Canada Constructed aimed to transform how the Canadian built environment is taught and studied through a cluster of newly developed courses in the Department of Art History. Designed to be interdisciplinary and accessible, these courses were open to students across the University of Toronto and attracted enrolment including students from Faculty of Arts & Science and the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design. Each course integrated experiential learning through community-engaged projects and internship placements with local partners.
In addition to curriculum development, Canada Constructed established an online hub housing teaching resources, co-curricular opportunities, listings of community partners, and examples of student research. The initiative also featured a range of public events including panel discussions and workshops aimed at fostering a broader community of educators, students, and professionals invested in the critical study of Canadian architecture and the built environment.
Outcomes
The initiative resulted in the development of three new courses on the history of Canadian architecture, each offering innovative, community-engaged approaches to teaching in the field. These courses brought students into direct contact with the city’s architecture and civic organizations, reshaping their learning through real-world experience.
An internship placement program was launched and quickly became popular among students. It is now being used as a model for a broader internship initiative within the Department of Art History.
A major highlight of the project was the creation of a virtual exhibition on the His Majesty’s Royal Chapel of the Mohawk, developed in collaboration with a Haudenosaunee Knowledge Keeper. This exhibit explores an important but historically underexamined site in the history of Crown–Indigenous relations.
Importantly, the project helped establish a growing community of interest around the teaching of Canadian architectural history and positioned the University of Toronto as a leader in this evolving academic field.