Clara Ziada holds an Honours B.A in Architectural Studies with high distinction double majoring in Architectural Design and Architectural History, Theory and Criticism. She completed her Masters of Architecture from the University of Toronto where she held various research and teaching assistantship positions and grown a deep interest in environmental design and its socio-political impact.

Her thesis is a densification proposal with a focus on heritage, low embodied carbon and an advocacy for material value to exemplify how we can keep existing buildings and densify with salvaged materials across cities to promote circular economy, deconstruction and a new aesthetic language.

Through UofT, she was able to travel to Senegal to work on the reuse and retrofit heritage CICES campus, and drive the “Save Ontario Place” campaign. Her projects, “Material Bank” and “Sitopia” have been selected for the Green New Deal Superstudio Exhibition. She has published work for the Canadian Architect, Tuff Lab and UofT Daniels Architecture Faculty.

Outside of UofT, she is a Social Media Manager for a non-profit organization called ROOTA which helps alleviate poverty and provide education for the garbage collectors of Zabaleen, Cairo. She also initiated a program in 2016 with Arthouse and the Halton Multicultural Council through which she stills teaches art to youth newcomers and refugees.

Prior to SvN, she gained design experience at offices in Toronto and Abu Dhabi. These include B+H, NXL Architects, RW Armstrong and Fosters + Partners. Her experience has rendered her eager to intersect the spheres of architecture, social engagement, and climate activism.