The study of architecture and design is a task that requires students to step out of their comfort zones. While, in no way, shape or form, is architecture the toughest of subjects to study, however, to study design and architecture, or rather to be in any creative school, is a test of mental and physical resilience, requiring strong determination and willingness to do what is necessary. However, often, that constant pressure ends up taking its toll on the students in the shape of negative emotions, anxiety, depression, and the thought of suicide in extreme cases.

The intention behind this practicum is to identify issues such as mental, physical, and creative burnout amongst the FAUM students. The constant pressure, fatigue, creative need leads the students into negative spaces, creates issues of stress, depression, lacking energy, and productivity. While there’s ample research data that highlights these issues, I can attest to such negative emotions myself as a student in this field.

This practicum will primarily draw from my personal experiences as an actively engaged design and architecture student within the broader North American post-secondary education system. My overarching goal in embarking on this journey is to conceptualize and design a novel student center that serves as a complementary support hub for students within the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The core intent behind this new student center is to provide architecture students with a distinct and tailor-made environment that caters to their unique needs as design-oriented individuals.