2025 STUDENT WORK SHOWCASE/EXPOSITION DE PROJETS ÉTUDIANTS
Meet The Jury

Farida Abu-Bakare

Farida Abu-Bakare is a licensed architect with the Ontario Architects Association (OAA) and a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC). Renowned for her leadership and commitment to architecture in Canada and beyond, she has held pivotal council roles within these professional associations, underscoring her dedication to advancing the field. Farida is an Associate Principal at WXY Architecture + Urban Design in New York, where she leads projects that merge innovative design with social impact. Her diverse career trajectory includes her role as Project Director at Adjaye Associates in Accra, Ghana, and as an Associate at HOK in Toronto, Canada. These experiences have shaped her exceptional design expertise and global perspective on architecture and urbanism. Farida’s multifaceted career reflects her unwavering commitment to redefining architecture's role in shaping culture and society. Through her work, she continues to inspire change, pushing the boundaries of design while championing inclusivity, innovation, and sustainability in the built environment.

Jerry Hacker

A registered architect in Ontario, Jerry is lucky: For 20 years he has helped all kinds of ambitious people conceive and build incredible award-winning stuff. What kind of stuff? Libraries, zoos, housing, public spaces, coffee shops: All kinds of stuff. Before that he designed and built industrial stuff. And furniture. After re-settling in Ottawa, he founded the architectural practice hACT, where he still helps people imagine and build (responsible, anticipatory, and critically acclaimed) stuff, while also teaching aspiring (and inspiring!) future architects at the Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism.  

Shawn Bailey

Shawn, a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario, is a devoted father, and educator whose work is rooted in gratitude for traditional Indigenous knowledge. His research explores the intersections of Indigenous teachings, sustainability, and relationality, aiming to inform contemporary practice and pedagogy.

Honoured with the ASCA New Faculty Teaching Award, Shawn’s commitment to education and collaboration with community partners has also been recognized by the university’s Indigenous Community. His teaching emphasizes integrating Indigenous knowledge into curriculum development and design, focusing on renewed sustainability practices and fostering connections with the land and each other.

In addition to teaching, Shawn runs a small practice that complements his design research. He experiments with innovative representation techniques to deepen connections with the land and promote intentional design. Through his research, teaching, and practice, Shawn strives to create spaces that honour Indigenous knowledge and foster sustainable, culturally inclusive futures.

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Jennifer Davis

Jennifer Davis is a licensed architect in Ontario and Nova Scotia who is experienced with the design and project management of building projects in Canada and abroad. She holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Toronto’s John H. Daniels Faculty where she is a Sessional Lecturer. Frequently collaborating across disciplines, her research and creative projects have garnered awards and grants from institutions such as the Canadian Centre for Architecture, the Graham Foundation (Chicago), apexart (NYC), the Ontario Association of Architects and Canada Council for the Arts. In 2019, Jennifer received the Centennial Fund from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Foundation for her early career contributions to the profession.

Sharon Kim

My name is Sharon Kim, I am of Korean origin, and I was born and raised in Montreal, where I did my architectural studies at McGill University. In between my studies, I have worked at different architectural offices in Montreal, Switzerland, and New York City. Most recently, I taught as a full-time instructor at the McGill School of Architecture, teaching ARCH 342: Digital Representation, and Design Studio for first-year students. Currently, I work as an architectural designer at NEUF architect(e)s, based in Montreal. Aside from my work and practice, I love running, my cat, my friends, spontaneous traveling, my independence, and I am a huge believer in mental health, which was the topic of my final thesis project for my Master’s.

Vedanta Balbahadour 

Vedanta Balbahadur is an architect, artist, and educator known for his progressive design sensibility and client-centered approach. An Indo-Guyanese Montrealer, he is the founder of Studio Vedanta Balbahadur, a transdisciplinary practice that integrates architecture, urban planning, photography, exhibition design, and graphic design. His commitment to education has been recognized with multiple awards at the McGill University Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture, where he serves as a studio coordinator, design instructor, and thesis advisor. Through his projects and teaching, Vedanta emphasizes design and planning that should emerge from a poetic vision, adopt an ethical stance, and enhance the well-being of the built environment and its inhabitants through innovation, adaptive reuse, and sustainable strategies. He has served as a juror for architectural competitions, including the Montreal Holocaust Museum International Competition, and has been a critic and guest lecturer at institutions such as the University of Toronto, Université de Montréal, Carleton University, Cornell University, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Waterloo, Concordia University, and Laurentian University. Passionate about empowering the broader community, Vedanta also leads courses, seminars, and tours that explore the intersection of architecture, art, history, and culture.