Designing her world
Architecture graduate goes beyond the books to forge her path - By Charlotte Danby Faculty of Engineering - The daughter of two professional violinists, Danielle Grabke was exposed to thoughtfully designed environments from a very young age. Her childhood memories recall many excursions to the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto - she has seen over a dozen performances of the Nutcracker and still finds new ways to love it. What struck her most as a child, though, was how the building itself contributed to her enjoyment of what she was watching. "Every time I stepped inside, I was impacted by the design of the space and how it made me feel, which contributed enormously to my overall experience," Grabke says. "As I got older, I wanted to learn and understand how to create spaces with positive atmospheres that make for memorable experiences." Her passion and curiosity eventually led Grabke to the University of Waterloo where on Saturday she will cross the stage at convocation to mark the completion of her Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS). Armed with her degree in architecture, Grabke stands out as a student who believes in getting the most from experiences - be that a theatre show or her studies. Her enthusiastic energy, outgoing nature and career ambitions made for five very busy and rewarding undergraduate years.
