CCA Announces Call for 2027 Research Fellowship Program on Vacancy

The Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA) has officially issued a call for applications for the 2027 iteration of its CCA-WRI Research Fellowship Program. This prestigious initiative continues a multi-year investigation into the concept of vacancy, framing it not merely as a state of absence or erasure, but as a cyclical condition with the latent potential to regenerate lands, structures, and social relationships.

Expanding the Discourse on Vacancy

Following the successful 2026 edition, which examined the assumed stasis of vacant environments across diverse global contexts, the 2027 program seeks to broaden its geographical and theoretical scope. Previous projects explored a wide array of themes, including real estate speculation and Indigenous land tenure in Honolulu; the impacts of disinvestment and systemic segregation in St. Louis; collective ownership and disaster mitigation strategies in Nepal; and the revitalization of abandoned rural homes in Toyama, Japan, where traditional craft and generational knowledge have been successfully reintegrated into contemporary living.

For the 2027 cycle, the CCA invites applicants to analyze vacancy as a condition that extends beyond physical structures. The fellowship encourages research into how vacancy is actively maintained through financial withdrawal, policy frameworks, and environmental risk. Successful proposals will focus on specific sites that demonstrate a commitment to theoretical models capable of informing future design practice.

Research Focus and Methodologies

The program welcomes a variety of analytical approaches. Potential areas of study include vacancy as a manifestation of the climate crisis; the material cycles of design and planning resulting from demolition; the intentional creation of vacancy through urban policy; historical analyses of why certain cultures choose not to build; and the ecological shifts caused by pollution and extraction, including non-human reoccupation as a strategy for environmental repair. Applicants are encouraged to utilize case studies that evidence community involvement in decision-making processes.

Integrating Theory and Practice

The fellowship provides an experimental environment where practitioners—including architects, urban planners, landscape architects, and artists—can ground their ongoing projects in the extensive CCA Collection. Fellows will have the opportunity to engage with significant historical materials, such as the works of Ignasi de Solà-Morales on the concept of the wasteland, Gianni Pettena’s studies on environmental change and occupation, and the expansive CCA Olmsted project, which documents seventy-four sites through the lens of environmental transformation.

Eligibility and Fellowship Details

The program is open to experienced practitioners and researchers holding a doctoral degree in relevant fields. The CCA is particularly interested in candidates working at the intersection of academia and professional practice who demonstrate a commitment to public-facing outcomes, such as exhibitions, publications, or community-accountable research.

Selected fellows will undertake their research at the CCA in Montréal, where they will present work in progress and participate in seminars and workshops. Residencies are scheduled for one to three months between July and October 2027. Each fellow will receive a private office, full access to the CCA Collection, a monthly stipend of CAD 5,000, and support for travel and visa requirements. Four fellowships will be awarded for the 2027 cycle.

Application Process

Candidates must submit an application outlining how their research can provide actionable insights for stakeholders such as city governments, neighborhood associations, and design professionals. The Advisory Committee, featuring Maurice D. Cox, Mio Tsuneyama, CCA Director Giovanna Borasi, and Associate Director of Research Rafico Ruiz, will select the fellows in January 2027, with results announced in February 2027. The deadline for all submissions is November 30, 2026. Detailed guidelines are available through the CCA’s official channels.