Fifty years ago, Andy Lynch (BArch’67) graduated from the Nova Scotia Technical College, now the Faculty of Architecture & Planning at Dalhousie University. This fall, Lynch’s graduating class of 1967 will celebrate their half a century of architectural brilliance that has helped shape our community.

Lynch, an award-winning architect and founding partner of Lydon Lynch Architects Ltd of Halifax, is leading this year’s 50th reunion celebration.

“Plans for the reunion have just started to evolve. Events are scheduled to coincide with Dalhousie University’s Homecoming this October,” says Lynch.

The Dalhousie School of Architecture was established in 1961 within the Nova Scotia Technical College. During the 1960s, the architecture program consisted of two years of engineering at one of seven Maritime universities, followed by four years at the school of architecture, leading to a Bachelor of Architecture degree.

“Classes were small and the professor-to-student ratio was high,” says Lynch. “All students put in 12-plus hour days in a studio environment, working in a collaborative way toward endless deadlines. The reunion will include more than 50 graduates of the 1965 and 1966 classes who were the first graduates of the Nova Scotia Technical College School of Architecture.”

Since earning his degree, Lynch has contributed significantly to his profession and to the city of Halifax.

In 1979, he teamed up with his late former Dal architecture classmate, Bill Lydon (BArch’67), and the two founded Lydon & Lynch Architects of Halifax. Since that time the firm has won numerous awards including a Canadian Architect Award of Excellence for the design of The Waterfront Sheraton Hotel, along with numerous other regional and national honours. Lynch has also helped shape the face of Halifax’s downtown core contributing to projects such as the Harbouside at Historic Properties, Bishops Landing and Pier 21.

With several awards now under his belt, the retired architect is taking on a new project; re-kindling old relationships with his former architecture classmates.

“The idea for the reunion is to informally invite each attendee to present, in 10 minutes, a condensed individual presentation covering 50 years since graduation. As a background to the 10-minute presentation would be visuals of projects, family, places, etc., that are important to the individual presenter,” says Lynch.

“Events will mostly take place at the school. A reception in the exhibition room will include the extended families, friends and colleagues to view the work and renew friendships, take a tour of the school of architecture and refresh old memories.”

Lynch says over the last 50 years, neither the school of architecture or the direction of teaching has changed a great deal from his days in the Ralph M. Medjuck Building.

“Computers have changed the visuals and methods somewhat, but the teaching and practice of architecture has remained fundamentally the same,” he says. “In a studio atmosphere, a collaborative effort emerges which forms the basis for life learning. Work terms remain integral to the learning process where practical skills are honed.”

“In 50 years, we have seen Halifax emerge as a vibrant city with an evolving downtown, a world-class waterfront, architecture to be proud of, planning and urban design legislation to take us forward, and respect for heritage,” Lynch affirms. “The graduates of the Dalhousie School of Architecture can take credit for much of that.”