Universally Local: An Exploration of City Systems by iwbTO

UNIVERSALLY LOCAL An Exploration of City Systems

INSTITUTE WITHOUT BOUNDARIES

© Institute without Boundaries, 2010 ISBN# 978-0-9866273-0-9 No part of this work may be produced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the publisher–except for a brief quotation (not exceed 200 words) in a review or professional work. Warranties The information in this document is for informational purposes only. While efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy and veracity of the information in this document, and, although the Institute without Boundaries at George Brown College relies on reputable sources and believes the information posted in this document is correct, the Institute without Boundaries at George Brown College does not warrant the quality, accuracy or completeness of any information in this document. Such information is provided “as is” without warranty or condition of any kind, either express or implied (including, but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose), and the Institute without Boundaries is not responsible in any way for damages (including but not limited to direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or exemplary damages) arising out of the use of this document nor are liable for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

Institute without Boundaries 2010 Belal Al Sibai Nick Crampton Anna Milan Robyn Polan

Manish Chauhan Lori Endes Chriz Miller AngĂŠlica Ramos Saavedra

In collaboration with: Kelsey Blackwell Luigi Ferrara Mark Guslits Mazyar Mortazavi Richard Witt

Monica Contreras Michele Gucciardi Michelle Hotchin Susan Speigel

Who creates a city?

Where does a city end?

How does a city work?

What defines a city? When do Cities function Best?

Why DO we live in cites?

How do you see flemingdon park?

The Institute Without Boundaries (iwb) Partnered With Toronto Community Housing To Explore opportunities and challenges surrounding social Housing, Community Engagement, Sustainable Building, And Services.

The IWb class of 2010 Focused On Flemingdon Park, a toronto community housing neighbourhood. we Investigated And Proposed A Range Of Design Solutions Varying in Scale TO transform the neighbourhood into a more desirable place to live and visit.

Toronto is a city of neighbourhoods, each with a unique location, culture, and community. These neighbourhoods are

the building blocks of the urban environment. Flemingdon Park is one of these neighbourhoods, a beautiful place full

of mature trees and abundant green spaces located just nine kilometres from the downtown core. This area is

home to people from a wide spectrum of income levels, living in houses, apartment towers, and townhouses.

Toronto Community Housing owns and operates 524 rent geared to income units in this neighbourhood,

providing homes to more than 1,800 people. Many of these residents are recent immigrants to Canada, coming from all

over the world and bringing with them culture, language, and an unique way of life. A walk through this neighbourhood

reveals children playing, neighbours outdoors chatting and people travelling on foot, by car, and on public transit.

Although this neighbourhood is somewhat isolated from the rest of the city as a result of the geography of the region, it

is rich in recreation centres, large parks and high quality schools. Nearby office buildings, malls, and the

Ontario Science Centre generate commercial activity and foster community and culture. Despite the beauty of the area

and the many positives aspects, it is also a community burdened with poverty. All of the Toronto Community Housing

residents are eligible for subsidized housing and many of them struggle to provide basic necessities for their families.

A great number of aging homes are in need of repair and suffer from water damage, inefficient infrastructure, and

envelope damage creating ongoing maintenance problems. But despite these challenges, the community is

strong, with a great sense of pride and enthusiasm for their neighbourhood. Revitalizing Flemingdon Park from the

inside out could transform it into one of Toronto's most desirable neighbourhoods, a place where families bring up

their children in a mixed-use, mixed-income neighbourhood that features community living, and a high quality of life.

Imagine for a moment the potential of this beautiful neighbourhood nestled between the great ravines of Toronto.

Could this be the Flemingdon Park of the future?

table of contents 12 14 17 19 22 26 28 31

Institute Without boundaries Toronto Community Housing introduction what is universally local? flemingdon Park context flemingdon park PROPOSED revitalization manifesto the seven characteristics

Chapter 1: wellness how does city living make you healthy?

37 41 46 50 56

62 67 71 76 80

city issue 1: are you ready to grow up? city issue 2: how long does it take a tree to grow? Design Solution 1: putting fresh food within reach design solution 2: creating an environment to learn and grow design solution 3: year round interior space

Chapter 2: safety What Makes a city safe? city issue 3: how far can you see? city issue 4: who needs security cameras? design solution 4: Eyes on the Street design solution 5: Well Lit, Well Used

Chapter 3: Accessibility how DO YOU MOVE THROUGH A CITY?

91 95 100 104 108 112

city issue 5: who needs a car? city issue 6: who owns the street? design solution 6: all your needs at your door step design solution 7: finding your way design solution 8: navigating with your senses design solution 9: streets make a neighbourhood

120 125 130 134 140

146 151 156 162 166 170 174

180 185 189 194 198 202

208 213 218 224 228

234 236 241 243 245 274 280 284 286

Chapter 4: diversity which ingredient are you? city issue 7: won't you be my neighbour? design solution 10: a mixed-use neighbourhood design solution 11: a healthy mix of housing design solution 12: a house that grows

Chapter 5: cohesion what brings us together? city issue 8: how can working together be better? design solution 13: standing up with your community design solution 14: sharing our space design solution 15: bring the garden up to the roof design solution 16: welcome to the community design solution 17: let's talk over coffee

Chapter 6: identity what is your city made of? city issue 9: is open space for everyone? city issue 10: can you tell me a story? design solution 18: a street that meets all your needs design solution 19: a place to shine design solution 20: work in the comfort of your own home

Chapter 7: sustainability how does a city reduce its ecological footprint? city issue 11: does it all have to go down the drain? design solution 21: from wasteful to wasteless design solution 22: cooling down the city design solution 23: what's old is new again

flemingdon park PROPOSED revitalization A vision for Flemingdon Park manifesto conclusion City System workbook bibliography image sources about the authors acknowledgments

Institute without Boundaries NOte from the director This year at the Institute without Boundaries (IwB), the students of the Interdisciplinary Design Strategy Program have embarked upon the first year of the City Systems Project. Using a holistic approach to analyze the urban environment, they have created and refined a set of tools and design methodologies to evaluate and re-imagine the systems that make urban life possible. These tools have been applied to a real-world project: a revitalization plan for the Toronto Community Housing neighbourhood of Flemingdon Park, a community that encapsulates many of the strengths and weaknesses of the infrastructure designed and built in the 1950's and 60's. This major project has been undertaken in parallel with the development of an approach and methodology to holistically design city systems. Through hard work and creative problem solving, the team has created a unique and viable proposal for this community. The results build upon the different backgrounds, disciplines, and skills that each of the students brought to the project, resulting in a detailed and in-depth solution that goes beyond anyone's individual capabilities. They have succeeded in developing new ways of addressing problems and communicating a holistic and sustainable vision of how we could live, not only for Flemingdon Park, but also for communities within cities around the world.

This book contains some of the results of a year of prolific work by a small group of students who have been supported by a faculty made up of many different professional backgrounds. Together they have created systems for thinking about how we see the city that can be used to shape new archetypes for urban design. They have identified seven critical characteristics of a healthy sustainable city, and these form the foundation of the book, linking proposed changes for Flemingdon Park with international case studies that demonstrate innovative design in action. Complex issues require holistic thinking and action at a variety of different levels. Global and local challenges call for the collaboration of governing organizations, institutions, corporations, non-profits, and citizens. Creative partnerships between these entities can create better cities. I would like to thank our project partner, Toronto Community Housing, for their support and collaboration this year. Their participation is directly reflected in the quality of the final project. I would also like to thank the students for their insight and dedication, and the many faculty, staff, alumni, industry partners, and guest advisors who shared their knowledge and skills in support of the City Systems Project. I hope this work will inspire others to explore creative new ways of shaping the world.

Luigi Ferrara Director, Institute without Boundaries Centre for Arts & Design George Brown College

about the institute without boundaries The Institute without Boundaries at George Brown College is a Toronto-based studio that works towards collaborative design action and seeks to achieve social, ecological and economic innovation. Founded in 2002 by Bruce Mau Design and integrated into the School of Design at George Brown College in 2006, the IwB is centred around a post-graduate program in Interdisciplinary Design Strategy for professionals and students from diverse backgrounds. The IwB also conducts special projects that apply the methodologies, knowledge, and mandate of the program to solve issues for other organizations, non-profits, and businesses. The inaugural project, Massive Change, explored and sparked enormous discourse on the future of global design. The second project, World House, confronted the necessary evolution of shelter by developing housing systems based on principles of sustainability, accessibility, technological responsiveness, and ecological balance. The third project, City Systems began in 2009 and builds on the research, tools and design work developed in Massive Change and World House. The City Systems Project questions the complexities of cities and how they function. The IwB sees the designer as a problem solver with the ability to effect positive change for humanity and the planet. It is a place where students, teachers, industry, and community can come together not only as creators and designers, but also as ambassadors of hope.

CITY SYSTEMS A city is a system of humanity, integral to the development of civilization. The ability to not just live, but to thrive, expand, and innovate in dense quarters, has defined us as a species and shaped our culture and our lives. In the last sixty years, the rate of urbanization and suburbanization of our planet has greatly accelerated. The city is everywhere and, with modern information and communication technologies, we can connect most of the habitable spaces on this earth. With this ability, a growing awareness has emerged of how we use our power and technology. Consciousness in our methods is more critical than ever. If we are to create a brighter future, we need to act wisely and design more effectively. We need to think long term, in a global context, and on behalf of the other species with whom we share our world. People have built infrastructure to support an industrialized lifestyle. Some of this infrastructure is now coming to the end of its life span and is in need of repair, restructuring, or replacement. If we are to make the massive change required for a world house, we will need to reinvent our city systems. These systems will need to balance our personal ambitions, our need for community, and our global responsibility. The City Systems Project proposes new ways of living that will effect this kind of change. The proposal for Flemingdon Park focused on a local perspective, but many of these solutions can be applied at a global scale. The City Systems Workbook establishes a framework for thinking about cities that can be used by future students, professionals and people concerned with city living, to assist them in the design process aimed at improving urban environments.

Toronto Community Housing NOte from the Vice-President Toronto Community Housing is more than a landlord. For many tenants, our housing provides stability and the promise of hope and a safe and secure place to live. Consistently delivering good-quality social housing and customer service to tenants is central to what we do. We also carry a social and community mandate to build strong neighbourhoods.

The revitalization proposal for Flemingdon Park, created by the students of the IwB, is a good example of the kind of innovation we seek through our redevelopments. The work presented by the students aligns with the key initiatives of Toronto Community Housing, such as leadership in sustainability and active tenant engagement.

In a recent Housing Opportunities Toronto action plan, approved by City Council in late 2009, Toronto Community Housing was identified as the driver of community revitalization. Our comprehensive and collaborative approach to revitalization, as developed in Don Mount Court and Regent Park, has the city's support to blend the revitalization of social, economic, infrastructure, and housing elements of successful new neighbourhoods.

Although the association between Toronto Community Housing and the IwB does not represent a decision to proceed with implementing the proposal, we are pleased to have established a relationship with the IwB. We are also grateful to our tenants for voicing their opinions and participating in the students' research. We remain committed to an engagement process that puts tenants first and gives them a real say over decisions that affect their lives.

Through our ongoing commitment to the revitalization of existing neighbourhoods, we recognize that the process requires imagination. We are pleased to collaborate with organisations like the Institute without Boundaries (IwB) and acknowledge the benefits that come from working together to generate new ideas.

Our vision for revitalization goes beyond replacing housing in a poor state of repair. We are transforming communities to build great neighbourhoods for everyone. As we move forward with the revitalization of our neighbourhoods, we seek more partnerships and dialogue with organisations like the IwB. Their consideration of the importance of each decision shows in their work. We wish the students success in all of their future endeavors.

John Fox Vice-President, Development (Acting) Toronto Community Housing

about TORONTO COMMUNITY HOUSING Toronto Community Housing is the largest social housing provider in Canada, housing around 164,000 low to moderate income residents in 58,500 units. Many Toronto Community Housing residents are new immigrants to Canada, with an average annual income of $14,000. Toronto Community Housing's mandate is to create communities that minimize risk and promote resiliency. The corporation owns and manages a $6 billion housing portfolio. The majority of Toronto Community Housingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s housing stock suffers from aging infrastructure and outdated construction, creating challenges such as ever increasing operational costs, and inefficient, antiquated designs. Many of the sites have large landscaped areas that are not sustainable, expensive to maintain, and fail to meet the needs of the residents. Well thought out architectural and urban design improvements can have a great impact on a community. Previous large and small scale initiatives in existing Toronto Community Housing neighborhoods have resulted in improved security, community engagement, and quality of life, in turn creating better communities. As part of their Real Estate Asset Investment Strategy, the housing corporation has designated thirteen sites for revitalization over the next fifteen years.

Introduction As a group of eight students at the Institute without Boundaries (IwB), currently learning, living, and focusing our studies on cities, we have many questions. These questions have inspired us to create this book. It draws on the research and inspiration of our year-long project, partnered with Toronto Community Housing, to develop a revitalization scheme for Flemingdon Park. This scheme, entitled Building Relationships: A Revitalization proposal for Flemingdon Park, is part of the first year of the City Systems Project, a project that will continue for three more years and build on the work we have completed. Our goal for Flemingdon Park was to create a solution that worked at a micro and macro scale, a solution that could be adapted to other communities, neighbourhoods, and cities. We want to ask questions and provide statements, actions, and answers that deal with city living at both a local and global level. We hope these will inspire people to examine their own neighbourhood, understand the relationships that balance a city and create change through innovation. This book contains seven chapters each based on what we believe are the seven characteristics of a city, followed by a workbook for you to use to create innovative change in your city. We see these seven characteristics as the ideal principles of what makes a good city and they are based on the City Systems Framework that resulted from our research on the urban environment. The first seven chapters contain City Issues, City Solutions, and Design Solutions. The City Issues are structured based on questions that are answered through City Solutions describing innovation from case studies around the world and provoking consideration and inspiration. The Design Solutions are proposed improvements for Flemingdon Park with supporting information about design that has brought about innovation. Each chapter is broken up by a collection of City Quotes that are meant to encourage thought, inspire discussion, and provoke reflection on cities, urban development, and city living.

This approach centres around transforming Flemingdon Park into a neighbourhood that will attract new community members, visitors, and potential partnerships that will support and maintain the proposed changes. This book provides the background about the existing site and details of the proposed design solutions within Flemingdon Park that will enhance the seven characteristics that make a good neighbourhood. Class of 2010 Institute without Boundaries

universally Local

universally Local universally Local

universally Local

WHAT IS Universally Local? The challenges of any city are not unique, isolated occurrences. Although the scale or scope of those challenges may vary, most issues are common to cities worldwide. By examining the systems that support a city, we can uncover new opportunities for innovation and improvement. This book focuses on seven characteristics that can be found in cities. They ensure prosperity and wellbeing at both the local level and universally. Through our revitalization proposal for Flemingdon Park, we envision local solutions that can be expanded to have global impact. We believe this approach to design will help create better ways of living as we work towards a more sustainable lifestyle for our cities, our countries, and our planet. Examples of international design solutions can provide us with the knowledge we require to develop ideas further and adapt them to local contexts. Additionally, the ideas that are generated locally may offer solutions to challenges in other cities worldwide. It is this ideology that will help us find design solutions that work at a micro and macro scale.

This book functions as a resource to inspire and provides a workbook as a tool for others to use when creating new approaches to solving urban problems. We hope that the solutions we propose for Flemingdon Park will be replicated, modified, and provide inspiration toward positive change on a local and global scale. It is not unusual that the issues and characteristics common to a particular area can be found in other places as well. At its best, problem solving develops solutions that relate and adapt to the whole world. The solutions to one city's problems are local. The solutions to many cities' problems are Universally Local.

Flemingdon Park is one of thirteen sites that have been designated for revitalization by Toronto Community Housing. Flemingdon Park has an aging housing stock, an outdated layout, and a lack of local amenities.

The Institute without Boundaries has been asked to create a revitalization plan for Flemingdon Park. The institute uses an interdisciplinary approach that combines diverse disciplines and a non-traditional process of design strategy.

Flemingdon Park Context We conducted primary research to understand the Flemingdon Park neighbourhood and the people that live in the community. To uncover the issues that effect this neighbourhood we met with various stakeholders such as Toronto Community Housing employees and staff that work in the community, local residents, and business owners and operators working in the surrounding area. This research produced a list of challenges and opportunities, providing us with a platform to start designing and strategizing for the revitalization of Flemingdon Park. Flemingdon Park is located in Toronto, framed by the Don Valley Parkway, Eglinton Avenue, and Don Mills Road. The Toronto Community Housing site was built in the 1960's and has a housing portfolio of 524 units in two storey townhouses and three storey apartments on two separate sites (North and South). The greater neighbourhood includes a mix of land uses and a variety of services, resources, and amenities. The area has a number of schools, community recreational centres, green spaces, and a large centrallylocated strip mall. Unique features of the area include a large park, the Ontario Science Centre, and the Don Valley ravines. The neighbourhood is isolated by its geography, cut off from the city through the barriers of the Don Valley ravines to the east and west. There are three bus routes through the area, providing connections to the city; however, it is a considerable distance to the nearest subway station and most employment opportunities. Through the examination of Flemingdon Park, we gained an appreciation and understanding of the neighbourhood and community, and were then able to propose appropriate design solutions.

Flemingdon Park

Major Roads

Food

Secondary Roads

Culture

Tertiary Roads

Economy

Pedestrian Priority Street

Social

Pathways

Education

Desire Paths

Employment

Water

Built Environment

Public Green Space

Toronto Community Housing Site

Hydro Electric Corridor

23 12

9 16

19 4 18 17 22 2

1 100m

250m

Context Map of Flemingdon Park 1

Flemingdon Neighbourhood Services Flemingdon Health Centre Flemingdon Community Centre

Champions Children’s Centre Flemingdon Ice Arena 3 Afghan Women Organization Dennis R. Tembrell Recreation Centre Flemingdon Park Pentecostal Church Gateway Community Presbyterian Church Blessed John XXIII Parish 4

Flemingdon Park MinistryAnglican

Marc Garneau College Institute

General Gas Service

Flemingdon Health Centre

New Circles Community Services Inc.

7 Eleven

Flemingdon Pizza Shaheen Tikka & Kabab House Food Basics Shell Gas Station Shoppers Drug Mart Flemingdon Park Auto Centre Scrabby’s Dry Cleaners Flemingdon Park Centre Academy of Learning

Flemingdon Arena Flemingdon Park School Age & Family Centre

Mr. Sub Mulan Chinese Cuisine Pioneer Delicatessens Flemingdon Park Pharmacy Flemingdon Hair Place Flemingdon Park Dental Centre Razzaks Computer Electronics Web Fusion Grenoble Day Care Centre

Grenoble Public School

The Ontario Science Centre

Flemingdon Park Public Library TDSB/Dennis R. Timbrell Centre

Esso Gas Station Loblaws Flowers Shop Loblaws Pharmacy Loblaws Dry Cleaners Joe Fresh The Beer Store Real Canadian Superstore

Cafe Daily Mark Bank of Nova Scotia MRWT Tobacco Variety & Convenience Plus Pik Kwik Convenience

General Gas Service

6 Valley Park Middle School 7

Blessed John XXIII Catholic School (JK to Grade 8)

Gateway Public School

23 Vicora Tuck Shop Quick Food Delivery Inc. 24

Flemingdon Park Golf Club

our approach to the revitalization of flemingdon park was to analyze the current situation and explore how to transform challenges into opportunities. the revitalization focused on creating beneficial relationships between existing and proposed elements in

the neighbourhood. This process involved, brainstorming, multiple Iterations, critiques, and a great deal of refinement. the following plan is how we see the future for flemingdon park...

Flemingdon park PROPOSED revitalization The revitalization proposal for Flemingdon Park integrates design solutions that focus on mutually beneficial relationships between residents, the city, and the natural environment. These design solutions were developed by examining the characteristics and systems that make up a city and the relationships that help to build a desirable neighbourhood. The scheme also seeks to develop partnerships, further engage residents in the community, and encourage interaction through increased site access and mobility. The proposed plan for Flemingdon Park replaces insular urban designs with a main street, street grid, and hubs that encourage a thriving street life and walking culture. The new main street would be the spine of the community, connecting the North and South sites, creating links to new amenities, community spaces, schools, and the surrounding neighbourhood.

The revitalization proposal aims to transform Flemingdon Park into a positive urban environment. This neighbourhood has the potential to be a place with high social, economic and environmental value, with amenities that will attract and maintain a diverse and vibrant community.

By retaining a section of the existing site as a community hub, the plan would preserve the heritage of the site while referencing the green spaces with new shared courtyards. New buildings will address a combination of needs and, although primarily residential, these buildings will also incorporate commercial and community spaces, effectively transforming the area into a mixed-income and mixed-use neighbourhood.

Greenhouses Wellness

Eyes on the Street Safety

4 Minute Walking Neighbourhood Accessibility

Mixed-Use Diversity

Eas

Do yP

alle

Mills

Roa

y wa ark

Don

nue

Ave

100m 250m

Proposed revitalization plan for Flemingdon Park.

Commercial / Residential Residential Open Space Greenhouses Streets

Courtyards Cohesion

Main Street Identity

Wind Wall Sustainability

Wind Wall Major Roads Hydro Electric Corridor

MANIFESTO

City Systems are interconnected. The Challenges Flemingdon Park faces are not unique. To move forward, we have to understand the past.

Challenges = Opportunities Community engagement + a sense of ownership = healthy safe neighbourhoods People + Public Space = Vitality

L CIA O S

YY LLIITT I AB

NTITYY E IID

ON N

ION AT IC UN M M O

ATION FORM & IN

ECONO MY

CU LT U RE

ITY V I CT E N N CO

EMPLOYMENT

O SI E OH CO C

E N E RGY

SIT TY

F O OD

DDI

CESSI CC AAC B I LLIIT T

THE CITY

CE AN RN VE GO

SSU USSTT AIN

LNES SSS WEL W

Y TY FE SA

ONM ENT

LO CA TI O

WA TE R

TE S A W

PHY

CLIMATE & TER RAI N

AIR

THE SEVEN characteristics Each city can be analyzed at many levels. The City System Framework we created identifies seven characteristics that we believe are ideal principles that combine to create a healthy city. Balancing these characteristics of wellness, safety, accessibility, diversity, cohesion, identity, and sustainability, a city can become a better place to live. The holistic approach creates both equilibrium and opportunities. These characteristics enhance urban living and ensure a growth that is stable, supportive and continual. A balance of these characteristics permeates cities to ensure prosperity and wellbeing at both universal and local levels. These characteristics were developed through a yearlong process of trying to understand and interpret urban environments around the world. Cities have many commonalities ranging from the physical aspects dealing with the infrastructure of a city, to socially based issues that deal with people. By studying the common links between different cities, we started to see patterns that represent an ideal city. These patterns were categorized into seven overarching characteristics. When these characteristics were compared from city to city, we determined that they were comprehensive and Universally Local.

These characteristics can be both positive and negative indicators. A balance between all the characteristics is what makes a city strong. Each City Issue, City Solution, and Design Solution that are described in the following seven chapters have been classified based on the characteristics that make up the City Systems Framework.

Chapter 1

wellness

HOW DOES CITY LIVING MAKE YOU HEALTHY?

Wellness is the result of many factors that affect the health and wellbeing of the people living in a city. It can be described as a collection of elements that meet the physiological needs of people in a city, and include basics such as shelter, food, air, and water. All of these are necessary for healthy living, and when they are readily available to residents, it means they can enjoy a good quality of life and a high standard of living.

Wellness is a high quality of living that meets the physical, social, and emotional needs of its residents.

Wellness

City issue 1:

Are you ready to grow up? Most of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population is now living in cities. Food production worldwide will need to increase by 110 percent to feed the predicted 40 megacities that will emerge by 2050. Food production systems have always faced challenges such as water shortages, poor soil fertility, contamination from pesticides, transportation, refrigeration, and packaging. Today, much of the food eaten in cities has been transported many hundreds of kilometres, resulting in foods designed and grown for longevity over flavour and nutritional value. The local food movement is one reaction to this and has resulted in the emerging popularity of local farmers' markets in many cities. Fresh food production near or within cities is a way to increase food quality and decrease environmental impacts. Accessible, healthy food is a key element in the wellbeing of a city. Agriculture within a city requires space. Vertical gardening is a compact and high-yield solution that can fit almost anywhere.

Wellness

City solution:

Vertical Walls Vertical gardening and farming was created based on observing the natural environment. Through this process, vegetation is able to grow on vertical surfaces requiring little soil and water, while still allowing for remarkable biodiversity in crops. As urban areas become more dense and local food becomes a priority, vertical farming can provide a solution.

City solution:

Jones Valley Urban Farm, Birmingham, Alabama The Jones Valley Urban Farm is a non-profit project that began in 2001 as an experiment to transform vacant urban land into an organic farm. The farm works in collaboration with the Greater Birmingham Community Food Partners, a group that addresses food access in the City of Birmingham. The initiative has grown into three urban garden sites selling produce, herbs, and flowers to two farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; markets and local restaurants. The organization also works with various youth groups, educational programs, and various other non-proft organizations.

City solution:

The future of farming in new york Dr. Dickson Despommier, a professor of public health at Columbia University, believes that 150 new food producing buildings could feed the entire city of New York. Each building, he proposes, will be a 30 storey tower that produces fruit, vegetables, and grains while, at the same time, generating clean energy and purifying wastewater. This emerging technology is a potential solution for land shortages and promotes local food consumption.

City solution:

sky farm: highrise farming The Sky Farm, a proposed building for Toronto, has the potential to produce as many fruits and vegetables as a thousand acre farm, feeding about 35,000 people per year. Waterloo University's Masters of Architecture student, Gorden Graff, has designed the building with large floor plates, 58 storeys, and 8 million square feet of growing space. The proposed building could produce an estimated yearly revenue of $52 million in food sales.

urban agriculture is a sustainable way to meet the growing demand of our expanding cities.

