Five CivMin undergraduate students excelled at the recent TimberFever® design competition, placing among each of the top three teams. The event is a design competition for architecture and engineering students across Canada. In teams of six, participants design and build their structures over the course of three days (Sept. 13-15).
The annual event, held at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson), consisted of 94 undergraduate students from 10 Canadian universities, alongside more than 35 industry mentors guiding the design process. Students were placed into 16 teams with limited building supplies where they collaborated on design and construction.
From U of T, CivMin students placing included Asim Ahmad (Year 4 CivE) and Elizabeth Li (Year 2 CivE) on the first-place team, Sean Leung (Year 3 CivE) on the second-place team, and Isabelle Ali (Year 3 CivE) and Zaina Nofal (Year 3 CivE on PEY Co-op) on the third-place team.
This year’s focus was on advocating for the homelessness crisis in Toronto, featuring Two Steps Home as a consultant, with each team tasked with creating an addition to their Cabin Communities. In celebration of TimberFever’s 10th anniversary, teams were also required to incorporate elements from a previous year of the competition.
These communities are modular, transitional, and low-capital/high speed housing solutions. With an estimated 18,000 individuals experiencing homelessness, while Toronto shelters can only accommodate approximately 9,000 individuals on a nightly basis, this discrepancy highlights the urgent need for innovative housing solutions and community support.
Ahmad shares their view of the first-place entry, Tributary, “Our project was mainly inspired by the concept of transitional housing and the use of easily fabricated timber structures for a great cause right here in Toronto. Our structure, inspired by the “Water Station” theme, channels rainwater to create a welcoming, sustainable space for residents transitioning to permanent homes. A slanted roof collects rainwater, feeding a vertical garden and promoting shade and airflow. By integrating water, we hope to offer a sense of vitality, growth, and hope in this temporary home.”
Leung explains their second-place entry, Hexa-Haven, “Inspired by shared community and nature, the design features the organic shape of hexagons and creatively stands out from the city. For unhoused communities, bikes are a prominent transportation method, and this cabin enables a haven to safely shelter bicycles from the elements while providing comfort for the resident(s) of the cabin. The hexagon openings allow a playful relationship with light and shadow, highlighting the dynamic arrangement of the structure. Our focus on accessibility and convenience allows people of all ages and mobility to comfortably navigate the space. Furthermore, the modular units of the patio make it convenient to maximize aesthetics while using minimal time to construct.”
Nofal offers a perspective on their third-place entry, Watering Can-opy, “This project revolves around the theme of water collection and distribution. The gently-slanted roof creates a pathway for the water to smoothly run down into the gutter, which then drains the water at a steady pace down one side of the wall, creating a waterfall that is both visually appealing and useful for plantation. The angled bracers on the walls serve as support for taller vegetation, such as vines.”
Prof. Lisa Landrum (Chair, Department of Architectural Science, TMU), Prof. Aryan Rezaei Rad (CivMin, U of T), Aaron Budd (Principal, SvN Architects + Planners), Dr. David Moses (Principal, Moses Structural Engineers), Blériot Feujofack (Manager of wood education, Canadian Wood Council – CWC), Nathanael Gray (Architect , Nathanael Gray Architect), Krystyne Kontos (Partnerships & Special Projects Specialist, Design Fabrication Zone, Creative School Innovation Studio)
CivMin’s Professor Aryan Rezaei Rad participated for the second year in a row as a judge for the event. Additionally, Israel Castro (Year 4 CivE) served as this year’s Civil Engineering Chair, marking the first time a non-TMU student held the position. Castro remarks, “It was a great honour to serve as the Chair for the 10th anniversary of TimberFever! I first got involved four years ago, starting as a participant in the online competition, then transitioning to the in-person event, and eventually joining the organizing committee (Team 17). Together with the Moses Structural Engineers team, we began planning this event back in March. While it required a significant amount of effort and hard work, seeing all the participants collaborate, design, and bring their final builds to life made it all worthwhile.”
TimberFever® is a design competition that first launched in Toronto in 2015 for students in architecture and engineering programs across Canada. Every year, students gather to design and build their structures which are then put on public display.
The competition was held virtually in 2020-21, and students from across Canada and the United States participated in the competition remotely.
