos, inflecting the natural desert landscape into itself. As such monumentalizes this displacement The role of, and relevance, of architecture to affect these sensations and perception was brought into question; as was the nature of humans as complex aesthetic and expressive communal animals.
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Circulation Section 18
Entrance Plan
Arcade Section
Theatre Plan
Roof Plan 19
Exit Sequence
Sculpture Cave
Serpentine Performance Space 20
Bathhouse Section 21
URBAN CATALYST 22
WHY DON’T WE MAKE BUILDINGS THAT FEED BACK INTO THE CITY? Third Year Urban Design Studio St Lawrence Corridor, Toronto Mona El Khafif & Jason Halter
When asked to explore new types of urbanism within the city of Toronto and re-image light industrial production within dense urban centres, I began to study the relationship between supply lines and human activity. As global supply chains intensify, resources production is no longer tied to local territory and capital moves from local businesses to an open market. By shifting from highly automated to labour intensive food production, capital is injected into local economies by creating jobs while reducing the carbon footprint of shipping produce. Inspired by urban farming initiatives in Post-Cold War Havana, rural redevelopment in China and various emerging pedestrian cities North America the project aims to combine high yield hydroponic food production with commercial, residential, retail and accessible public space. The building is comprises of an elevated hydroponic circuit, surrounded by a horseshoe of residential and commercial programme. Excess light from hydroponic system is lightly shed over an elevated public plane and spills onto the park corridor creating a warm lantern within the neighborhood.
Ground Floor Plan with Redesigned Park & Streetscape 23
21-60 Days
Transplant
Gestation
8-12 Days
Seeding
Germination Pond
Harvest
Processing
Delivery
6-8 Days
Transplant
Development Pond
Transplant
Hydroponic Diagram
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Business & Retail Comparison
Food Service
Vegetation, Parking & Transit
Private/Inaccessible Property
Industrial Area
Major Tourist Attraction
Commercial Corridor
New Residential Developments
Park Corridor
Developing North/South Artery n
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Major Food Market
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Vibrant Neighborhood
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Private Row Houses Social Housing Blocks
Major Infrastructure Barrier
Site Plan 25
East Section
Underground Parking Plan 26
Hydroponic Development Plan
North Section
Hydroponic Production & Office Plan
Residential Plan 27
Steel Framing
Structural Cores
Lateral Bracing
Concrete Foundation Struts
Structural Diagram
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2% slope Drip Edge
Typical Roof Assembly 50mm Gravel Ballast Specified Waterproof Roofing Membrane with lap joints 4 x 50mm Expanded Polystyrene Insulation with staggered joists Specified Air Barrier Specified Vapour Barrier 13mm Fiberglass Sheathing 14 gauge, 38mm Corrugated Metal Decking 750mm Deep Open Web Steel Joists
Caulking with Backer Rod
2% slope
Typical Mass Wall Assembly Anodized Aluminum Panels on T-Clips Stainless Steel Fasteners 2 x 50mm Expanded Polystyrene Insulation Metal Furring 13mm Air Gap Specified Self Adhering Water Barrier with lapped joints Specified Air Barrier Specified Vapour Barrier 13mm Fiberglass Sheathing 152mm Steel Studs 16mm Type-X Gypsum Wallboard Thermal Control Water Control Air Control Vapour Control Drainage Board
Drainage Lip
34o Anti-Pigeon slope
Drip Edge
Caulking with Backer Rod Thermal Control Water Control Air Control Vapour Control Drainage Board
Typical Mass Wall Assembly Anodized Aluminum Panels on T-Clips Stainless Steel Fasteners 2 x 50mm Expanded Polystyrene Insulation Metal Furring 13mm Air Gap Specified Self Adhering Water Barrier with lapped joints Specified Air Barrier Specified Vapour Barrier 13mm Fiberglass Sheathing 152mm Steel Studs 16mm Type-X Gypsum Wallboard
Thermal Control Water Control Air Control Vapour Control Drainage Board
Threaded J-bolt
Typical Floor at Grade Assembly
Drainage Flashing
Polished Concrete Finish 200mm Cast-in-Place Concrete Floor 400mm Cast-in-Place Concrete Beams
Caulking with Backer Rod
Paver at Grade 150mm Parging
Typical Foundation Wall Assembly
Cast-in-Place Concrete Foundation
Open Cut Shoring Compacted Gravel Backfill Parging 2 x 50mm Expanded Polystyrene Insulation with metal furring 13mm Air Gap Self Adhering Water Barrier with lapped joints Air Barrier Vapour Barrier 457mm Cast-in-Place Concrete Wall
Details 29
SANCTUARY
CAN WE SHAPE SPACE AND LANDSCAPES TO HEAL MINDS? Second Year Landscape Design Studio Don Valley, Toronto Lola Sheppard
While studying the relationship between urban life in Toronto and the City’s extensive watershed system an inherent disconnect between the two became obvious, caused by underlying geography of the valleys and limited access to the river. This spacial relationship caused by the ravine system stratified the urban city from the majority of its natural park lands. I began studying the relationship between emotional states and the connection to nature. Inspired by various lookout posts, retreat lodges and the work of existing mental health centres within the city, the project aims to address mental health while progressively reintegrate visitors deeper into the Don Valley as they progress further through the building. The project is a highly curated spacial progression through expansive and contractive spaces, each designed to address a different emotional state and social relationship. Entering from street level into a public meeting area, one moves through a series of progressively smaller and more private counseling spaces, ending in a series of individual rooms, with various relationships between entry, views into the forest and lighting conditions.