Wellness

city issue 2:

How long does it take a tree to grow? Urban forests are consistently threatened by new buildings in cities around the world. Trees not only improve the aesthetics of an urban environment, they improve health by purifying the air, enhancing soil quality and enhancing biodiversity. Think about the last time you walked through a pleasant old neighbourhood, how the overlapping trees and foliage felt as if they had always been there. Now imagine this neighbourhood without the mature trees. Would this neighbourhood still have the same charm? A lush, urban forest can also have financial benefits such as increasing property values by 10-15 percent and reducing home heating costs by 25 percent. In fact, urban forests are so valuable, it has been estimated that it would cost the City of Toronto $16 billion if it ever had to replace the trees in the city. So how can our cities continue to be developed and rejuvenated to accommodate a growing urban population, while at the same time preserving and expanding the urban forests?

Wellness

city solution:

The importance of trees in cities Trees not only provide us with shade, cool down the air, and control rainwater in the ground, they also absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. They create an escape from the city, bringing pleasure and connecting people back to the Earth. Trees and nature contribute to the wellbeing of a city, and people are happier and healthier when surrounded by nature. Trees are important in all neighbourhoods, contributing to the beauty and quality of streets, parks, playgrounds, and backyards. Trees increase the quality of life through their natural capabilities and create habitats for wildlife. In some cases, trees can be historic landmarks and a source of community pride. Trees also play a role in personal and spiritual values, as people form personal attachments and hold sentimental value towards them.

CHALLENGE: Promote tree retention in your city starting in your community.

city solution: Tree Retention Bylaws Cities often have bylaws in place to ensure that proper measures are taken to care for trees that are threatened near development sites. However, cities vary on the level to which they require existing trees to be retained when redeveloping a neighbourhood or building. Municipalities such as Vancouver, British Colombia

have tree retention, relocation and replacement guidelines. Tree Plans and Construction Management Plans for tree retention show a catalogue of existing trees on site and how construction can take place without harming them. Cities and neighbourhoods benefit from retaining mature trees and other flora.

Existing site (significant trees)

Development A (Commercial or multi-family)

Development B (Single-family housing)

43 3

city solution: Tree City, Downsview Park, Toronto, Ontario The Jury for the Architecture and Urban Design Awards 2000 described the Tree City proposal as a bold urban statement. Tree City is a theoretical proposal by Bruce Mau and Rem Koolhaas, in collaboration with a team of other architects and designers to redevelop the former Canadian Forces Base at Downsview Park. The vision, which has begun to be executed, is a phased approach to growing a new extension to the existing network of ravines and wooded river valley parks in Toronto.

By taking an evolutionary approach, the character of Downsview Park will change over time as it is developed and as old vegetation and new plantings overlap and grow together. Tree City calls for the site to eventually be covered with about 25 percent forest. A thousand crossing paths for cyclists, joggers, pedestrians, and roller-bladers will allow them to access the forests, meadows, playing fields, gardens, and amenities the park will offer.

"Quality of life is considered essential in creating that creative class that makes cities click." —Susan Ramsey

“Some 800 million city dwellers around the world grow food, while 200 million earn their living farming in the city.” — World Changing: A User’s Guide for the 21st Century

In 2008, 51.1% of Canadian adults were overweight or obese. “The home should be the treasure chest of living.’’ — Le Corbusier

The impact of improved indoor air quality on asthma found an average reduction of 38.5% of asthma in buildings with improved air quality.

93% of city officials say that the quality of education is very important to the wellbeing of cities.

"In Canada, studies have shown that over 60 percent of boys and almost 70 percent of girls aged nine to thirteen consume well below the recommended minimum number of servings of vegetables and fruit." — Charles Z. Levkoe and Airin Stephens

Canadians spend 90% of their time indoors. “Public safety is essential for a community's quality of life, and it's one of the first things people look at in judging a city.” — Steve Frady

Wellness design solution 1:

PUTTING FRESH FOOD WITHIN REACH

food at Flemingdon Park Food is more than just a means of sustaining life. Food brings families together and connects cultures around the world. Access to fresh and healthy food is essential and should be available to everyone. In our culture, many fresh and healthy foods are now marketed as luxury items and priced accordingly. Marketed affordable foods tends to be packaged or canned and sold in large box stores.

Wanigan food delivery Wanigan is a Toronto based company that specializes in home delivery of organic, in season, and local produce. Established in 1997, they provide food boxes in a variety of different sizes. The food boxes allow Wanigan to reduce the overall cost to consumers as they are able to purchase larger quantities of individual items.

Typical big box grocery store.

Wellness

food access at Flemingdon park Flemingdon Park residents have easier access to convenience stores and fast food than to sources of fresh and affordable produce. The food that is locally available within a neighbourhood has a direct impact on the dietary decisions of its residents. During the summer months, Flemingdon Park residents do have access to a small farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; market, however the cost of the produce is geared towards more affluent clients and is on average too expensive for most of the residents.

Distance from furthest point on site: Super Market

0.7 km

Fast Food

1.0 km

Food Bank

1.5 km

Fast Food /Restaurants

1.7 km

Location of food outlets surrounding Flemingdon Park.

Karma Food Co-op Karma is a non-profit co-op operated and owned by its members since 1972. They are located in downtown Toronto, in the Seaton Village neighbourhood. Their main purpose is to provide local and organic foods to its members. The co-op stocks a wide variety of food and products

1.1 km

Convenience Ethnic Market

including organic and local fruits, vegetables, dairy products, free range eggs and meats, fish, healthy frozen food, bulk grains, dried fruits and nuts, and environmentally friendly cleaning and hygiene products.

49 3

Proposed solution: Flemingdon Park food co-op.

CHALLENGE: Support local farmers and join a food co-op in your neighbourhood.

food co-op at Flemingdon park To reduce the overall cost of food and to make fresh and healthy food available, a proposed food co-op would be implemented at Flemingdon Park. The food co-op program would have three main purposes: Providing fresh food grown in the Flemingdon Park Greenhouses to residents, coordinating community bulk buying to obtain healthy and fresh food at lower costs, and providing activities and educational programs to promote fresh food and a healthier lifestyle.

Such activities could include weekly potluck dinners, cooking courses, food education, recipe-share events, and health lectures for residents, as well as food specific programs for people with medical illnesses, the elderly, and children.

Wellness design solution 2:

creating an environment to learn and grow

GROWING FOOD IN FLEMINGDON PARK Greenhouse farming is a sustainable method of food production. Greenhouses are adaptable places where the environment is controlled, allowing out-of-season fruits and vegetables to be produced year round in soil, hydroponically, horizontally or vertically. Growing food locally in a city is not a new phenomenon; through history, market plots and greenhouses produced food within most cities. The technology certainly exists to re-introduce this practice back into cities using spaces like rooftops for greenhouse farming. Flemingdon Park has limited access to fresh, locally grown food and having a greenhouse on site would encourage the community to eat healthier. The success of a greenhouse would depend on the residents of the community, as it would require planning and programming. Partnered educational programs about growing food and composting with schools and the nearby science centre would also benefit the success of the greenhouse. What are greenhouse tips and tricks? • Greenhouses produce better when they receive the greatest amount of sunlight a day. • Lay out the floor plan of your greenhouse for best use of space. • The temperature of the greenhouse is key to the success of what you grow. Place a thermometer in the shade to find out the temperature of your greenhouse. • Proper ventilation is required for cooling plants. If plants need to be cooled quickly, hose down the floor with water and open all doors and vents. • Ensure you use the correct type of soil, with a mixture of peat moss, sand, vermiculite and fir bark. • Greenhouses will lower the cost and increase the quality of food you eat.

Greenhouse in Epcot, Florida.

Wellness

flemingdon park greenhouses The proposal to build greenhouses and garden areas that provide affordable, accessible, and healthy food year round is one of the cornerstones of the revitalization plan for Flemingdon Park. Following models like the Wychwood Barns and the Stop, the plan seeks to create opportunities for skills development and employment. These beautiful buildings will draw in people from surrounding neighbourhoods to attend farmers' markets and visit small local grocery stores and community attractions.

Proposed solution: Greenhouse at Flemingdon Park.

Is it a mall or a greenhouse? The Galleria at Erieview Mall is transforming itself from a shopping centre into a greenhouse. The mall, originally built in 1987 in downtown Cleveland, is a 2 storey building with a central arcade. Partnering with Gardens Under Glass, the mall will be part of an urban farming system called Re-Circulating Greenhouse Hydroponics. The mall will grow produce such as tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, herbs, peppers, sprout, mushrooms, and flowers. Food scraps will also be used to make compost to grow the produce. This transformation gives the city of Cleveland a centre for agriculture production, environmental education, and green retail. This project hopes to spark more ideas about growing food locally in the city.

CHALLENGE: Grow your own food. Start a community greenhouse in your neighbourhood or backyard.

Greenhouses Proposed location of greenhouses at Flemingdon Park.

Greenhouse

Wellness

Design method:

presentation and critique The design process involves many stages of converging and diverging ideas. Presentations are delivered at various stages of the design process to get feedback from experts, advisors, and clients to improve the design. When delivering a design presentation it is important to not only thoroughly explain the design, but to also describe the design process that was undertaken and the concept statement and rationale. At many stages in creating the revitalization plan for Flemingdon Park, design iterations were presented to faculty, guest advisors, and Toronto Community Housing staff for feedback on the design. This critique process delivers detailed comments on the state of the design, if the design meets all the required criteria, and how improvements could be made to complete the design. These critiques enhance designs by bringing in expert perspectives, new ideas, and inspiration.

Presenting a model of the Flemingdon Park revitalization plan to faculty and staff for critique.

What foods are in season? Eating locally grown food that is in season is a healthier option to food grown in other countries that has to travel very far before getting to your table. In Ontario, many fruits and vegetables are grown in gardens, fields, orchards, and inside greenhouses. Greenhouses have helped in extending the growing periods of many crops.

crop availability by season MAR Apples Cabbage Carrots Corn Peaches Potatoes Strawberries Tomatoes

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

Proposed solution: Sketch of the proposed greenhouse at Flemingdon Park.

greenhouse location The South site proposed greenhouse would be housed in the community centre, joining to an arcade with connections to the community kitchen, a cooking school, restaurant, and a nearby community garden. The North site proposed greenhouse design includes a living wall and is connected to the surrounding buildings by a series of arcades. It is located close to the on-site day care and is visible from the main street.

Rainwater would be collected from around the site and used to irrigate the greenhouses and garden crops. These rainwater collectors would also be distributed throughout the site, creating a visible system of water runoff collection that would also be connected to a grey water treatment system.

Wellness design solution 3:

Year round interior space

Flemingdon Park community space Most public space in Toronto is outside. The change in the weather and air quality has a direct impact on how we interact within these spaces. Generally, in Southern Ontario, four out of twelve months are below zero degrees Celsius. On average it rains 145 days in a year and, in 2007 and 2008, there were respectively 29 and 13 smog days. There is a real need to create year round alternative public spaces that are not affected by these outdoor conditions.

What is an Arcade? An arcade is a series of arches supported by columns that create a covered walkway, which can provide access to amenities, retail, or services. Originally, arcades were created for their structural capabilities and were strongly reinforced. Ancient aqueducts show the first use of the arcade to support their water system. In later years, the Romans used arcades as a way to support large surface walls; one example of this is the Colosseum. In recent years, arcades have been a way to create covered passageways that support social activities.

Existing outdoor public space in Flemingdon Park .

Wellness

Flemingdon park arcades Both residents and community support workers have expressed the need for more spaces that support the social, educational and cultural activities at Flemingdon Park. These spaces would need to be accessible to the entire community year round. The revitalization plan for Flemingdon Park includes many new types of community space such as enclosed arcades. New amenity rooms are also proposed for the north site, connected by two wide arcades that will be usable for year round activities. The arcades allow for natural light and are open to all residents and guests. They lead to a greenhouse with a living wall, attached to the side of a residential and commercial building. A large green roof on the north-east building will offer outdoor semi-public space for residents to enjoy. These new community spaces are designed to fulfill the needs of all residents. Considering age, cultural needs, and gender, programming offered in these spaces would help to create common ground by bringing together homeowners, market renters, and rent geared to income tenants. A balance of cultural expression, community health, commerce, and employment opportunities would ensure the long-term success of these spaces.

Federal Environmental Agency, Dessau, germany Sauerbruch Hutton has designed a commercial building that contains offices, a public arcade, a library and restaurants for the Federal Republic of Germany. The building design focused on sustainability, using both active and passive environmental strategies. Even though the focus of the building was commercial, a large section of the facility remains accessible to residents of the neighbourhood or visitors, acting as a public space. The building is in the shape of a crescent, which connects the building with the adjacent public park.

Proposed solution: Arcade at Flemingdon Park.

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Arcade Proposed location of arcades at Flemingdon Park.

It is in our nature to strive for a higher quality of life, but humanity is advancing more quickly than the environment can keep up with. Rapid advancements in technology and practice have led to the decline of the natural environment. By focusing on a city and the resources that surround it, people can benefit from the wealth of a place. To sustain wellness in its residents, a city must take steps to define and protect quality of life.

Chapter 2

safety

WHAT MAKES A CITY SAFE?

Neighbourhood safety is a function of good design and active citizenship. No fences, lights, or cameras can replace the actions of a community that cares. Houses that face each other and streets that accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, cars, and public transit create an urban landscape that supports people who live within it. Pride and concern inspire people to take action in promoting safety within their community and site-specific, user-oriented solutions resolve the security and safety issues of neighbourhoods.

Safety is protection from physical and social harm. A safe city means a higher quality of life for residents.

SAFETY

City issue 3:

HOW FAR CAN YOU SEE? Visibility is a key urban design consideration when creating a safe and pleasant environment. When pedestrians cannot see oncoming traffic, their safety is at risk. When a person is walking home late at night and cannot see if there is someone in the shadows or around the next corner, they feel threatened. If a visitor comes to a new neighbourhood and there are no landmarks to navigate by, they may get lost. All of these visibility-related issues can make residents and visitors feel uneasy or uncomfortable. Fear and confusion can be avoided by providing sight lines, vistas, and view corridors for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Sight lines and view corridors are site-specific tools used to plan safer neighbourhoods.

SAFETY

City solution:

KEVIN LYNCH ON SIGHT LINES American urban planner and author, Kevin Lynch, believes that a neighbourhood can be viewed from only a limited number of view points. These are called lines of sight, and are critical to landscape design. They can be manipulated by simply changing the direction of a path. Sight lines orient people when in an unfamiliar place, as landmarks can be seen from a distance. Having an open view of a neighbourhood is fundamental to allowing visitors to create an impression of a space and the types of activity that happen there.

City solution:

University of Cincinnati Revitalization Long view corridors along paths and streets are a powerful tool used to create sight lines for both safety and aesthetics. The University of Cincinnati and the surrounding area has undergone a complete transformation; its nondescript building complex has been developed into an international cultural destination. The master plan was developed around an integrated series of quads, courts, commons, and mews, all offering excellent sight lines and views of the new campus features. The Braid is a series of outdoor corridors that lead to a 'main street,' which hosts student life, athletics, retail activity, and recreation along a curving swath of circulation space. The revitalization extends beyond the campus gates to include the former site of Cincinnatiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s infamous April 2001 race riot, which is now becoming a mixed-use neighbourhood with a wide, active main street. Before this urban disturbance, the University of Cincinnati had already begun to cultivate a plan that communicates a strong sense of safety. Students are protected by well-lit paths and a secure perimeter, defined by a system of gates or 'green windows.'

Safety in cities is essential to residents' wellbeing; Sight lines ensure security when walking on city streets.

SAFETY

City issue 4:

who needs security cameras? When it comes to preventing crime and vandalism, authorities often turn to video surveillance as a means of crime prevention. Many feel that this approach is misguided – that more people, rather than more cameras, in a public space make it feel safe. Because these systems are usually implemented where crimes have taken place, video surveillance systems can be counter productive and make residents feel less safe. These systems can also make residents feel that the security of their city is being handled in a ‘top-down’ manner by authorities rather than in a ‘bottom-up’ approach that engages people at the community level.

SAFETY

City solution:

Crime prevention through environmental design Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) was pioneered in the 1970's and has been used to help design the built environment to reduce crime and the fear of crime. CPTED has three main strategies: • Surveillance is promoted by windows, vehicular traffic, and appropriate lighting to increase visibility in a space. • Access control clearly defines both public and private spaces through the thoughtful placement of entrances and exits, lighting, landscaping, and fencing. • Territorial reinforcement creates a sense of ownership by using buildings, fences, signage, and lighting to define space. CHALLENGE: Promote safety in your neighbourhood, start a neighbourhood watch with your community.

City solution:

Safety in Vancouver, British Columbia In Vancouver, city planners are prioritizing residential and commercial units that promote urban design principles that help to create a sense of ownership and reduce opportunities for crime. Some of these design principles include raising residential units slightly above grade, having front doors facing the street, including direct steps to the street from the front door with a porch or stoop, having small setbacks from the property line, and creating semi-private, active spaces on the ground floor facing the street, with private spaces on higher floors. Commercial units should be at street level, fronting the street with large glass windows, outdoor seating, and displays that encourage public viewing.

City solution:

Crime prevention at Dufferin Mall, Toronto, Ontario Dufferin Mall is located in a mixed-income and culturally diverse community. The mall has taken an alternative approach to reduce crime and boost revenues: in contrast to the extensive surveillance and security measures installed in many North American malls, a social development strategy has been implemented to bring in a range of activities and users. Funding for youth arts and sports groups, youth internship programs, rentfree space for teen drop-in centres, clothing exchanges, and youth services are all innovative moves by the management that have been credited with reducing crime rates. Across the street from the Mall is the successful, self-regulated Dufferin Grove Park. It is also continually programmed to fully activate the park and attract people of all age groups, at all times of day.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The physical environment can exert a direct influence on crime settings by delineating territories, reducing or increasing accessibility by the creation or elimination of boundaries and circulation networks, and by facilitating surveillance by the citizenry and the police.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Schlomo Angel

48% of Crime in Canada is property related Small urban areas have higher crime rates than large metropolitan areas, while homicide rates are highest in rural areas. The crime rate in small urban areas is 43% higher than in metropolitan areas and 58% higher than in rural areas.

“Defensible space relies on self-help rather than on government intervention, and so it is not vulnerable to government’s withdrawal of support. It depends on resident involvement to reduce crime and remove the presence of criminals. It has the ability to bring people of different incomes and race together in a mutually beneficial union.” — Oscar Newman

“I have an affection for a great city. I feel safe in the neighbourhood of man, and enjoy the sweet security of the streets.” — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

safety design solution 4:

eyes on the street

Flemingdon park backs on the STREET Jane Jacobs’ principle of ‘eyes on the street’ suggests that buildings must be oriented to the street to create safety for residents and visitors. When there are no eyes on the street and a neighbourhood relies on security measures such as fences and cameras, the community becomes passive in their responsibility to know about what happens on their street. Activity can be increased and monitored through simple measures of well-placed windows, porches, front yards, boulevards, or storefronts. This activity can also be supported by narrower streets with wider sidewalks and green space that reduce fast moving traffic and are more inviting for children at play. This relationship between the physical environment and safety is a subject of interest for planners and architects who now work with law enforcement professionals to establish safety guidelines and crime prevention design measures. In Flemingdon Park, most of the homes face away from the street. The problems presented by this design include a lack of a feeling of community that usually occurs when neighbours face onto a street that supports interaction. There is limited or no access to individual units by emergency and delivery services, and visitors often find it challenging to identify unit addresses. A greater sense of security and ownership in the community can be fostered through a streetscape more in keeping with Jacobs’ recommendations. For Flemingdon Park, extensive design and neighbourhood layout changes should be made to give residents a typical streetscape, where front doors face the street and the overall neighbourhood design encourages community cohesion and safety.

Back doors facing the street at Flemingdon Park.

Jane Jacobs on Eyes on the Streets A writer and activist, Jane Jacobs is best known for her book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961), which heavily criticized the urban renewal projects that took place in the mid 20 th century in North America and abroad. She was influential in stopping the Lower Manhattan expressway in New York City and the Spadina expressway in Toronto. The phrase for which she is most recognized – eyes on the street – has become fundamental within discussions of urban planning and safety. In her words, “there must be eyes on the street, eyes belonging to those we might call the natural proprietors of the street... The sidewalk must have users on it fairly continuously, both to add to the number of effective eyes on the street and to induce a sufficient number of people in buildings along the street to watch the sidewalks.“

SAFETY

flemingdon park eyes on the street Drawing on some of Jane Jacobsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; recommendations, all units proposed for Flemingdon Park were given a proper street address and a front door that faces the street. The mid-rise and terraced buildings all have grade related units at the bottom facing the street, and lobbies that also have a street address. Where existing buildings were retained for community, live/work, or commercial purposes, renovations would reverse the orientation of the units so that they face the street. One special condition was created to accommodate a line of live/work townhouses on the south site. These back to back townhouse mews have one line of units facing a one-way street and the other side facing a pedestrian only street that fronts onto a series of open courtyards.

Proposed solution: townhouses facing the street at Flemingdon Park.

This condition allows for 'eyes on the street', as well as a means of further activating the semi-public courtyards. The goal of focusing housing and residents toward streets is to allow individuals and families to enjoy the outdoors while contributing to the feeling of community and security within the neighbourhood. Proposed mixeduse and higher density will also attract more people to shops, parks, and community spaces, adding to the sense of safety through consistent pedestrian traffic.

79 3

Proposed solution: activated street at Flemingdon Park.

Borneo Sporenburg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Borneo Sporenburg is a celebrated example of dense urban housing that caters both to the desires of middle-class urban dwellers and to a plan for regeneration and community renewal. The development exemplifies how family housing can be compatible within dense urban areas. West 8â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s master plan presents a framework for highdensity living that incorporates similar features found in more conventional spacious neighbourhoods. The ground level units, semi-public areas (such as private gardens), and parking spaces were eliminated to give houses a direct relationship with the street. The result leaves front doors just a few steps from the public realm. These street-facing units are blended in with higher density typologies which results in a high level of pedestrian movement throughout the development. The neighbourhood has been a success, as the level of communal safety is high.

safety design solution 5:

Well Lit, Well Used

Lighting at Flemingdon Park The design of a lighting system is influenced by a variety of factors, including the site characteristics, the layout of the landscape, and the intended function of the lighting. A well designed lighting plan helps to create an extension from a home or building to the exterior and adds visibility to outdoor spaces, which can improve safety and a sense of security. Lighting of the ground plane not only allows for pedestrians to see where they are going, it also adds to the beauty and atmosphere of a neighbourhood. Outdoor lighting has the potential to reduce the fear of crime and carefully designed lighting can have positive effects on crime prevention. Flemingdon Park is full of security cameras, fences and bright lights; but the entire scheme does not serve the residents well. The current scheme needs to be further developed, with a plan that includes sustainable lighting sources that illuminate the paths, streets, and features. The existing cameras are frequently broken and the public lighting is inconsistent and unattractive, according to current residents. Sustainable lighting features would save money and energy, and send a positive message about solar power as a renewable energy source. It would allow for evening activities such as cultural and community events or recreational activities. To improve the overall feeling of the neighbourhood at night, a designed lighting plan should be implemented that adds to visibility, safe movement, and site attractiveness.

SAFETY

DESIGN METHOD:

PRIMARY RESEARCH The process of assessing safety as it applies to Flemingdon Park began with site visits and documentation of observations. Photographs were used to capture the details of how the site is used and how the existing infrastructure supports that use. These photographs were then analyzed to evaluate safety challenges. Next, a series of interviews were conducted with residents and other stakeholders to gather opinions on safety issues in the Flemingdon Park neighbourhood. The results of these interviews were compiled to help determine a hierarchy of issues and begin the process of designing solutions.

Midnight Basketball Leagues The Association of Midnight Basketball Leagues is a non-profit, umbrella organisation designed as the central administrative body for all local, regional, national, and international Midnight Basketball League activities. This expanding, successful program has been embraced and supported by local businesses, law enforcement, politicians, and community leaders. Midnight Basketball is a phenomenon that started in 1986 by Mr. G. Van Standife to help establish activities that could engage youth during the late hours of the day when illegal activities happen most often. Mr. Van Standife studied police reports that showed that most crime occurred during the hours of 10 pm to 2 am and were committed by individuals within the age group of 17 to 25 years old. In response to the escalating crime rate in his own town, he established Midnight Basketball League Inc. (AMBLP) to use basketball as the tool to attract young people to positive programming and league basketball games.

Illuminating for Safety at Flemingdon Park The lighting of streets, homes, and public spaces has been used in revitalization plans internationally to create a sense of security and reduce crime. A social housing redevelopment in Glasgow, Scotland has seen a dramatic reduction in local crime since implementing improved lighting. Police statistics show a reduction in breaking and entering by 61 percent and thefts by 18 percent in locations where the Glasgow Housing Association has revitalized properties to design out crime. Similar to the CEPTED approach, architects followed police advice on how design can make homes and social spaces safer. In addition to strategic choices about windows and doors, the lighting of homes, and open space is at the forefront of design decisions.

From the beginning, the AMBLP program has provided alternative late night activities in addition to workshops and educational opportunities. AMBLP programs have emerged internationally, based on the examples set by the founding city of Glen Arden, Maryland and other cities such as Chicago, Cleveland, Atlanta, and San Francisco. The popularity and effectiveness of Midnight Basketball prompted President Bill Clinton to specifically reference AMBLP in his Crime Bill.

Proposed solution: basketball game at night in Flemingdon Park.

Sustainable Lighting One of the issues that emerges with the increased use of lighting for safety is that it consumes energy at a cost to both the provider and to the environment. Fortunately there are now options for solar generated lights that can be used on a large scale. Cities that have already set examples by using solar lighting in public spaces include Adelaide, Australia and Vienna, Austria. In September 2005, Adelaide installed beautiful solar trees known as the Solar Mallee Trees, because they resemble the eucalyptus plant. In addition, as part of their â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Green City Projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; a dozen single solar street lights were installed that feed electricity to the grid during the day and use some of this energy at night for lighting.

