THIRD YEAR UNDERGRADUATE
Nicholas Kisil—General Contractors Association of Toronto Award
![]()
Nicholas Kisil—General Contractors Association of Toronto Award
About the Award
General Contractors Association of Toronto Award:
For overall excellence and a demonstrated interest in project management is presented to four, fourth year students.
My interest in project management began in my second year of architecture school, when I started to understand how design connects to the larger processes of coordination, budgeting, and execution. Since then, I’ve been drawn to the organizational and collaborative side of architecture. I have gained experience in how projects move from concept to construction, and how teams work together to bring ideas to life. Through coursework and design builds, I’ve developed a strong foundation in managing timelines, resources, and communication across multiple disciplines, and I continue to explore how effective project management can elevate the quality and impact of architectural work.
Design Builds.
Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to be part of the Winter Stations design team, an experience that allowed me to move beyond design and gain real, hands-on experience in project management. Working within a constrained budget, our team had to make careful General Contractors Association of Toronto Award. Nicholas Kisil. decisions about where to save and where to invest in the design to maintain both quality and feasibility. The project also operated under a tight schedule, requiring close coordination to ensure that prefabrication was completed on time for installation day. This experience strengthened my understanding of the balance between design ambition, budget, and time management that defines successful project delivery. More recently, I was part of a team that traveled to Taiwan to participate in an international design-build collaboration with a local university. This experience gave me a new perspective on project management. Particularly how the process changes when a project is executed in a different cultural and environmental context. It influenced not only how we designed but also how we planned and built. With a tight schedule, efficient coordination was essential to ensure the project was fully fabricated and installed within the week we were there. This opportunity provided valuable on-site experience and taught me how to problem-solve quickly and effectively under real-world conditions.
General Contractors Association of Toronto Award:
For overall excellence and a demonstrated interest in project management is presented to four, fourth year students.
My interest in project management began in my second year of architecture school, when I started to understand how design connects to the larger processes of coordination, budgeting, and execution. Since then, I’ve been drawn to the organizational and collaborative side of architecture. I have gained experience in how projects move from concept to construction, and how teams work together to bring ideas to life. Through coursework and design builds, I’ve developed a strong foundation in managing timelines, resources, and communication across multiple disciplines, and I continue to explore how effective project management can elevate the quality and impact of architectural work.
Design Builds.
Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to be part of the Winter Stations design team, an experience that allowed me to move beyond design and gain real, hands-on experience in project management. Working within a constrained budget, our team had to make careful General Contractors Association of Toronto Award. Nicholas Kisil. decisions about where to save and where to invest in the design to maintain both quality and feasibility. The project also operated under a tight schedule, requiring close coordination to ensure that prefabrication was completed on time for installation day. This experience strengthened my understanding of the balance between design ambition, budget, and time management that defines successful project delivery. More recently, I was part of a team that traveled to Taiwan to participate in an international design-build collaboration with a local university. This experience gave me a new perspective on project management. Particularly how the process changes when a project is executed in a different cultural and environmental context. It influenced not only how we designed but also how we planned and built. With a tight schedule, efficient coordination was essential to ensure the project was fully fabricated and installed within the week we were there. This opportunity provided valuable on-site experience and taught me how to problem-solve quickly and effectively under real-world conditions.
