Meet
Living Campus
Heather Cui Political Science, 2020
I am interested in exploring ways of integrating nature into modern, high-density, urban environments, or reconfiguring urban settings to be more harmonious with nature. Nature has the ability to improve moods and ensure both physical and mental well-being of people, even through passive exposure. With this in mind, I wanted to gather people’s impressions, beginning with the UW community, of what could be done to incorporate more nature into our urban surroundings.
Kate McDonald Arts and Business, 2022
I think it’s important that institutions make bigger strides towards sustainability to set an example for students and other institutions. The University is very influential, and, like Uncle Ben says in Spiderman “with great power comes great responsibility”. I think our project will be a great way of understanding and perhaps even exposing what the University is and isn’t doing in terms of sustainability. I also think it will be a great way for us to potentially help them by coming up with our own solution and contribution.
Reagan McKinney Environmental Engineering, 2022
Currently, we are seeing a rise in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere leading to global impacts on climate. This increase in carbon dioxide is also being paralleled by a global increase in infrastructure. Thus, my question is, why can’t we make this a symbiotic relationship? What if there was a way to combat carbon dioxide levels while also maintaining current infrastructure demands? This project aims to do just that by examining the different ways in which natural spaces, which sequester carbon dioxide, may be creatively implemented at the University of Waterloo.
Jaimie Park Global Business and Digital Arts, 2020
When I first heard the proposed concept for this project, I was immediately intrigued at the chance to see tangible change happen on campus. We know student and professor mental health is a never-ending issue, as is the massive carbon footprint the university collectively makes. It’s clear that it’s time to make some changes, and fast.
John Webster Mechatronics Engineering, 2020
A few years ago I discovered a living structure designed by ecoLogicStudio, based out of the UK, and I was enthralled by the idea of having a multi-functional piece of architecture that absorbs pollutants from the atmosphere and supports algal growth, of which breathable oxygen is a byproduct. I wanted to research the feasibility of using this concept in a structure that the community could interact with on a daily basis. In a time where climate action is so hesitantly pursued, the desire to create a project that makes a visible statement and puts ideas into action is greatly appealing to me.