These lights generate about 100 kWh more electricity than they use each year, making them carbon positive. These attractive solar tree lights, by Welsh designer Ross Lovegrove, have also had positive results in the streets of Vienna, where the solar cells were able to store enough electricity to power the lights for days, despite cloudy skies.

There are many elements that make a neighbourhood safe and create a sense of security and community awareness. The key elements are active, well lit streets with sidewalks, sitting areas, and houses that address the street. It is the citizens' participation in the environment that can make it safe or unsafe. Safer neighbourhoods encourage people to be outdoors, and when members of a community take an active role in their community it is less likely to be neglected. Increased pedestrian traffic, popular destinations, and programmable spaces can convert an isolated neighbourhood into a vibrant, safe community. Transforming an isolated neighbourhood into an accessible one promotes activity and safety.

Chapter 3

Accessibility

How do you move through a city?

Accessibility within a city affects all residents. People walk down the street to purchase milk, they commute on the subway to work, and they ride their bikes to school. It does not matter what your age or ability is, if you leave your house, you are affected by the accessibility of a city. To improve access, we need to explore how we can move through a city in a more efficient, safe, and enjoyable manner.

Accessibility is essential to the movement of goods, services, and people within and between cities.

Accessibility

City issue 5:

WHO NEEDS A CAR? In many cities around the world cars are the primary means of transportation. There is a need to reduce traffic on congested streets, to reduce overall carbon emission, and for people to live a healthier life. What if we could achieve this with minimal cost and effort through civic participation? Could bikes be part of the solution to the problem? Worldwide, community bike programs and bike share systems are increasing in popularity. Free or affordable access to bicycles for city transportation reduces the use of automobiles for short trips; resulting in diminished traffic congestion, noise, and air pollution, while promoting fitness. Bike shares also allow individuals to easily shift between other transportation methods, like public transit, making it even easier to travel within the city.

Accessibility

City solution:

BIXI Bike Share BIXI is a public bicycle share system launched in Montreal in May 2009. The system provides 5,000 bicycles and 400 stations to the residents of the city. There are pay stations, bikes, and bike docks, all powered by solar panels. BIXI bike share has recently expanded to other cities including Ottawa, London, Boston, and Melbourne and will soon come to Toronto as well. The BIXI system helps individuals understand the benefits of using bike share: it keeps track of your number of trips, usage time, distance traveled, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and fuel saved.

City solution:

The Copenhagen Wheel The Copenhagen Wheel converts a traditional bicycle into a hybrid electric bicycle that also functions as a mobile sensing unit. The system was created by SENSEable City Lab at MIT. The Copenhagen Wheel gathers and stores energy while individuals peddle and brake. The system has an interface that can be controlled through a smart phone that allows users to map pollution levels, traffic congestion, and road conditions in real-time. This contributes to a detailed database of traffic and environmental information that is made available to users. The system also allows them to unlock and lock their bike, change gears, select how much motor-assist they require, and set exercise goals.

City solution:

Bogotà, Colombia At the beginning of this decade Bogotà, Colombia focused a large portion of its city plan on non-motorized transportation. Over 300 km of ciclo-rutas, or bike paths, were constructed throughout the city, becoming the largest bike network in Latin America and the developing world. Citizens enjoy the paths, stating “it is the only place where people can see themselves as equals”, and “it is the safest place in the city because it creates a kind of solidarity – people help one another." The paths were approved by 86 percent of cyclists and non-cyclists alike. Though bicycle ownership is low, many residents use bikes for leisure, especially on ciclo-via, which has many of the roads closed to motorized vehicles on Sundays. This is the largest event of its kind in the world with more than 2 million people participating; nevertheless, cycling to work is still seen by residents as a sign of low socioeconomic status. The mayor and members of the administration occasionally ride bicycles to work to encourage bike use and improve its status. Bogotà has been transformed from one of the most hectic cities in the world to a model of sustainable urban development and transport. Citizens feel a new sense of ownership and pride for their city and, during ciclo-via nocturna, an event in December 2002, over 3 million people celebrated their city in the streets.

CHALLENGE: Grocery shopping in your community. Many grocery stores in a city are within biking distance, though many people still drive their cars to these stores. Could bikes with shopping carts attached be integrated into a community bike share program? If so, would you bike to the store?

Accessibility

City issue 6:

Who Owns the street? Many modern cities have been planned and built based on the car as the primary mode of transportation. The result has been the deterioration of public spaces, community cohesion, safety, and the overall livability of a city. In recent years there has been a movement to create new streets that are centred around people; these 'pedestrian priority' streets are an attempt to reclaim corridors for pedestrians. They feature a mix of uses including both motorized and non-motorized vehicle traffic with pedestrians having the right of way. Commercial and employment opportunities surround these streets which stimulates further pedestrian traffic and interaction.

Accessibility

City solution:

Pedestrian Priority Streets

Defining Features

Distinctive paving, without curbs.

Via Dante, a pedestrian street in Milan, Italy

City solution: The Woonerf, The netherlands The Woonerf developed in the Netherlands was created in the 1960’s when residents transformed their streets into ‘living yards’ to calm traffic. The idea was to create a sense of driving through a backyard, where the car had to maneuver around obstacles such as sand boxes, garden beds, and street furniture. Thus, the area gave priority to the pedestrian where cars needed to slowdown and be cautious. The streets were used as an area for social activity, creating a form of playground. This type of street has been adopted by the Dutch into legislation and a comparable street, known as the Home Zone, can be seen in the UK.

If there is a sidewalk, it must be level to the pedestrian street.

Fixtures to close off street from vehicle traffic are used during special occasions.

CHALLENGE: Close off your street for a car-free day in your neighbourhood. Streets become pedestrian-only the last Sunday of every month from May to October in Kensington Market.

City solution: The Longest Pedestrian Street system, StrĂ¸get, Copenhagen Copenhagen created the longest pedestrian street system, spanning almost 3.2 km. The area has been a great success since its creation in 1962. This street has become an auto-free zone and is a tourist attraction that offers access to shopping, museums, and outdoor sidewalk cafes. It has been a source of inspiration for many other cities around the world.

“Adding lanes to solve traffic congestion is like loosening your belt to solve obesity.” — Glen Hemistra

More than 3.5 million Americans spend more than three hours each day traveling to and from work. “Mobility has become the urbanist’s clarion call – from cellphones to bicycle and public transit advocacy, people who are passionate about realizing the full potential of urban life are focused on breaking down barriers to free and easy movement through the city.” — Jessica Duffin Wolfe

“Since the invention of the automobile, cities – particularly those in North America – have been designed primarily around the movement and storage of automobiles.” — Ian MacPhee

Study has found that 75% of learning occurs through visual stimulus, while 15% occurs through hearing and touching. Smell and taste counts for 12%.

“The only way to properly experience a city is to walk its streets, because only the pace and perspective of pedestrian movement allows one to absorb the tastes and smells of an urban neighbourhood, with its workaday shops, the easily overlooked quirks of its architecture and what Jane Jacobs described as the ‘ballet’ that occurs on the sidewalks.” — John Lorinc

“In a quality city, a person should be able to live their entire life without a car, and not feel deprived.” — Paul Bedford ”Public transport plays a more important role than getting people places. It helps establish an identity between the passenger and his city. You know your city better when you’re looking at the landscape.” — Jaime Lerner

While 71% of adult Americans say they walked or rode a bike to school when they were a child, today less than 17% of school-age children walk.

accessibility design solution 6:

all your needs at your doorstep

101

walking in Flemingdon Park Amenities have moved further and further away from the home, largely because of the dependence on vehicles. Communities now rely on cars and walk less and less. The original master plan of Flemingdon Park was based on the Garden City model, with external roads that framed the residences. Movement within the site is limited by poorly defined pathways that lack destinations, discouraging residents from walking. While residents have expressed an interest in a walkable neighbourhood, there are few destinations or services nearby that encourage it. As a result, people do not walk around in their neighbourhood and rely on their cars much more than they would like to. The lack of internal roads, non-linear paths, and limited number of local destinations have created a community that is disconnected from the larger neighbourhood. What is the Garden City Model? The Garden City model is an urban planning principal created in 1898 by Sir Ebenezer Howard. Howardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s model was intended to be the first step towards a new social and industrial community based on the common ownership of land, combining the advantages and activities of the city with the beauty and pleasure of the country. The purpose of the Garden City approach was to create a self-contained community surrounded by park lands with a balance of residential, industrial, and agricultural infrastructure.

Doorsteps at Flemingdon Park.

Accessibility

4 Minute Lifestyle in Flemingdon Park Inspired by the One Planet 5 Minute Lifestyle, Flemingdon Park has been re-envisioned as a walking community where resources can be accessed by a 300 metres walk or less. The new plan focuses on easy access to transit and bike share programs, community information, community space, fresh food, and day care, as well as employment and commercial space. The intent is to create a self-sufficient, mixed-use community that encourages residents to live a healthy lifestyle.

Proposed solution: Flemingdon Park bus stop.

Sonoma Mountain Village Sonoma Mountain Village is a community north of San Francisco that is currently being redeveloped on a brownfield site into a new environmentally-friendly community composed of residential, commercial, and employment zones. Sonoma Mountain is being built around the One Planet 5 Minute Lifestyle philosophy. This philosophy ensures that each residential home is less than a 5 minute walk away from fresh food, open space, commercial services, employment opportunities, and community space. The community follows this model of connectedness through a series of pedestrian and bicycle corridors.

Proposed walking radius: 100 metres access to nine community spaces including: the central community buildings, greenhouse, pavilion, amphitheater, community markets, children center and cafe.

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Proposed walking radius: 100 metres access to ten commercial and employment areas including community markets, greenhouse, day care facilities, health facilities, coffee shops, and live-work lofts.

Proposed walking radius: 200 metres access to five TTC bus stops.

Proposed walking radius: 300 metres access to two bike and car share locations.

Proposed walking radius: 200 metres access to fresh food in four locations.

accessibility design solution 7:

finding your way

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Flemingdon Park Desire Paths Flemingdon Park was designed as a car-free neighbourhood. Rather than surrounding residential homes with public streets, the ground plane is dominated by pathways, open space, landscaping, and mature trees. The current pathway system is complex, unsafe, and inconvenient for accessing neighbourhood resources, resulting in longer travel times for residents and confusing wayfinding for visitors. Flemingdon Park also has many ‘desire paths’ that have been worn into the landscape by residents seeking the most direct routes to their destinations.

What is a desire path? Gaston Bachelard coined the term ‘desire path’ in his 1958 book, The Poetics of Space. Desire path, also know as a ‘desire line’ or ‘social trail’ is a path developed by erosion caused by foot traffic. A desire path typically represents the most direct route between two points, and is created when current routes do not meet the needs of users.

Existing paths at Flemingdon Park.

Existing Path

Accessibility

Design Method:

Day in the Life This design methodology allows designers to explore the experiences a user may have. It was used in the process of evaluating solutions for Flemingdon Park to identify challenges and explore the benefits the proposed new paths could bring to the community. 'Day in the life' looks at potential users, their activities, and their environment. This process was used at Flemingdon Park to understand how people might travel around the new neighbourhood. By understanding where people are going and what they do on a daily basis, the most important desire paths were identified and converted into a proposed path system for Flemingdon Park.

Potential desire paths for the revitalized Flemingdon Park.

Desire Path

Location at Flemingdon Park where residents have worn in a desire path.

place d'youville, montrĂ&#x2030;al, quebec Pedestrian walkways over Place Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Youville were designed to weave between access points for museums, offices, restaurants, and residences on the two adjacent streets, mimicking desire paths that develop over time. The pathways recreate the 500-year history of sidewalk construction in MontrĂŠal: they are paved with a variety of different techniques and materials which include wood, concrete, granite, and limestone. With the addition of benches, greenery, and lighting, the result is a connected pathway system with an inviting atmosphere that addresses the street.

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Pedestrian paths at Flemingdon Park Successful pedestrian paths are designed around common destinations, sight lines, and the most direct path between two places. Through understanding the starting point and destination that the majority of users travel, more efficient paths can be integrated into the design plan. To ensure the path system is successful, further path construction may be necessary as additional desire paths occur.

Proposed location of pedestrian paths at Flemingdon Park.

Proposed Path

These effectively planned paths offer direct access to transit, resources, and neighbours. They are designed with safety and aesthetics in mind, which includes lighting and a maintenance plan. The revitalization plan for Flemingdon Park includes new paths that increase accessibility to food, community space, and transit. The addition of appropriate paths will make life easier for residents and visitors, while creating a more walkable and efficient environment.

accessibility design solution 8:

Navigating with your senses

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Wayfinding at Flemingdon Park Clear navigation through a community is important to both residents and visitors for community development, safety, and efficiency. The lack of consistent wayfinding and poor signage systems in Flemingdon Park do not support the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diverse cultural population and range of language needs. Of the few signs that do exist, most are in English only, are found at inappropriate locations, and are poorly designed. The well intentioned messaging on site is unclear and could easily be misinterpreted.

What is wayfinding? Wayfinding is a term coined by Kevin Lynch in the 1960â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that "refers to maps, street numbers, directional signs, and other elements as wayfinding devices." The term wayfinding extended over time to include route finding and the process of moving from one location to another. Today, wayfinding refers to the cognitive and behavioural abilities of a person to follow a path from one location to another.

Flemingdon Park kids playground with explicit messaging.

Accessibility

Five sense wayfinding at Flemingdon Park Senses are how we decode the world â&#x20AC;&#x201C; without them we would be lost. Traditional wayfinding systems rely primarily on the sense of sight, but the proposed wayfinding system for Flemingdon Park uses a wide range of senses: sight, smell, sound, and touch. Because it has become a ubiquitous part of everyday life, we have included technology as the fifth sense. It can be used to address some of the most difficult challenges in wayfinding such as language, culture, education levels, and people with special needs. Just as we use our senses in a hierarchical method, wayfinding would be communicated in a similar manner. Creating a system that has a hierarchy ensures that the most meaningful content is communicated first. Using materials that consider the environmental surroundings is important for the look and feel of a wayfinding system. An integrated relationship between signage, plants,

Sight

Touch

Sound

Smell

paths, and topography can also affect the acceptance and use of a new system. For instance, hedges or bushes might replace a fence as a visual barrier, fragrant vegetation can be planted to attract a person to a common area, the sound of a water feature might signal a community space, and planting ground cover with a varied surface that reminds people not to walk there. By integrating all of the senses into a wayfinding system, it should also be easier to conform to Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities (AODA) Legislation. This legislation will soon mandate businesses and organizations to provide and receive information and communications for people with disabilities. The proposed system for Flemingdon Park would also improve the safety and efficiency of the site for both residents and visitors.

Technology

Proposed five senses of wayfinding at Flemingdon Park.

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) recognizes the history of discrimination against all persons with disabilities and was established in 2005 to benefit all Ontarians. The main goal of the act is to make Ontario fully accessible by 2025.

The Act ensures the development, implementation, and enforcement of accessibility standards with respect to goods, services, facilities, accommodation, employment, buildings, structures, and premises in order to achieve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities.

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Proposed solution: Flemingdon Park five sense wayfinding system.

Vegetation keeps pedestrians on the pathway.

Top: Sound of water can attract pedestrians. Bottom: Smell of lavender can attract pedestrians.

accessibility design solution 9:

streets make a neighbourhood

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Flemingdon Park Street Typologies The design of a street depends on its function as a route for moving pedestrians, cyclists, public transit and private cars. Street typologies are further defined by adjacent land use such as residential, businesses or retail. Flemingdon Park was built with a single street typology serving as neighbourhood arteries, with only pedestrian pathways within the neighbourhood. The vehicular streets are wide, with large setbacks between buildings and sidewalks. There are many undefined spaces that line these streets and an expanse of pavement devoted to motor vehicles. All of these conditions combine to create a streetscape that favours cars, discourages pedestrian travel, and applying a single streetscape design to many different conditions. These wide existing roads could be redesigned to free up some of the space allotted to vehicles for pedestrians and cyclists. Large setbacks could be revised to make better use of the space for landscaping and inspiring ownership by residents.

Existing streetscape in Flemingdon Park .

What are street typologies? Street typology is a term used often in the context of urban planning and architecture. It is a taxonomic classification of characteristics found in streets. The different typologies usually indicate the type of street and the relationships between the street, surrounding space, vegetation, and the people that live there.

Accessibility

new street Typologies at Flemingdon Park The new streets planned for Flemingdon Park are designed to relate better to the activities that occur on the streets and to connect to the buildings that line them. There was a deliberate effort to create streets that become progressively quieter as they move away from the main roadways. A hierarchy of five streetscape typologies were created – primary being the main street, secondary being the quieter streets feeding off of the major arteries, and tertiary being the quietest one-way streets in the neighbourhood. Additional street typologies would include pedestrian-priority streets and pedestrian-only streets that are completely car-free. The main street is detailed in Chapter 6: Identity. The secondary streets have one lane of traffic in each direction, with a single lane of street parking on only one side. Pedestrians and cyclists are protected from vehicular traffic by green medians that also incorporate street lighting. Buildings are set back from the property line to give a more residential feel to the street.

5 1

1 Main Streetof streets at Flemingdon Park. Proposed location

Secondary Street Tertiary Street Pedestrian Priority Street 3 Tertiary Street 5 Pedestrian Street 2 3

1 Main Street

2 Secondary Street 4

4 Pedestrian Priority Street 5 Pedestrian Street

Cliffside Slips, Scarborough, Ontario Kingston Road in Scarborough, Ontario is a high-speed, six-lane thoroughfare that heavily favours vehicular traffic over pedestrians or bicycles. The Architecture firm, Lateral, has proposed a series of pocket parks, crosswalks, and temporary parking lot activities in order to revitalize this stretch of road and strike a balance between vehicles and pedestrians. By reclaiming ‘orphaned spaces’ between retail units and parking lots, this scheme aims to not only make the area friendly to pedestrians, but also to beautify and promote new development in the currently commercial area. What originated as

a design response to a specific site evolved into a kit of parts, or a catalogue of ‘slips’, a hybrid of a cross-walks and pocket parks. These innovative parks reclaim space for pedestrians, calm traffic, and offer points of intrigue and distinct identity within the urban environment. The modular and scalable nature of the design also means that the slips can be produced and layered incrementally, as budget and time allows. The slips in this kit of parts punctuate the streetscape and add variety and interest to an otherwise mundane environment.

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Proposed solution: Flemingdon Park secondary street, two-way street cross section.

How to inhabit and engineer the ground plane? A city sidewalk or street by itself is meaningless without the context of the environment around it. How a sidewalk or street is used is key to the safety of a city; if they are not used, they are not safe. Trust and support develops among strangers when they have casual public contact with each other in public places such as sidewalks and parks. When the ground plane is designed to encourage social interaction, a vibrant and safe community has a great chance of developing. The ground plane is a grapevine for communication, the

eyes of the community, a source for social development, and the place where fear, discrimination, and segregation can be broken down. As Jane Jacobs describes it, â&#x20AC;&#x153;sidewalk contacts are the small change from which a cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wealth can grow." Sidewalks are multi-functional. They help us to find our way and give us options on how to get to our destination. In addition, they are places for social interaction, a place to play, and a means of understanding the world around us.

Accessibility

new street Typologies at Flemingdon Park Tertiary streets are one way streets with a wide single lane of shared car and bicycle traffic, a single lane of street parking, and adjacent sidewalks. All these proposed streets have been designed to accommodate emergency vehicles such as fire trucks, ambulances, and police vehicles for ensured safety for residents. Landscaped sidewalks flank the street and buildings are set back to give an intimate residential feel. Pedestrian-priority streets are geared to pedestrians while still allowing vehicle access. Pedestrian-only streets are narrow pathways for pedestrian and bicycle use; these streets are car-free.

Regent Park, Street Typologies, Toronto, Ontario When Regent Park in Toronto was slated for redevelopment, the proposed urban design guidelines called for a finer-grained grid of development blocks that provide improved permeability and flexibility. A variety of one- and two-way streets with varying rights of way were designed with traffic control and pedestrian safety as top priorities. Streets were intended to function as large outdoor places for people to meet and for community activities to take place. Human-scale lighting, greenery, decorative paving materials and street furniture were used selectively to distinguish a hierarchy of streetscapes.

Major streets were given wider sidewalks and minor streets narrower ones. Pedestrian-friendly design cues were proposed, such as crosswalks near parks that continue at sidewalk level across a vehicular street. The hierarchy of streets included several variations of arterial streets, primary local streets, internal local streets, and laneways, each with their own distinct design principles to create a variety of pedestrian-friendly, context-appropriate streetscapes.

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Proposed solution: Flemingdon Park tertiary street, one-way street cross section.

Proposed solution: Pedestrian-priority street at Flemingdon Park.

Accessibility is providing infrastructure for different methods of transportation that include cycling, walking, public transit, and cars. For many generations our roads have been getting wider and wider to support cars, leaving little room for other modes of transportation. It is time to change this pattern and to create equality of space for all modes of travel. This will allow people to move in a safe and efficient manner across the city. Our communities must address the need for accessibility by providing safe and efficient corridors for travel by a variety of methods. Accessibility needs to be diverse. No one system will meet all transportation needs; accessibility includes options for residents to choose the best means of travel within a city.

Chapter 4

DIVERSITY

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WHICH INGREDIENT ARE YOU?

There are many ingredients that make up a cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique diversity. Cities contain a multitude of layers, which include people, buildings, infrastructure, public space, and neighbourhoods. Different combinations of these elements create the recipe for the distinct feel and character of a place. Cities that have a high level of diversity tend to be more accepting and welcoming than places with a more uniform culture. Diversity creates communities that meet a range of needs and help to form a multicultural society where everyone is understood, acknowledged, and appreciated.

Diversity is a mixture of different cultures, ages, abilities, and environment. In each city this diversity is different.

Diversity

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City issue 7:

won't you be my neighbour? Mixed-income communities include people from a range of income brackets, often from varied ethnic backgrounds, all living in the same neighbourhood. Along with being rich in cultural diversity, these types of neighbourhoods create a healthy housing market and increase the availability and choice of affordable and market units. Diverse neighbourhoods include a variety of amenities and community facilities, which add to an overall improvement in the quality of life. A mixed-income population can mitigate low socioeconomic status and encourage active community engagement and a positive living environment. The most interesting and appealing neighbourhoods are made up of a mixed tapestry of lifestyles, people, and cultures.

Diversity

City solution:

Inclusionary Housing, Vancouver, British Columbia Social housing in Canada was federally funded from 1946 until it was restructured in the mid 1980's and transferred to provincial and municipal governments. Vancouver's real estate market also changed at this time as residential condominium towers began to replace commercial buildings in the city core. Approximately 600 high-rise condominium units were built every year between 1986 and 1990, and the average cost of condominiums rose 44 percent. As redevelopment proceeded, the percentage of low-cost rental housing decreased and, between 1984 and 1986, there were no net housing gains in the central area. In 1988 the City of Vancouver introduced ‘Inclusionary Housing Policies’ to ensure new social housing development. This new policy was implemented through zoning bylaws, which state that any development of more than 200 units is required to sell 20 percent of its market housing to the City of Vancouver at 60 percent of the market value. The City then leases the units to a not-for-profit housing provider. The funding for these purchases is from municipal and provincial funds. Since adopting ‘inclusionary housing policies’, the City of Vancouver has substantially increased its number of social housing units. Of the 2,670 affordable units the city now operates, 2,200 resulted from the following three projects: Expo, Station/Lafarge, and Coal Harbour. Inclusionary housing creates mixed-income communities, fostering healthy socioeconomic environments. Community integration allows people to live closer to employment and transportation options. Through this policy, the City of Vancouver has increased economic development and livability for many residents.

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City solution:

Ekostaden, Augustenborg, MalmĂ&#x2013;, Sweden The community of Augustenborg was originally built in the early 1950's. Over the years, it suffered from general neglect, economic decline, and unemployment. Since the 1980's the community has shifted, as immigrants arrived bringing new cultural and economic diversity. The City of MalmĂś and the MKB housing company have been working together since 1998 to integrate various ecological and economic techniques that stimulate social and economic community development in Augustenborg. The program known as Ekostaden focuses on local residents, schools, industry, and business. The vision of the neighbourhood was to transform it into a more socially, economically, and ecologically sustainable neighbourhood. Since its redevelopment, Augustenborg has become an attractive, multicultural neighbourhood that has decreased its tenant turnover and environmental impact.

City solution:

city edge, Canberra, Australia This multi-award winning neighbourhood was developed in 2001 as a mixed-income community containing a blend of affordable and market sale housing. The joint venture between Community Housing Canberra Limited and CIC Australia sought to transform the aging public housing neighbourhood into a modern, mixed-income community. The community includes both publically and privately owned dwellings. The success of the redevelopment was acknowledged by the 2003 Housing Industry Association, Housing Award for Special Accommodation of the Year.

Mixed-income communities create diverse neighbourhoods that encourage acceptance and is beneficial for everyone.

“I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Our cultural diversity has most certainly shaped our national character." — Julie Bishop

"Diversity: the art of thinking independently together." — Malcolm Forbes

“Worldwide, over 200 million people currently live outside their country of birth." "We need diversity of thought in the world to face the new challenges." — Tim Berners Lee

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“The point of cities is multiplicity of choice.” — Jane Jacobs

“A city is a place where there is no need to wait for next week to get the answer to a question, to taste the food of any country, to find new voices to listen to and familiar ones to listen to again.” — Margaret Mead

“The chief function of the city is to convert power into form, energy into culture, dead matter into the living symbols of art, biological reproduction into social creativity.” — Lewis Mumford

diversity design solution 10:

A MIXed-USE NEIGHBOUrHOOD

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Land use at flemingdon park A mixed-use neighbourhood is designed to accommodate a variety of residents. When a neighbourhood lacks local commerce and services, residents must go elsewhere to get what they need. This lack of street-based culture leads to many issues around identity, safety, and convenience. The neighbourhood of Flemingdon Park is made up of primarily residential buildings. The Toronto Community Housing site consists of 524 residential units, a property management office, and a residential unit that has recently been converted for community use. The closest retail is at the perimeters of the site, more than a 5 minute walk for most residents. There is a community centre and library adjacent to the North site, but it is relatively far from the South site. The schools in the area are within walking distance, but busy streets designed for fast vehicle traffic and circuitous footpaths make this inconvenient and unsafe.

