Selected Works 2023

Tan Hardy

Hello, my name is Christopher Tan Hardy, a recent graduate of the Master of Architecture program at the University of Toronto. Within this portfolio, I am delighted to present a collection of works that exemplify my profound passion, rich experiences, and honed skillset in city building.

Diverse in scale and intricacy, these projects mirror the intricate tapestry of our world. As varied as the challenges society faces, they span a spectrum that underscores my dedication to delving deeper into the realms of architecture and its capacity to engage with pressing societal issues. I explore how architecture can contribute to resolving critical challenges such as racial disparity, the enduring legacy of settler-colonialism, and the pressing matter of inaccessible and unaffordable housing. Each project becomes a platform for me to delve into these themes and propose potential remedies for these complex issues. I invite you to embark on this voyage through my work, encapsulating my unique perspective on our world.

I hope you enjoy!

Sincerly Yours,

Christopher Tan Hardy M.Arch, B.AS Honours

October 12, 2022

Re: Letter of Reference Christopher Hardy (Development Internship)

To whom it may concern,

Cahdco is pleased to provide this letter of reference for Christopher (Chris) Hardy, who worked here as a Development Intern during the Summer of 2022.

As Chris’ direct supervisor for his internship, I connected regularly with Chris and saw much of his work first hand. Chris was incredibly thorough and documented each of his processes very well. Chris’ internship was remote and while this had the challenges of not being in the office together, he overcame these through great communication and follow up on assigned tasks.

Chris learned and adapted quickly to terminology and processes that are somewhat unique to development, and never allowed his lack of experience in the development world to keep him from taking on new work and pursuing opportunities.

I can speak for all of us, at Cahdco, to say that Chris was a great team player and was enjoyable to have as a part of our group this summer.

Sincerely yours,

Mark Sider

Senior Project Manager, Cahdco & CCOC

613-234-4065 x 261

www.cahdco.org

www.ccochousing.org

Letter of Reference – Christopher Hardy

TAKE BACK THE CITY

Final M.Arch Thesis Project

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2023

Thesis Research

Eight months

Prof. Lukas Pauer

Chinatown, Toronto

Although transit seems to play a crucial role in the lives of most Torontonians, its development can lead to the displacement of the city’s most vulnerable people. As part of the new Ontario Line project by Metrolinx, a Crown Corporation, the proposed Queen-Spadina Subway Station in Toronto Chinatown is one of many places facing the looming threat of transit-induced gentrification. As a counter to the displacive forces at play, this thesis seeks to empower low-income people of Toronto Chinatown in their ability to negotiate with the actors responsible for or complicit in the disappearance of their homes and essential businesses.

The project’s aim is reflected in a proposal for a mixed-use high-rise building and an accompanying professional practice manual. The proposed building would include relevant community land trusts in the planning and design of a comprehensive development featuring affordable housing and third spaces on top of the new subway station. The accompanying manual would help the people of Chinatown become fluent in the language of the real estate-industrial complex by explaining, decoding, and translating the often inaccessible, obscure, and violent workings of gentrification. By mobilizing municipal policies, financial pro forma, business partnership models, architectural drawings, and marking campaigns to counter the logic of real estate for a social benefit, we can ensure an equitable housing future in Toronto.

Photograph of the counter “Notice of Development” sign

Trintiy Bellwoods Eviction Reconstruction - Summer of

2021

Source:

“AdministrativeInquiryRegardingtheClearingofEncampments,”

LetterwrittenbyChrisMurrary,CityManager,toCouncillorKristynWong-Tam(Sep.30,2021)

“CityofTorontoOperationalPlan-TrinityBellwoodsEncampment,”

Speculative reconstruction of the park encampment eviction by the City of Toronto, and subsequent efforts by homeless advocates and allies to prevent the unlawful arrest and removal of unhoused residents from Trinity Bellwoods. Note the full cost of this eviction, $609,000 CAD, would have been enough to provide 25 people with one full year of market-rents for a 1 bedroom apartment.

