THIRD YEAR UNDERGRADUATE
Zain Malik—General Contractors Association of Toronto Award
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Zain Malik—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.
As a third-year student in the Department of Architectural Science at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), I have developed a strong passion for both design and the management of projects across their full delivery. While design continues to inspire me, I have come to recognize that my real strength lies in leading groups, coordinating resources, and ensuring ideas move from concept to reality. This combination of interests has led me to pursue project management as the focus of my fourth year, as well as the career direction I intend to build on through co-op and beyond.
My academic experience has consistently reinforced this path. Group work in studio projects gave me the opportunity to take initiative in setting tasks, clarifying goals, and organizing workflows so that teams could succeed. I found fulfillment not only in contributing design ideas but also in ensuring that collaboration remained structured and productive. These instincts, I realized, were foundational skills of project management, and I began to actively seek opportunities to strengthen them.
One of the most significant opportunities has been my role as design lead for the BIA Window Installation, a school-wide design-build. In this project, I have been responsible for guiding my team in developing a feasible installation proposal, presenting to BIA stakeholders, and ensuring the design could be executed within budget and timeline constraints. Beyond design, my role requires coordinating external partners, organizing fabrication, and preparing for installation. Balancing creativity with feasibility has deepened my appreciation for the responsibilities of project management and highlighted how much I enjoy guiding a project through all phases.
My involvement with AIAS has also been formative. As Events Coordinator, I planned workshops, firm crawls, and networking events, coordinating between students, professionals, and faculty. This year, my responsibilities expanded significantly as Finance Treasurer, where I manage the chapter’s accounts and ensure financial accountability. Overseeing budgets and approvals has given me practical experience in managing resources and taught me how essential financial discipline is to supporting broader goals an experience closely tied to the technical side of project management.
Professionally, I gained direct exposure to construction coordination through my work as an Assistant Project Coordinator at SRL Development Corp. There, I supported the renovation of an industrial warehouse into a commercial space, assisting with scheduling, coordinating subcontractors, and maintaining communication between the project manager, consultants, and trades. The experience exposed me to the complexities of site work and reinforced how vital project management is to bridging client expectations with construction realities.
Together, these academic, extracurricular, and professional experiences have confirmed that project management is where I can make my greatest contribution to the AEC industry. It is a field that draws on my leadership, organizational skills, and determination to see projects through. As I move into my fourth year, I am eager to deepen this focus, secure a co-op position in project management, and continue developing the skills that will allow me to shape meaningful projects from conception to completion.
In Gratitude
I am deeply honored to have received the General Contractors Association of Ontario Award. This achievement would not have been possible without the unwavering support of Toronto Metropolitan University, my professors, and my peers, whose mentorship and collaboration have continually inspired me to grow as both a student and designer. Finally, I extend my heartfelt thanks to the General Contractors Association of Ontario for recognizing my work and commitment to the field. This achievement serves as both a reflection of what I have learned and a motivation to continue growing within the architectural and construction community.
Visualization of Midrise From ASC401
AIAS Council at Buffalo Quad Conference
Proposal for Yonge St. Clair BIA Window Design
General Contractors Association of Toronto Award:
For overall excellence and a demonstrated interest in project management is presented to four, fourth year students.
As a third-year student in the Department of Architectural Science at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), I have developed a strong passion for both design and the management of projects across their full delivery. While design continues to inspire me, I have come to recognize that my real strength lies in leading groups, coordinating resources, and ensuring ideas move from concept to reality. This combination of interests has led me to pursue project management as the focus of my fourth year, as well as the career direction I intend to build on through co-op and beyond.
My academic experience has consistently reinforced this path. Group work in studio projects gave me the opportunity to take initiative in setting tasks, clarifying goals, and organizing workflows so that teams could succeed. I found fulfillment not only in contributing design ideas but also in ensuring that collaboration remained structured and productive. These instincts, I realized, were foundational skills of project management, and I began to actively seek opportunities to strengthen them.
One of the most significant opportunities has been my role as design lead for the BIA Window Installation, a school-wide design-build. In this project, I have been responsible for guiding my team in developing a feasible installation proposal, presenting to BIA stakeholders, and ensuring the design could be executed within budget and timeline constraints. Beyond design, my role requires coordinating external partners, organizing fabrication, and preparing for installation. Balancing creativity with feasibility has deepened my appreciation for the responsibilities of project management and highlighted how much I enjoy guiding a project through all phases.
My involvement with AIAS has also been formative. As Events Coordinator, I planned workshops, firm crawls, and networking events, coordinating between students, professionals, and faculty. This year, my responsibilities expanded significantly as Finance Treasurer, where I manage the chapter’s accounts and ensure financial accountability. Overseeing budgets and approvals has given me practical experience in managing resources and taught me how essential financial discipline is to supporting broader goals an experience closely tied to the technical side of project management.
Professionally, I gained direct exposure to construction coordination through my work as an Assistant Project Coordinator at SRL Development Corp. There, I supported the renovation of an industrial warehouse into a commercial space, assisting with scheduling, coordinating subcontractors, and maintaining communication between the project manager, consultants, and trades. The experience exposed me to the complexities of site work and reinforced how vital project management is to bridging client expectations with construction realities.
Together, these academic, extracurricular, and professional experiences have confirmed that project management is where I can make my greatest contribution to the AEC industry. It is a field that draws on my leadership, organizational skills, and determination to see projects through. As I move into my fourth year, I am eager to deepen this focus, secure a co-op position in project management, and continue developing the skills that will allow me to shape meaningful projects from conception to completion.
In Gratitude
I am deeply honored to have received the General Contractors Association of Ontario Award. This achievement would not have been possible without the unwavering support of Toronto Metropolitan University, my professors, and my peers, whose mentorship and collaboration have continually inspired me to grow as both a student and designer. Finally, I extend my heartfelt thanks to the General Contractors Association of Ontario for recognizing my work and commitment to the field. This achievement serves as both a reflection of what I have learned and a motivation to continue growing within the architectural and construction community.
Visualization of Midrise From ASC401
AIAS Council at Buffalo Quad Conference
Proposal for Yonge St. Clair BIA Window Design