Primarily residential land use at Flemingdon Park.

What is New Urbanism? The concept of New Urbanism emerged in the late 1980's and suggested that neighborhoods should resemble villages with homes and businesses clustered together. The motivation was that â&#x20AC;&#x153;instead of driving, residents of New Urbanist neighborhoods can walk to shops, businesses, theaters, schools, parks, and other important service." Neighbourhood layouts were arranged to â&#x20AC;&#x153;foster a sense of community closeness." New Urbanist designers also â&#x20AC;&#x153;place importance on earth-friendly architecture, energy conservation, historic preservation, and accessibility."

Diversity

mixed-use at flemingdon park The plan for Flemingdon Park integrates a range of income groups in a variety of building typologies that accommodate businesses, services, community spaces, and residences. The goal is to encourage a vibrant environment and create new networking, employment, and social prospects for the residents. Buildings along the main street would house commercial, residential, and community spaces under one roof. The proposed towers would include ground floor access to both commercial and community space. The greenhouses are a unique use of community space that would attract locals and visitors from outside the immediate community. With the added density and inclusion of new uses for buildings throughout the site, Flemingdon Park would become an active, village-like neighbourhood that features retail, cultural, and educational attractions.

Residential Residential & Commercial Live/Work & Residential Live/Work & Commercial Proposed land use at Flemingdon Park.

The Southeast False Creek Olympic Village, British Colombia, BGL Architects Inc. The rezoning proposal for the Vancouver Olympic Village Site aims to demonstrate â&#x20AC;&#x153;new ways of living in a city." By balancing urban living, wellness and respect for the planet, the Official Development Plan would â&#x20AC;&#x153;develop a mixed-use neighbourhood that accommodates a diversity of residents with a range of incomes." Market condominiums were proposed along side affordable housing and modest market housing. The introduction of modest market housing would include a demographic that is not normally in a position to purchase a home, but that would not be eligible for subsidized housing.

Market Housing

Seniors' Housing

Modest Market Housing

Affordable Housing - Single

Affordable Housing - Family

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CHALLENGE: Support local mixed-use neighbourhoods. Shop locally. Proposed solution: building including retail, commercial and residential space at Flemingdon Park.

Market Hall, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, MVRDV The Market Hall project combines food, leisure, living, and parking with sustainable living and design principles. Currently under construction, the complex includes apartments for rent and sale with a fresh food market, retail, and parking anchoring the building. The main area serves as a central market hall during the day and an engaged living area made active by the restaurants situated on the main floor by night. The Market Hall is proposed to become a core part of the new inner city heart for the Laurens Quarter. The layout links entrances with the natural flow of the public circulation to the train station and the main shopping streets. The hall is mainly formed by an arch made of apartments and features an ever changing LCD technology lighting system that transforms the interior spaces. This building is touted as â&#x20AC;&#x153;a new icon for Rotterdamâ&#x20AC;? and is unusual in that it will be a large public building encompassing many residential units.

diversity design solution 11:

A healthy mix of housing

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Flemingdon park housing typologies The buildings in a neighbourhood are the physical structures that define its use, its character, and its shared social spaces. A mix of housing typologies creates diversity of form and density and having a variety of housing options within a community results in a neighbourhood that can better address people's needs through housing size, type, ownership, rental options, and prices. Flemingdon Park is largely populated with townhouses that face each other across undefined open spaces. The three-storey walk up apartments offer views of under-used green spaces, but not views of roads and sidewalks where community interaction generally takes place. These buildings are also a challenge to access as they are built above grade to accommodate the underground parking garages. Front doors are not obvious and are often accessed only by stairs. The lack of conventional street addresses, confusing spatial layouts, and the homogeneous building aesthetic makes wayfinding a challenge. The new housing typologies proposed for Flemingdon Park would exist within a new network of roads, sidewalks, landscaping features, and amenities. The variety of different housing typologies are meant to balance the look and feel of the neighbourhood with the newly proposed open space while supporting almost three times the current density.

Existing housing typologies at Flemingdon Park.

What are housing typologies? Housing typology is a term used often in the context of urban planning and architecture. It is a taxonomic classification of physical housing types found within a city. Different typologies represent a wide range of building forms to fit residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs, the surrounding environment and urban characteristics.

Diversity

design method:

Charrette A charrette is an intensive, collaborative process that brings together students, community members, and professionals to develop innovative solutions for complex issues. Over a few short days of brainstorming, discussion, and expert consultation, teams can create a broad range of ideas around a central theme. Directlyaffected users are involved at different stages of the problem-solving process, ensuring that the results meet community objectives. Charrettes originated as a design process used by architects, urban planners, and designers to bring together community members, developers, and professionals, as well as groups that often hold competing interests and agendas. Solutions for complex projects are created such as neighbourhood planning, urban development, and construction projects. By working together in a charrette, groups are able to develop feasible solutions that meet everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs. The term charrette comes from the late 1800's, when proctors at the Ă&#x2030;cole des Beaux-Arts in Paris would circulate a cart, or "charrette", to collect final drawings,

as students rushed frantically to finish their work. The housing typologies and unit types at Flemingdon Park were redesigned during a charrette that brought together students from the IwB and the Architectural Technology programs at George Brown College, supported by industry professionals including architects, industrial designers, interaction designers, urban planners, and Toronto Community Housing staff. Building on information drawn from community meetings, the results were innovative units that met a variety of different user needs.

Flemingdon Park unit charrette, February 2010.

Examples of Housing Typologies

Single Duplex Triplex Detached

Multiplex

Side Attached

Stacked Rowhouse

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townhouses The plan introduces an increase of grade-related units that would include townhouses and stacked townhouses, grouped with six to twelve homes in a row. This would recreate the same typology that many current residents live in, and would also create higher-value properties for market sale and rent. Townhouse units would range in size from 1200 - 1900 square feet, with more spacious units accommodating larger families. All units would have backyards with the exceptions of upper stacked units, which would have terraces.

Townhouse mews These back-to-back units would be two and a half storeys high and feature large terraces. One side would have units facing two-storey townhouses across a secondary street. The houses they back onto would be live/work units that face a pedestrian street and inner courtyard. This special condition is designed to attract artists and entrepreneurs and to bring activity to the courtyards.

Small Apartment

Low-rise Apartment

Mid-rise Apartment

Apartment over Commercial

High-rise Apartment

Diversity

Mid-rise terraced building The mid-rise terraced buildings all would have ground floor townhouses that maintain the streetscape throughout the site and offer a variety of unit sizes with access to shared rooftop gardens. These buildings would help increase density and create the form that defines the courtyards. Accessible units would be included on both ground level and upper levels. The height of these buildings would step up from four to ten storeys.

Podiums This eight storey building on the north site would have a large green roof accessible by elevator. Enclosed arcades would connect this building to the adjacent towers and greenhouse. The lower height of this building would allow the tower residents nearby views of the public park to the North and the Don Valley to the East.

Talbot Park, Glen Innes, Auckland Talbot Park is a 5 hectre block neighbourhood that is 50 percent owned and operated by the Housing New Zealand Corporation. The neighbourhood, originally developed in the 1960's, is home to 16,000 people living in 5,000 houses. The site underwent major renovation in 2007 as part of a community renewal program. The redevelopment introduced a mix of housing typologies throughout the neighbourhood. As a result, the turnover rate in the community has decreased from 50 to 5 percent and housing stock now meets the needs of the residents. The value of the community has increased for residents, establishing both social and economic benefits.

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Towers on podiums These buildings would create visual anchors at both ends of the neighbourhood. The south towers feature a pedestrian street and bridge that connects the towers. The north towers are connected by a set of arcades to the greenhouse and community spaces. These buildings also have access to a shared podium roof garden and add the necessary density for this scale of development.

Renovated building This unique renovated building is made up of a series of existing buildings that are connected by a domed roof structure that houses a greenhouse and arcade below. This four storey building would be adapted to house community space on the first floor, commercial on the second floor, and live/work units on the third and fourth floors. This special typology would be designed to be a community hub that many activities would centre around.

diversity design solution 12:

A HOUSE THAT GROWs

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FLEMINGDON PARK HOUSING Although surrounded by high density towers, the Toronto Community Housing site at Flemingdon Park has just two housing types: townhouses and three-storey apartment buildings. The buildings that currently exist on site were designed without universal design standards, and as a result they do not serve the different needs of the residents of Flemingdon Park. Accessible, modular, and transformable units would be beneficial in meeting a variety of residents' needs.

UNIVERSAL DESIGN at flemingdon park Universal design is a philosophy developed by the Centre for Universal Design. The objective of this philosophy is to guide the creation of products and environments that can be used by all people without adaptation or specialized design. Universal design challenges designers to maximize the usability of a product or service to meet a range of users' needs. This strategy promotes an inclusive approach that considers the needs of all end users, regardless of age or ability. Universal design strategies were implemented in the housing proposed at Flemingdon Park. Access the World Unit

Designed to encourage equality, harmony, and integration within Flemingdon Park, the unit is a new direction for universal and barrier -free design in the community. The concept is a unit that meets the needs of the resident whether they are disabled or not. Access the World enables visitors who are disabled and accommodates an aging population. Within each unit is an open plan living space, a five-foot turning radius at every possible turnaround, sliding doors, wheel- under counters, and a flexible space layout.

Diversity

Flemingdon Park Modular Housing Modular housing is a method of construction that uses pre-fabricated structures that are then assembled on site. Most of the structure is completed on a production line, significantly reducing the manufacturing costs. Modular housing can also be designed to create larger structures and individual unit customization from a set of predetermined components. Modular housing also allows for easy additions to an existing home.

Detached

HubHouse 20.20

The Hubhouse 20.20 derives its name from its exterior measurements (20â&#x20AC;&#x2122;x20â&#x20AC;&#x2122;) and the modular nature of the design. A single module is a detached, 1-bedroom unit. When combined with additional modules, using a hallway connector, a larger home is created. These units can expand in size as families at Flemingdon Park grow with the addition of more modules; the system is designed to foster human interaction while at the same time adapting to the changing needs of families.

T-Tree PreFab Home, Adil Azhiyev and Ivan Kudryavtsev The T-Tree social housing project was one of the 20 finalist at the ReBurbia competition to save the suburbs. The design goal was to mitigate issues resulting from suburban living and city sprawl. The vertical structure contains a central elevator and a staggered series of prefab modules, with the overall structure mimics the form of a tree.

Attached

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Flemingdon Park transformable Housing Coral Home

A coral reef is a living and growing organism that supports a diverse population of life. This is the inspiration for a home than can also adapt and grow to support the needs of families as they change over time. The second floor of this house is designed to be modified to change as families' needs change. Phase one suits a couple and contains one bedroom, one bathroom

Phase One

and an open concept space. The second phase accommodates a new family member with the addition of an other bedroom. Lastly, phase three adds a third bedroom and a bathroom by building two more walls. Transformable housing at Flemingdon Park would attract a variety of homeowners and renters.

Phase Two

Phase Three

FlexHousing FlexHousing was developed by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to allow homeowners to adapt their home to their familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s changing needs instead of having to move. The concept is a house that has the ability to evolve with minimum expense. The design allows homeowners to remain in a home for longer periods of time, sometimes their entire lifetimes. For example, within a home a large bedroom could be adapted into two smaller bedrooms to make room for a new baby.

Diversity can take many forms within the urban environment, contributing to the feel, character, and culture of a city. Every person plays a role in the diversity of their community, neighbourhood and city. This combination of individual values, ideas and actions are essential and important to creating a city. By bringing together these values, ideas and actions, unity is established within a city.

Chapter 5

COHESIoN

147

WHAT BRINGS US TOGETHER?

A city is made up of many different elements that affect people socially, economically, politically, and environmentally. The distinction between these elements are often unclear and barriers between them can result in divided communities, a defined class system, or political instability. To improve the cohesion of a city we need to look at how to integrate all of these components in an equitable and practical manner.

Cohesion is how we come together. Strong cohesion creates robust, integrated communities.

Cohesion

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City issue 8:

HOW CAN WORKING TOGETHER BE BETTER? A neighbourhood is made up many of overlapping infrastructures, each managed by a variety of governing bodies, businesses, and individuals. This can result in disengagement between elements, affecting how well they work together. What would happen if a neighbourhood had infrastructure that was truly connected and had the support and understanding of its residents? You might have a community that lowers its operational cost through energy savings, that interacts and arranges community activities that use public spaces, and have community wide protocols that ensure street safety.

Cohesion

City solution:

Sustainable Community: BedZED ENergy Development Beddington Zero (BedZed) is a mixed-use, sustainable community in the United Kingdom that has been occupied since 2002. The communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main focus is to create an environment that is diverse and provides a high quality of living while using a minimal amount of resources. BedZed is diverse in both economic value and housing types. The housing consists of 50 percent market housing, 25 percent worker-shared ownership, and 25 percent social housing for rent. All residents living in the community must help with general operations of the neighbourhood. BedZed is a community designed to change the overall lifestyle behaviours of its residents. There are three main focuses, including: local and sustainable food, sustainable transportation, and waste reduction.

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Incentives for local and sustainable food: •E ach resident is provided an allotment space in the community garden. • A composting program to creates nutrient-rich soil for the community garden. • Food education and grow-your-own-food training are provided. • Access to local organic food and alcohol is organized. •R esidents receive a welcome package providing education about organic and local foods. Incentives for sustainable transportation: •C ar dependency is decrease for residents by limiting car ownership and implementing annual parking fees. •P riorities are provided to owners that have disabilities, drivers that have electric, or smaller- engine cars. • A car share program is in place and includes electric vehicles. •O n-site bike share and free cycling education packages are promoted and include maps, money vouchers for local cycling shops and information about cycling clubs. • Bicycle storage is available for each resident. •T here are public transportation packages, including timetables and stops locations. •O n-site employment and commercial services to reduce the need for long commutes. Incentives for reducing waste: •T he composting program diverts organic waste from landfills. • Residential colour-coded bins help to sort waste. • Locally recycled paper is sold in the community. • Clothing and furniture swaps are arranged.

Two heads are greater than ONE. Working together with your community accomplishes great outcomes.

“When you look at a city, it is like reading the hopes, aspirations and pride of everyone who built it.” — Hugh Newell Jacobsen

“Empower, educate, and advocate for the whole community.” — Flemingdon Park Resident “Even the largest cities have countless networks of small-group life and social affiliations. Social differences between groups of people need not create social distances, if public institutions affirm such differences and they are meaningfully reflected in cultural activities and symbols.” — Michael J. Prince

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“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” — Jane Jacobs

“As a net is made up of a series of ties, so everything in this world is connected by a series of ties. If anyone thinks that the mesh of a net is an independent, isolated thing, he is mistaken. It is called a net because it is made up of a series of interconnected meshes, and each mesh has its place and responsibility in relation to other meshes.” — Buddha

cohesion design solution 13:

Standing up with your community

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Community Participation at Flemingdon Park In order for residents to take ownership of their community, they need to have a say in its development and day-to-day operation. Communities that have strong neighbourhood associations or a high level of community engagement are generally better developed and residents have a stronger sense of ownership and community pride. These community members actively help to create and maintain their neighbourhood, in turn, leading to a safer community where neighbours watch out for each other and public space is well used and maintained. Flemingdon Park has a tenants association in accordance with Toronto Community Housing's operating policies. Members of this group meet to help determine how capital improvement funds should be spent and to voice their concerns and the concerns of their neighbours to Toronto Community Housing. Unlike neighbourhood associations that are formed and managed solely by residents, Flemingdon Park’s tenant association is administered by staff from Toronto Community Housing and focuses on what can be done for the residents, not what the residents can do for the community.

Flemingdon Park community engagement meeting.

Why organize a neighbourhood association? A neighbourhood association can be integral to the development of a community by: • Improving the overall living conditions of a neighbourhood including maintenance, safety, and relationships between landlords, other residents, and local businesses. • Tackling problems as a group, making larger projects possible by sharing work and resources among many community members. • Bringing together different perspectives and ideas, and leveraging the different skills and opinions within the community. • Documenting the history of a community, and understanding the past, current, and future needs of its residents. • Organizing community events and festivals that bring together residents and increase community connections.

Cohesion

Design method:

COMMUNITY Co-Creation Community co-creation is a form of collaborative design that actively involves stakeholders in the design process. The result is that solutions meet user needs. This process involves community members during different stages of the design process and can be implemented in several ways: • One-on-one interviews • Community meetings • Design charrettes • Surveys During the development of the Flemingdon Park Revitalization Proposal, the IwB students conducted stakeholder interviews, a design charrette, and community meetings. Residents and Toronto Community Housing staff were involved in each of these and their active participation in the creation process guided the IwB to the true issues, strengths, and priorities needing to be addressed in the project. This collaborative process led to effective, appropriate solutions for the revitalization of Flemingdon Park.

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Cohesion

Resident Involvement at Flemingdon Park The revitalization plan for Flemingdon Park proposes change to the operation of the entire neighbourhood. A neighbourhood association is just one way for residents take ownership and have a say in how their neighbourhood is developed, operated, and managed. A new community organization model would accommodate the proposed mixture of market rental, condo, and rent geared to income units as well as new commercial and community spaces. This new model assigns property management, community development, and community activation to different groups, each with a clear purpose and mandate, and with a neighbourhood association responsible for considering the needs of all community members. These groups would include condo boards and commercial management groups to oversee individual properties, Toronto Community Housing, and Del property management to oversee all rent geared to income properties, and a neighbourhood association to ensure that the overall needs of the community are being met by these groups.

TORONTO COMMUNITY HOUSING CORPORATION

RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

CONDOMINUM BOARDS

PROPERTY MANAGERS

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Market Condominums and Condominum Amenity Space.

RGI units, Community & Commercial Spaces (in conjuction with partners).

Property and Community Issues

NEIGHBOURHOOD ASSOCIATION Concerned neighbourhood members: TCHC residents, Rent-to-own residents, Condominum residents, Homeowners and Market Renters.

Proposed organization model for Flemingdon Park.

how do you start a neighbourhood association? • Talk to your neighbours, find out their problems and concerns, and look for common threads that run throughout the community. • Start with a small group and do some preliminary investigations about your community and how you think a neighbourhood association could improve it.

• Advertise about the neighbourhood association; place flyers around the area and start to get new people involved in the group. • Develop communication methods for your community such as email lists, blogs, or notice boards. • Set agendas and keep accurate notes from each meeting.

• Organize regular meetings. • Assign positions to different people within the neighbourhood association such as chair, vice-chair, treasurer, and secretary. • Create committees to take on specific tasks. • Make connections with local government and councillors to help achieve your goals.

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CHALLENGE: Start or join a neigbourhood association to help improve your community. Proposed solution: residents association meeting at Flemingdon Park.

What are the duties of a neighbourhood association? • Educate and inform residents about the community. • Listen to the concerns of all residents, even if they are not part of the association. • Monitor and document issues within the community and follow up with governing agencies. • Encourage community members to interact by organizing community events.

• Understand the governing agencies (landlords, management, city, and infrastructure) that affect your community. • Update local governing agencies and councillors about the mandate and goals of your organisation, and seek their support.

cohesion design solution 14:

sharing our space

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courtyards at Flemingdon Park Shared spaces work best when they are clearly defined and designed with users in mind. Problems arise when these public or semi-public spaces become unsafe or uninviting. Much of the existing open space at Flemingdon Park consists of undefined spaces connected by indirect pathways. Both Toronto Community Housing sites within Flemingdon Park have ample green space and mature trees, but because of the layout, much of the green space is under-used. This is exacerbated by the fact that some houses face inward and have their backs to the shared spaces, creating uncertainty about the nature of these spaces as semi-private or semi-public. Courtyard A courtyard is an open space framed by a building. Courtyards often act as outdoor private or semiprivate spaces for the surrounding buildings. The concept of courtyards is a common form of residential architecture that was first introduced in Iran and China in 3000 BC. At this time, the courtyards acted as a central place for open fire and cooking food. In more recent history, courtyards have been used to improve safety and security, increase privacy, allow for access to tranquility, and foster activities including childcare, cooking, working, gardening, and playing.

Current courtyards at Flemingdon Park.

Cohesion

Courtyards at Flemingdon Park A variety of courtyards are proposed for Flemingdon Park that would help to define the open spaces throughout the site. These would compliment higher-density housing types and provide quality living environments for individuals and families. The progression of contained spaces would also increase visibility and orientation that would allow residents and visitors to move easily and safely around the neighbourhood. Landscaping features, such as benches, would encourage interaction; meanwhile, storm water channels would help mediate between the built form and the open space, and the use of native plants and trees would reduce maintenance and water use. Features would include public art sculptures themed around sustainability, playgrounds with water features, basketball courts, cafes, and multi-use pavilions. Consistent down-lighting combined with regular foot traffic and clear sight lines would create safe, familyfriendly spaces. These common green spaces are also intended to serve as a common open space for residents.

Portland Courtyard Housing Courtyard housing is one of the most ancient forms of urban housing, dating back thousands of years to the time of the formation of early urban settlements in Mesopotamia. Portland, while still a young city, also has a heritage of courtyard housing. Through the first half of the 20 th century, courtyard apartment buildings were frequently built. More recently, high-density housing with central courtyards have been built in downtown neighborhoods like the Pearl District. Multifamily housing and other higher density housing types now constitute the majority of new housing being built in Portland. This trend reflects the increasing scarcity of land available for

the development of conventional detached houses with sizable private yards. The Portland Courtyard Housing Design Competition explored infill housing with shared courtyards. A focus was put on how courtyard housing can be designed to serve as an attractive option for families with children and how it might be designed as affordable market-sale housing for moderate-income households. Ultimately, the goal of this competition was to foster the construction of well-designed courtyard housing projects and to engage the public in considering how higher density dwellings might still serve as a good housing option for families with children.

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Proposed solution: courtyards at Flemingdon Park.

Courtyard Proposed location of courtyards at Flemingdon Park.

Courtyard

cohesion design solution 15:

bring the garden up to the roof

167

ground plane AT FLEMINGDON PARK Within most urban environments, much of the ground plane is taken up by building footprints, reducing the amount of green space. The current population density at Flemingdon Park is relatively low and a large proportion of the ground plane is dedicated to open green spaces. The proposed revitalization plan would increase site density and reconfigure the green spaces to include supplementary green space in the form of roof top gardens and green roofs. What are the benefits of building a green roof? • Increasing access to both private and public outdoor spaces within an urban environment. • Creating additional space for urban food production. • Promoting community and cultural diversity through shared space in mid- to high-rise buildings. • Increasing air quality and reducing CO2 emissions. • Helping to control and delay storm water runoff. • Increasing the habitat for birds. • Insulating buildings, resulting in increased warmth in the winter and retention of heat in the summer. • Increasing the roof membrane lifespan to an average of 60 years compared to 25 years. • Creating job opportunities for design, construction, maintenance, and food production. • Reducing the heat island effect, helping to cool the surrounding area. • Creating a surface that absorbs the noise of a city, reducing echoes that are created from having paved surfaces.

The ground plane at Flemingdon Park.

Cohesion

green roofs at flemingdon park Green roofs at Flemingdon Park would increase outdoor and community spaces for residents and allow residents shared views over the entire neighbourhood. This would help to create a safer community where people look out for each other. Toronto bylaws would require at least 2,500 m2 of green roofs on the newly proposed master plan. These roofs would be implemented as a combination of private and semi-private spaces, with residents being able to choose from a variety of options for plants. These could include native plants, flowers, herbs, vegetables, and fruit. Rent subsidies might be offered to residents who participate in planting and maintaining roof gardens. Semi-private green roofs would also be planted with a mixture of plant types, and would act as small, educational community spaces for socializing with neighbours.

Green Roof

Proposed location of green roofs at Flemingdon Park.

Green Roof ByLaw, city of toronto In 2009, the City of Toronto adopted a bylaw that requires the construction of green roofs on new residential, commercial, and institutional development projects of a certain size. This bylaw is the first of its kind in North America. Any new development over 2,000 m2 requires a portion of its roof to be planted. Residential buildings that are less than 6 storeys or 20 meters in height do not have to conform to this bylaw.

Gross Floor Area

Percentage of green

(Size of Building)

roof required

2,000 - 4,999 m2

20%

5,000 - 9,999 m2

30%

10,000 - 14,999 m2 15,000 - 19,999 m

20,000 m2 or greater

40% 50% 60%

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Proposed solution: a green roof at Flemingdon Park.

Forwarding Dallas Atelier Data + MOOVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Forwarding Dallas prototype focuses on creating an urban environment that meets needs at both the residential and employment level. The development prototype is 40,000 square metres and uses hillsides as a paradigm for one of the most diverse natural systems. The development was planned as a series of valleys, slopes, and hilltops, that leveraged solar gain, views, community interaction, and productive green surface.

cohesion design solution 16:

WELCOME TO THE COMMUNITY

171

Flemingdon Park welcome and TENANT INTRODUCTION The management and tenants of Flemingdon Park face significant communication challenges due to language barriers, inefficient communication systems, and a lack of community cohesion. Toronto Community Housing has a tenant engagement model in place; however, communication gaps between tenants, tenant representatives, employees, and management still occur. Toronto Community Housing organises many successful community events, but few residents participate in the meetings that focus on the operational issues in their community. There are many reasons why this occurs, but until the residents become more engaged, they will have little say in what happens in their community. This issue is not unique to Flemingdon Park, but rather common throughout many other communities in Toronto. The desire to share information is a basic human behaviour and in order to facilitate this, it must be considered valuable enough to invest in. Communication is the key to sharing knowledge and by increasing communication at Flemingdon Park, the community will be able to understand, grow, and develop to better serve the needs of the residents.

