Architecture

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/handle/10012/9902

This is the collection for the University of Waterloo's School of Architecture.

Research outputs are organized by type (eg. Master Thesis, Article, Conference Paper).

Waterloo faculty, students, and staff can contact us or visit the UWSpace guide to learn more about depositing their research.

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Now showing 1 - 9 of 9

Care as Architectural Practice
(University of Waterloo, 2021-04-30) Reid, Brenda Mabel; Blackwell, Adrian; Andrighetti, Rick
The thesis explores the concept of care and its implications in public wellbeing through architectural practice. The Waterloo Region of Ontario, during the coronavirus pandemic, provides the setting of this investigation. The site's specificity and the pandemic's global condition revealed conditions of care on a spectrum that the thesis may have otherwise overlooked. First, through language, we examine care as a series of definitions and its evolution of meaning. Historically, its use in Western society exposes its role in upholding white supremacy and provides the contextual background for this contemporary investigation. Feminist Care Ethics then illustrates the non-sequential structure of care and how we experience it in our lives at both micro and macro scales. Following the discussion on care complexity, the research narrows to look closely at care through one artifact, the quilt. We can observe care within its making process, its community and its lifespan. The quilt and its relationship with architecture further discuss care's controversial position in North American culture. The majority of the thesis work has comprised of a series of projects and exercises attempting to find the architect's place in care. Presenting the work within than intersectional care ethics provides a structure for discussion. The four categories, attention, action, communication and maintenance, look individually at aspects of care and are tested through the thesis work. Spanning all of these chapters, the thesis' primary project, "From Behind the Mask: A Community Quilt of COVID-19 Stories," is both analyzed and informed by each of the selected definitions of care. The work concludes with a reflection on the research, lessons learned, and a perspective for the architectural profession's future.
Exploring Toronto's Inner Frontier
(University of Waterloo, 2023-06-05) Ahmadli, Rashad; Andrighetti, Rick
It is without ceasing that urban spaces witness the cycle of their birth and death. Like the waves of an ocean repeatedly crashing into and withdrawing from the shoreline, the city’s sphere of production and human activity consume our environment, only to abandon it in subsequence, leaving behind, in a state of ruin, vestiges of civilization, waiting to be reinvigorated again by those who deem it useful or those who wish to capitalize by it. Toronto’s inner-city frontier, that is to say its residential laneway network which runs through the historic “park lot” grid system, has experienced its share of public/private use and subsequent abandonment. After having once hosted living units, commercial properties and other public amenities, the laneways gradually saw their abandonment due to by-law adjustment and technological innovation. This partial abandonment has transformed them into a public terrain vague and heterotopia within the “official” city. In their semi-abandoned condition, they host wild plants, street art and semi-anonymous social activity. Today, redevelopment of laneways by means of laneway housing construction and laneway activation for public use is bringing back an informal version of what once existed before. This thesis explores residential laneways in their current terrain vague state as a way to celebrate their unproductive and “other” condition, it highlights the various characteristics that make it stand out within the urban landscape of Toronto and finally it explores the various forces that are working in transforming residential laneways into a unique urban typology.
Fitness of Play: A Prototype for a Holistic Activity Space at Toronto’s Riverdale Park
(University of Waterloo, 2023-01-10) Wang, Yidan; Andrighetti, Rick
The value of personal well-being and execution of fitness varies between individuals as the constant transformation of societal ideologies around fitness continually impact the macro perception. This in turn leaves the notion of fitness to lack stability and security. With the influence of visually stimulating exchanges through virtual interactions in the contemporary world, the body becomes a means of public expression and social identity that places a priority on certain physical and aesthetic conditions of the human body, rather than their degree of health, uniqueness and ability. With such backdrop, the contemporary notion of fitness that encapsulates ideas around a socially constructed ‘ideal’ becomes the motivational drive of physical exercise for many. The body-obsessive fitness facilities catered towards a group at large reinforces these socially constructed values as it becomes the location for the production of the ill-defined ‘ideal’ bodies. The excessive mechanical rigidity and spatial linearity of the fitness floor plans generates a mechanical notion of strength and power; gym equipment and machines that limit the amount of self-induced movements produce robotic and mindless movements; all of which emanate an intimidating and isolating milieu that dismisses the importance of emotional well-being, playful social interactions and a synergy of the mind and body. The first portion of this thesis examines the fluid nature of fitness culture and the effect of technology and media on promulgating ideas around fitness, as well as its subsequent impact on the socio-spatial realm of fitness facilities and its users. The second portion of this thesis explores the values and elements of play while referring to various built precedents that physically and psychologically constitutes a playful environment in favour of reimagining the relationship between exercise and play. Finally, the third portion of this thesis introduces a speculative proposal located at Toronto’s Riverdale Park which redefines the contemporary act of exercise by providing an all-inclusive play-scape rather than imposing rigid exercises found at a gym. The proposed environment utilizes notions of play to penetrate an individual’s preconceived notions of fitness to provoke changes in understanding what it means to be healthy and fit, and reclaim the connection of the mind and body, to nature, to play, and to others.