How we got here - visualizing the devolution of social housing in Toronto

MILESTONES IN THE DEVOLUTION OF SOCIAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN TORONTO

Jean Chrétien’s Liberals cut Federal funding to build new social housing developments in Ontario (1995). Responsibility for maintaining existing social housing stock is now the responsibility of the Ontario Provincial government

Mike Harris’ Ontario Progress-Conservatives, through the Social Housing Reform Act (2000), further downloads social housing responsibility to the City of Toronto.

Without major financial commitments to maintain and grow it’s social housing supply, Toronto looks to private real estate developers to help maintain and repair its aging housing supply (2005).

Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government partially re-enters the housing market by launching the National Housing Strategy (2016), which will invest $40 billion to spur affordable housign developments across Canada.

Source: Suttor,Greg.2016.StillRenovating:aHistoryofCanadianSocialHousingPolicy.Montreal,(QuebecProvince:McGill-Queen’sUniversityPress). Smetaninetal.,“TorontoHousingMarketAnalysis:FromInsighttoAction.”

This graph communicates the successive “downgrading” of Canadian federal and provincial involvement in social housing development. With the final pullout of Mike Harris’ Progressive Conservatives from building and operating social housing under the “Common Sense Revolution,” social housing creation grinds to a halt in Ontario. The lasting impacts of this action can be observed in rising social housing demand in Toronto, as many Torontonias struggle to fulfill their core housing needs.

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Understanding the development context of Toronto’s Chinatown

The College

This map exposed the ongoing gentrification and their subsequent residential projects in the maps are marketing images published by the lack of unaffordable housing in the new

DEVELOPMENT

Queen St.

MRKT Alexandra Park

Dragon Condos

7 Vanauley St

SQ2 Condo

Affordable Housing “Transit-Orientated Communities”

gentrification of Chinatown by calling out the developers in the neighbourhood. To the left and right of by the developers and their sale prices. Note developments.

Ontario Line “Transit-Oriented Communities” where are the affordable housing?

Legend

Ontario Line alignment

Ontario Line stations

TCHC housing

Proposed market-rate housing

Proposed affordable housing

SCALE 1 : 25 000

Map of the incoming Ontario Line and the neighbourhoods that will intersect with its new subway stations and Transit-Orientated Communities (TOCs)

Identifying the lack of actionable affordable, attainable housing solutions

Of the “supportive housing” are actually in downtown neighbourhoods

Only 16% of the supposed “3000 supportive units” were actually built within the target years

Diagram of CMHC’s “Housing Continuum”

“Affordable” units provided by HousingNOW “Attainable” units for those of provincial social assistance (OW & ODSP)

Transit Orientated Communities - community dividends or displacement?

QUEEN-SPADINATOCEXPROPRIATIONDISPLACEMENT....AFFORDABILITY... ROUND2?

Queen-Spadina TOC, Ontario Line

Corktown TOC, Ontario Line

King-Bathurst TOC, Ontario Line

Exhibition TOC, Ontario Line

Gerrard TOC, Ontario Line COMING TO A NEIGHBOURHOOD NEAR YOU

East Harbour TOC, Ontario Line

Queen and Spadina TOC - a proposal for a just and inclusive community

The cost of housing: analyzing the carry cost of each dwelling unit per building density

low rise - 3 ST cost per unit: $2.2 million cost per SF: $3000/SF

mid rise - 7 ST

cost per unit: $1.2 million cost per SF: $1719/SF

high rise - 15 St super tall - 60 ST

cost per unit: $1 million cost per SF: $1245/SF

cost per unit: $709,000 cost per SF: $900/SF

Building axonometric of the Queen-Spadina TOC proposal

MASTER THESIS

The proposed building: by the numbers

High-level pro forma analyzing the financial feasibility of the proposed 60-storey QueenSpadina TOC development. A mixed-income and housing ownership model was selected to leverage the real estate market to provide financing for creating purpose-built, affordable rental housing for the theorized Downtown Chinatown Community Land Trust, the proposed non-profit partner on the development.