Why do people come together with food? In many cultures, food is comfort and can be the element that connects a family and community. There are direct relationships between food and settlement: in Toronto, different communities have formed around different food cultures. Some examples of this include Chinatown, Little India, Little Italy, Greek Town, and Korea Town. These clusters allow new immigrants to feel familiarity in their new community and have become areas where culture and food meet and mix.

Cohesion

New Welcome PRocess at flemingdon park Toronto Community Housing has a handbook which is supposed to be given to new tenants when they first move into a unit. The handbook outlines important information about how Toronto Community Housing works, information about rent and how to pay it, appliances and services, the building, safety, community participation, and rights and responsibilities. Sometimes, however, new tenants do not receive or understand this handbook. The first step to enhancing communication is to empower the community members. One way this could happen at Flemingdon Park is to enhance the current tenant handbook by updating it with the roles of the people in the community. The handbook could be distributed to new community members by tenant representatives who can also welcome them to the neighbourhood and explain the information in the handbook. The content should be available online and the link prominently posted for tenants to see and access.

Toronto Community Housing Tenant Handbook including an explanation of roles and operations.

Proposed solution: welcome baskets to be distributed to new Flemingdon Park residents.

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Information could also be included in a welcome basket that includes local produce, information about nearby amenities and shops, and an information magnet for the fridge. Regular community potlucks could welcome new tenants into the community over a shared meal.

Proposed solution: regular community potlucks to welcome new tenants into the community over shared meals.

cohesion design solution 17:

LET'S TALK OVER COFFEE

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Connecting and learning at FLEMINGDON PARK Community spaces are places where people feel comfortable and are able to talk with friends and neighbours about issues that affect them. In many cases a community space hosts various activities for all ages and abilities, providing information relating to community services. Through interviews and community meetings, Flemingdon Park residents have expressed a sense of pride and the desire to have more meeting places where the community can come together. There is only one community space within the neighbourhood: a residential unit that has been renovated for community use. The exterior still looks like a house, making it hard to identify it as a community space. At the time of publishing this book, there was no furniture or regular activities within the space although plans to furnish it were underway.

Top right: Community gathering. Bottom: Current Flemingdon Park community space.

Cohesion

Proposed solution: interior of the Cafe at Flemingdon Park.

Cafe at flemingdon park During the revitalization process there would be a community space where people can meet to discuss and learn about the revitalization plan. By creating a central location where residents, developers, Toronto Community Housing employees, and other stakeholders can congregate, the revitalization process would be more inclusive and hopefully more readily accepted by everyone affected by it. Consultants and employees would be able to display the project status and understand the residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs on an ongoing basis. Coffee shops are commonly used around the world to meet and talk in a casual setting. They are comfortable, familiar places where people communicate and enjoy food and drinks.

A proposed cafe would be operated during the entire Flemingdon Park revitalization process and act as a central communication hub. It would be located in the centre of Flemingdon Park and also act as a design center that facilitates open dialogue between all parties and the residents would be invited to participate in the process. Using basic design practices and tools such as white boards, sticky notes, maps, drawing paper, and a representation of the master plan would help residents to understand the revitalization process and enable them to communicate their needs and concerns to the design and development teams.

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Proposed solution: cafe from the street at Flemingdon Park.

Cafe Culture Coffee shops, as described by Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coffee connoisseur Sam James, are places that are inherently democratic in nature, as the door is always open to everyone. Coffee shops are places where community can come together, and where people coexist in the

most unusual and inspirational ways. These are spaces that connect people through a shared culture of coffee or tea drinking. Many coffee shops in Toronto have helped to redefine neighbourhoods.

Cohesion is a characteristic that can be difficult to identify or control, but it has a major impact on the city. It is what allows people to work together to tackle large issues and requires space that is diverse, equal, and safe for different cultures, ages and abilities. Cohesion combines social, economic, political, and environmental elements. Although it cannot be measured or easily managed, cohesion can inspire participation and community responsibility. The result is a community with a strong identity, which is able to work together to develop and grow.

Chapter 6

IDENTITY

181

what is your city made of?

The identity of a city is based upon many different elements that combine to create a collective spirit that transcends the infrastructure and individuals who make up the urban environment. Identity is a complex characteristic that can be influenced by factors such as the people, architecture, physical layout, history, and governance of a city. A city with a strong, positive identity creates a sense of greater civic pride in its residents, which in turn strengthens the identity and character of the city.

Identity is the value and character of a city. It is based on its residents, communities, architecture and urban design.

IDENTITY

185

City issue 9:

is open space for everyone? Our perception of a city is affected by the landscape within it. Open spaces are what connect neighbourhoods and residents with the city as a whole. Streets, marketplaces, public squares, playgrounds, and parks are the places where people interact and connect with the outdoors, and these spaces are highly valued by residents. Catherine Ward Thompson said “public spaces work best when a direct relationship is established between the space and the people who live and work around it.” An open space network is a major factor in shaping a city’s identity.

IDENTITY

City solution:

The Public Parks Movement In the mid 19th century the public parks movement grew out of the desire to improve the health of increasingly over-crowded cities that were created by the industrial revolution. During this movement, open space became a symbol for civic pride and provided residents with an enjoyable location to spend their leisure time. Many of these locations were centred around recreational activities, public sculptures, artistic appreciation,and seating.

City solution:

Paley Park, New York Paley Park is located in New York City, surrounded by high-rise buildings and well known as an attractive â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;pocket parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. This park was privately developed by William Paley, the former Chairman of CBS, who wanted a space that allowed users to feel like they were out of the city. The park is located directly on the street allowing easy access, and inducing pedestrians to enter the park on impulse. The park features reasonably priced food, a canopy of trees, and movable chairs and tables. The focal point is a 20-foot waterfall, drowning out the typical New York City sounds of traffic and congestion.

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City solution:

Cloud Gate, Millennium Park, Chicago The 66-foot long, 33-foot high bean shaped sculpture in Millennium Park is by artist Anish Kapoor and is called Cloud Gate. The stainless steel structure alters the perspective of the city for the viewer in an almost magical way. This large-scale art installation adds a magnetic sense of awe to Millennium Park.

City solution:

Toronto Sculpture GArden The Toronto Sculpture Garden is a unique park that is owned and operated by the city with the objective of displaying privately funded art exhibits. It is a small park where people relax, eat their lunch, and experience different art installations throughout the year. Artists have been invited to experiment with site specific outdoor art in this space since 1981. The nature of the Sculpture Garden as part park, part gallery, and the requirement that pieces must be site specific challenges artists to address public space.

CHALLENGE: Make it more than just a park. Donate toys and furniture to your community park for play and comfort.

IDENTITY

189

City issue 10:

can you tell me a story? Roy Adzak, artist and sculptor, states that â&#x20AC;&#x153;good art is not what it looks like, but what it does to us.â&#x20AC;? Public art should be more than just beautiful; it should communicate with everyone who encounters it. Sustainability is an important theme for public sculpture, as it encourages people to explore new values, new ways of thinking, and new ways of being in the world. The impact of the imagination in the process of transforming how we live is more important than ever. Art has the ability to communicate beyond language, culture, and economic status, opening the doors for all people to share in a collective vision.

IDENTITY

City solution:

River glow, New York, New York Architects Soo-in Yang and David Benjamin, in conjunction with the Environmental Health Clinic at New York University, developed this light system that won a Metropolisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2006 Next Generation Design Competition. Through the use of sensors, the system measures environmental conditions and the quality of the river water, then publicly displays the information with LED lights. The interface connects people with the condition of the water in real-time, creating awareness in a beautiful way.

City solution:

CLOCK TOWER, DON MILLS, Toronto, ONTARIO Artist Douglas Coupland created this 35-foot clock tower entitled 'Super Nova' for the Shops at Don Mills Town Square. This clock sculpture was inspired by the urban planning and modern architecture that gave the neighbourhood of Don Mills its identity. Don Mills was Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first master-planned community. It grew explosively in the early 1950's when the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation subsidized the construction of hundreds of identical homes in this region by providing inexpensive blueprints to builders for a nominal charge. The clock tower sculpture reminds viewers of the impact these homes had on the Canadian landscape. The design mimics the optimism of the time, creating an explosion of houses giving way to new ideas of art and design.

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City solution:

An electric garden, Austin, Texas A pedestrian and bike pathway in the community of Mueller in Austin, Texas, is lined with 15 solar photovoltaic panels in the form of large sunflower-like sculptures. In addition to providing shade to pedestrians, these generate energy to light the path at night. Surplus electricity is sold back to the grid to offset the cost of maintaining the pathway and structures. The Harries/Heder public art team that designed the installation believes that it creates awareness of sustainability and creates an iconic representation of the City of Austinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conscious efforts to reduce energy consumption.

City solution:

Living light, Seoul, Korea Living Light is a permanent sculpture that doubles as a pavilion and informative facade. Designers Soo-in Yang and David Benjamin were commissioned by the City Gallery and the Municipal Government of the City of Seoul to create a sculpture for the World Cup Stadiumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Peace Park. The structure holds 27 glass panels, each printed with the map of a neighbourhood in Seoul. The neighbourhoods glow and blink if air quality is better than it was at the same time last year. Air quality in each neighbourhood is measured and recorded by sensors operated by the Korean Ministry of Environment. City residents can also interact with the sculpture through text messaging. The designers envision buildings that are clad with these glass panels and display real-time environmental information on buildings to enhance the attractiveness of information displayed in public spaces.

It is important to visually understand our impact on the earth and how it affects our identity.

“What is the city but the people?” — William Shakespeare

“The main purpose of development should be quality of life for the large majority of people. If you don’t have a generous view of cities, then you don’t have a generous view of people.” — Jaime Lerner “Houses make a town, but citizens make a city.” — J.J. Rousseau

"If you create a system where initiative and creativity is [sic] valued and rewarded, then you'll get change from the bottom up." — Paul Pastorek

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“This city is what it is because our citizens are what they are.” – Plato "What makes a great city? I believe it is an interest on the part of its government and citizens in creating a sense of belonging in its public places. Great cities are defined by public places that encourage creative expression, cultural diversity, and social connections. These public places should encourage us to become engaged in our communities and take stewardship of our neighbourhoods." — Chris Hardwicke

“No two cities are alike. Even present-day cities modeled on past ones, end up entirely unique as people live in them, use them, and change them.” — World Changing: A User’s Guide for the 21st Century

identity design solution 18:

A street that meets all your needs

195

Streets at Flemingdon Park The Flemingdon Park community feels isolated and disconnected from the greater neighbourhood as a result of its design. With houses facing away from streets, this residential community lacks destinations and an active street culture. The neighbourhood was designed around the use of automobiles, and today remains very car dependent. The lack of street infrastructure has resulted in a community that feels disconnected and isolated, with no reason or opportunity to interact with the greater community.

Flemingdon Park’s current main street.

how to create a main street? • Organization is key to bringing stakeholders together for consensus and cooperation. • Promoting redevelopment as a positive change is essential to the success of the project. An effective promotional strategy increases awareness and acceptance. • Design is an important step in revitalizing a street. Involving the community and other stakeholders in this process improves the design and creates community champions for the design. • Economic restructuring is used to increase commercial competitiveness by strengthening the area’s existing economic base and expanding opportunities for new development. This strategy is used to boost the profitability of the area. • Creating a clean, safe, and green strategy highlights the ideologies of a walkable community. Safety, transit access, public space, and infrastructure maintenance should be considered. A good main street should also include native trees and other plants to create lowmaintenance shade and protection as well as places for people to sit.

IDENTITY

Flemingdon Park Main street Introducing a main street into the Flemingdon Park community will strengthen the connection between the two Toronto Community Housing sites and create a spine that connects the site with the surrounding neighbourhood. The main street would be lined with retail, office, and community spaces that activate the street and attract pedestrian traffic. These destinations would serve the needs of residents and visitors and increase safety by having more eyes on the street. Having a main street will also increase community interaction, improve property values, and most importantly, support a strong neighbourhood identity. Flemingdon Park's main street would have parking on one side of the street, one lane of traffic in each direction, and green medians that protect bike lanes and sidewalks on either side of the street. Seating, public transit shelters, and infrastructure to display signage and event banners would be adjacent to each sidewalk.

College St., Toronto, Brown + Storey Architects College Street in Toronto is a major transportation corridor that runs through a variety of neighbourhoods, and is home to many businesses and institutions. When street improvement became necessary due to normal wear, the City of Toronto determined that the revitalization should also support the growing cultural importance and local nature of the street. The new plan increased pedestrian space, controlled infrastructure for trees and transit stops, and integrated a storm water collection feature.

197

Proposed solution: main street at Flemingdon Park.

Proposed cross section of the main street.

identity design solution 19:

A place to shine

199

spaces at Flemingdon Park Focal points in a community create destinations and support community events. These destinations enable communities to form a strong identity through the type of programming they create and participate in. The success of these spaces relies on resident participation in the process of creating events that are appropriate for their lifestyle and cultural needs. The Flemingdon Park neighbourhood does not have a major hub or focal point that serves the needs of all the residents. The central open spaces of the site do not encourage use for celebrations or performances.

Flemingdon Park grounds.

What is good placemaking? Placemaking refers to the conscious development of desirable public spaces such as squares and parks. Some guidelines for placemaking include: •The community is the expert consult with the community to discover its assets. • Create a place, not a design remember to make the place comfortable. • Look for partners - they are critical to the continued success of a project. • You can see a lot by observing study how projects work and do not work to track the success of your project. • Have a vision - this needs to come from the community; create ideas about what types of activities will happen in the space. • Start small - experiment and try out small scale solutions to find the right long term solution. • Triangulate - arrange objects in public space to encourage interaction. • Be positive and diligent- nurturing small-scale improvements demonstrates the importance of overcoming obstacles. • Cultivate support - the design is important, but the community and partners are what will make the project a success. • Money should not be the deciding factor - the benefits are more important. • You are never finished management is essential to the success of a good public space.

IDENTITY

design method:

brainstorming Brainstorming is the most vital part of the design process. Ideas generated at this stage are the foundation that the rest of the design builds upon. Brainstorming engages the design team in an energetic and creative discussion with the goal of creating a huge number of ideas that can be evaluated later. Criticism, elaboration, and evaluation are discouraged, to promote creativity during this part of the process. Good brainstorming stays positive, keeps a record of all ideas that are generated, and looks for ways to combine ideas and concepts together to make unique new ideas. Brainstorming techniques were used throughout the Flemingdon Park design process to come up with new ideas and design concepts to improve and revitalize the neighbourhood.

Jackson Square, New Orleans, Louisiana Jackson Square is located in the French Quarter in New Orleans. The success of the square can be attributed to the layout that supports a direct relationship to the streets of the surrounding city. Streets feed people into the square, which is surrounded by bustling pedestrian thoroughfares and colonnades that host artists, street performers, and musicians. The square is elevated from the pedestrian thoroughfares that surround it, creating a ledge for people to sit on and engage with one another. The elevated square drops down to street level creating easy access into the square for people of all abilities. Jackson Square is said to have played a key role in the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rebirth after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005 and devastated the city.

creating a Focal point at flemingdon park The people living at Flemingdon Park come from diverse cultural backgrounds. The population is also relatively young; more than half the residents are under the age of twenty. Having a space for shared culture experiences would strengthen the identity of the community. The introduction of outdoor pavilions or amphitheatres at Flemingdon Park will encourage the community to share space and get to know one another, while providing a versatile shelter that can be used for many purposes. The new plan incorporates a series of courtyards, each with a unique theme and programming focus to engage the community in different activities. One central hub would be the heart of Flemingdon Park, where all the community-wide events would happen. This community centre would include a greenhouse, a shared kitchen, a community garden, retail space, and live/work units. This building would be made up of a series of renovated original buildings that will also serve as a reminder of Flemingdon Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heritage and the evolution of the neighbourhood.

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Proposed solution: pavilion at Flemingdon Park.

Dundas Square, Toronto, Ontario, Brown + Storey Architects The goal of creating Dundas Square in Toronto was to create an open civic space that would bring new development to the area. Since its opening, the square has established itself as a great place to gather and has hosted numerous events. Public tables and chairs line the perimeter of the square, which is defined by an open grid pattern and features fountains, steps, landscaping, special lighting, space for banners and screens, and a kiosk for theatre and concert tickets. The square has direct access to the subway line and is universally accessible. This new focal point has provided a place for people to celebrate the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s identity.

identity design solution 20:

Work in the comfort of your own HOME

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Living and Working at Flemingdon Park The City of Toronto allows for multi-use spaces designed for both living and working. These spaces are commonly occupied by artists, designers, and craftspeople that need extra space to create; however, professional work/live offices are increasingly popular. This concept has been a large part of redevelopments in most major downtown cities as it saves money, space, time and resources. These spaces also contribute to an active community by attracting clients, customers, and visitors, and bringing foot traffic and further economic activity to the neighbourhood. Flemingdon Park currently has few opportunities for work on site, which contributes to the insular atmosphere of the neighbourhood. The inwardfacing configuration of Flemingdon Park also discourages visitors from the surrounding community.

Example of a live/work loft.

What is live/work housing? With more and more people working from home, spaces to live and work are in a high demand. Known as live/work housing, these homes offer spaces that are able to mold to userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs. Attracting artists, professionals, and craftspeople, these units may be a solution to traffic jams and urban sprawl. The layout of a live/work unit can vary from an extra room for a home office to a gallery or showroom.

IDENTITY

design method:

user scenarios User scenarios are one way to understand how a product or environment will be used. By focusing attention on the lives of the user during the design process, the result is more likely to satisfy their needs. This process can be challenging as users’ needs are specific and design usually aims to meet a wide range of needs.

equipment to his next concert location. He wakes his buddies up and in no time at all they easily move all the equipment from the back to the front and load it up. He waves to his neighbour who appears unaffected by the previous night's events. “My sound proofing is working well,” he thinks to himself.

User scenario planning was used to evaluate how a live/work space at Flemingdon Park would function. An example of this is the imaginary story of Carlos, a musician who might live and work in such a space: Carlos - User Scenario After the 5th snooze Carlos wakes up with a smashing headache. “Wooow... what a night.” The night before, Carlos jammed out on his roof top patio while having a release party for his latest album. His small apartment fit all his friends and fans, with the front and back open allowing everyone to mingle. He walks downstairs, stepping over some sleeping bodies still passed out on the pull-out couch, while making his way to the back to let Midnight out for her morning walk. “Hey” he yells as a man taps on his front door. The van was there to move his

The Tilsner Artists’ Cooperative, St. Paul, Minnesota The Tilsner Artists’ Cooperative is a residential art space located in a renovated warehouse in the heart of St. Paul. The warehouse was transformed and opened to residents in 1993. Today, the Tilsner offers 66 studio units for living and work space to artists from all disciplines and art forms. The community is developed through resident participation in the Tilsner Artists’ Cooperative through committees. The Cooperative participates in the Saint Paul Art Crawl, which occurs twice a year and opens hundreds of artists’ studios and galleries to the public for the sale and exhibition of a variety of art.

Carlos’ Needs Soundproof because of jamming; area to jam; lawn for dog; larger door for moving equipment; power supply - strong/lots of outlets; acoustics - no echo; home/recording studio; kitchen open concept for entertaining; guest area/pull out couch; concert at home (able to open to outside); storage/prevent theft; parking - easy to access; prop open door; front and back open; front to promote and serve; back to entertain; fenced outdoor area; one floor easy to access.

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live/work units at flemingdon park Incorporating live/work units into the housing portfolio at Flemingdon Park will attract new types of residents to the community. It will also provide affordable living and working space for artists of every kind; painters, sculptors, dancers, poets, musicians, filmmakers, and more. It will create a healthy community that is permeated with art and culture. This vibrancy will attract visitors and engage the community with performances, art openings, and neighbourhood gatherings. Proposed solution: render of the interior of a live/work loft. First floor.

Second floor.

W.R.

PULL-OUT WALL

WORK AREA 18’-10” X 14’-4”

KITCHEN AREA 16-2” X 10’-6”

LIVING AREA 12’-6” X 9’-0”

LIVE SPACE

Living Space WORK SPACE Working Space

Artscape Artscape is a not-for-profit urban development organization that works to revitalize buildings, neighbourhoods, and cities through the use of art. One of their main objectives is to provide affordable live/ work space for residents in the City of Toronto. Artscape Triangle Lofts, Toronto Triangle Lofts is a new development that is currently being built by Artscape. The lofts will include a mixture of affordable ownership and rental units that will support a range of artists. The units are designed to create a better working environment for artists including open spaces, high ceilings, large windows for more light, and an excellent circulation system to reduce material vapors.

OPEN TO BELOW

MASTER BEDROOM SUITE 17’-0”X10’-0”

Features: • 1 Bedroom • 1 1/2 bathrooms • Hidden kitchen • No load bearing walls • Easy to renovate/adapt • Open concept • Flexible walls to separate space

The identity of a city is shaped by many factors. It can be created by placemaking and the cultivation of spaces within a city that attract community-minded people and create inclusive environments. Identity is integrally related to creativity, art, technology, and sharing information to educate and inspire. Active and attractive destinations also create identity by encouraging community pride and integration. When people take ownership of the places in which they live, whether that is their neighbourhood or their city, they strengthen the urban identity of these places.

Chapter 7

sustainability

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how does a city reduce its ecological footprint?

People and their lifestyles have a heavy impact on the health of our planet. Industrialized nations support a lifestyle that does not prioritize the natural environment. If every person on the planet lived this way, more than 5.3 planets would be necessary to support humanity. Waste management, energy reduction, renewable resources, and environmental preservation are all important issues of sustainability. Cities can have negative environmental impacts, but they can also offer opportunity for hope through people trying to live in a more sustainable manner. Collective change is necessary both locally and globally if we are to continue to enjoy the natural resources that make our lives and lifestyles possible.

Sustainability is the balance of social, environmental and economic factors.

Sustainability

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City issue 11:

does it all have to go down the drain? Many people living in cities around the world give little to no thought about what happens to water after it is flushed down the toilet or drains out of the sink. The potable water that we use in our homes comes from the waterways and aquifers in our local region. After being used, water goes through a treatment process and then re-enters local waterways. This cycle happens over and over, reducing the overall quality of our water. Too much waste poses a great risk to aquatic ecosystems and pollutants may remain in water even after passing through a conventional sewage treatment facility. Major issues can also arise when there is an increase in stormwater; after a heavy rain, extra water can overwhelm the system, mixing with wastewater, bypassing the treatment facility, and flowing directly into waterways. In North America alone, swimming in contaminated water results in between 1.8 and 3.5 million illnesses every year and an additional 500,000 illnesses are linked to drinking contaminated water.

Sustainability

urban solution:

Eco-Machines and Living Machines

Effluent Tidal wetland - Located in green house, filter

- Flow equalization - Buried - Concrete or plastic - Solids settling - Filtered effluent

building or outdoors - Aggregate-filled cells with emergent plant species - No surfacing water (ponding) - Alternating fill and drain cycles - simultaneous BOD removal, nitrification and denitrification

Disinfection System (optional)

Control Reuse panel storage tank

WATER SUPPLY

Primary tank

In 1999, Worrell Water Technologies acquired the intellectual property of the Eco-Machine. The technology of the system was then improved and re-branded as the "Living Machine." The Living Machine systems are healthier, require less energy and produce no excess waste compared to conventional treatment methods.

REUSE STORAGE

TIDAL WETLAND

FILTRATION

Wastewater influent

PRIMARY TREATMENT

INFLUENT

As a response to the growing wastewater crisis worldwide, many ecological designers began experimenting with the idea of using plants and organisms for wastewater treatment. Among these designers was Dr. John Todd, who designed and constructed the first on-site, ecological wastewater treatment system in 1989. He branded it "Eco-Machine." A tank-based system that uses plant material for

filtration in either indoor or outdoor environments, the Eco-Machine creates a dynamic ecosystem involving plants and micro species for a variety of methods of treatment. Generally, Eco-Machines are created to look and feel like a naturally occurring water garden.

DISINFECTION

The notion of using ecological wetlands to clean polluted water was conceived in the early 1950â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s by biologist Dr. K. Seidel. By the 1960â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, she proved that plants and microorganisms could clean sewage water effectively.

Reuse system - Pressure tank for nonpotable reuse or R.O. unit for potable reuse - Water supply for toilet flushing, disposal or landscape irrigation, or potable water - Surface or subsurface disposal

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urban solution:

Dockside Green, Victoria, British Columbia Dockside Green is the first community in Canada to seek LEED Platinum Certification at a master plan community level. The community is mixed-use and on a 15 acre site, which was a former brownfield site. The Dockside Green development is committed to achieving high levels of sustainable living practices including on-site processing of 100% of the sewage produced for use in flushing toilets, landscape irrigation, and water features. This system uses organisms and filtration membranes to treat sewage. The use of this on-site system, combined with water efficient appliances, will save more than 70 million gallons of water each year. The treated water will also be fed back into the Dockside Creek, creating a scenic waterway that plays a major role in stormwater management and the community's ecosystem. Residents living on site are not billed for sewage discharge or treated water use. Dockside Greenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water treatment facility hopes to set a precedent for other communities around the world.

Water is essential to life. By Creating alternatives to water treatment we can reduce potable water, which decreases stress to our Natural water system.

Climate change is the greatest threat to our common future. We have a very short period of time to tackle the problem before it becomes irreversible and out of control. A lot of progress has been made, but we must now go further, faster and turn targets into real change.

Cities occupy just 2% of the world’s surface, but are home to half of the world’s population, which is responsible for three quarters' natural resources consumed globally. “We need action to address the three urban-related consumption areas that have been identified as having the highest environmental impacts during their lifecycle: housing, food and drink, and private transport which, together, are responsible for about 65% of material use and 70% of global warming potential.” — Ronan Uhel

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Seven out of ten Canadians do not understand what the word sustainability means, but when it is defined, over 80% of Canadians rated sustainability as a top or high priority for government action.

