Eleanor Laffling

Past Continuous: Urban Infill in Toronto’s Heritage Districts

Utilized as a planning apparatus, heritage conservation districts are established in Toronto as a means of preserving the historic character of neighbourhoods. Whilst ensuring the conservation of Toronto’s streetscapes, the designations place undue constraints on new development, limiting densification during a time when housing is both in short supply and unaffordable. Through a combination of urban and building scales, this thesis advances a place-based approach to residential intensification within these neighbourhoods by proposing multi-unit infill projects alongside reconsiderations of current heritage planning policies.

Image: Goad Atlas of the City of Toronto: Fire Insurance Map Volume 2 [map], Toronto, 1910.

Advisor: George Baird Winter 2021