Rethinking affordability and property ownership in Toronto’s Chinatown

A pamphlet spread discussing the unaffordable nature of present-day Chinatown and provides a vision for a community where housing costs are controlled by residents, for residents, rather than by the free market.

Photo of the rear of the “Notice of Development” sign, showcasing the affordable housing discourse section of the thesis.

Photo of the profile and side elevation of the proposed Queen-Spadina TOC with a model of the connection between the base of the building and new subway platforms.

Photo of community member interacting the affordable housing development pamphlets.

Winterstation Design Competition

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2021 - 2022

Public Art Installation

$6000 CAD

Seven months

Project Manager

Asst. Prof. Fiona Lim Tung

Tomasz Weinberger, Clement Sung, Jason Wu, Jacob Henriquez, Christoper Law, Anthony Mattacchione, George Wang, Maggie MacPhie, Zoey Chao

Location

Woodbine Beach, Toronto

In keeping with this year’s theme of resilience, we chose to base our design on the emotions felt throughout the past two years’ worth of quarantine and isolation. Playing with the idea of reflection, we utilize mirrored walls to cast the visitors as the subjects of our bright red pavilion, titled Introspection. While the trellis roof allows the sun to illuminate the interior and its visitors, the red lifeguard tower stands unyielding in the centre of the pavilion, reminding us of the inherent stability within us.

In highlighting the subject’s presence, we hope to promote introspection into one’s own emotional resilience as one faces their own reflection. From afar, Introspection appears to float on the beach’s horizon. Behaving like a visual constant in the wild, Introspection and the lifeguard towers remind us that no matter what the whirlwinds of life may bring, they endure it all and remain resilient to adversity.

Interior photos of Introspection at Woodbine Beach showing how the pavilion responds to two types of environmental conditions: sun and snow

Photography courtesy of Joel Gale Photography 2022

Detailed exploded axonometric showing the construction assemblies that make up the pavilion.

Exterior photography of Introspection at Woodbine Beach standing next to the lifeguard tower. Photography courtesy of Joel Gale Photography 2022

LIMINAL TOPOGRAPHY

Waterloo Rome Studio

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2019

4th Year Final Design Project

One Month

Co-Designer

Prof. Emeritus Lorenzo Pignatti

Violeta Michailov

Celio Hill, Rome

Liminal Topography is an exploration of how to mediate between an ancient archeological site and the natural landscape. Situated in the Central Archeological Park of Rome on the flanks of the Celio Hill, our design creates a new monument by establishing view corridors to cultural icons in the Archeological Park such as the Colosseum. The site has been designed to contain parklands with deep cuts into the topography to form pathways that carefully reveals the vistas of the surrounding ancient monuments through openings in the terrain in the form of pavilions.

Along this jutting pathway, these pavilions house temporary exhibition spaces that lead visitors to viewing platforms that act as gathering spaces for both tourists and local residents. All pathways lead to the new Archeological Museum at the heart of the complex. As a center of culture and learning, this museum houses the massive Torlonia Collection of 109 classical statuary and various labs for research and restoration of ancient artifacts. A large theatre is located on the ground floor to accommodate symposiums and other cultural events.

Temporary exhibition gallery in Pavilion I

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Site Axonometric

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Pavilion I Pavilion II Pavilion III Archaeological Museum Public Plaza Aqua Claudia

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Celio Hill Park Colosseum Temple of Claudius Basilica of San Giovanni and Paolo Church of San Gregorio Tram stop

View of the Coli-

View of the Arch

View of the

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Via Celio Vibenna ViaClaudia Site Plan

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Colosseum Arch of Constantine Celio Park Church of San Giovanni and Paolo Church of San Gregorio Hippodrome of Domitian Aqua Claudia AA

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Model of the ancient city of Rome

New tramp stop Main public piazza Lobby

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View from the 2nd floor terrace of the new Archaeological Museum

