Ariana Sehra
Environmental Design BDes
OCAD University
Graduates: 2025
Specialisms: Architecture / Landscape / Garden Design / Sustainable Design
My location: Toronto, Canada
Ariana Sehra
First Name: Ariana
Last Name: Sehra
University / College: OCAD University
Course / Program: Environmental Design BDes
Graduates: 2025
Specialisms: Architecture / Landscape / Garden Design / Sustainable Design
My Location: Toronto, Canada
Website: Click To See Website
About
Hello there! My name is Ariana and I recently graduated from OCAD U's Environmental design program. I am an aspiring architect with extensive design knowledge from OCAD University. My design philosophy is deeply rooted into my own lived experiences being a deaf individual. My work relates to the rigid and inaccessible built environment. I believe that "our purpose in the design world is dictated by our own experiences". The lack of accessibility has made marginalized voices feel unheard, living in a world where they don't feel supported. I aspire to make a transformative impact to my communities through my critical thinking and systematic approach of blending aesthetics with functionality.
"A Walk on Water", serves as a demonstration of how accessible architecture can be designed along Toronto's Waterfront edge as a revitalization project to address density, restriction, water pollution, and the lack of engagement with experiencing the water. The aim is to create a new "sensory experience" while mantaining sustainable practises that respect the surrounding environment. The 2km walking pathway takes on the form of ink, exploring how liquid dynamics occur. The walkway features modules that are assembled together to form a buoyant ecology located on the underside of the walking path, allowing the structure to float and remain tethered to the waterbed while providing nutrients for the fish. With rising uncertainty in changing climates, this structure remains adaptable to fluctuating water levels. The underside of the buoyant ecology offers an immersive experience for the aquatic life by growing algae using a porous material that is a 3D composite, thus serving as a "living layer" and provides an ecology that regulates temperature of the water nearby to provide protection from harsh weather conditions. The pathway also hosts activities to foster community engagement, including pavilions with ink droplet-shaped roofs and seasonal kiosks for local business's and markets. The boardwalk further incorporates boat infrastructure, which is a significant aspect of Toronto's Waterfront community. This project serves both human engagement and natural life, while the walking pathways allows visitors to truly feel the "haptics of water", something we don't experience in today's waterfront. When designing with the environment, we should be designing with nature, not against it.
Competitions