“What is a Sustainable City? A sustainable city enhances the economic, social, cultural and environmental wellbeing of current and future generations. ” — Dr. Nola-Kate Seymoar

”Too many people buy things they don’t need with money they don’t have to impress people they don’t like, regardless of the costs involved and the environmental impact caused. The willingness to consume is a social as well as a psychological phenomenon, and its impacts are environmental as well as social and economic.” — J.H Spangenberg

sustainability design solution 21:

from wasteful to wasteless

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Flemingdon Park waste issues Cities create an unbelievable amount of waste. Canada alone produces 791 tonnes of solid waste per capita each year. Consumption habits have become the focus of our cities and if this does not change soon, the ramifications are huge. Reduction needs to happen at a global scale and recycling and reusing materials needs to become the focus of our efforts to reduce landfill waste. Cities around the world need to take responsibility for their waste production and for educating people on reducing, reusing, recycling, and rethinking their way of life. Cities need to evolve from a ‘throw-away’ culture to a ‘zero-waste society’. Waste management is not a top priority for the residents of Flemingdon Park. Currently, the waste management system is inconvenient and there is no education system in place. Some residents living in townhouses are required to walk quite a distance to properly dispose of their garbage. Because of this poor planning, many residents leave their garbage outside of their home and in public spaces for maintenance employees to deal with. Residents who live in the low-rise apartment buildings use an out-dated chute system that is often too small to accommodate conventional garbage bags. As a result, garbage is often left on the floor in front of the chute, in public areas of the building, or is thrown out of windows. Flemingdon Park has limited recycling and no green bins or composting options. Without guidance and motivation, residents are not inclined to sort their waste. This combination of inconvenience and lack of education creates a burden for the property management and higher operational costs for Toronto Community Housing. The waste management system at Flemingdon Park needs to be updated and re-designed to accommodate more recycling options and systemic education for the residents.

Garbage piles at Flemingdon Park.

Why is waste sorting at home important? Unnecessary packaging combined with increased consumption creates more and more waste every year. Proper sorting and recycling of household waste reduces the amount of material that goes to landfills. Modern cities have the resources to pick up waste, recycling, and compost separately, so that more waste is diverted from landfills. This helps to reduce the amount of chemicals and greenhouse gases that are caused by decaying waste at landfills. Landfill sites around the world are also filling up rapidly, and new solutions must be found soon. Recycling reduces the need for virgin materials and composting food and garden scraps not only reduces the amount of waste produced, but it also creates fertile soil for growing crops. Soil with composted content can produce higher yields and healthier crops.

Sustainability

Design method:

prototyping Prototyping is the process of developing a physical model of a design to test function, appearance, and usability. This allows for a physical evaluation of a product before it goes into production, in turn, avoiding costly mistakes, modifications and wasted material. Prototpying can be done in both low and high tech ways, from simple mockups built out of cardboard, foam, or paper, to a computer modelled object produced using stereolithography or a 3D-printer. Multiple prototypes are often used during the design process to refine design details, reduce development time and costs, and enable user testing. Prototyping was used for the exploration of solutions to the existing waste management system at Flemingdon Park. Rapid prototyping helped to solve user experience issues for usability, size, and shape of the products designed.

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Household

Staging Area

Littering

Apartment Current garbage flow at Flemingdon Park.

Garbage Chute

Encorp Pacific Encorp Pacific was established in British Columbia in 1994. With the purpose of setting up systems to improve the current waste management system. Encorp is a not-for-profit organization that focuses on retrieving packaging from consumer products and ensuring proper recycling. The system works on a deposit system, where consumers pay a deposit when they purchase products in a store. When the packing is returned to the recycling depot, the deposit is refunded. Encorp works to get these product containers recycled or reused instead of going to the landfills or incineration.

Compactor

City Pick-Up

Sustainability

flemingdon park new waste management system An improved waste management system in Flemingdon Park would lower current costs by reducing waste and improving recycling and compost sorting. New ground related units would be given an in-home system that allows users to sort and learn about their garbage, recycling, and composting for the on site greenhouses and gardens. These housing units would also benefit from weekly, curbside pick-ups. All other units would be provided a sorting and education system as well. This would use a tri-sorter system that has three separate chutes for garbage, recycling, and composting. Additionally, garbage, recycling, and composting receptacles would also be placed in convenient locations throughout the grounds. These receptacles would allow

Waste sorting

Proposed solution: in house waste sorting unit in ground-related units.

waste to be deposited from the surface directly into underground waste storage contained in the parking garages. These bins would be emptied and the waste would be transferred to staging areas for city collection. Organic compost would be processed on site and used for residential gardens, green roofs, community gardens, and greenhouses. A multi-lingual educational program would be implemented to teach users how to interact with the new system within their home and the public areas. The system would increase user convenience, reduce overall operational cost for Toronto Community Housing and raise the awareness of waste reduction through education.

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City Pick-Up

Household

Public Destination

Enclosure Staging Area

Apartment

Tri-Sorter Chute

Compactor

Proposed solution: garbage flow at Flemingdon Park.

CHALLENGE: Have a community competition to see who can produce the least amount of garbage.

EARTH

CEMENT LANDING

6 inch 24 inch

GARAGE CEILING

12 inch

STEEL CHUTE

42 inch

24 inch

DUMPSTER 60 inch

TRAILER

18 inch

10 inch

Proposed solution: public destination, cross section.

Proposed solution: public destination waste receptacle.

sustainability design solution 22:

cooling down the city

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flemingdon park energy use Most of the energy used to power cities around the world comes from non-renewable and unsustainable sources. There has been a global call to reduce dependence on these power sources and shift towards the use of renewable sources. Flemingdon Park, like many other neighbourhoods in cities around the world, uses conventional, non-renewable forms of energy to power people's daily lives. Aging, inefficient infrastructure and high-energy consuming appliances result in inflated energy costs that make up a large percentage of the operating budget of Toronto Community Housing. As people living in the community housing do not pay their individual energy bills, they have little motivation to reduce their personal energy consumption. To reduce costs Toronto Community Housing is trying to use alternative ways to generate power such as implementing on-site cogeneration plants, solar powered systems, and wind turbines in some of their new developments.

ENERGY USE (%) RESIDENTIAL

1 5 14 58 22

Percentage of residential energy use in Canada.

Space Heating Water Heating Appliances Lighting Space Cooling

Samsø, Denmark Samsø is an island off Denmark with an area of 114 km2 that is home to 4,100 people. The island's largest businesses are agriculture and tourism that attract more than half a million visitors each year. In 1997, Samsø won a contest sponsored by the Danish Ministry of Environment and Energy for communities to plan how to wean themselves off of fossil fuels. From 1999 - 2000, eleven large base wind turbines were developed, which community members were able to own shares of, creating local power and profit for the community. Ten off-shore wind turbines were also erected to compensate for fossil fuels used by cars, trucks, and ferries. By 2001, fossil fuel usage had been cut in half and, by 2005, Samsø was producing more renewable energy than it consumed. Samsø’s energy plan was successful by actively engaging the people. Citizens came together to create local organizations and change their behaviours to adapt to a lifestyle with renewable energy. Not only did the community members of Samsø feel proud of what they accomplished, they owned it and profited from their efforts.

Sustainability

Flemingdon Park wind Wall Landscape, climate, and built form can have a huge effect on the type of on-site energy systems that can be installed. When looking at Flemingdon Park there are many different possibilities. Flemingdon Park is a large site with a vast amount of open space. It is also adjacent to the Don Valley Parkway (DVP), a major highway that runs through the city. Based on site characteristics and cost of implementation, the best systems for this site are geothermal and wind. Wind power is making an important and growing contribution to the energy supply and the environmental and economic goals of leading nations. Since it does not produce any emissions or waste, wind is considered to be one of the cleanest sources of energy. To capitalize on the heat generated by the neighbouring DVP, a 600-metre long Wind Wall would run the length of the Eastern edge of the site. The Wind Wall is a light, porous structure composed of 150 micro turbines that capture wind created by air streams that result from the heat differential of the DVP. It would be a unique example of alternative energy production in Canada and would form an identifiable feature for the community of Flemingdon Park. At the same time, there would be an opportunity to sell surplus energy back to the grid, creating a good return on investment.

Highway Wind Turbines Much has been done to encourage drivers to use other modes of transportation, but other than a car-ban, not much can get drivers off the road. A student at Arizona State University has proposed a new way of using energy from cars to power the city: Replace freeway steel tubes, that usually hold signage, with horizontal wind turbines, which will be powered by wind from passing cars. With this switch, it is predicted that the turbines will produce 9,600 kWh of energy annually.

The Wind Wall would present opportunities for partnerships, including ones with the City of Toronto, the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Environment, Ontario Power Authority, and utility companies. Additional benefits could come from pairing the technology of the Wind Wall with programming from the Ontario Science Centre and local schools in the neighbourhood. The objectives would be to create a revenue stream, construct a defining neighbourhood feature, and to contribute to the awareness of energy consumption and reduction.

Wind Wall Windwall Proposed location of the Wind Wall at Flemingdon Park.

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Proposed solution: Wind Wall at Flemingdon Park.

CHALLENGE: Produce your own energy at home. Think solar panels, micro wind turbines, kinetic energy.

Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris - Jean Nouvel The Institut du Monde Arabe is just one of many Grand Projects created to symbolize France’s part in 20 th century art, politics, and economy. Fashioned after traditional Arab latticework, the façade of the building is meant to represent the relationship between Arab and French cultures. Constructed of glass and steel, 30,000 light sensitive diaphragms regulate light penetration into the building. This façade not only creates identity for the building, it is also has a mechanical and operational function. The building is an inspirational example of how something functional and efficient can also be beautiful and symbolic.

sustainability design solution 23:

what's old is new again

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buildings at Flemingdon Park The world is in a state of rapid change and urban environments are seeking contemporary solutions to the challenges arising from development. Cities struggle to keep up with the demands of population growth. Buildings are consistently being knocked down and built back up again, even though it is often more sustainable to renovate an existing building than demolish and build new. Transforming buildings adds new life and character to a space and adds to the existing story of an older structure. Many of the buildings at Flemingdon Park suffer from aging infrastructure and poor maintenance. Maintenance issues include problems with water damage and leaking roofs that have resulted in structural damage and mold. Kitchens and bathrooms are also in need of repair; water pipes, heating, and electrical systems are outdated and difficult to access. Pests are widespread throughout the community due to damaged building envelopes and unmanaged waste. Additionally, buildings are also poorly insulated. In some circumstances, the buildings at Flemingdon Park will need to be demolished and rebuilt. That said, retaining some of the characteristics and built form of the existing neighbourhood are important to community members and ensure that the identity and a sense of familiarity is preserved.

Buildings in Flemingdon Park that are planned to be retained and renewed.

Why is revitalization important? Renovating an old building is generally more sustainable than knocking down a building and starting anew. Keeping existing structures also retains the history and architectural character of a place. If a building is beyond repair and it is necessary, for health and safety purposes, to demolish, building materials from the existing building should be reused within the new structure wherever possible.

Sustainability

retaining buildings at flemingdon park Retaining and renewing a cluster of buildings at Flemingdon Park for a community hub would preserve the heritage of the site by referencing its existing architecture, green spaces, and shared courtyards. The renovation proposes to take four existing buildings and add height and a central atrium that would act as a community centre and greenhouse. The cluster of buildings would incorporate mixed-use, including commercial, retail, and live/work spaces. It would feature an interpretive centre that would serve as a place to promote and educate residents and visitors about the new environmental systems being introduced.

Wychwood Barns, Toronto, Ontario The Wychwood Barns are at the heart of the Wychwood community. Many people are attracted by the local farmers' market on Saturday mornings, the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s park, dog park, outdoor volleyball court, and open field that is transformed into a skating rink in the winter. The success of the Barns took many years of discussion and design with local community members, council members, and designers. The transformation of the historic TTC streetcar repair barns began in early 2007. The mixed-use space which exists now is home to 26 artists and their families, 17 individual artist, and 11 non-profit groups focused on art and environmental sustainability.

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Proposed solution: community centre at Flemingdon Park.

Community Centre Proposed location of the community centre at Flemingdon Park.

Community Centre

Cities play a role in sustaining life on this planet. Every action effects the stability of the Earth. Cooperative city living has the ability to help us live in a sustainable manner by providing a central place for shared resources and knowledge. Access to clean drinking water, effective sewage treatment, waste reduction, waste education systems, renewable energy production, and sustainable building practices push our cities to become more sustainable. Cities that mandate more sustainable practices, encourage residents to change their lifestyle. By living more sustainably within a city, positive influences begin to regenerate the environment, creating better places for future generations to live and grow.

Flemingdon Park revitalization plan

SUSTAINABILITY The balance of environmental, social, and economic factors

Identity

The character of cities, neighbourhoods, and communities

Cohesion

The sense of unity and belonging

Safety

Community, well-being and sense of security

DIVERSITY

A mix of different ages, abilities, cultures and spaces

Wellness

Happiness, health, recreation, and social belonging

Accessibility

Movement within and between cities

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a vision for Flemingdon Park

Flemingdon Park is one of the many unique neighbourhoods that make the City of Toronto one of the greatest cities in North America. It is a beautiful community that now balances the natural and built environments, and is better

connected to the greater city. Flemingdon Park is now home to people from a wide spectrum of income levels as well as from diverse cultural background. The new Toronto Community Housing site has a total of 2,162 units,

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1,530 market units, 107 market rent units and 525 rent geared to income units, providing homes to more than 5,000 people. The new mixture of building types and shared spaces supports places for children to play,

neighbours to chat, and for people to travel on foot, by bicycle, car, and public transit. The proposed mixed-use neighbourhood also attracts visitors from the surrounding community with services and amenities such as

healthy local food, community facilities, cafes and other attractions. Greenhouses and roof top gardens add a natural aesthetic to the new townhouses, terraced buildings and high-rise towers. These homes face the street, better

connecting them to the community, encouraging neighbours to get to know one another, and creating safer streets and open spaces. This healthy community has a strong sense of pride, enthusiasm and ownership in the many new

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features of their neighbourhood, such as the 600 metre Wind Wall that has become a sustainable landmark for the neighbourhood. Flemingdon Park has been revitalized from the inside out to become one of Toronto's most desirable

places to live, where families bring up their children in a neighourhood that features community living and a high quality of life. Imagine for a moment the realized potential of this beautiful neighbourhood nestled between the great ravines of Toronto. Is this the Flemingdon Park of the future?

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Looking at challenges from a different perspective CAN TRANSFORM them into opportunities.

Well designed public spaces encourage people to power public space.

Designing for the people means designing with the people.

Designing for the future DEPENDS ON understanding THE past.

Let Circumstance inspire you.

Community engagement creates a sense of ownership.

A sense of ownership makes safe and healthy neighbourhoods. City Systems are interconnected, not isolated entities. The challenges faced by Flemingdon Park are not unique.

L CIA O S

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An ever increasing number of people live in cities. These cities are continually expanding and multiplying to house the growing global population. With the expansion of urban infrastructure worldwide will come many challenges and potential opportunities to change what it means to live in a city. This is a chance to transform cities to embody the seven characteristics of wellness, safety, accessibility, diversity, cohesion, identity, and sustainability. The revitalization proposal for Flemingdon Park presented in this book is just one example of how we can attempt to create change in a city and showcase a positive way of living. The design process and solutions that have been presented here are relevant to other cities and neighbourhoods around the world making them Universally Local. Created in parallel with the development of the City Systems Framework, these solutions demonstrate a process that seeks to balance the many relationships that make a city function. This balance will ensure that as cities evolve, they support a better quality of life through innovative change.

The solutions to one city's problems are local. The solutions to many cities' problems are Universally Local.

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CITY SYSTEMS WORKBOOK

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City Systems Framework showing the seven Characteristics, represented in the inner coloured circles, and the fifteen City Systems, represented in the outer loop of the graphic. Characteristics are ideal principles that a city should aspire to, while systems are what makes a city function.

S OHE

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City Systems Framework

The first year of the City Systems project has looked at the evolution of the city throughout history, and from this has developed a set of tools for identifying strengths, evaluating weaknesses, and proposing solutions that improve the different systems that make up a city, neighbourhood, or community. This tool is a framework for organizing information to better understand the elements that shape a city, and the different ways they can be configured or combined to improve the urban landscape. This framework is a model for thinking of a city as a series of interconnected relationships. By looking at urban issues at different scales, this framework can be applied to problems that range from a citizen looking to improve their local park, to an urban professional working on the redevelopment of a brownfield site. Using this tool you will be able to:

• • • •

Understand the different systems that make up a city Understand the ideal principles of a city Identify gaps and problems within your city or neighbourhood Create relationships that address weaknesses and build upon strengths within your city or neighbourhood

The City Systems Framework has seven Characteristics, represented in the inner coloured circles of the graphic to the left, and fifteen City Systems, represented in the outer loop of the graphic to the left. Characteristics are ideal principles that a city should aspire to, while systems are what makes a city function. Using the steps of this Workbook, you will use a problem-solving approach to tackle the issues you identify. Through research, brainstorming, and mind-mapping you will be able to extract the best solutions, identify new possibilities, and come up with Big Ideas to make your city a better place to live.

This section details the City Systems Framework and shows how the components are visualized while using this process. CHARACTERISTICS

THE CITY

ITY ENT ID

SUSTA IN

ACCESSIBIL I

Accessibility Accessibility is essential to the movement of goods, services and people within and between cities.

TY ILI AB

ETY AF

The seven Characteristics are the ideal principles that a city should aspire to. They are also a way of classifying how your Big Ideas can help to solve your problem.

LLNESS WE

Cohesion Cohesion is how we come together. Strong cohesion creates robust, integrated communities.

Safety Safety is protection from physical and social harm. A safe city means a higher quality of life for residents. Sustainability Sustainability is the balance of social, environmental and economic factors. Wellness Wellness is a high quality of living that meets the physical, social, and emotional needs of its residents.

Identity Identity is the value and character of a city. It is based on its residents, communities, architecture and urban design.

Diversity Diversity is a mixture of different cultures, ages, abilities, and environment. In each city this diversity is different.

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City Systems Framework City Systems TY ILI AB

ACCESSIBIL I

THE CITY

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Systems are the elements that make up every city. Working together, these are what enable a city to function. Analyzing these elements will give you insight into the structure of your community, neighbourhood, or city. There are fifteen different Systems that are part of the framework:

Communication and Information Communication and information are essential for a city to function effectively. Communication is the reciprocal exchange of information. Connectivity The flow of people and supporting infrastructure throughout the city. The amount, quality, and variety of connectivity can have a dramatic effect on how a city operates. Culture The expression of the values, conventions, and social practices of the people in a city.

Climate and Terrain A city is affected by, and must adapt to, different environmental conditions. Climate and terrain are often the reason cities are located where they are.

Air Air quality is vital to human life. Urban infrastructure and activities affect air quality; cities must balance these needs with the health of the residents.

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COH

Food One of the primary functions of a city is to ensure that food is readily available to its residents. Food is essential to support a healthy population. Governance Order in a city, including law, policy, and the management of many of the other systems. Location Physical features within a city. Locations around the city are usually unique elements that can be used to identify an area. Physical Built Environment The built environment includes both building mass and designed open space.

Economy The exchange of information, goods, and services that support city life.

Social The organization and interaction of communities within a city.

Employment People and the jobs they hold in a city.

Waste The cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural and man-made by-products.

Energy Power created and required to maintain a city.

Water Vital to humans to survive, water also powers and supports the other systems within a city such as waste and energy.

One visualization technique of the City System Framework is to organize all of your information in a Mind Map. mind map A Mind Map is a visual representation of information and ideas and a useful tool for organizing different categories around a central statement or idea. Creating a mind map can help to classify the different aspects of a problem and develop solutions.

proposed element

The City Systems Mind Map centres around the Problem Statement or central issue, and is surrounded by Systems, Elements, and System Clusters.

proposed element

existing element

proposed element

SYSTEM

existing element

SYSTEM

proposed element

SYSTEM

existing element

proposed element

existing element

proposed element

SYSTEM SYSTEM

existing element

SYSTEM

proposed element

existing element existing element proposed element

existing element

SYSTEM existing element

existing element proposed element

SYSTEM

existing element

PROBLEM STATEMENT

existing element

proposed element

SYSTEM

proposed element

existing element

SYSTEM SYSTEM

proposed element

proposed element existing element

existing element

proposed element

SYSTEM proposed element

existing element SYSTEM

SYSTEM

proposed element

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City Systems Framework MIND MAP These are the components of the Mind Map.

Problem Statement

Elements

The problem statement is a clear, concise description of the current state of the problem that needs to be solved.

Elements are the components of a problem, broken down and classified into categories which relate to the Systems. These elements can be combined to create big ideas.

City Systems

Existing Elements Existing Elements are the positive and negative components of the problem and its context.

Proposed Elements Proposed Elements are components you have suggested to help address the issue(s) identified in your problem statement, as you work through the design process.

System Cluster System Clusters are groupings of associated elements within a single City System.

The Relationship Equation combines Elements to create Big Ideas. The purpose is to make positive relationships between Elements to help solve your problem. Relationship Equation Combining different Elements creates Big Ideas. Big ideas help to address the weaknesses that surround your problem statement. The purpose of the Relationship Equation is to create new beneficial relationships between different Elements.

Characteristic Element

Element

Big Idea

Characteristic Characteristic

RELATIONSHIP EQUATION

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City Systems Framework Relationship Equation These are the components of the Relationship Equation.

Elements

Big Idea

Elements are the components of a problem, broken down and classified into the categories which relate to the City Systems. These elements are used to create the Relationship Equation.

An innovative new idea inspired by the combination of different Elements.

Existing Elements Existing Elements are the positive and negative components of the problem and its context. Proposed Elements Proposed Elements are components you have suggested to help address the issue(s) identified in your problem statement, as you work through the design process.

CHARACTERISTICS The seven Characteristics are the ideal principles that a city should aspire to. They are also a way of classifying how your Big Ideas can help to solve your problem. The Characteristics were defined in a previous page.

Problem Statement Who?

Find solutions that already exist

When?

Where?

Why?

How?

Define the problem

Make your Map

Propose design solutions that Transform

Look at what's missing

Do your Background Research

What?

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Step By Step: How To use this workbook

weaknesses table

This Workbook will guide you through the process of learning about your neighbourhood or city and proposing innovative new solutions. The materials you will need are:

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Separate your weaknesses and Strengths

relationship equation + + + + ses

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tabl

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= = = = = = = =

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Play with Relationships and create big ideas

3 Large empty walls Sticky notes (six colours) Markers Masking or coloured tape Group brain power

You will need large walls or windows to organize your ideas. There are 8 steps in the City Systems Workbook, so plan ahead and make sure you record the results of each step using photographs or digital transcription. Each step includes an explanation of the process, detailed instructions, diagrams, and photos that explain the process.

A community meeting was held at Flemingdon Park to gather information for the revitalization project (image above). Information and observations were collected during a site visit and visualized on a map of Flemingdon Park. The information collected was colour coded based on each of the Framework Systems (image to right). Back in the studio we started to organized our information. Different coloured sticky notes were assigned to the different categories of the City Systems Framework, creating a legend for the remaining steps (image to far right).

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Do your Background Research

Background research helps you to understand and contextualize your issue in more depth. By collecting appropriate information from background research it allows you to generate higher quality and more pointed information to support the remaining seven steps.

•

Conduct research about your problem to help you better understand the current situation; use both primary and secondary research to ensure that you get a thorough understanding. Primary Research

Primary research is the direct collection of data about the details and context of your community issue. Common primary research methods include questionnaires, interviews, community meetings, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, field tests, site visits, and observations. Secondary Research

Secondary research is the collection and summary, collation, or synthesis of existing research. Sources include books, newspapers, film, and other media.

•

Using different colour sticky notes, assign types of categories to each. Place categories on a wall to be used for reference. The categories for the framework include: - Problem Statement - System - Existing Element - Proposed Element - Big Idea - Characteristic

•

Collect and organise your information based on the systems; this will help structure your thinking in the subsequent steps. This can be done digitally or with the use of file folders. Label folders based on System names.

Based on our research we broke down Flemingdon Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Problem Statement by the five Wâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and one H

Problem Statement Who?

What?

When?

(image top far left and image above). Next, we created Where?

Why?

How?

our Problem Statement that addressed the main themes and issues for the revitalization of Flemingdon Park (image top right). Once we understood our problem we determined which Characteristics were important for Flemingdon Park. It was determined that all Characteristics were vital to the revitalization of Flemingdon Park (image right).

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Define the problem This step uses information gathered during the research phase and establishes a Problem Statement. The Problem Statement gives you a clear understanding of what you are trying to solve. The purpose of this step is to clearly identify your problem so you have a focused direction for your work.

• •

Create a Problem Statement that is specific and speaks to the root of the problem - this will help guide you through the remaining steps. Think big. Brainstorm about your problem based on the five W’s and one H. Who? Who is involved?

Where? Where does it take place?

What? What happens?

Why? Why does it happen?

When? When does it take place?

How? How does it happen?

Refer back to your research to develop a Problem Statement by pulling out the main themes and issues that need to be addressed. Based on your research and Statement, prioritize the Characteristics that are associated with your Problem Statement. Keep in mind that these Characteristics are defined as the ideals of a city. You may choose one or all of the Characteristics to focus on - consider that their purpose is to describe the overarching issue you are trying to solve.

Setting up the Mind Map.

We placed our Problem Statement and Systems on the wall to create the base for our Mind Map (image above left). Based on our research and discussions we started to fill in each System with Elements (image top right left). One system includes the Governance System at Flemingdon Park which consists of a tenant representation process and a landlord structure (image bottom right).

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Make your Map

Place your Problem Statement and Systems on the wall to start building your Mind Map, by filling in the information based on what you have learned in your research. The Mind Map that you create should include full details about the problem and its context. The purpose of the Mind Map is to visually represent your information, and to help you organize this information into the different City Systems in order to better understand your problem.