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Sectional Isometric 31
Entry Plan
Mid Plan
Bottom Plan
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Site Plan 33
Tectonically Addressing Mental Health Environmental Hyper-Awareness Ambient sensory stimulation is limited through the spacial separation between rooms, using wall thickness and entry points to vary the relationship between rooms. The material nature of rammed earth provides enough visual information to mask ambient information while major building alignments prevent abrupt transitions and alcoves for surprises to leap from.
Fear of Being Watched By creating clearly defined spaces along a serpentine sequence and sculpting window apertures long slight lines through the building are minimized.
Social Anxiety Room sizes are designing to foster smaller groups, large public spaces can be circumvented via the staircase to get direct access to the intimate counseling spaces. Spacial relationships are carefully designed to created varying levels of privacy between those seeking council and the larger building.
Claustrophobia Expanding sections modulate between zones of compression and expansion, providing personal moments of comfortable enclosure.
Lack of Dignity Openings and thresholds are designed at a personal scale to create an individual relationship to the specific programme space and building as a whole.
West Section 34
East Section
Don River, Toronto
South Section A
South Section B 35
WILLIAM MORRIS CHAIR 36
HOW DOES ONE SIT, ON THE PRECIPICE OF CHANGE? Third Year Design Build & Structural Analysis
Dr. Elizabeth English with Brendan Lacy Since first learning of him I have been inspired by the life and philosophy of William Morris, a man who above all else believed that one must always expand into new fields; and that at it’s core, design frames the beauty of the world. A designer, architect, businessman, poet, philosopher, author, leader of the Arts & Crafts movement and social revolutionary who influenced European culture in as many ways at it influence him. We had to ask ourselves: How does a man who has experienced so much, sit?
A chair in many ways is both the most humble and profound piece of furniture one can own for this very reason. A desk chair epitomizes this as it must both be supportive and comfortable, while also allowing one to shift their position to find a momentary reprieve from their work and simply think. A chair, in these terms must allow one to sit and move however they wish, and above all it must allow them to rock back and think...
We designed a chair that would allow the occupant to simply lean back from working at a desk and think. We constructed two prototypes to explore the chair’s balance, structure and functionality. Finally, in true Morris we spirit we learned fine wood joinery, steam bending and glulam fabrication to construct the final chair. We then produced a full publication of the process and structural analysis.
Leaning Chair for William Morris 37
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Prototype II, Final Chair, Prototype I
Chairs in Leaning Position 39
Seat and Back Rest Construction
Saw Cut Cleanup
Glulam Fabrication
Front Leg Shaping with Hand Plane 40
Three Chairs Leaning Back
Arm Rest Support
Connection Dowels as Ornamentation
Front Leg to Seat Detail 41
CNC Layout
Prototype Assembly 42
Glulam Arch Off-Axis Stretcher
Fully Embedded Diagonal
YZ Lateral Force Resistance
Two Pin Torsional Resistance
Diaphragm Shear Resistance Two Face Bearing Resistance
XY Lateral Force Resistance
Diaphragm Shear Resistance
Two Face Bearing Resistance
Diagonal Bracing
Live Loading And Reactions
Two Pin Torsional Resistance
XZ Lateral Force Resistance 43
PLANETTERRAEUM 44
WHY DID WE STOP LOOKING UP TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS AROUND US? Nuit Blanche 2014 Fort York, Toronto Jake Read, Ali Sermol & Aaron Cote drawings by Fysal Amirzada, Michael Nugent & Keegan Steeper photos by Wesly Chu, Jonas Chin & Daniel Abad a F_rmLab installation
For Toronto’s Nuit Blanche, we created an 8m geodesic dome structure, fitted with reclaimed sail cloth screens and projected aerial footage of the Toronto and various nearby wildness up onto the inside of the dome. We designed, fund raised, programmed and constructed the dome entirely ourselves, seeking out new partnerships for the School of Architecture. My primary role in the project was to provide fabrication consulting during the design process, then form and machine the joint plates for the final structure. In addition during construction I organized the power distribution during installation. Finally I contributed a several drawings to the accompanying publication.