Happiness within the Uncanny: Revitalizing the Street Level in Hong Kong's New Town
(University of Waterloo, 2022-05-16) Yeung, Ethan; Andrighetti, Rick
Hong Kong is the physical embodiment of neoliberalism at all levels of society, and the city itself is seen as a domain for private corporations to generate profit, creating spaces that are purely functional and generic. This top-down design approach disregards the organic aspect of human social behavior and has generated disconnected communities. Without unique identities and without places that allow for unplanned encounters, the new towns become places that lack humanity. Socio-economic segregation seeps its way into many aspects of the new towns, such as their infrastructure or demographics, and is a direct result of years of neglect towards human-centric urban design. These design problems are deeply rooted in the urban fabric and are not easily resolved. This thesis has two objectives: to study how people adapt to the uncanny living environment within the densely built area; and to encourage space appropriation through a range of architectural interventions, from feasible to visionary, within the site. By creating an environment that fosters human connections, people will be able to take ownership of the spaces around their neighborhood. With a strong sense of community, we will be able to reject the uncanniness, bringing back happiness and humanity to the streets of Hong Kong’s new town.
More than a "Thing-in-Itself": An Inquiry into Work through the Interrelations of Making, Material, and Design
(University of Waterloo, 2021-05-04) Lenny, Elizabeth Ann; Levitt, Andrew; Andrighetti, Rick
The thesis began with a desire to better understand the built environment and its relationship to value, temporality and material. The seat became the vehicle for this exploration. In its ubiquity the seat has found a special place in the world of design through the way it relates to the body, its structure, and ability to respond to cultural context. Over the course of the past sixteen months I made nineteen seats iteratively to understand the process of their becoming. While making the seats I developed three lenses: making, material, and design. These three lenses expand the scope of the design process. Through this expansion, the process begins with the life of the material, through the process of fabrication and design, into work. The resulting work is understood holistically through its many phases of becoming. Through this holistic understanding, the seats become a network of relations. These relations make the consumption and replacement of the seats consequential. The seats’ value
Repairs and Reappropriations: Examining Cultures of Care, Production, Agency in Bombay/Mumbai Chawls
(University of Waterloo, 2023-10-23) Merchant, Alefiyah Murtuza; Andrighetti, Rick
This thesis is driven by unravelling the intricate dynamics of ‘marramat’/repair. As the focus broadened, the work began to consider reappropriation and reuse as spatial tactics of agency. The research is anchored within the unique context of Bombay/Mumbai Chawls and relies on narratives from the inhabitants to understand their everyday lives. These inhabitants, often from lower socio-economic backgrounds and traditionally pushed to the societal margins, play a pivotal role in shaping their spatial realities within the chawl typology. It links the universal to the subjective and argues that repair as a worldview holds significant value in how we view the every day, and that there is much to learn as architects when examining non-western ideas behind repair and mending. Amidst the overarching challenges of breakdowns and the Capitalocene, this work aims to bring to the fore existing cultures of care and making and argues for reframing breakdowns and subsequent repairs as integral aspects of design processes. The study invites a nuanced understanding of how breakdowns, far from signifying the end, often mark the beginning of renewed cycles of use and significance. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, blending primary fieldwork data (interviews, photographs) with secondary sources, supplemented by writings, drawings, and a stitching technique to draw attention to agency, care, and making. The research then narrows down by looking at micro-sites within the BDD chawl typology and its micro-narratives. By tracing the socio-spatial transformation of the chawl typology from original design to its repaired states, this research posits an alternative to more disruptive approaches like demolition or redevelopment. Ultimately, it conceptualizes repair as more than a response, rather a deliberate act that challenges dominant design practices and paradigms, subverting the traditional role of the architect/planner.
Retrofitting Tarmac Wastelands: Designing for Social and Ecological Permeability
(University of Waterloo, 2021-09-03) Vadalia, Tulsi; Andrighetti, Rick
