MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE
Jessica Tandazo—Ontario Association of Architects Exceptional Leadership Through Design Excellence: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) and/or Truth & Reconciliation Award
![]()
Jessica Tandazo—Ontario Association of Architects Exceptional Leadership Through Design Excellence: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) and/or Truth & Reconciliation Award
About the Award
To recognize two students with exemplary work related to the topics of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) and/or Truth & Reconciliation, in any year of the undergraduate or graduate Architectural Science programs. This award is intended to recognize exceptional leadership through design excellence combined with exemplary approaches to projects and/or assignments as they relate to Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion and/or Truth and Reconciliation.
Throughout my architectural studies, community activism has played a crucial role in my academic path. It has enabled me to acknowledge the impact architecture can have on communities, illustrating how community members can influence their built environments positively.
During my master’s education, I delved into the complexities of the Jane and Finch community, an area historically burdened by negative stereotypes. This neighborhood’s name was originally associated with danger, low-income demographics, and criminal activity, perpetuated by unfavorable media coverage. In 2009, there was an attempt to rename the area to “University Heights” and shed its negative connotations, but the community rejected this change, embracing its own progress and identity. Jane and Finch is not just a place; it’s my home, a place that has molded me into the person I am today. Through both challenges and triumphs, this resilient community has consistently advocated for itself.
In my thesis entitled, "Transforming Jane and Finch’s Temporary Social Infrastructure into a Permanent Urban Living Room” I am exploring the potential of the Jane and Finch neighborhood to provide tangible spaces that support and spatialize advocacy organizations and programs. The central concept driving this endeavor is to create an inclusive environment for multiethnic groups by converting existing social infrastructure into tangible spaces using temporary interventions. These spaces can be utilized by local organizations and programs to better support immigrants and the community.
The Jane and Finch community has a rich history of advocating for its needs and reshaping its narrative through grassroots organizations like the Jane/Finch Center and Black Creek Collaborative, among others. These organizations have played a crucial role in supporting residents and promoting positive change in the face of a neighborhood that has often been neglected. The rapid development of the neighborhood led to a unique situation where a lack of physical space prompted the use of non-traditional locations for community programs and activities. Over time, the negative perceptions of the neighborhood have been overshadowed by the positive impact of protests and programs, which have not always received the recognition they deserve. My research questions ideas of permanence and temporality while emphasizing the importance of multiethnic and community-driven initiatives. My thesis seeks to explore how to create permanent spaces that embody these principles.
Thank you for awarding me with the OAA: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and Truth & Reconciliation Award. I am appreciative of this recognition and affirmation of my pursuit in architectural research as many themes are oftentimes underrepresented or neglected or misunderstood.
To recognize two students with exemplary work related to the topics of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) and/or Truth & Reconciliation, in any year of the undergraduate or graduate Architectural Science programs. This award is intended to recognize exceptional leadership through design excellence combined with exemplary approaches to projects and/or assignments as they relate to Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion and/or Truth and Reconciliation.
Throughout my architectural studies, community activism has played a crucial role in my academic path. It has enabled me to acknowledge the impact architecture can have on communities, illustrating how community members can influence their built environments positively.
During my master’s education, I delved into the complexities of the Jane and Finch community, an area historically burdened by negative stereotypes. This neighborhood’s name was originally associated with danger, low-income demographics, and criminal activity, perpetuated by unfavorable media coverage. In 2009, there was an attempt to rename the area to “University Heights” and shed its negative connotations, but the community rejected this change, embracing its own progress and identity. Jane and Finch is not just a place; it’s my home, a place that has molded me into the person I am today. Through both challenges and triumphs, this resilient community has consistently advocated for itself.
In my thesis entitled, "Transforming Jane and Finch’s Temporary Social Infrastructure into a Permanent Urban Living Room” I am exploring the potential of the Jane and Finch neighborhood to provide tangible spaces that support and spatialize advocacy organizations and programs. The central concept driving this endeavor is to create an inclusive environment for multiethnic groups by converting existing social infrastructure into tangible spaces using temporary interventions. These spaces can be utilized by local organizations and programs to better support immigrants and the community.
The Jane and Finch community has a rich history of advocating for its needs and reshaping its narrative through grassroots organizations like the Jane/Finch Center and Black Creek Collaborative, among others. These organizations have played a crucial role in supporting residents and promoting positive change in the face of a neighborhood that has often been neglected. The rapid development of the neighborhood led to a unique situation where a lack of physical space prompted the use of non-traditional locations for community programs and activities. Over time, the negative perceptions of the neighborhood have been overshadowed by the positive impact of protests and programs, which have not always received the recognition they deserve. My research questions ideas of permanence and temporality while emphasizing the importance of multiethnic and community-driven initiatives. My thesis seeks to explore how to create permanent spaces that embody these principles.
Thank you for awarding me with the OAA: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and Truth & Reconciliation Award. I am appreciative of this recognition and affirmation of my pursuit in architectural research as many themes are oftentimes underrepresented or neglected or misunderstood.
