Abstract:

Architects have historically been groomed to design buildings that cater to either individuals able to afford custom buildings or to cater to large institutions with a great deal of financial leverage; this myth pervades academia where assignments seem to echo this sentiment. In a world where educators and students alike clamor for experiential learning opportunities, it is increasingly difficult to meet such demands within architectural education on account of the nature of building construction and project life-cycles. It is important for architects to recall that their mandate is to design the built environment for people as a general populous rather than exclusive segment with financial power. Over the course of a year, faculty and students in Canada’s largest architecture program formed [R]ed[U]x Lab, a group that applies design skills from the academic environment, ranging from digital fabrication to advanced computer modeling, to real world design challenges for under-served design market including nascent cultural events and charitable agencies in the country’s largest urban core. Since its inception, the group has provided members from graduates to first year students in the program opportunity to not only apply their skills to real world challenges but also make an impact on the built environment without solely having to cater to those with the financial means to enlist their design services.

Keywords:

Design build, design pedagogy, experiential learning, fabrication.