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The extreme makeover at 490 Delaware Ave. is complete.

In April 2012, 19 architecture students were assigned the task of converting the first floor of a two-storey row house into a wheelchair-accessible apartment. The student design include a wheelchair ramp at the front entrance and a bathroom renovation to accommodate a wheelchair. In addition an open concept area was created between the kitchen and living room.

Project Delaware is the assignment of AIAS Freedom by Design at Ryerson, a program facilitated by the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) that uses the talents of architecture students to change the lives of people in their community through designed, funded and built modifications to their living environments. It’s a yearly initiative to positively affect disabled, low-income individuals. Ryerson has the only Canadian chapter of the AIAS.

A tenant has moved into the Delaware house, which is operated by ecuhome corporation, a social housing provider supported by the City of Toronto. Students created designs for Project Delaware that aimed to meet Ontario Building Code standards. Buttcon Limited, a general contracting company, provided skilled tradesmen such as plumbers, tile setters and electricians to handle the technical work.

Fourth-year architecture student Andrew Lockhart was one of the project managers. He says the biggest challenge was managing and organizing everyone including the tradesmen. Every team member worked a separate full-time job on top of Project Delaware. Regardless, the big break was too good for students to pass up.

“We began to fully understand the implications of what we designed,” Lockhart said. “We realized problems with the proposed design and had the opportunity to solve or redesign any issues. The construction process and the project as a whole allowed the team to experience the full cycle of a construction project from procurement and feasibility to fundraising, sponsorship and construction. The project gave students full responsibility over every aspect and provided leadership opportunities.”

Partnership was a big aspect of Project Delaware, bridging the gap between students and industry professionals. Lockhart said Buttcon and ecuhome provided the most assistance to the student team and were a major proponent of the project's success. Primary partners include architects Turner Fleischer, Baldwin & Franklin, Daniel Johnson Architect and Studio Jonah. In addition, project sponsors were George A. Kelson Company Ltd., Fortis Electric Ltd., Calligaro Tile Co. Ltd., Oxford Interiors Ltd., Richview Renovation and Restoration Ltd. and Frost Products Ltd.