This thesis investigates urban strategies to restore ecological and social permeability in underutilized tarmac surfaces of commercial and industrial areas built on ecologically sensitive sites. The city of Toronto has seen urban development where the natural flow of many creeks and ravines had been dramatically altered and re-engineered to flow through concrete culverts buried beneath the vast fields of impervious asphalt surfaces (parking lots), commercial complexes, industrial or residential development. One such site is the Leaside Industrial and Business area that sits on the path of the buried Walmsley brook, a part of the Don River watershed. This site is surrounded by the Don Valley on three sides has been facing major ecological challenges like flooding due to the presence of vast areas of impervious surfaces. The area also faces social challenges, like a disconnect between the Leaside and Thorncliffe Park Neighborhoods and the gradual loss of affordable housing. The site has a significant industrial past and, over the years, saw retail encroachment with the arrival of SmartCenters and other big boxes. With the Eglinton LRT coming up and the development pressure, many industrial companies are migrating to suburbs, giving rise to underutilized industrial and commercial spaces. The site is ripe for transformation and has the potential to explore alternate ways for redevelopment. The design strategies that would be used to arrive at an urban retrofit proposal would address the aspects of permeability at different scales— from surface permeability, designing for flood resilience, reviving parts of the buried hydrology, and parallelly strengthening the social aspects. This would also provide an opportunity to incorporate sites for local food production in community agriculture and local cafes to increase food security and catalyze social permeability between the two neighborhoods. The design proposal would put forward an alternate way of redeveloping post-industrial sites on buried creeks in Toronto. The key impact of this research would be to question the present redevelopment practices and explore a more ecologically and socially sensitive approach, while examining the transformative potential of these vast under-utilized surfaces.
Revitalizing Montreal’s Industrial Fabric: A Case Study of the Pointe-du-Moulin and the Farine Five Roses Flour Mill.
(University of Waterloo, 2024-12-12) Baudoux, Anthea Loane Hinanui; Andrighetti, Rick
This thesis explores the revitalization of Montreal's industrial fabric by examining the unique site of Pointe-du-Moulin and its famous "Farine Five Roses" flour mill. This pier is known for being home to numerous flour mills, key structures that have influenced architects around the world with their monumental scale and simple forms. Flour mills played an essential role in shaping North America's urban fabric, communities and society. However, these landmark structures have disappeared from the cities' landscape, leaving only a few flour mills remaining in Canada. Most of these mills have been demolished, abandoned or relocated as cities expand into their industrial zones. These areas, often considered to be neglected and not accessible to the public, seem to be an ideal option for new residential development. This is especially apparent in Montreal, where Pointe-du-Moulin is now at the heart of a new urban redevelopment called "Bridge-Bonaventure". This development will lead to the demolition of numerous industrial buildings, giving little space and attention to the renowned Farine Five Roses flour mill. This thesis emphasizes the importance of flour mills in North America and proposes an urban design strategy that integrates and creates a public identity around the Farine Five Roses flour mill in Montreal. This thesis aims to preserve this industrial site's unique character and create a development unique to Montreal. The preservation of this flour mill will demonstrate that this industry can coexist with residential housing while enriching life on the pier and creating a common identity. This approach will revive these structures' historical and cultural values while meeting the city's future needs.
Shim Teo as a Social Catalyst for the Elderly of Korea
(University of Waterloo, 2023-01-23) Lee, Bogyeong; Andrighetti, Rick
Korean society can be described as a society that is built on the idea of 'care' and ‘share’. From the centuries-old constitution which declared Korea to be a 'country embracing filial duties' and an old saying of 'respecting the elderly', the care for the most vulnerable members of the population is evident throughout Korea's history and public space. As Korea embraces the digitalization of critical services and infrastructures, along with the redevelopment of traditional markets and sites, the aging population is now being pushed away from the rest of society. With the overall increase of the aging population, as well as the depression arising from the aging population, this predicament ultimately poses a pressing question for Korean society: how do we best care for our elderly? This thesis looks at the 'Shim Teos' (directly translated as 'Rest Stops'), as an answer to the isolation faced by the aging population of Korea. 'Shim Teos' are highly functional urban furniture implemented by the government. They are typically placed in places of congregation and high traffic public spaces for the citizens to rest in or take shelter in. The concept of the Shim Teos was conceived from a society built on the idea of care for its citizens. This thesis will explore different types of Shim Teos in relation to three socially and environmentally distinct sites, Seoul Peace Park, Suwon Terminal, and Suwon Neungsil Village, through in-person site visits, site documentations and mapping. Different site conditions will be cross-referenced with different types of Shim Teos placed in the site, as well as the success of the Shim Teos, in terms of how well used they are. This thesis will also explore the evolution and cultural significance of older forms of Shim Teos through Korea's Genre Painting, 'Poong Sok Hwa'. From this research, a series of new designs of Shim Teos will emerge, which will not only be a place for the aging population to reconnect with society, but will also be more attuned to the elderly's physical needs, and a place for the newer generation to reconnect with Korean culture.

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