• •

•

Start your Mind Map by placing your Problem Statement on the centre of a wall. Surround your Problem Statement by placing and connecting all the Systems that relate to your Problem Statement. Remember, not all Systems may apply; the Systems were developed to address a city as a whole. Begin to fill in each System with Existing Elements, this forms a System Cluster. By filling in these Elements you are describing the current conditions for each System. Many of the Systems are inter-related, so choose the best fit when deciding where to categorize an Element. When brainstorming Existing Elements, it is important to consider: - Both positive and negative Elements - Large and small scale - Elements that affect different people

•

Document the end results of this step by taking a photograph of your Mind Map. The next step will alter the Mind Map by separating weaknesses and strengths.

The weakness and strengths weaknesses table

were separated for Flemingdon Park by placing the weaknesses in a table and leaving the strengths in the Mind Map (images above and right).

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Separate your weaknesses and Strengths

The Mind Map now describes the current conditions as they relate to your Problem Statement. The next step is to separate the weaknesses and strengths from the Mind Map and place the weaknesses within a separate table. The purpose is to isolate the weaknesses so that you can better understand the issues associated with your Problem Statement and transform those weaknesses into design solutions.

â&#x20AC;˘

Review the Elements that you placed into the Mind Map, System by System. Separate out the Elements containing weaknesses, or any Element that needs improvement, and place them in a table organized by Systems. Your Mind Map should now contain only strengths that relate to your Problem Statement.

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Find solutions that Already exist

Examine existing solutions - what precedents for solving similar problems are out there? The purpose of this step is to seek strategies that address the weaknesses you separated out in the last step, and attempt to transform them into a strength in the next step.

â&#x20AC;˘

â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

Consulting with professionals about transforming weakness into design solutions was a very important step for the Flemingdon Park revitalization. We worked and researched precedents with architects, urban planners, systems designers, engineers, industrial designers, technologists, social workers, energy specialists, graphic designers, developers, and financial experts (image above and left).

Based on the Elements that you have placed within your weakness table, research how you could minimize or transform these weaknesses into strengths. Many weaknesses have underlining strengths associated with them. The purpose is to try to understand how to pullout the strengths that are hidden within these weaknesses. This analysis could be done in a number of different ways including: understanding your users, finding similar precedents, seeking advice from experts and stakeholders, and referring back to your primary and secondary research. While conducting research, make sure that you are always considering your Problem Statement. Document this information in a detailed manner and associate it with each of the corresponding Systems. This can be done digitally or with the use of file folders. Label folders based on System names.

Based on our research we proposed design solutions that transformed the weaknesses into solutions for Flemingdon Park. Each transformed Element was placed into the Mind Map under its corresponding System as a Proposed Element (image above and right).

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Propose Design Solutions

This step looks at the weaknesses that were separated out in Step 4. The purpose is to address each of the weaknesses and transform them into design solutions. When you are finished this step all Elements in your Mind Map should work towards improving your Problem Statement.

â&#x20AC;˘

â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

Go through the weaknesses listed in your weakness table one by one and think about how these can be transformed into a solution or a strength for each of the Elements. This step is about finding different perspectives. Place the new, transformed design solutions, represented as a Proposed Element, into the Mind Map under the associated system. To transform the weakness into a strength, refer back to your research and precedent information. Document at the end of this step by taking a photograph of your Mind Map. The next step will alter the Mind Map by adding more Proposed Elements.

As a group we looked at what was missing within the Mind Map (image above). Employment was an important System for Flemingdon Park, but there were no Elements supporting it. During this step we brainstormed to come up with a design solution to support the Employment System.

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Look at what's Missing

This step allows you to look at the Mind Map as a whole and determine what is still missing. Gaps within the Mind Map can reveal holes within a System Cluster as it relates to your Problem Statement. This is the last stage of creating your Mind Map. Once you have completed this stage you will have created your finalized Mind Map, which will represent a detailed map of possible solutions to your Problem Statement.

â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

Review the Mind Map, System by System, looking at all Elements. Identify where a System has a gap, and list possible Proposed Elements that could be added to create and complete the System Cluster. Referring back to your research may provide more insights during this step.

We combined different elements together to see relationship equation + + + + wea

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table

+ + + +

= = = = = = = =

> > > > > > > >

what Big Ideas could be created for Flemingdon Park (image top right). By combining different elements we created a series of Relationship Equations that solve the Flemingdon Park Problem Statement (image above). We then reviewed the different Big Ideas that we created and associated Characteristics with each (image bottom right).

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Play with Relationships and create big ideas

Create Big Ideas! This step builds on the content you have completed in previous steps and will generate solutions to resolve your Problem Statement. By looking at your Elements and combining them together you will be able to make beneficial relationships that create Big Ideas.

• •

•

• • •

•

Review your Mind Map and the weakness table. Pair different Elements together, testing many different combinations. Brainstorm possibilities around the combination of these Elements and create Big Ideas that could help solve your problem. Both Existing and Proposed Elements can be combined, and Elements can be taken from both the Mind Map and the weakness table. An Existing Element that is in the weakness table when paired with an Existing or Proposed Element from the Mind Map can create a new positive idea. Think big! Forget practicality for now; by thinking big you are able to imagine solutions that have not been thought of before. Select the relationships and the Big Ideas that are the strongest and best address your Problem Statement. Go back to Step 2, and review the Characteristic(s) that you selected. Determine the outcome of each of your Big Ideas by assigning them to a Characteristic. This will allow you to evaluate how well the Problem Statement is being addressed and improved. If the original Characteristics you have selected are not addressed through your newly created Big Ideas, go back and try different combinations to create new ideas that solve your problem.

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You have completed the city systems Workbook! This framework can be time consuming, but the solutions can be dramatic, no matter the size or scale of the problem.

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sustainable lighting Dunn, C. (2007). Solar tree: new street lighting from Ross Lovegrove. Treehugger: a discovery company. Retrieved from http://www.treehugger. com/files/2007/09/solar_tree_new.php McLaren, W. (2008). The original solar trees (from Adelaide). Treehugger: a discovery company. Retrieved from http://www.treehugger.com/ files/2008/01/the_original_so.php accessibility who needs a car? Ong, B. (2003). Green plot ratio: an ecological measure for architecture and urban planning. Landscape and Urban Planning, 63 (4). Retrieved from Science Direct database. bixi bike share Bixi Montreal. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.bixi.com/home/ the copenhagen wheel MIT Senseable City Lab. Retrieved from http://senseable.mit.edu/ copenhagenwheel/ bogotÀ, colombia Ardila, A. & Menckhoff, G. (2002). Transportation policies in Bogotà, Colombia: building a transportation system for the people, Journal of Transportation Research Record (1817), 130-136. Bogotà’s Mass Transportation System (2004). TransMilenio, Bogotà. http:// www.transmilenio.gov.co/nuevapagina/home_english.htm Montezuma, R. (2005). The transformation of Bogotà, Columbia, 1995-2000: investing in citizenship and urban mobility. Global Urban Development (1)1, 1-10. who owns the street? Ciekot, C. (n.d). International traffic calming. Bucknell University. Retrieved from http://www.students.bucknell.edu/projects/trafficcalming/History/Int’l. html Gothan, J. (2007). Safer streets, sidewalks and trails. Healthy Transportation Network. Retrieved from http://www.healthytransportation.net/view_ resource.php?res_id=4&cat_type=improve MacPhee, I. (2009). Is Vancouver ready for pedestrian priority streets? Re:place Magazine. Retrieved from http://regardingplace.com/?p=3529 Pedestrian Priority streets Halifax. (n.d). Appendix A: streetscape typologies. Retrieved from http://www. halifax.ca/CapitalDistrict/documents/AppendixA-StreetscapeTypologies.pdf The Woonerf, The netherlands Home Zones. (n.d.). Concept: what are home zones? Retrieved from http://www. homezones.org/concept.html The Longest Pedestrian Street system, Strøget, Copenhagen Strøget-Copenhagen. (n.d). The world’s longest pedestrian street – “Strøget”. Retrieved from http://www.copenhagenet.dk/CPH-Map/CPH-Pedestrian.asp Statistics Stat 1: Lehrer, J. (2010). Commuting. The Frontal Cortex. Retrieved from http:// scienceblogs.com/cortex/2010/03/commuting.php Stat 2: Brosterman, N. (1997). Inventing Kindergarten. Harry N. Abrams. Stat 3: Belden Russonello & Stewart Research and Communications, Americans' attitudes towards walking and creating better walking communities. All your needs at your doorstep walking in flemingdon park Lang, J. (2005). Urban design: a typology of procedures and products. Oxford: Architectural Press. what is the garden city model? Howard, E. (1902). Garden Cities of To-Morrow. London: BiblioBazaar

sonoma mountain village Bioregional Development Group. (2010). Sonoma Mountain Village, USA. One Planet Communities: Earth’s greenest neighbourhoods. Retrieved from http://www.oneplanetcommunities.org/communities/sonoma-mountainvillage/ finding your way what is a desire path? Shape + Colour. (2008). Gaston Bachelard: “the poetics of space” + desire paths. Retrieved from http://shapeandcolour.wordpress.com/2008/02/29/gastonbachelard-the-poetics-of-space-desire-paths/ place d'youville, montrÉal, quebec Claude Cormier Landscape Architects. (2008). Place D’Youville, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Retrieved from http://www.claudecormier.com/project/ place-youville-en-/ navigating with your senses what is wayfinding? Unknown Author. (2002). Wayfinding. Retrieved from http://www.ifi.uzh. ch/~krafft/papers/2001/wayfinding/html/node27.html

city edge, Canberra, Australia CIC Australia. (2010). City Edge, ACT. Retrieved from http://www.cicaustralia. com.au/project/completed/city_edge.php NSW Government. (2010). City Edge, ACT. Human Services: Housing NSW, Centre for Affordable Housing. Retrieved from http://www.housing.nsw.gov. au/Centre+For+Affordable+Housing/Developing+Affordable+Housing/ Case+Studies/City+Edge+ACT.htm Worthington, T. (2006). City Edge apartments and townhouses in Canberra. Retrieved from http://www.tomw.net.au/2001/sa/city_edge_apartments_ townhouses_canberra.shtml Statistics Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions. (2009). Creating social cohesion in village and city. Retrieved from http://www.parliamentofreligions. org/index.cfm?n=7&sn=21 a mixed-use neighbourhood what is new urbanism? Craven, J. (2010). What is new urbanism? About.com. Retrieved from http:// architecture.about.com/od/communitydesign/g/newurban.htm

accessibility for ontarians with disabilities Ontario Government. (2009). Accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities act, 2005. Service Ontario. Retrieved from http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/ statutes/english/elaws_statutes_05a11_e.htm#BK1

The Southeast False Creek Olympic Village, British Columbia, BGL Architects Inc. The Challenge Series. (n.d.) Housing mix: “modest market” housing. Millennium Water: The Southeast False Creek Olympic Village – Vancouver, Canada. Retrieved from http://www.thechallengeseries.ca/chapter-02/ rezoning/#housing-mix

streets make a neighbourhood what are street typologies? City of Denver. (2010). TE:Denver street typologies. Denver: The Mile High City. Retrieved from http://www.denvergov.org/LUTP/StreetTypesbyLandUse/ tabid/390279/Default.aspx

Market Hall, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, MVRDV MVRDV. (n.d.). Market Hall. Retrieved from http://www.mvrdv.nl/#/projects/ publicbuildings/261markethall

Cliffside Slips, Scarborough, Ontario Chodikoff, I. (2006). Orphaned spaces: a recent initiative to kickstart the revitalization of several Toronto neighbourhoods is examined. Canadian Architect. Retrieved from http://www.canadianarchitect.com/issues/story. aspx?aid=1000205395 Lateralarch. (n.d.) Cliffside slips/streetscape. Retrieved from http://www. lateralarch.com

a healthy mix of housing flemingdon park housing typologies Fredericton. (n.d.) Housing. Retrieved from http://www.fredericton.ca/en/ citygovernment/resources/Section2.5Housing.pdf Mammon, N., & Ewing, K. (2005). Moving towards a design approach to low-income housing in urban Cape Town: the case of Joe Slovo Park. World Congress on Housing: Transforming Housing Environments through Design. Retrieved from http://www.nmassociates.co.za/research/02JoeSlovoPark. pdf

How to inhabit and engineer the ground plane? Jacobs, J. (1961). The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Random House Inc. Regent Park Street Typologies, Toronto, Ontario City of Toronto. (2005). Regent Park: urban design guidelines. Toronto: Toronto Community Housing. Diversity wont you be my neighbour? McCormack Baron Salazar. (n.d.). Mixed income communities. Retrieved from http://www.mccormackbaron.com/HTML/mixedincome.html Inclusionary Housing, Vancouver, British Columbia Balcom, J. (2008). Think city, dream Vancouver: policy brief middle income affordable housing in the city of Vancouver. Public Solutions. Retrieved from http://publicsolutions.ca/images/XHousing.pdf Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. (2009). Using inclusionary housing policies: income mix zoning – Vancouver, British Columbia. Retrieved from http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/inpr/afhoce/tore/afhoid/pore/usinhopo/ usinhopo_006.cfm Ekostaden,Augustenborg, MalmÖ, Sweden Intelligent Energy Europe. (2001). Ekostaden Augustenborg. European Sustainable Urban Development Projects. Retrieved from http://www. secureproject.org/download/18.360a0d56117c51a2d30800078401/ Ekostaden_Malmö_Sweden.pdf

What are housing typologies? Metropolitan Design Centre. (2005). Housing types. College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, University of Minnesota. Retrieved from http://www. housinginitiative.org/pdfs/Housing%20Types/Housing_Types_Sheets.pdf design method: charrette Institute without Boundaries. (2010). Design brief: Flemingdon Park design charrette. Retrieved from https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=dabd4 f9ebe&view=att&th=128b2830af69a4ac&attid=0.2&disp=vah&realattid =f_g9emdht51&zw Talbot Park, Glen Innes, Auckland Ministry for the Environment. (2010). Community renewal – housing New Zealand corporation, Talbot Park, Auckland. Retrieved from http://www. mfe.govt.nz/publications/urban/urban-design-case-studies-may08/html/ page11.html a house that grows Accessible Housing Lewin, S. (2009). Sustainable Systems. DESN4006. George Brown College, 230 Richmond St. E. Flemingdon Park Modular Housing Modular Building Institute. (n.d). Modular construction defined. Retrieved from http://www.modular.org/about/Defined.aspx Modularcentre.com. (2010). Why buy a modular home? Retrieved from http:// www.modularcenter.com/top10.shtml

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T-Tree PreFab Home, Adil Azhiyev and Ivan Kudryavtsev Paul, R. (2009). T-Tree: a towering community of prefab pixel homes. Inhabitat: Design will Save the World. Retrieved from http://www.ecowho.com/ blogs/11044/T-Tree:_A_Towering_Community_of_Prefab_Pixel_Homes /fd6e7 Reburbia: a Suburban Design Competition. (n.d.). T-Tree: a towering community of sustainable residences. Retrieved from http://www.re-burbia. com/2009/08/05/t-trees-social-housing/ FlexHousing Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. (2010). What is FlexHousing? Retrieved from http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/buho/flho/flho_001.cfm cohesion how can working together be better? Sustainable Community: Beddington Zero Energy Development BioRegional: Solutions for Sustainability. (2010).BedZED. Retrieved from http:// www.bioregional.com/what-we-do/our-work/bedzed/

welcome to the community Why do people come together with food? Lessa, I., & Rocha, C. (2009). Nourishing belonging: food in the lives of new immigrants in T.O. The Edible City: Toronto’s food from farm to fork. 148-149. let's talk over coffee Cafe Culture Clayton, L. (2009). Viva la (coffee) revolución! The Edible City: Toronto’s food from farm to fork. 102-105. identity is open space for all? Halprin, L. (1979). The collective perception of cities: we reflect our urban landscapes. in Taylor, L. (ed.) Urban Open Spaces. New York: Rizzoli. Tajima, K. (2003). New estimates of the demand for urban green space: implications for valuing the environmental benefit of Boston’s big dig project. Journal of Urban Affairs (25)5, 641-655. Thompson, C.W. (2002). Urban open space in the 21st century. Landscape and Urban Planning (60), 59-72.

standing up with your community Why organize a neighbourhood association? Ontario Tenants. (n.d.). Tenants association organizing guide. Retrieved from http://www.ontariotenants.ca/activism/tenants-associations.phtml

The Public Parks Movement Schuyler, D. (1986). The new urban landscape: the redefinition of city form in nineteenth-century America. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.

how do you start a neighbourhood association? Ontario Tenants. (n.d.). Tenants association organizing guide. Retrieved from http://www.ontariotenants.ca/activism/tenants-associations.phtml

Paley Park, New York Project for Public Spaces. (n.d.). Paley Park. Great Public Spaces. Retrieved from http://www.pps.org/great_public_spaces//one?public_place_id=69

What are the duties of a neighbourhood association? Ontario Tenants. (n.d.). Tenants association organizing guide. Retrieved from

Cloud Gate, Millenium Park, Chicago Millennium Park, Chicago. (n.d.). Cloud Gate on the AT&T plaza. Art & Architecture. Retrieved from http://www.millenniumpark.org/ artandarchitecture/cloud_gate.html

http://www.ontariotenants.ca/activism/tenants-associations.phtml sharing our space what is a courtyard? Blaser, W. (1985). Atrium: Five Thousand Years of Open Courtyards. Wepf & Co. Saxon, R. (1983). Atrium Buildings: Development and Design. London: The Architectural Press. Portland Courtyard Housing Portland Courtyard Housing. (n.d.). Historic precedents. Retrieved from http:// www.courtyardhousing.org/downloads/precedents.pdf Portland Courtyard Housing. (n.d.). Portland courtyard housing design competition. Retrieved from http://www.courtyardhousing.org/downloads/ brief_web.pdf bringing the garden up to the roof What are the benefits of building a green roof? Augustenborg’s Botanical Roof Garden. (n.d.). About green roofs. Retrieved from http://www.greenroof.se/?pid=28&sub=19 City Farmer, Canada’s Office of Urban Agriculture. (2003). Urban agriculture notes: rooftop gardens. Retrieved from http://www.cityfarmer.org/rooftop59. html Green Roof ByLaw, city of toronto City of Toronto. (2010). Green roof bylaw. Living in Toronto. Retrieved from http://www.toronto.ca/greenroofs/overview.htm Forwarding Dallas Cliento, K. (2009). Forwarding Dallas/ Atelier Data + MOOV. Arch Daily. Retrieved from http://www.archdaily.com/24813/forwarding-dallas-atelier-data-moov/ Urban Re:Vision. (2009). Forwarding Dallas. Retrieved from http:// urbanrevision.org/who-we-are/competitions/revisiondallas/results-visiondallas-winner-forwarding-dallas/

Toronto Sculpture GArden Toronto Sculpture Garden. (n.d.). History. Retrieved from http://www. torontosculpturegarden.com/history.htm can you tell me a story? Social Sculpture Research Unit. (2008). Home: social sculpture research units. Retrieved from http://www.social-sculpture.org/ River glow, New York, New York Levesque, T. (2007). River Glow: water pollution monitor/ urban art installation. Inhabitat: design will save the world. Retrieved from http://inhabitat. com/2007/06/12/river-glow-water-pollution-monitor-urban-art-installation/ CLOCK TOWER, DON MILLS, ONTARIO Cadillac Fairview Corporation. (2008). Douglas Coupland’s Clock Tower. Shops at Don Mills’. Retrieved from http://www.shopsatdonmills.ca/en/centreinfo/ Pages/DouglasCoupland’sClockTower.aspx Linardos, T. (2009). House solar design sculpture. NowPublic. Retrieved from http://www.nowpublic.com/culture/house-solar-design-sculpture An electric garden, Austin, Texas Justa, A. (2009). Spectacular solar trees: delight to your eyes and the environment. Greendiary. Retrieved from http://www.greendiary.com/entry/ spectacular-solar-trees-delight-to-your-eyes-and-the-environment/ Schwartz, A. (2009). Solar sunflower field energizes Austin, Texas. Inhabitat: design will save the world. Retrieved from http://www.inhabitat. com/2009/08/17/austin-texas-gets-an-electric-sunflower-garden/ Living light, Seoul, Korea Infoniac.com. (2009). Living light sculpture offers data on air quality. Retrieved from http://www.infoniac.com/environment/living-light-sculpture-offersdata-on-air-quality.html Schwartz, A. (2009). Living light sculpture maps Seoul’s air quality. Inhabitat: design will save the world. Retrieved from http://www.inhabitat. com/2009/11/04/living-light-is-an-interactive-real-time-map-of-seoulsair-quality/

A street that meets all your needs How to transform a main street? Dundalk Renaissance Corporation. (n.d.). The main street approach. http:// www.dundalkusa.org/pub/The-Main-Street-Approach

Dockside Green, Victoria, British Columbia General Electric Company. (2007). Dockside Green. Retrieved from http:// docksidegreen.com/images/stories/sustainability/Ecology/watertreatment/GE-Case-Study.pdf

College St., Toronto, Brown + Storey Architects Brown + Storey Architects. (n.d.). College Street – a creative landscape for making a living. Retrieved from http://www.brownandstorey.com/projects/ collegestreet/T-projectframes.htm

Statistics Stat 1: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. (2008). UN-HABITAT. Launch publication Local action for biodiversity. Stat 2: - Hoggan, J. (2005). Research on Communicating Sustainability. Retrieved from http://sustainablecities.net/docman-resources/cat_ view/110-resources/98-urban-sustainability-planning-a-implementation - Implementing Sustainability .pdf

a place to shine What is good placemaking? Projects for Public Spaces. (n.d.). What is placemaking? Retrieved from http:// www.pps.org/what_is_placemaking/ design method: brainstorming Canadian Post-Secondary Access Partnership & Institute without Boundaries. (2009). 1 st Community access challenge: charrette. Retrieved from https:// docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.1&thid=128b25ecac570b 27&mt=application%2Fpdf&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com%2Fmail %2F%3Fui%3D2%26ik%3Ddabd4f9ebe%26view%3Datt%26th%3D128b25 ecac570b27%26attid%3D0.1%26disp%3Dattd%26realattid%3Df_g9embul k0%26zw&sig=AHIEtbS45ji3ESTOAeiyoOPzh6mXHysakg&pli=1 Jackson Square, New Orleans, Louisiana Projects for Public Spaces. (n.d.). Jackson Square. Great Public Spaces. Retrieved from http://www.pps.org/great_public_spaces//one?public_ place_id=72# Dundas Square, Toronto, Ontario, Brown + Storey Architects Brown + Storey Architects. (n.d.). Dundas Square. Retrieved from http://www. brownandstorey.com/projects/dundassquare/T-projectframes.htm work in the comfort of your own home What is live/work housing? Bowden, M. (n.d.) Live-work condos offer dual –purpose space. Bankrate. com. Retrieved from http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cpdocumentid=13108477 The Tilsner Artists’ Cooperative, St. Paul, Minnesota Tilsner Artists’ Cooperative. (2003). About the Tilsner. Retrieved from http:// tilsner.net/news/29.shtml Artscape Artscape. (n.d.). About Artscape. Retrieved from http://www.torontoartscape. on.ca/about sustainability does it all have to go down the drain? Natural Resources Canada. (2004). The atlas of Canada. Retrieved from http:// atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/english/maps/environment/ecology/threats/ sewagetreatment Natural Resources Defense Council. (2004). Sewage pollution threatens public health. Retrieved from http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/sewage.asp Stoner, N., & Merkel, M. (2004). Swimming in sewage: the growing problem of sewage pollution and how the Bush administration is putting our health and environment at risk. Natural Resources Defence Council. Retrieved from http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/sewage/sewage.pdf Eco-Machines and Living Machines John Todd Ecological Design. (2009). About eco-machines. Retrieved from http://www.toddecological.com/eco-machines/ Living Machine. (2010). Wastewater treatment…evolved. Retrieved from http:// www.livingmachines.com/about/history/ Worrell Water Technologies. (2007). LivingMachine. Retrieved from http://www. livingmachines.com/images/uploads/resources/living_machine_brochure .pdf

from wasteful to wasteless Dauncey, G., & Mazza, P. (2001). Reduce, reuse, recycle. Stormy Weather: 101 Solutions to Global Climate Change. Canada: New Society Publishers. 106-107. The Conference Board of Canada. (2010). Environment: municipal waste generation. Retrieved from http://www.conferenceboard.ca/hcp/details/ environment/municipal-waste-generation.aspx Why is waste sorting at home important? Lallanilla, M. (2010). 7 Greate reasons to compost. About.com. Retrieved from http://greenliving.about.com/od/thegreenyard/ tp/compost.htm Recycling Guide UK. (2008). Why recycle? Retrieved from http://www.recyclingguide.org.uk/importance.html design method: prototyping Sauter, V. (2000). What is prototyping. Retrieved from http://www.umsl. edu/~sauterv/analysis/prototyping/proto.html Encorp Pacific Encorp Pacific. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.encorp.ca/cfm/index.cfm? cooling down the city Samsø, Denmark De Waart, Y, (2008). Samsø as an example for the rest of the world. Retrieved from http://w2.djh.dk/international/2001/samso/GreenIsland/Pages/ yunka.html Kolbert, E. (2008). The Island in the Wind: A Danish community’s victory over carbon emissions. The New Yorker. Phillips, M. (2008). Danish Island is Energy Self-sufficient: Samso is an Ecological Fantasy Land that is Carbon-Neutral. Retrieved from http:// www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/03/08/eveningnews/main2549273. shtml?source=search_story Highway Wind Turbines Archinect. (2007). Ariona State University. Retrieved from http://www. archinect.com/schoolblog/entry.php?id=55756_0_39_0_c Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris - Jean Nouvel Galinsky: People enjoying buildings worldwide. (2006). Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris. Retrieved from http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/ima/ what's old is new again Why is revitalization important? Clark, J. (2010). Is it greener to renovate or rebuild? TLC. Retrieved from http:// tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/greener-to-renovate-or-rebuild.htm Dauncey, G., & Mazza, P. (2001). Build a Sustainable City. Stormy Weather: 101 Solutions to Global Climate Change. Canada: New Society Publishers. 114-115. Soens, R., & Guokas, J. (2008). Renovate or rebuild: an eco-conscious homeowner’s conundrum: greenbuilders Robert Soens and Jody Guikas take a look at both sides of puzzling problem. New Life Journal. Retrieved from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KWZ/is_3_9/ai_n25473744/ Wychwood Barns, Toronto, Ontario Artscape. (n.d.). Artscape Wychwood Barns. Retrieved from http://www. torontoartscape.on.ca/places-spaces/artscape-wychwood-barns

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City Systems Workbook UNFPA State of world population 2007. (2007). Peering into the dawn of an urban millennium. Retrieved from http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2007/english/ introduction.html Allbusiness.com. (2010). Secondary vs. primary market research. Retrieved from http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing/market-research/1310-1.html

image sources Cover page Collage of cities. Manish Chauhan and Angélica Ramos Saavedra. Map of Toronto Google earth image. Map of Flemingdon Park Google earth image. Visual essay Michelle Hotchin & Chriz Miller.