THE SPINE

ULI Hines Student Urban Design Competition

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2021

International Design Competition

Honorable Mention

Two weeks

Team Leader

Prof. Val Rynnimeri, Prof. Kevin Curtis, Clarence Qian

Mallika Jain, Ryan Dunham, Natalia Horna, Poorna Patange

Kansas City, Missouri

The Spine, an innovative masterplan expansion in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, embodies principles of awareness, ambition, and accessibility in its design. Anticipating that the area will grow by more than 9,000 new residents in the next 10 years, our project will support this new growth by offering 1,380 homes and 193,328 sq ft of commercial retail and office spaces, forming a community of 3,230 residents and 1,250 new jobs. A linear park encourages alternative modes of transportation, such as new LRT routes, pedestrian walkways, and grade-separated bike lanes. The KCMO Arts and Culture Hub includes the Kansas City Indian Center and Black History Museum.

Climate-conscious, the Spine will meet the 2030 living building challenge and LEED neighbourhood certification through careful urban design. Our focus on inclusivity includes designating 40% of new housing provided to be affordable. This is achieved through strategic partnerships with Liberty Bank’s rent-to-own program. The Spine will also provide a new campus for State Tech College of Missouri’s Health Science programs, which will provide quality education and new economic opportunities in the medical industry. Overall, the Spine aims to uplifts Kansas City with mindful, ambitious, and inclusive design, enriching the lives of residents by building an inclusive community for all.

AWARE: CREATING CULTURE

AMBITIOUS: GREEN LIVING

ACCESSIBLE: SOCIAL EQUITY

establishing the place to be

providing a sustainable life

housing and education for all

context: cultural venues within the surrounding area

context: sustainable infrastructure

context: education and housing

Future development: the 25-year master plan

Along with providing a fun and livable neighbourhood for Kansas Citizens, the Spine provides opportunities for future growth in the Greater Downtown core along with the creation of a larger Innovation District. The next 25 years present development opportunities beyond the boundaries of the proposed masterplan redevelopment. This growth will use pedestrian and transit-orientated design to connect new and existing developments to the larger metro area.

The Spine: aerial view looking across the entirety of the development and its proposed programming and city connections

Landscape rendering of The Spine’s linear park, the main pedestrian thoroughfare in the proposed master plan development

RESILIENT REGENERATIVE DESIGN Comprehensive Design Studio

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2020

4B Final Design Project

One month

Prof. Emeritus Andrew Levitt

Leslie Spit, Toronto

A resilient and responsive design reduces its impact on climate change while using global temperature increases to open new avenues in material and structural solutions. This project is designed for the climate of 2050, where the average temperature in Toronto is predicted to rise by 2.30C. In this environment, bamboo is now a viable plant species that can be grown within the surrounding environment.

Following on the notions of resiliency and sustainability, this project constrains its design to incorporate local, rapidly renewable materials as the main building component. A super-structure made solely out of bamboo grown on the site envelopes the various public programs introduced at the southern peninsula of Leslie Spit. Given the local environment’s ecological sensitivity, the entire structure projects off the shoreline into the lake. A boardwalk of wood post suspends the project 2m above the highest recorded flood water rise. As an attractor of public activity, at the end of the wooden boardwalk is the lakeside amphitheatre that allows visitors to jump off into the cool water of Lake Ontario.

RESILIENT REGENERATIVE DESIGN

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Cafe Bamboo garden Bamboo cultivation plot Changerooms Wet sauna Lakeside amphitheatre Outdoor showers

Artist studio Floating movie screen Bike storage Wastewater storage

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Bamboo growth and systems diagram

Passive cooling changeroom section - summer

SCALE 1 : 50

•glass rainscreen PDLC film

•100mm dia.

facade

•25mm drainage

•UV resistant

•150mm semi-rigid insulation

•continuous and water

•20mm ext. sheathing

•200mm rockwool b/t bamboo

•20mm OSB

•100mm XPS

•20mm cedar

SCALE 1 : 50

rainscreen embedded with dia. split cane bamboo

drainage cavity

resistant wind barrier membrane

semi-rigid stone wall (allows for vapour diff.)

