Athabasca University's Open Architecture e-Studio is an innovative digital space that increases access to architecture education and tools online and in person
A new Open Architecture e-Studio will bring cutting-edge design tools and technologies to students in Athabasca, across Alberta and Canada, and around the world thanks to a $500,000 grant from Embark Student Foundation.
AU’s Open Architecture e-Studio is an innovative digital space that supports the goals of the university’s Like No Other strategic plan by increasing access to architecture education and tools. Through online and in-person learning opportunities, students gain hands-on experience with virtual and augmented reality, 3D printing and digital fabrication, drones and sensors, and advanced scanning and media tools.
The Open Architecture e-Studio will expand the reach and mission of AU’s new Architectural Maker Space, located on AU’s campus in Athabasca. AU is one of five Canadian post-secondary institutions selected to receive a grant from the Embark Student Foundation Major Grant Program this year. The foundation’s mission is to support innovative programs, services, and initiatives that have a positive impact on student experiences in Canada.
“This grant from the Embark foundation will help us further AU’s mission of removing barriers to education, allowing our students access to these amazing tools wherever and whenever they need them,” says Dr. Shauna Zenteno, Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology. “We’re thrilled to be working with a funding partner who shares our commitment to access like no other as we work to redefine the way architecture education is delivered.”
AU currently offers Canada’s first and only online architecture programs through the RAIC Centre for Architecture. Founded in 2012, this innovative program came from a partnership between the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and the university’s Faculty of Science and Technology to explore alternative and innovative means of educating architects.
There are few post-secondary architecture programs in Canada, and most are concentrated in major urban centres, making it difficult for those who live and work elsewhere to attend. AU’s online and place-based architecture programs remove geographic, financial, and life-circumstance barriers, opening the profession to rural, remote, working, and caregiving learners. The tools provided through the e-Studio will create even more opportunity for aspiring architects across the country.
The Embark Student Foundation Major Grant Program is part of Embark Student Corp., an education and planning company that empowers families along their post-secondary journeys by providing the resources and tools to save for an education.
This year’s other grant recipients include Conestoga College, Simon Fraser University, Toronto Metropolitan University, and the University of Waterloo.