Flemingdon Park Food Education and Growing Greenhouse in Epcot, Florida. Retrieved from http://image09.webshots. com/9/1/24/45/111012445GRvnml_fs what are some greenhouse tips and tricks? Greenhouse. Flickr Creative Commons. is it a mall or a greenhouse? Image 1: Ad for Gardens Under Glass. Retrieved from http://www. galleriaaterieview.com/. Image 2: Galleria Mall, Erieview, Cleveland. Retrieved from http://www. galleriaaterieview.com/.

what is universally local? Photograph of the world. Retrieved from http://arstechnica.com/reviews/4q00/ macosx-pb1/images/earth-map-huge.jpg

Design Method Presentation and Critique Masterplan presentation at the Institute without Boundaries. Author’s Collection.

WELLNESS Title image: Seattle, Washington skyline. Flickr Creative Commons.

year-round interior space Title Image: Eaton Centre, Toronto, Ontario. Flickr Creative Commons.

Are you ready to grow up? Title image: Vertical Wall, Caixa Museum, Madrid, Spain. Retrieved from http:// mullinsj.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/01vertical-garden-at-caixa-modernmuseum.jpg

Flemingdon Park Community Space Image 1, 2: Existing outdoor public space at Flemingdon Park. Author’s Collection what is an arcade? Image 1, 2: Arcade. Flickr Creative Commons.

Vertical Farming Image 1: Vertical Farming at Valcent. Retrieved from http://blog.valcent.net/ wp-content/uploads/2009/01/aug_8_2007_011.jpg Image 2: Vertical Farming, FarmPhilly Project. Retrieved from http://farmphilly. com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/planter-in-the-city2-768x1024.jpg

federal environment agency, dessau, germany Federal Environmental Agency, Dessau. Retrieved from http://www. sauerbruchhutton.de/#projekte.

Jones valley Urban farm People sorting food at Jones Valley Urban Farm, Birmingham, Alabama. Retrieved from http://www.jvuf.org/about_history.php

safety Title Image: Rollerblading at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Buffalo, New York. Scott Southerland.

The future of farming in new york Vertical Farm Tower. Retrieved from http://sidewalksprouts.files.wordpress. com/2008/05/chris_jacobs_light.jpg

how far can you see? Title Image: Street block. Flickr Creative Commons.

Sky Farm: Highrise farming Sky Farm. Retrieved from http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/06/sky_ farm_propos.php

kevin lynch of sight lines Visual Sequences. Retrieved from Lynch, K., & Gary Hack. (1984). Site Planning (3rd edition). United States: Maple-Vail Inc, 162.

Importance of trees in cities Fig Tree, Sydney, Australia. Robyn Polan.

University of cincinnati revitalization Image 1: University of Cincinnati campus from above. Retrieved from http:// www.aashe.org/files/resources/campus_awards/UC%20aerial_0.jpg Image 2: University of Cincinnati campus paths. Retrieved from http://www. coldspringgranite.com/assets/0/92/152/256/0aeaadf0-e31a-49b7-b444df572690a8d4.jpg

tree retention bylaws Site planning responsive to vegetation. Retrieved from http://vancouver.ca/ commsvcs/Guidelines/T005.pdf

who needs security cameras? Title Image: Security Camera sign on a Washington street. Flickr Creative Commons.

Putting fresh food within reach Title Image: Tomato Baskets. Flickr Creative Commons. Big Box Store. Flickr Creative Commons.

Crime prevention through environmental design Activated streetscape. Nick Crampton.

how long does it take a tree to grow? Title Image: Tree rings. Flickr Creative Commons.

Wanigan food delivery Food Box. Flickr Creative Commons. Food Access at Flemingdon Park Food Collage. Author’s Collection. Karma food co-op Food Shelves at Karma. Retrieved from http://www.karmacoop.org/. Creating an environment to learn and grow Title Image: Greenhouse at Wychwood Barns, Toronto, Ontario. Author’s Collection.

safety in vancouver, britsh columbia Street with front doors. Nick Crampton. Crime prevention at dufferin mall, toronto, ontario Dufferin Mall. Retrieved from http://www.dufferinmall.ca/aboutus.php?PhotoGallery-5 Eyes on the street Title Image: Houses facing the street in the Annex, Toronto. Flickr Creative Commons. Flemingdon Park Backs on the street Backdoors facing the street at Flemingdon Park. Author's Collection.

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borneo sporenburg, amsterdam, the netherlands Borneo Sporenburg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Retrieved from http://www. visionarythurrock.org.uk/docs/examples/borneosp/index.html

what is the garden city model? City of Yesterday, To-day, To-morrow. Retrieved from Howard, E. (1902). Garden Cities of To-Morrow. London.

Well lit, well used Title Image: Lighting on a street in Paris. Flickr Creative Commons.

sonoma mountain village Sonoma Mountain Village. Retrieved from http://www.sonomamountainvillage. com/community/index.php

midnight basketball Example of night basketball league. Retrieved from http://www.steveweinik. com/blog/?paged=2

finding your way Title Image: Place D’Youville. Claude Comier.

sustainable lighting Solar Tree in Vienna, Austria. Flickr Creative Commons. accessibility Title Image: Milano Central Train Station. Flickr Creative Commons. who needs a car? Title Image: Bike Share. Flickr Creative Commons. bixi bike share Image 1: Bixi Bike Station. Flickr Creative Commons. Image 2: ipohne application. Retrieved from http://montreal.bixi.com/mobilestations the copenhagen wheel Image 1: Woman riding the Copenhagen bike.Retrieved from http://senseable. mit.edu/copenhagenwheel/press.html Image 2: Copenhagen Wheel. Retrieved from http://senseable.mit.edu/ copenhagenwheel/press.html Image 3: Bike System. Retrieved from http://senseable.mit.edu/ copenhagenwheel/press.html bogotÀ, colombia Image 1: Ciclo-rutas, or bike paths in Bogotà. Retrieved from http://www.3.bp. blogspot.com__5ty-xfbgje0_ssumzt4wbbi_aaaaaaaadg8_ghpeb4m2xgs_ s400_bogota_cicloruta/ Image2: Ciclo-via nocturna in Bogotà. Flickr Creative Commons. Challenge Bike with shopping cart. Retrieved from http-_www.ski-epic.com_amsterdam_ bicycles_pr2s_amsterdam_bicycle_suit who owns the street? Title image: Street fair. Flickr Creative Commons. Pedestrian Priority streets Image 1: Via Dante a pedestrian street in Milan, Italy. Robyn Polan Image 2: Pedestrian-only day in Kensington Market, Toronto. Flickr Creative Commons. The Woonerf, The netherlands The Woonerf, The Netherlands. Retrieved from http://neighbourhoods.typepad. com/neighbourhoods/mt05_charlotte_st_after_home_zone_credit_ adriantrim_moricetownprojectmanager.jpg The Longest Pedestrian Street system, Strøget, Copenhagen Pedestrian street, Stroget, Copenhagen. Retrieved from http://www. copenhagenet.dk/CPH-Map/CPH-Pedestrian.asp All your needs at your doorstep Title image: Milk at a doorstep. Flickr Creative Commons. walking in flemingdon park Doorsteps at Flemingdon Park. Author’s Collection.

what is a desire path? Image 1, 2: Example of desire paths. Flickr Creative Commons. design method: a day in the life Location at Flemingdon Park where residents have worn away a desire path. Author’s Collection place d'youville, montrÉal, quebec Place D’Youville. Claude Comier. navigating with your senses Title image: Google Map Marker, San Francisco. Flickr Creative Commons. Flemingdon Park kids' playground. Author’s Collection what is wayfinding? Amsterdam Airport Direction. Angélica Ramos Saavedra. 5 Sense Wayfinding at Flemingdon Park Image 1: Vegetation keeping pedestrians on the pathway. Flickr Creative Commons. Image 2: Sound of water attracts pedestrians. Retrieved from http://images. mooseyscountrygarden.com_uk-gardens_british-medical-associationgarden_water-feature-pond Image 3: Smell of lavender attracts pedestrians. Retrieved from http://images. mooseyscountrygarden.com_garden-plants_foliage-plants_lavender-bush streets make a neighbourhood Title image: Collection of images of Streets. Flickr Creative Commons. Existing streetscape in Flemingdon Park . Author's Collection. Cliffside Slips, Scarborough, Ontario Render of Cliffslide slips typologies. Retrieved from http://www.lateralarch.com How to inhabit and engineer the ground plane? Streetscape. Flickr Creative Commons. Regent Park Street Typologies, Toronto, Ontario Render of Regent Park Streetscape. Retrieved from http://farm3.static.flickr. com/2747/4190613068_c606934017_o.jpg Diversity Title Image: Waiting at a bus stop. Flickr Creative Commons. won't you be my neighbour? Title Image: Babies at Doorstep. Flickr Creative Commons. Inclusionary Housing, Vancouver, British Columbia C-side Building, Vancouver. Retrieved from http://www.6717000.com/c-side/ Ekostaden,Augustenborg, MalmÖ, Sweden Water channels in Augustenborg. Retrieved from http://www.cabe.org.uk/ files/imagecache/csLarge/case-studies/node/add/casestudy/ekostadenaugustenborg-007.jpg city edge, Canberra, Australia City Edge. Retrieved from http://www.cicaustralia.com.au/project/completed/ city_edge.php

a mixed-use neighbourhood Title image: Streetscape. Flickr Creative Commons. Residential only, Flemingdon Park. Author's Collection. The Southeast False Creek Olympic Village, British Columbia, BGL Architects Inc. Housing Mix at Southeast False Creek Olympic Village , Vancouver, Canada. Retrieved from http://www.thechallengeseries.ca/chapter-02/ rezoning/#housing-mix Market Hall, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, MVRDV Market Hall. Retrieved from http://www.sustainablecitiesnet.com/wp-content/ uploads/2010/01/MVRDV_MarketHallHousing.jpg a healthy mix of housing Housing mix Borneo Sporenburg. Flickr Creative Commons. flemingdon park housing typologies Image 1: Existing housing typologies at Flemingdon Park. Author's Collection. Image 2: Existing housing typologies at Flemingdon Park. Author's Collection. What are housing typologies? Metropolitan Design Centre. (2005). Housing types. College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, University of Minnesota. Retrieved from http://www. housinginitiative.org/pdfs/Housing%20Types/Housing_Types_Sheets.pdf design method: charrette Flemingdon Park unit charrette, February 2010. Author's Collection. Examples of Housing Typologies Housing typologies. Retrieved from http://www.housinginitiative.org/pdfs/ Housing%20Types/Housing_Types_Sheets.pdf Talbot Park, Glen Innes, Auckland Image 1: Apartment at Talbot Park. Retrieved from http://www.canam.co.nz/ afawcs0144678/CATID=1/ID=193/SID=208481155/productdetails.html.jpg Image 2: Single dwelling at Talbot Park. Retrieved from http://www.nzherald. co.nz/glen-innes/news/article.cfm?l_id=337&objectid=10434141 Image 3: Apartment at Talbot Park. Retrieved from http://www.mfe.govt.nz/ publications/urban/urban-design-case-studies-may08/html/page11. html.jpg a house that grows Render of the HubHouse. Nick Crampton.

Community participation at flemingdon park Image 1, 2: Community Meeting at Flemingdon park. Author's Collection. Design method: community participation Image 1,4: Designing with stakeholders. Flickr Creative Commons. Image 2,3,5: Community Meeting at Flemingdon park. Author's Collection. sharing our space Title Image: Courtyard in Milan, Italy. Robyn Polan.

Courtyards at Flemingdon Park Image 1, 2, 3: Current courtyards at Flemingdon Park. Author's Collection what is a courtyard? Nolli map of a courtyard. Retrieved from http://www.archipoden.dk_lab_plan-1. bringing the garden up to the roof Title Image: Roof Top Gardens, Milan, Italy. Robyn Polan. Ground Plane At Flemingdon Park. Image 1, 2, 3, 4: Various images of the ground plane at Flemingdon Park. Author's Collection. Forwarding Dallas Forwarding Dallas. Retrieved from http://www.archdaily.com_24813_ forwarding-dallas-atelier-data-moov_ welcome to the community Title Image: Welcoming people in Seaton Village. Lori Endes. Why do people come together with food? People interacting over food. Flickr Creative Commons. New Welcome Process at Flemingdon Park Image 1: Tenant Handbook, Toronto Community Housing. Retrieved from Image 2: Welcome Basket. Retrieved from http://www.kevinflynnrealty.net/ welcome_basket.jpg Image 3, 4: Community potluck. Flickr Creative Commons. let's talk over coffee Title Image: New York Coffe. Flickr Creative Commons.

T-Tree PreFab Home, Adil Azhiyev and Ivan Kudryavtsev T-Tree prefab home. Retrieved from http://www.ecowho.com/blogs/11044/TTree-_A_Towering_Community_of_Prefab_Pixel_Homes/fd6e7

Connecting and Learning at Flemingdon Park Image 1: Community Gathering. Retrieved from http://www.utmb.edu_Cancer_ img_CancerCenterKidsFestival Image 2: Current Flemingdon Park community space. Author's Collection.

FlexHousing Flexhousing floorplan. Retrieved from http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/ buho/flho/flho_001.cfm

identity Title Image: San Francisco Bridge. Flickr Creative Commons.

cohesion Title Image: Pedestrian Sunday in Kensington Market. Nicolai Grut. how can working together be better? Title Image: Mural making. Flickr Creative Commons. Sustainable Community: Beddington Zero Energy Development Image 1: On-site waste disposal. Flickr Creative Commons. Image 2: BedZED housing. Flickr Creative Commons. Image 3: BedZED roof top gardens. Flickr Creative Commons. Image 4: Working together. Retrieved from Flickr Creative Commons. standing up with your community Title Image: Group Activity. Flickr Creative Commons.

is open space for all? Title Image: Paley Park, New York. Robyn Polan. The Public Parks Movement 19 th century park. Retrieved from http://www.cpdit01.com/resources/history/ img/city_in_the_garden_03A.jpg Paley Park, New York Paley Park, New York. Retrieved from http://www.nybeyondsight.org_img_ portspics_paley-park Cloud Gate, Millenium Park, Chicago Cloud Gate, Boston. Retrieved from http://ireland.mysteriousworld.comContent-Images-News-2007-ChicagoStPats2007-Large-CloudGate.jpg

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Toronto Sculpture GArden Bear in the Toronto Sculpture Garden. Rena Greer. can you tell me a story? St. Gabriel's Church. Michelle Hotchin. River glow, New York, New York River Glow, New York. Retrieved from http://www.thelivingnewyork.com/ amphibiousarchitecture.htm CLOCK TOWER, DON MILLS, ONTARIO Clock Tower, Don Mills. Retrieved from http://www.nowpublic.com/culture/ house-solar-design-sculpture An electric garden, Austin, Texas Sunflower Garden, Austin. Retrieved from http://jetsongreen.typepad.com/.a/6 a00d8341c67ce53ef0120a55774fd970c-500wi Living light, Seoul, Korea Image 1: Living Light. Retrieved from http://www.thelivingnewyork.com/index .htm1 Image 2: Living Light. Retrieved from http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/04/ living-light-is-an-interactive-real-time-map-of-seouls-air-quality/

Image 2: John Coburn painting at his home at the Wychwood Barns. Retrieved from http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/11/in_photos_artscape_ wychwood_barns_brings_together_artists_and_community/ sustainability Title Image: Solar panels in the foreground of city skyline of Chicago. Flickr Creative Commons. does it all have to go down the drain? Title Image: Water ease trough and drain. Flickr Creative Commons. Eco-Machines and Living Machines Living Machine Process. Retrieved from http-//www.livingmachines.com/ images/uploads/resources/living_machine_brochure.pdf Dockside Green, Victoria, British Columbia Image 1: Housing at Dockside. Retrieved from http://blog.emap.com/footprint/ files/2009/12/dockside-green-33-water.jpg Image 2: Waterway at Dockside. Retrieved from http://www.cleanconscience. ca/uploads/images/Construction/DocksideGreen.jpg from wasteful to wasteless Title Image: Landfill in Calgary, Canada. Flickr Creative Commons. Flemingdon park waste issues

A street that meets all your needs Title Image: Main Street. Flickr Creative Commons.

Image 1, 2: Garbage piles at Flemingdon Park. Author's Collection.

streets at flemingdon park Image 1, 2: Main street at Flemingdon Park. Author's Collection.

design method: prototyping Image 1, 2: Garbage container prototype. Author's Collection.

College St., Toronto, Brown + Storey Architects Image 1, 2: College St. before and after. Retrieved from http://www. brownandstorey.com/projects/collegestreet/T-projectframes.htm

Encorp Pacific Waste Icons. Retrieved from http://www.encorp.ca/cfm/index.cfm?

a place to shine Title Image: Olympic Park, Atlanta. Flickr Creative Commons.

cooling down the city Title Image: Wind Turbines in Dundee Citycentre, Scotland. Flickr Creative Commons.

Spaces at Flemingdon Park Spaces at Flemingdon Park. Author's Collection.

Flemingdon Park Energy Use Percentage of residential energy use in Canada. Retrieved from http://www. toronto.ca/watereff/home.htm

Jackson Square, New Orleans, Louisiana Image 1: Jackson Square, New Orleans. Retrieved from http://www.inetours. com/New_Orleans/images/FQ/history/Pontalba_Apts Image 2: Jackson Square, New Orleans. Retrieved from http://www. worldisround.com/articles/345757/photo21

Highway Wind Turbines Highway Wind Turbines. Retrieved from http-//www.archinect.com/schoolblog/ entry.php?id=55756_0_39_0_c

Dundas Square, Toronto, Ontario, Brown + Storey Architects Dundas Square, Toronto. Flickr Creative Commons.

Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris - Jean Nouvel Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris. Retrieved from http-//static.zooomr.com/ images/2418698_92bd54d44f_o

work in the comfort of your own home Title Image: Live/Work unit. Retrieved from http://providencedailydose.com/ wp-content/uploads/2009/07/dsc00006.jpg

what's old is new again Title Image: New addition to the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. Flickr Creative Commons.

living and working at flemingdon park Live/work units. Retrieved from http://www.apartmenttherapy.com_uimages_ ny_double-studio-1

Buildings at Flemingdon park Buildings in Flemingdon Park that are planned to be retained and transformed.

Design method: user scenarios Image 1: In-home music studio. Flickr Creative Commons. Image 2:In-home music studio. Flickr Creative Commons. Image 3: Midnight. Robyn Polan.

Wychwood Barns, Toronto, Ontario Artscape Wychwood Barns, Toronto. Retrieved from http-//www. torontoartscape.on.ca/node/476

The Tilsner Artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Cooperative, St. Paul, Minnesota Gallery at Tilsner Artists' Cooperative. Retrieved from http://tilsner.net/ news/29.shtml Artscape Image 1: Render of Triangle Lofts, Toronto. Retrieved from http://www. torontoartscape.on.ca/places-spaces/artscape-triangle-lofts

Author's Collection.

All other images and renders are from the Author's Collection. City Systems Workbook All images and photographs are from the Author's Collection.

About the authors

Belal Al Sibai Belal was born in Jeddah, a city situated on the West coast of Saudi Arabia. His interest in the design of objects and systems led him to pursue a bachelors degree in Design Management in Sharjah. His favourite city is Istanbul in Turkey, a city that has merged diverse cultures and religions throughout history. As a bridge between Asia and Europe, its architecture portrays both Asian and European styles. Manish Chauhan Manish is a graphic designer born in York, England. He holds a Bachelor of Honours in Graphic Design and has a background in visual arts. Manish also has a strong interest in industrial design and the problemsolving it entails. One of his favorite cities is his birthplace of York, with its nearly 2,000 years of Roman and Viking history. On a summer's day you can walk down the river with its natural beauty, to be welcomed into the city by a castle and the wall that once protected it. Nick Crampton Nick is a multimedia designer born and raised in Vancouver, B.C. He holds a Bachelor of Information Technology from Carleton University and has a keen interest in digital media, visual arts, and food. Dublin and Vancouver are his two favourite cities. Dublin, since it has a rich history and culture and is home to ninety percent of his family, and Vancouver, since it is surrounded by nature and beauty... Nick apparently enjoys the rain. Lori Endes Lori has a long history as a costume and set designer for dance, theatre, and film. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, has delved into residential and environmental design and is thrilled to be honing her skills in strategic design. Her favorite city is Venice for its lack of cars, wonderful architecture, and canal system that allows one to get easily lost.

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Anna Milan Anna was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. She has a background in integrating technology into urban environments. Anna holds a Bachelor of Science and a Postgraduate degree in Geographic Information Systems. Her interest is in understanding how technology plays a role in developing and changing urban centres. Toronto and New York are her two favourite cities. Both encourage you to explore, learn about different cultures, eat many different foods, and walk all day long without getting bored. Chriz Miller Chriz was born in Red Deer, Alberta. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Communications from Mount Royal College and has a background in video journalism. His favourite city is Toronto because it never fails to surprise him with little pleasures. Robyn Polan Robyn was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Recreational Therapy from Dalhousie University and a Masters of Sustainable Development from Sydney, Australia. Robyn's favourite city is Halifax, Nova Scotia because of its small town feel, great restaurants, beautiful waterfronts, and congenial residents. Angélica Ramos Saavedra Angélica was born in Mexico City. She graduated from the University Iberoamericana, majoring in Graphic Design with a specialization in Visual Arts. Angélica’s favorite city is Mexico City because of its mixture of chaos and harmony; it is a place where everything can happen. On a clear day you can see the volcanoes in the distance and the city flooding the valley and climbing up to the surrounding hills. Though Angélica has lived in Mexico City for most of her life, she likes to imagine that she is a tourist and is observing everything for the first time; it is so overwhelming!

acknowledgments

A special thank you to all of our professors, faculty, staff, guest lecturers and advisors. Listed below are people who dedicated their time to inspire and motivate us to complete this project and book. Institute Director Luigi Ferrara Project Faculty Kelsey Blackwell Monica Contreras Michele Gucciardi Mark Guslits Michelle Hotchin Mazyar Mortazavi Faculty & Staff Steffanie Adams Justin Aitcheson Evelyne Au-Navioz Donald Brackett Roberto Chiotti Andrew Chiu Silvio Ciarlandini Jennifer Court Todd Falkowsky Judith Gregory Matt Hexemer Elise Hodson Jenny Lemieux Sisley Leung Susan Lewin Priscilla Li Fernando Lopez John Martins-Manteiga Ayla Newhouse Julia Padvoiskis Dimitri Papatheodorou Perin Ruttonsha Leo Salemi Tom Short Susan Speigel Irina Suteu Jane Weber Richard Witt

Guest Lecturers & Advisors Keir Brownstone Heidi Campbell Karyen Cheung Roland Rom Colthoff Kierstin De West Susan Gorbet Rena Greer David Guba Debera Johnson Joe Lobko Jonathan Loudon Robert Ouellette Margherita Pillan Michael Prokopow Liz Root Janet Rosenburg Mark Salerno John Sewell Lola Sheppard Kim Storey Sara Weinstein Kohn Jeff Witte Ash Yoon Charrette Participants from George Brown Architectural Technology Department George Brown StudioLab Program George Brown SIFE McMaster Design Innovation Program OCAD Environmental & Industrial Design OCAD Strategic Foresight

Charrette Advisors Robert Boyd Jamil Bundalli Mark Chilton Michael del Puerto Taryn Doobay Arlene Etchen Chris Hardwicke Emily Hogg Andrew Hordylan Miljana Horvat Rosanne Howes Elise Hug Elise Hunchuck Beth Kapusta Daniel Karpinski Ayda Khazaeinezhad Olena Kobet-Singkh Ian Marcial Eleanor McAteer Ian Mountfort Shahrzad Nezafati Denise Pinto Lisa Rapoport Michael Simpson Court Sin Jameson Skaife Connie Wansborough

Project Partner: Toronto Community Housing George Barei Vito Carnovale Dwayne Canning Bari Castor Michael Da Costa Jacqueline Daley Antoinette Davis Michelle Davis Patricia Wilson-Dasilva Ian Fichtenbaum Steve Floros Jon Fox Barbara Frey Barry Gula Kathy Hoover Amanda Jeans Philip Jeung Farah Khayre Albert Koke Judith Matos Denise McCalla Aaron McCrimmon-Jones Jose Mendoza Zeinab Mendoza M. Mwarigha Lancefield Morgan Dana Ross Cynthia Ross Sandra Ryan Beverly Scarlett Tony Severino Heather Tillock Peter Zimmerman Annely Zonena Lizette Zuniga Residents of Flemingdon Park Residents of Falstaff

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The solutions to one city's problems are local. The solutions to many cities' problems are universally local. This book is meant to inspire and provoke innovative urban change. It is a resource and a tool for transforming challenges into opportunities in cities around the world.

ÂŠ INSTITUTE WITHOUT BOUNDARIES ISBN# 978-0-9866273-0-9