BLA and BComm Students Win Top Prize at Ryerson's "Expand your Empire" Case Competition

Posted on Monday, March 5th, 2018

Congratulations to two University of Guelph teams for taking first and second place in Ryerson's "Expand Your Empire" Case Competition.

The Darkhorse Developments team which consisted of five University of Guelph students from real estate and housing (BComm) and landscape architecture (BLA) took home top place finishes, including First Place Overall ($10,000 grand prize) as well as Best Financial Analysis ($1,000 prize) at this years Ryerson “Expand your Empire” Case Competition in Toronto Monday February 26, 2018 

The annual competition sees teams of undergraduate students asking them to redefine an under-utilized development. This year the site was located in Kitchener, Ontario. The competition allowed for a week to analyze, design and create the best-use development proposal, which included the development of financials, market analysis and sustainable features. At the end of the week, the teams presented their solutions to real estate industry leaders. 

Teams from across North America participated in the competition, including the University of Guelph, Ryerson, and University of Wisconsin.

The winning Darkhorse Development student team from the University of Guelph consisted of :  
Adam Newell (3rd Year, BComm - REH) 
Ashley Hosker (4th Year, BLA)
Cody MacRae (3rd Year, BComm - REH)
Tyler Randa (3rd Year, BComm - REH)
Wendy Li (4th Year, BLA) 

Five students holding award chequePhoto above:  University of Guelph's Darkhorse Development Student Team.  Left to right: Tyler Randa, Cody MacRae, Chuck Scott (CEO Canada at Cushman and Wakefield), Adam Newell, Ashley Hosker, and Wendy Li. 

The teams winning solution included developing a mixed-use office building with retail elements on the main levels and offices on top, allowing for convenient access on all sides. It also included increasing the accessibility to green spaces, and the implementation of bioswales to remediate the flooding which has occurred on this specific site in previous years . The three pillars of sustainability and green technology were major guiding factors in the design, to create a focal point to the mall and central gathering space for the community. 

Having the opportunity to work and compete with talented students from both landscape architecture and real estate and housing was a great opportunity and experience, says Ashley Hosker. “We were able to combine different experiences and expertise to produce a unique, sustainable, and feasible solution to a complicated case.” 

Wendy Li describes the experience as an amalgamation of knowledge and expertise from different perspectives and backgrounds embracing the spirit of interdisciplinary design.

Another congratulations to the Edinburgh Development team:  Samantha Marshall, Nick Stephen, Yassmin Ghotb (BComm students) and Emma Needham (BLA student), for placing second and taking home $5,000.  They were also awarded the $1,000 best sustainability award.

 

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