Renelle Handa

Renelle is a Canadian undergraduate student at the University of Waterloo’s School of Architecture, currently entering her third year of study and participating in a co-op as part of a semester-long internship at Paul de Ruiter Architects. During her time at architecture school, she has worked on a diverse range of public projects, from libraries and museums to bridges and mixed-use living spaces. One of her most memorable experiences was designing an archive for timekeeping devices. "It was a topic that challenged my understanding of architecture as time is so intrinsic to a building’s materiality and form, where the building itself becomes part of the exhibition."

Her passion for architecture piqued during the pandemic, as the extended time at home made her hyperaware of the power space holds on the human psyche. "There’s this notion that to be an architect is to be everything, and that is what I find most thrilling about this field - I get to be an artist, a physicist, a geographer, a crafter, and a technology whiz all under the guise of (one day) being an architect. To manipulate space is to have such a broad and deep understanding of the world and its workings, and it is a privilege to be able to hold such power."

Renelle's most recent studio was related to a landscape design, the muse being a major river flowing through Cambridge, Ontario. She chose to address the stormwater management system by designing a network of ponds to filter water, highlighting the landscape's ability to remediate and the importance of daylighting the infrastructure that allows our cities to thrive in silence.

"Paul de Ruiter Architects is conscious of what it contributes to the world and treats sustainability with the seriousness it deserves, which is why I wanted to make the trek from Canada to contribute to their initiative. Sustainability should not be an afterthought in the design process, and I admire PDR’s design approach of viewing a building as a vessel of energy and carbon that can add productivity to the environment through a careful consideration of materiality and building usage. It is this awareness of a building’s life cycle that creates a meaningful connection between architecture and the environment; the things we design live and breathe like us. With the PDR team, I have the privilege of contributing to sustainable design and gaining an international perspective on architectural practices alongside other talented designers and interns. Every new command I learn on AutoCAD is a step in the right direction!"