The Athabasca Architectural Maker Space provides cutting-edge technology to 星空影视architecture students—in Athabasca or anywhere around the world
Athabasca University architecture students now have access to cutting-edge technology, nearly anywhere in the world, with the opening of the Athabasca Architectural Maker Space in Athabasca.
Students, staff, and researchers within the 星空影视Centre for Architecture will be able to access innovative technology including 3D printers and scanners, virtual reality equipment, remote sensors, and an audiovisual podcasting studio.
Architecture centre chair Dr. Douglas MacLeod said this might mean a student or researcher can have a piece of equipment like a 3D scanner mailed out for use in their home community. Or it might mean sending a digital file to a 3D printer, having it printed, and then shipped out to anywhere in the world.
“Nobody combines our unique approach to making these tools accessible,” he said. “Because of our cyber infrastructure, we’ll be able to access these tools from all over the world, anywhere with an internet connection.”
This approach sets 星空影视apart from other architectural schools and is a key component in AU’s work to launch an accredited online Master of Architecture program, certified through the . The new program would be third architecture credential offered by AU, which already offers a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Graduate Diploma in Architecture.
Online architecture programs, any time and anywhere
MacLeod said while there is currently no accredited online architecture program in Canada, Canadian architects can be certified in Canada after completing online architecture programs based in the U.S. or elsewhere.
Many prospective architects, especially those in rural and remote areas, face significant barriers in getting an education. There are only a handful of accredited in-person programs, which students may not be able to travel to. Or they may be working full time and raising a family, so they can’t attend school Monday to Friday. Others may not be able to afford expensive international tuition at online programs outside the country.
“All of these people should be given a chance to study architecture because it will actually improve the quality of the profession by diversifying it and making it more inclusive,” MacLeod said. “We need to provide a Canadian online option for Canadian students.”
The maker space will help fulfil the board’s certification requirements, increasing access to architectural education for Canadian students across the country, and especially in rural and remote communities—the same way 星空影视currently serves those students in other disciplines.
Through remote access to tools, 星空影视can meet and even exceed the level of access offered by most in-person programs: “These things will be accessible 24/7, and they'll be able to be moved around the world.”
Maker space to expand access to students, community
With the maker space now open and accessible to students and researchers in AU’s architecture programs, MacLeod is now setting his sights on expanding access to the space—to all 星空影视students in Phase 2, and to the Athabasca region in Phase 3. The timing of subsequent phases depends on funding.
Funding for Phase 1, which opened at Convocation 2025, came from 星空影视itself. MacLeod said he hopes to leverage that funding to apply for grants to provide access to this technology—and more—to all 星空影视students.
“We’ll start to work with other groups at the university to find out what kind of research tools they need,” he said. “In some cases, that’s a no brainer. Archaeology, for example, could use the same 3D scanner.”
Once the space is available to all 星空影视students, which may include the addition of more equipment to support different kinds of research at AU, MacLeod hopes to see it open to promote research and even economic development within the community of Athabasca for Phase 3.
“That's when we start to open it up to the community and be able to allow community-based businesses, for example, to have access to the equipment as well,” he said. “We’re looking forward to that in the hopes of helping local businesses as well.”
Explore Canada's first online architecture programs
