Hemali (Hemi) Patel has been selected as the winner of the 2025 Learning from Liveable Cities: The Joyce Drohan Travel Award. Her project, “Exploring the Potential of Bio-Based Material Lifecycles in Cities Developing Urban Circular Economies” proposes visits to London, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen to investigate how bio-based materials like timber, hemp, straw and waste reuse can support circular urban economies, and reduce embodied carbon and construction waste.
The jury commended the timely nature of Hemi’s project, as many Canadian cities strive to reduce, reuse, and recycle construction materials. “A key strength of her upcoming fieldwork in the UK, the Netherlands, and Denmark is its cross-scalar and multi-faceted approach to studying circular economy practices and the use of bio-based materials,” the jury statement read. “This work holds significant potential to enrich current discussions on decarbonized city-building and urban policy.”
Learning from Liveable Cities: The Joyce Drohan Travel Award was established in memory of Vancouver architect and urban designer of public sector projects and sustainable communities Joyce Drohan (1954-2022). The award is granted to a SALA student second or graduating year of an eligible program, and planning an international trip to expand their knowledge of sustainable architecture or sustainable urban design, with a preference for research applicable to Canadian cities.
An event to recognize Hemi, and learn about the research of last year’s winner, Angela Viaje, will be held on March 19 at 12:30 p.m. in the BC Hydro Theatre at the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability. The event will also feature a talk by 2025 Alumni Builder Award recipient, Eleonore Leclerc.