What is LAL?
Project Background
Laurentian Architecture (Canada's first new school of architecture in 40 years), is slated to open in September 2011 as a downtown satellite campus of Laurentian University, one of the only bilingual post-secondary institutions in the nation. The school will offer a 4-year Bachelor of Architectural Studies, a pre-professional degree combined with a 2-year Master of Architecture, a professional degree (both bilingual). Planning has just begun for an additional 3 ½ year Master of Architecture professional degree to be offered in French, which would be the only one of its kind in Canada.
70 students will be accepted into each undergraduate class and 70 each year into the 2-year Masters program. At full capacity, the school will house over 400 people including 20 full-time equivalent faculty and approximately 20 staff. The proposed 3-1/2 year French Master’s program will eventually contribute a further 14 (or 28) students to the student body each year for a total between 440 to 500 students. The school is scheduled to grow in phases with the first undergraduate class in 2011 and a graduate class for the 2-year program, beginning in 2014. The staggered growth is intended to fulfill the accreditation procedures outlined by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) as efficiently as possible.
Project Gensis: A Community+University initiative
The project began in early 2007 as a proposal put forth by members of the Greater Sudbury community (including representatives from Laurentian). A group of key community stakeholders recognized the potential economic benefits for the community, and were inspired by recent developments of downtown university campuses in mid-sized cities. The group developed a three-phase process to create the first Canadian school of architecture in 40 years to be located in Sudbury, Ontario. Phase I involved the development of the concept for the school which served to build support for the continued development of the project. This phase was funded by the City of Greater Sudbury, the Northern Ontario Society of Architects, NOHFC and FedNor.
Phase II (funded by the City of Greater Sudbury, NOHFC and FedNor) resulted in the development of a feasibility study that established the need for and the impact of a new school at national, provincial, regional and local levels. The study revealed that local impacts included start-up spending of $40 million, and $15 million of new local spending annually when the program is in full operation. The study also identified very large social, cultural and environmental benefits for the north as a result of adding more than 400 highly creative and adventurous students, faculty and staff. From the beginning, the steering committee was committed to making the new school a true reflection of the unique cultural and environment of Northern Ontario. The program they have developed focuses on (but is not limited to): bilingual and Aboriginal cultures, the mining and forestry industry and processes, opportunities for design within winter cities, and; the surrounding boreal forest, Canadian shield, and the hundreds of lakes that dot the landscape
The school will have a co-operative work program, allowing students to explore the world through international job placements. A design-build senior class requirement will partner students (and the school) with various Northern communities. Students will work in collaboration with members of the community to develop specific design solutions to the challenges faced within Northern Ontario.
Since the completion of phase II, the feasibility study and the schedule it proposed continues to guide the Steering Committee, the University, and the growing list of supporters, towards achieving the inaugural class in September 2011.