The Forum Initiatives
We Are Currently Open For SPONSORSHIP
Join us in supporting the next generation of designers, contact us at theforum@fabrikarchitects.ca
Contributions start at $200 and directly support the realization of KONA / BLOOM.
Donors are recognized through the University of Waterloo School of Architecture, the FORUM at Fabrik Architects, Gaslight District communications, and printed materials, with the option to also support the installation’s opening event. Please reach out for further details on sponsorship and recognition opportunities.
This initiative establishes an annual or biannual student design-build competition developed in collaboration with the University of Waterloo School of Architecture. Open to architecture students, the competition brings architectural education, public art, and community engagement into a highly visible urban setting through the design and realization of a site-specific installation within a public exhibition space in the heart of the Gaslight District.
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Through the partnership, the School of Architecture provides critical academic, technical, and fabrication support—enabling students to move from concept to construction with access to institutional resources and faculty guidance. Each cycle culminates in a juried selection and the construction of one installation, exhibited for several months during the district’s most active season, ensuring sustained public visibility and engagement.
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Conceived as a recurring platform, the program nurtures emerging designers, activates public space, and presents the community with an evolving series of architectural installations. Donor contributions are integral to this vision, directly funding student materials and enabling bold, innovative installations that bring ideas to life for thousands of visitors. Contributions also sustain an ongoing platform that strengthens the connection between academia, professional practice, and the city.
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Join us in shaping the city’s cultural landscape. Donors are recognized in exhibition materials, communications, and at the installation site—demonstrating your commitment to education, public art, and accessible design.
KONA
KONA is a suspended, interactive installation inspired by the geometry of a pinecone, translating natural growth patterns into a luminous architectural form. Responsive lighting shifts with human presence, creating an experience that evolves throughout the day and evening. The project combines computational design, material experimentation, and light to animate the space through movement and reflection. KONA will be on exhibit in the Forum at Fabrik in mid–late January 2026.​
BLOOM
BLOOM is a kinetic light installation inspired by the moonflower, a nocturnal plant that opens at dusk and closes at dawn. Through layered materials, subtle motion, and shifting transparency, the installation transforms continuously between day and night, creating a calm, immersive environment that connects interior and exterior spaces through light and movement. BLOOM will be on exhibit in the Forum at Fabrik in late spring 2026.​​
