Oct 19, 2026

This summer, Marco Group had the opportunity to support Dalhousie University’s Free Lab project at the George Dixon Centre in Halifax’s North End. Through the experiential learning program, architecture students work alongside community organizations and industry partners to take real projects from concept to construction, gaining valuable hands-on experience along the way.

This year’s Free Lab brought together Dalhousie architecture students, Halifax Public Libraries, the George Dixon Centre, Halifax Regional Municipality Parks & Recreation, Lydon Lynch Architects, Marco Group and local youth to create a new outdoor community space. Throughout the project, students worked closely with community partners and the youth who use the centre every day, ensuring the final design reflected their ideas, needs and aspirations for the space.

The initiative also connects closely with our broader work in Halifax’s North End. Marco, alongside Lydon Lynch Architects and Teeple Architects, is currently part of the Design-Build Team for the Halifax North Memorial Public Library renovation.

As part of Marco’s ongoing commitment to supporting the communities where we work, members of our team contributed throughout the build. We provided construction expertise, materials, tools, site supervision and mentorship, helping students navigate the realities of construction while bringing their designs to life safely and successfully.

What began as a series of ideas evolved into a welcoming space beside the George Dixon Centre’s basketball courts. The completed project features a custom wood bench and brick seating area where community members can gather, watch games, and spend time outdoors. Local youth also played a hands-on role in creating the space, helping add colourful painted details to the brickwork and leaving their own mark on the project.

In addition to the seating area, the students designed and built a collection of lawn games that were donated to the centre for ongoing community use.

For the students, Free Lab provided a unique opportunity to see a project through every stage of the process, from early design discussions to the final day of construction. For local youth and community partners, it was an opportunity to shape and contribute to a project that will serve their neighbourhood for years to come. And for Marco, it was a chance to share our knowledge while supporting the next generation of designers and builders.

The project was a true community collaboration, made possible through the contributions of many organizations and individuals. We’re grateful to everyone who dedicated their time, expertise and resources, including Shaw Brick and Kent Building Supplies for material donations, Jim Baker for donating tools, and the many students, volunteers, community partners and Marco team members who helped bring the vision to life.