Dome Under Construction 45
Shipping Diagram 46
Projection Mapping
Interior Projections
Drone 3 ‘Sparky’
Joint Detail 47
ART & ANVIL CANADA 48
WHEN DOES ORNAMENT BECOME THE SUBSTANCE ITSELF? Summer 2014 Oakville, Ontario Oleg Shyshkin
While working for Oleg Skyshkin in his blacksmithing studio I learned the art of shaping and forming steel, in addition to both historic and modern fabrication methods. His work blends traditional Gothic ornamentation with Eastern European folk art for the creation of decorative wrought iron for high end residences in Southern Ontario and New York. His studio produces original, hand forged elements ranging from furniture to large gates and other outdoor elements, each one unique. He taught me the sculptural capacity of steel and various ways to construct, finish and protect it to last a lifetime. While there I predominantly worked as a welder and fabricator assembling smaller elements for interior railings and a large gate & fence in Buffalo, NY. I also forged production components: curves, spirals and small lilies as components for the final product. Finally I produced 1:1, fully hand rendered shop drawings of the fence posts which I later fabricated.
Hand Forged Iron Rose 49
Residential Staircase
Residential Door
Residential Railing 50
1:1 Hand Drafted Shop Drawings
Built Section of Residential Gate
(Detail) 1:1 Hand Drafted Shop Drawings
Detail of Residential Gate 51
THE MIRROR STATE 52
WHAT IS THE THRESHOLD BETWEEN THEATRE AND REALITY? Second Year Cultural History Performance Cambridge, Ontario Dr. Tracey Winton & Class of 2018
Every summer the second year architecture class produces an original play as part of the cultural history curriculum. The Mirror State, tells the story of surrealist play write Antonin Artaud in 1920’s Paris, being consumed by his work in the creation of the theatre of cruelty. Eventually loosing his grip on reality and goes insane after the loss of his true love. All 74 students in class came together to produce the play, working in smaller groups for historical research, writing, fundraising, publicity, choreography, music, lighting & effects, set & costume creation and acting. Our production was a play within a play, obliterating the forth wall between the audience and the performance, using them as part of the scene and actors. We were able to explore architectural issues of circulation, perceptive, lighting, the creation of space and ambiance in real life, providing a unique learning opportunity. I acquired and managed our site, working with the owner, a local developer to convert an abandoned drug store into a full theatre. I handled the logistics, insurance and communication between the students, university and owner. After, myself and two other students constructed the main stage, a rotating 4m triangle which provided three different scenes and a stage.
Promotional Poster 53
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Promotional Images of Main Cast on Set 55
Tarahumara Scene
Set Construction 56
Rehearsals
Balinese Dance Scene
Group Choreography
Original Live Music 57
BRIDGE & ArchFOC 58
HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE TO CARE ABOUT ‘ARCHITECTURE’? Community Involvement Cambridge, Ontario BRIDGE Centre for Design + Architecture & Architecture Fedation Orientation Committee
The School of Architecture is a Satellite Campus from the rest of the University of Waterloo, operating largely autonomously. While at times it becomes incredibly insular, we are working through various student groups to step outside of the culture of academic & professional discourse to break down the barriers between ‘Architects’ and the rest of the world that lives with and within architecture. BRIDGE is a student run gallery which hosts various student and community events and aims to bridge the gap between the School of Architecture and the Community of Cambridge. As an Undergraduate Director I help organize and curate events, initiatives and workshops. Recently I organized and ran a workshop with a local elementary school to teach a group of 30, seventh graders about architecture, buildings and drawing. During 2015 I was the one of two members of the Architecture Federation Orientation Committee (ArchFOC) spending ten months planning for the incoming first year class to enter the School of Architecture & Cambridge Communities. We worked to ingrate them into the School and the rest of the University, while showing them how important the student’s presence is to the community and how the School has helped to rebuilt a dwindling small town over the last twelve years.
BRIDGE Centre for Architecture + Design 59
Student Showcase
Life Art Competitions 60
Master’s Thesis Defense
Student Showcase
Youth Education
Elementary School Workshop 61
Architecture Orientation Week 2015
Before I Graduate Project 62
Incoming Architecture Class of 2020
Architecture for the Other 99% 63
mike_nugent@me.com thesocialdesigner.org Cambridge, ON Canada