The Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO) is looking for an intern to contribute to their TOBuilt database and assist with associated projects. This internship focuses on documenting overlooked forms of heritage for the TOBuilt database.
About the organization:
The role of the ACO Toronto has been to set the stage for conservation advocacy through public education. Our public information efforts have evolved from public events and publishing books and magazines to the development of our most significant research project to date: TOBuilt, a publicly accessible online database of buildings and heritage sites across Toronto. TOBuilt offers a means of recording all property in city, including photographs, research, drawings, and links to other, external sources of information. The database is open source and provides an opportunity for anyone with information to share it with others. We hope that consolidating community research will facilitate protection for future generations!
About the placement:
Much of the detached house architecture in Toronto’s outer boroughs is or will be threatened by development pressures as Outer Toronto continues to densify. TOBuilt has documented over 2,000 of these building to date and is working to further build knowledge of these under-represented areas. At the same time, the advent of Bill 23 puts pressure on conserving more traditional forms of heritage and TOBuilt’s uniquely large catalogue of the city’s buildings presents an opportunity to record these geographically and by typology. A key part of the research TOBuilt undertakes involves communicating our work to an interested public and we’re constantly developing new and exciting ways of doing so.
Possible internship responsibilities include documenting suburban houses built in Toronto’s inner suburbs between 1940 and 2000, investigating the effects of Bill 23, researching intangible heritage sites, and developing public communication strategies about buildings and heritage sites using social media and other avenues.
The intern will be joining a team of heritage researchers, working alongside city heritage planners and consultants. This is an excellent opportunity for students interested in historic architecture, heritage, and urban planning!
Special requirements: The internship will take place remotely, but the ideal candidate would be based in Toronto in order to assist with photographing Toronto buildings.
Timing or hours of placement: 12-15 hours per week/8 weeks, up to a maximum of 120 hours. Hours can be flexible throughout the week.
Credit: Half credit (0.5). This internship is for pass/fail course credit at the University of Toronto through the Department of Art History. Only University of Toronto students are eligible. This is not a paid position.
Interested students should send an application by August 28, 2024 to Dr Jessica Mace (jessica.mace@utoronto.ca). Applications should include 1) a letter of interest (including any relevant coursework or experience) and 2) a resume. Please indicate to which posting(s) you are applying. If you are interested in multiple postings, you only need to submit one application.