Architecture students in Sudbury design accessible buildings that could become a reality

For 20 years, a group in Sudbury called Independent Living Sudbury Manitoulin (ILSM) has wanted to build an affordable, and accessible, housing complex for its members.

Now, a unique partnership with Laurentian University's McEwen School of Architecture is taking that dream one step closer to reality.

"The members have indicated to myself and previous executive directors that they were interested in doing a housing project," said Angela Gray, Independent Living's current executive director.

"We firmly believe here at ILSM that people with disabilities are the experts with regards to disability accessibility, diversity, and inclusion."

The organization helps people with disabilities in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts live more independently. Its building in downtown Sudbury acts as a social hub for members, where they can also take part in programs that teach them the skills needed to take care of themselves. 

Gray said she and the board connected with Thomas Strickland, a professor in Laurentian's architecture program.

Strickland developed a course for his masters students in which he challenged each of them to design an accessible apartment building with around 30 units.

"To have the students be able to become sort of the innovators in the area was central to our relationship with Independent Living Sudbury Manitoulin, and Angela wanted that as well," Strickland said.

"That was key to her."

Before the students got to work on their designs, the class visited Copenhagen, Denmark, which Strickland said has some of the world's most accessible buildings.

"Denmark itself is very-forward thinking when it comes to issues of accessibility," Strickland said.

"So that presented an opportunity to be at a place where at least the new buildings that are built will be built through the principles of universal design."

When they returned to Sudbury, the students met with Independent Living members to get their input, and found out what they would like to see in an accessible apartment building.

"We just, we got to sit down and kind of just talk about just some of their daily experiences, what that meant to be living with these different types of disabilities," said architecture student Max Berry.