Rolling out the blueprints for a Sudbury school of architecture.

Following the arrival of a school of a medicine and a soon-to-be-constructed school of education, Sudbury's Laurentian University is hoping to host the first new school of architecture built in Canada in 40 years.

"Canada needs some more schools of architecture because there's a massive demand for architects and not nearly enough places to help fill the supply," says Dr. Derek Wilkinson, associate professor, Department of Sociology, and director of the Institute of Northern Ontario Research and Development (INORD).

"We have a great opportunity to help fill that demand right here in Sudbury."

Although the discussion is still in an early preliminary phase, Wilkinson has been consulting with officials from Waterloo's own school of architecture, which recently relocated to a new facility in downtown Cambridge, 35 kilometres away. The school regularly sees 1,700 applications for 68 slots.

This separation from the main campus and its location in the heart of a smaller city is a good analogy for Laurentian's hopes, Wilkinson says. As there would be no room for the proposed facility on campus, the school would have to be built in Sudbury's downtown core, though no site has yet been selected.

Such a facility would require a unique focus in order to prove attractive to prospective students, he says. A focus on environmentally-friendly design and use of northern resources, such as boreal wood, is currently being considered for the proposed institution. This approach would also assist the many small northern communities negatively impacted by the forestry industry by making use of their resources, he says.

"The project seems surprisingly realistic," says Rick Haldenby, director, University of Waterloo School of Architecture. "I think the present situation at Laurentian University and Sudbury is very promising."

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Having visited Sudbury in early February at INORD's request, Haldenby spoke with various local groups and found that the city to be particularly well-suited for a school of architecture, despite the relatively small local population.

While most Canadian schools of architecture are typically located in urban centres with a population of at least 500,000, a "green" focus would make the project viable in Sudbury, Haldenby says.

"You've got the right mix of people up there, and the issue of environmental quality is so pressing and vivid in and around Sudbury, it would be amazing," he says. "After I visited, I really felt it had legs. If the university and the city came together on what the strategy is, it could happen."

The project isn't without its challenges, however, as Laurentian lacks room in its economic plan for the financing of the initial capital costs. While the school could maintain the program through student fees, the money to move it into gear is currently lacking, Wilkinson says. As a result, discussions will need to be held with the community to raise funds and obtain a location.

He points to the success of University of Waterloo's school of architecture, which captured the interest of Cambridge's city council who gave the school a 15-year, $15-million loan. With 400 students, the school has revitalized the downtown core, something Wilkinson says he hopes to replicate in Sudbury.

"Ninety-three per cent of our students live within a 10-minute walk of the school, so it's just transformed the area," Haldenby says. "Since we moved in 2004, there's been a tremendous amount of development, renovation of old buildings, and a huge amount of new construction of hundreds and hundreds of units in the downtown. It's had a very dramatic effect and brought a whole new energy to the area."

Wilkinson says that, in time, this same argument will be presented to key players in Sudbury, including city council and local businesses. He says he is confident people will eventually see the strong potential economic impact and throw their support behind the project.

"Here's a real possibility for not only educational benefit, but a real economic benefit for the community as well," he says. "The benefits are so clear, and when things are this obvious, people will participate."

By NICK STEWART

Northern Ontario Business