UNDERGRADUATE
Alex Winslow—Ledcor Construction Ltd.
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Alex Winslow—Ledcor Construction Ltd.
As a fourth-year co-op student in TMU’s Bachelor of Architectural Science program, I have developed significant leadership skills over the last two years through my extensive involvement in extra-curriculars concerning the architecture/building/construction profession.
In November 2021, myself and four other students began developing a design for Winter Stations 2022 – an annual international design-build competition held at Toronto’s Woodbine Beaches. We approached the theme of resilience by balancing both practicality and innovation: we created a prefabricated timber egg-crate structure with a dynamic cladding made up of recycled-towels casted in concrete with different-sized openings. As a design-team member, I learnt the importance of developing a conceptual architectural idea alongside actualized construction logistics, such as resolving its structural intricacies, and staying on budget and on time.
Another volunteer design-build I was involved in was building an animal paddock for children attending Camp Winston. Over the course of three days, I learnt valuable construction skills while building a wood-stud-framed shed.
I also had the opportunity to organize a design-build competition Moses Structural Engineers hosts at TMU every year: TimberFever. As the architectural chair for the 2022 competition, I co-led a 12-student team in planning an intensive 4-day competition for just under 100 architecture and engineering students from across North America. This competition encourages wood as an alternative material for more sustainable construction practices, while simultaneously bridging the gap between academic and professional realms. As the architectural chair, I developed a design brief relevant to current trends in the architecture/building/construction profession, attended weekly meetings, delegated tasks, and provided feedback for team members. Beyond my position as the architectural chair, I continued my involvement for another year as an advisor chair.
During my 16-month co-op at Architecture49, our team participated in Toronto’s 2023 CanStruction: a design-build competition with a focus on fundraising for food insecurity and creating interesting structures out of cans. As one of the leading members of the design team, I further developed my practical design skills, and in the end our team’s efforts were recognized for having both the best original design and structural ingenuity.
Back at school, I have started a position as a co-op peer advisor where I mentor 20 students who are just starting their transition into the architecture/building/construction profession. In this role, I meet with each student to establish career goals, as well as provide feedback on portfolios, resumes and cover letters. My success in this position will leverage my own co-op work experience and the many extra-curriculars that have provided a more robust understanding of the architecture/building/construction profession. My demonstrated leadership will allow me to be a trusted resource, provide insightful feedback, and motivate students in achieving their own career goals.
In November 2021, myself and four other students began developing a design for Winter Stations 2022 – an annual international design-build competition held at Toronto’s Woodbine Beaches. We approached the theme of resilience by balancing both practicality and innovation: we created a prefabricated timber egg-crate structure with a dynamic cladding made up of recycled-towels casted in concrete with different-sized openings. As a design-team member, I learnt the importance of developing a conceptual architectural idea alongside actualized construction logistics, such as resolving its structural intricacies, and staying on budget and on time.
Another volunteer design-build I was involved in was building an animal paddock for children attending Camp Winston. Over the course of three days, I learnt valuable construction skills while building a wood-stud-framed shed.
I also had the opportunity to organize a design-build competition Moses Structural Engineers hosts at TMU every year: TimberFever. As the architectural chair for the 2022 competition, I co-led a 12-student team in planning an intensive 4-day competition for just under 100 architecture and engineering students from across North America. This competition encourages wood as an alternative material for more sustainable construction practices, while simultaneously bridging the gap between academic and professional realms. As the architectural chair, I developed a design brief relevant to current trends in the architecture/building/construction profession, attended weekly meetings, delegated tasks, and provided feedback for team members. Beyond my position as the architectural chair, I continued my involvement for another year as an advisor chair.
During my 16-month co-op at Architecture49, our team participated in Toronto’s 2023 CanStruction: a design-build competition with a focus on fundraising for food insecurity and creating interesting structures out of cans. As one of the leading members of the design team, I further developed my practical design skills, and in the end our team’s efforts were recognized for having both the best original design and structural ingenuity.
Back at school, I have started a position as a co-op peer advisor where I mentor 20 students who are just starting their transition into the architecture/building/construction profession. In this role, I meet with each student to establish career goals, as well as provide feedback on portfolios, resumes and cover letters. My success in this position will leverage my own co-op work experience and the many extra-curriculars that have provided a more robust understanding of the architecture/building/construction profession. My demonstrated leadership will allow me to be a trusted resource, provide insightful feedback, and motivate students in achieving their own career goals.
