Cultural Resonance Space Chinatown, Toronto Student: Ying Yang Instructor: Bruce Hinds & Daniel Briker April 2021
T
his document is a thesis project of the undergraduate program from OCAD U. It includes Thesis Statement, Site Analysis, Precedent Study, and Design Process. All reference sources included at the end of the document.
CONTECTS
Thesis Statement
Thesis Statement Hypothesis
Research & Analysis
Site Analysis Precedent Study Existing Building
Design Process
Concept Program Drawings
THESIS STATEMENT
Thesis Statement The recognition and response to cultural context deepen the resonance of space for its users. This resonance amplifies the attraction of the space to the community and strengths human behavior.
Hypothesis Statement Social harmony would be empathically resonance: the spirit of place and cultural awareness provide a possibility which a community can achieve wholistic harmony. Through the creation of a hybrid form of existing architecture context, community cultural sustainability and symbolic objects provide an evolving dynamic relationship with time past and present and future. It presents a dialogue between cultural awareness and human behavior. Users can experience holistic environmental design to cognitive the cultural context. As one important role of urban design, public space is the best approach to embody a quality of spatial planning to achieve cultural sustainability and to increase cultural awareness for everyone. In this study, Chinatown which carries a strong cultural background and an ethnic enclave in Toronto is my research subject.
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
Toronto Pupolation Demographics
Existing Historical Architecture
Questions to Us (Designers) As one popular immigrant city, what designers can do to help them to live in a new city with a multicultural society. At the same time, how to balance their original culture with the local community to reach cultural sustainability for all.
52%
162
Visible Minorities
Abandoned Buidling in Toronto
(Source: City of Toronto, 2021)
(Source: Architectural Conservancy Ontario, 2021)
Mapping Studies According to the source of the City of Toronto (2016 Census), 51.5% of Toronto’s population is visible minorities and approximately 70% of them are Asian. In this project, downtown Chinatown, as a classic ethnic enclave, has been studied and understand the relationship between the cultural context and the resonance of space for its community.
Heritage The story of Downtown Chinatown is dated from the 1880s. It is the first Chinese community in Toronto with developed Chinese-owned businesses. It relocated from Bay Street to Spadina Avenue along with Dundas Street West due to urban planning. At the same time, the history of the first Chinatown transfer to the current location as well.
Heritage
Demography As an ethnic enclave community, the majority population in Chinatown are shared Chinese culture but came from different political areas. The major group were from southern China and Southeast Asia. Since the 21st century, more immigrates from mainland China. In downtown Chinatown, more than half of them are the first generation and their mother tongue is non-official language.
Demography
Source: Data from City of Toronto, 2016 Neighbourhood Profile #78
Collective Memory Visual design is the most direct way to present a cultural background. Through chinese signage, totem decoration, statue, graffiti, street view, and celebrate traditional festivals; the community able to experience and immerse the cultural environment far away from the homeland.
Collective Memory
Ethnic Business Makeup The most popular Chinese-owned business has been changed over the years, from hand laundry business to retails because of social development. However, from the 1880s to the present, food service always stays in the top occupational niche in Chinatown. Bread comes first. Chinese cuisine is an important part of Chinese culture.
Ethnic Business Makeup
Traffic Flow Heavy traffic shows the popularity of a place. The multiple transportations connect the community and the city. In Chinses society, the popular residence should be close to retail, near works and schools, and other necessary supplies, and easy to transit everywhere.
Traffic Flow
Precedents Study
Dragon City Mall Toronto, Canada 1975
Chinese Cultural Center Vancouver, Canada 1981
Shou County Culture & Art Center Shou County, China 2019
The project helps understanding the local community’s human behavior.
The project helps to learn how to adapt the cultural elements into the local context.
The project helps to bring heritage value to a modern architecture design.
EXISTING BUILDING
Standard Theatre 285 Spadina Ave Art Deco Style Yiddish Theatre HK Cinema Retail Store Independent Theatre Inactive
1921 1975 1994 2010 Now
DESIGN PROCESS
Name Origin of Chinatown (唐人街): Tang Dynasty
Trading Center in 7th century
Architecture Key Feature
East Market & West Market 东市、西市 （买东西）
Symmetry Hierachy
Da Ming Palace, Xi’an, China
Chinese Sptial Design Theory
Everything could derive from the Nature, and Mountain is an architecture build by it.
“Ridge” 层峦叠嶂
“Blank_Leaving” 留白
“Leaking Through Scenery” 漏景
“Enframed Scenery” 框景
“Artistic Conception” 意境
The Notion of Needs Identity, Self-Esteem, the feeling of belonging everything is related to the reference points a person has in relation to the cultural enclave.
IDENTITY
BELONGING
SELF-ESTEEM
COMMUNITY
China Pavillion for Shanghai World EXPO 2020
Hutong, Beijing
Shou County Culture and Art Center Shou County
Piazza Art Space Beijing
Public Square Park Shanghai
Tea House Chengdu
Taikoo Li Chengdu
Shilin Night Market Taipei
City God Temple District Shanghai
Cham Shan Temple Toronto
Chinese Cultural Centre Vancouver
Himalayan Culture and Religion Research Center Chengdu
SOCIAL SPACE
MARKET SHOPPING CENTER
CULTURAL CENTER
PROGRAM
Mass Model Study
Symmetry Volume Centrality Closed-Area Hierarchy Activities Movement Solid & Void Lightwells
DESIGN ELEMENTS
ACTIVITIES Tea 饮茶
“Leaking Through Scenery” 漏景 棋 Chinese Chess
“Enframed Scenery” 框景
书画 Calligraphy & Chinese Painting
琴 Chinese Instrument “Ridge” 层峦叠嶂
CIRCULATION
锻炼 Workout “Blank_Leaving” 留白
DRAWINGS
View from Dragon City Mall
View from Dundas Street West
Views of Ground Level
View of Gallery
View of Calligraphy Workshop
View of Library
View of Tea House
View of Roof Terrace
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