Client-based Studio – Building the Foundation of your Career

Studio classes are a fantastic opportunity to get practical experience and utilize theoretical knowledge gained throughout a planning program. The additional dimension of a real-world client can create some anxiety for students, but the opportunity to participate in client-based studios was the best element of my university experience.

As a third-year urban planning student at Toronto Metropolitan University in January 2022, I participated in a client-based studio class, where real-world planners “commission” groups of students to work on a real-world planning project. The project I was placed in was admittedly not my first choice: a project on parking minimums in Hamilton and Burlington, with the West End Home Builders’ Association (WE HBA) as a client.

Despite my initial reservations, I seized the opportunity to act as point-of-contact between my studio group and the client, as well as taking on some project management and leadership roles within the group. While the project deliverables were a true group effort, I was able to set myself apart as an effective communicator, a leader, and manager of a ten-person studio project. The success of the project and my role in it led to a leadership award and an employment opportunity with the WE HBA, who recognized my skills as an asset for the organization.

The published report and presentation to Hamilton City staff and the development industry have recently been cited in the City of Hamilton’s Parking Standards review. The City is now proposing reductions in parking minimums and complete eliminations in the most urban and transit-supportive areas of the city. Meaning – our work as students is now having a positive real-world impact on policy decisions being made today.

Client-based studios present a great opportunity for building professional skills and   starting your career. They also present a huge opportunity for Ontario planning  departments and firms. Bringing students into your work brings cutting-edge research  and perspective to your team. It also enables your teams to network with the next generation of professional planners, help start their careers, and even find potential talent to join your organization.

WE HBA continues to regularly work with student teams, having since commissioned research on Angular Planes with Toronto Metropolitan University and Waste Design Requirements with University of Waterloo. While parking minimums wasn’t the most exciting topic to begin with – the project has now shaped my career, and WE HBA now uses my team’s work to shape policy.



For students taking a client-based studio class this semester, some advice for success:

Take the opportunity to elevate yourself to a high-profile role such as point person or project manager. Volunteer to present your project to your peers, take opportunities to take projects beyond the class, and promote your work wherever possible. Putting yourself out there, networking, gaining name recognition, and demonstrating effective communication and interpersonal skills are some of the most important actions to take as a student, recent graduate, or young professional. While having technical and theoretical skills are vitally important, they do not exist in a vacuum and must be communicated to an audience and managed. Working within a group forms the foundation of professional work and is an integral skill to build early.

Client-based studios are a fantastic opportunity for students and practitioners alike; students, don’t be afraid to take the reins and build the foundation of your career.

Photos Credit: Tourism Hamilton