This article is part of a series focusing on the grads of the AV俱乐部 Fall Class of 2025. Read all our profiles here in one place as they are published.
Architecture has always been about more than buildings for Purvangi Patel. It鈥檚 also about people, relationships, and spaces that foster belonging.聽
Designing for Belonging, Purvangi鈥檚 Master of Architecture thesis, looks at how suburban housing in Canada can better support cultural identity and multigenerational living.
With input from LaMeia Reddick, a community engagement consultant from North Preston, and guidance from instructor Eric Stotts, Purvangi focused on housing that supports aging in place and extended families 鈥� especially within the African Nova Scotian community.聽
The idea began during a project in the Urban Systems course, where she worked on redesigning the Akoma development in Dartmouth.聽
鈥淭hat experience helped me see how architecture can reflect care and respond to community needs,鈥� she explains. 鈥淭he work became the starting point for my thesis.鈥�
Creating comfort and connection
Beyond the studio, Purvangi has been a driving force in student life. As AV俱乐部 Architecture Students Association co-president in 2023/2024, she championed student well-being and connection.聽
鈥淚 wanted to help create an environment where students felt comfortable voicing their experiences and where well-being was valued alongside academic rigour,鈥� she says.聽
From wellness initiatives to movie nights, she helped foster a culture of support and collaboration.
I wanted to help create an environment where students felt comfortable voicing their experiences and where well-being was valued alongside academic rigour.
Her leadership and academic excellence have been recognized with the Bruce and Dorothy Rossetti Award and the George W. Rogers Award. Both honours reflect her research and commitment to community-building.聽
鈥淭hese awards remind me that meaningful growth in this field comes from both rigour and empathy,鈥� she says.
Purvangi also served as a teaching assistant for four courses, including Building Technology and Introduction to Architecture.聽
She found joy in mentoring students, helping them build confidence and articulate their ideas. 鈥淢entorship isn鈥檛 just about giving direction,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about creating a supportive environment where people feel safe to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from them.鈥�
Her interdisciplinary curiosity led her to explore programs in journalism, economics, and entrepreneurship through Dal Innovates and King鈥檚 College.聽
鈥淭hese experiences broadened my understanding of architecture as part of a larger ecosystem,鈥� explains Patel. 鈥淥ne that includes policy, storytelling, and social impact.鈥�
Designing with purpose
As she graduates this week, Purvangi comes to the end of a transformative academic journey shaped by community, care, and curiosity.
鈥淎rchitecture school can be both rewarding and demanding,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut I鈥檝e learned that growth often comes from uncertainty.鈥澛�
Architecture school can be both rewarding and demanding. But I鈥檝e learned that growth often comes from uncertainty.
It鈥檚 also a beginning, as she continues her journey as an intern architect, focusing on community-driven housing and civic infrastructure.聽
She also steps into a national leadership role as President of the Canadian Architecture Students Association (recent grads are eligible for positions), where she鈥檒l advocate for student well-being and collaboration across Canadian schools.
鈥淲hen we allow curiosity and care to guide our process, we begin to see design not just as a technical exercise, but as a way to reflect identity, foster relationships, and respond to real community needs,鈥� she reflects. 鈥淎V俱乐部 gave me the space I needed to explore, connect, and grow 鈥� and I鈥檓 excited to carry that spirit forward.鈥