By Anne Swan

Architecture influences so many aspects of people’s everyday lives: where they live, where they work, and how they spend their time. For Torie Payne, a first-year MArch student at Dalhousie, this far-reaching influence has always been a source of fascination and inspiration.

“Good architecture is about more than creating a space,” she says. “It’s about making people feel comfortable and giving them a sense of belonging.”

Hands-on learning set Dal Architecture apart

Dal Architecture’s reputation for providing a robust studio environment and connecting students with hands-on learning experiences was a major draw for Payne. While the architecture program’s emphasis on hand drawing and model-making ensures that students hone important traditional skills, occasions where they get to contribute to projects that engage real communities outside the classroom or studio are uniquely rewarding.

“The opportunity to participate in design-build projects outside of the school, such as free lab and Nocturne, allows us to connect our work with the wider Halifax community, which is truly magical” says Payne, referencing the School of Architecture’s longstanding experiential programming and Halifax’s annual late-night art festival. Students in both of the faculty’s schools benefit from curricular enhancements, where they get to apply theory to practice.

These standout experiences are created with help from alumni, who direct support to Faculty of Architecture and Planning students each year through the Dalhousie Fund.

Dalhousie donors sparked shifts in perspective

For Payne, this generosity translates to more than a chance to use studio skills in real-world contexts – what donors ultimately give to students is a channel for uncovering new ways of looking at things. “Presenting our work to a new audience makes us think differently about it and consider its meaning more deeply, which is good practice for professional work in the future,” she says.

Dal’s network of alumni and friends plays an important role in in opening doors for students of all backgrounds to even access postsecondary programs in the first place. “Myself and many of my peers rely on scholarships and bursary support to pursue our education,” says Payne, reflecting on the resounding impact of this collective goodwill. “All of the students here are so talented and to have a lack of resources prevent anyone from pursuing their passions would be a shame.”

When she enrolled in the Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Payne saw an opportunity to combine a love of visual arts with deep-rooted concern for people and the environment. Architecture felt like a natural next step, and a smart way to build on the foundation of her undergraduate degree in environmental science. She feels strongly about the potential for purposeful design to build healthier cities and sustainable communities. Her plan for the future sees her becoming a licensed architect, following her dream of designing a better world.

She believes she is well-prepared for this path. “Dal has helped me to gain confidence in my abilities and develop my own unique style and method of design,” Payne says. She gives special credit to the essential “extras” supported by the Dalhousie Fund: “The experiences of hands-on project management and building technology, leadership skills, confidence and organization are a few of the many amazing things a Dalhousie architecture education has provided me with.”