•continuous vapour permeable, air barrier

ext. grade DensGlas

rockwool insulation, filled

bamboo stud cavity

OSB sheathing

XPS insulation

cedar planking

•20mm ext. grade DensGlas sheathing, taped at joints

•250mm rockwool insulation, filled b/t nom. 2”x10” SPF. wood joist

•20mm OSB sheathing

•100mm XPS insulation

•alumn. radiant floor heating plate with 0.5” dia. PEX tube

•water, vapour barrier, lapped at joints

•cedar deck planking @ 20 slope

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View of the Toronto skyline from the Cafe

View of the Toronto skyline from the Cafe

Exterior rendering of the Lakeside Entertainment Amphitheatre

RETHINKING JUSTICE

CAAJ “Breaking the Cycle” International Design Competition

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2021

International Design Competition

1st Place + $3000 CAD

Two months

Co-Designer

Tomasz Weinberger

Black Creek, Toronto

Located within an underutilized hydro-corridor at Jane and Finch, the Black Creek Community Corridor aims to provide the residents of an underserved neighbourhood with a mix of recreational and juidical serviecs. The site was selected based on its proximity to a popular community garde, a recreation trail and its multiple access points to different modes of public transit.

The cut-outs within the rammed earth walls separate community and justice programming to facilitate an ease of wayfinding between the provided social, legal and recreational services. The motive was to create a striking and welcoming multi-program floor plan that can address all the needs of the Jane and Finch area. As a way to destigmatize the surrounding community, the project names its public amenities after notable citizens from the neighbourhood, such as Anthony Bennet, Jessie Reyez, and Paul Nguyen. The intent was to highlight their contributions to society in an effort to celebrate the community’s achievements and to inspire the youth to fight against stigma and adversity. They abolished

Interior render of the community cooridor

2016 Census Map:

SCALE 1 : 150 000

This map shows the concentration of visible minorities within Toronto per dissemination area, the smallest census data division available by Statics Canada giving a fine grain view of the racialized communities in the City.

NEEDS LEGEND

2016 Census Map:

concentration of visible minorities within Toronto concentration of poverty within Toronto

SCALE 1 : 150 000

This map shows the number of low-income households with an after-tax income of less than $50,000 per year. These numbers are displayed per dissemination area, the smallest census data division available by Statics Canada giving a fine grain view of the socio-economic conditions of families in Toronto.

Regional Connection Map:

site access and beyond

SCALE 1 : 100 000

This map indicates the location of our site situated between the neighborhoods of Black Creek and York University Heights, as well as its connection to the TTC subway line and the east-west green hydrocorridor.

Building axonometric and community stakeholder diagram

Ontario’s Women’s Justice Network

Black Legal Action Centre

Jane Finch Community Legal Services

Women’s Legal Education Action Fund

Community and Legal Aid Service Program

(CLASP) by York University’s Osgoode Law School

Winston LaRose Community Library

Friends in Toronto (FIT) Community Activity Centre

Paul Nguyen Daycare

Community Corridor

Jessie Reyez Busker Plaza

Community Splash Pad

Anthony Bennett Sports Plaza

Inner City Outreach (ICO)

Centre for Mental and Addiction

Humber Community Employment Services

Skills for Change

York University - TD Community Engagement Centre

Toronto Community Housing Corporation

Shelter, Support and Housing Administration

Jane-Finch Housing Coalition

The Housing Help Centre (THHC)

Jane Finch Action Against Poverty

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CAAJ BREAKING THE CYCLE DESIGN COMPETITION

Massing diagrams:

CAAJ BREAKING THE CYCLE DESIGN COMPETITION

Sinking the building

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5. Dividing the massing along the east-west axis

Developing the community corridor

Shearing the building to and adding the circulation atrium

Final Massing

East Entry render showing the Anthony Bennett Sports Plaza

West Entry render showing the Jessie Reyez Busker Plaza

Interior view into the Restorative Justice Centre

CAAJ BREAKING THE CYCLE DESIGN COMPETITION