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Summary
I’m a recent graduate with four years’ planning experience. I thrive in small team based environments, have the ability to meet ongoing deadlines, and love bringing value to the work I do. I am able to think critically and write consisely, which I have put into practice through writing Official Plan Ammendments, rezoning applications, evaluation proposals, and strategic plans. I have a drive for social equity, I think outside the box, and I believe anything is possible if we collectively put our minds to it and coffee is provided.
Education
Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning (hons),
Ryerson University, 2012-2016 • Research focus: Policy Planning and Urban Design • Relevant Courses: Feasibility Analysis, Planning Law, Statistics, Research Design, Municipal Finance, Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation, Planning Administration and Implimentation, Land Use Planning Studio, Urban Local Government, Field Research Project, Urban Design Studio
Nikolas Andreas Koschany Toronto, ON (416) 606-2488 n.koschany@outlook.com @nkoschany
Work Experience
Planning and Development Intern
Ward 22, St. Paul’s, City of Toronto, September 2016 – Present • Negotiate with developers and city planning staff on development applications. Balance the public interest with the interest of constituents. • Respond to constituent concerns and inquiries via telephone and email. Assist with general administrative tasks.
Urban Writer
OpenCityProjects, October 2016 – Present • Write long-form blog posts and photo-blog posts on urban issues. • Responsible for publishing weekly, coordinating with editors, and attending monthly editorial meetings.
Event and Survey Coordinator 2
StudentMoveTO, August – October 2015 • Worked in a team of four to promote StudentMoveTO, a student transportation survey.
• Used a mix of social media, video-editing, and graphic-design to engage multiple stakeholders and encourage survey participation. • Received over 15000 survey responses, the largest ever dataset for students in Toronto.
Research Assistant
Ryerson University, January – March, 2015 • Digitally cataloged reference numbers of former brownfield sites within Toronto, and located records from these sites at the Toronto Archives. • Correlated data sets from between 2004 and 2011 to look for potential patterns in land values. • Research used for publication in Journal of the American Planning Association.
Community Involvement Educator
Young Ones, June 2015 – Present • Present on the stigma of mental health and common misconceptions to dozens of high school and university classes across the GTA. Facilitate Q&A with audience members.
Skills Photoshop Illustrator AutoCAD MS Office Social Media Critical Writing InDesign ArcGIS
Public Space Surveyor
City of Toronto, July – August 2016 • Performed pedestrian and cyclist counts, broken down by age and gender as well as stationary activities mapping, in Moss Park and St. James Park. Performed intercept surveys at Harbour Square. • Research to inform the Parks and Public Realm section of future TOCore Plan.
Co-President
Ryerson Association of Planning Students, May 2015 – April 2016 • Managed a team of sixteen to put on events throughout the school year for planning students. • Facilitated weekly meetings, and managed deadlines and budgeting. • Organized a two-day conference which was attended by over 100 planning students from across Canada.
External Communicator
Stephen Lewis Foundation, June – August 2014 • Assisted management by creating a list of corporate donors and a map of venues for hosting events.
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Academic wards • • • • • • • • • •
Dean’s List, 2013-2016 Ryerson Gold Medal, 2016 Ted Tyndorf Award, 2016 A.S.M. Pound Planning Scholarship, 2015 Superior Performance in Advanced Planning Theory, 2015 Michael Weich Award, 2014 David DeLuca Award, 2014 Superior Performance in Regional Planning, 2014 Superior Performance in Planning Policy, 2014 J.M. Noonan Award, 2013
References
Eldon Theodore Partner MacNaughton Hemsen Britton Clarkson (MHBC) Planning Limited, 7050 Weston Road etheodore@mhbcplan.com 905-761-5588 x213 Giulio Cescato Senior Planner City of Toronto Planning Division, 100 Queen Street West giulio.cescato@gmail.com 416-937-7092 Dr. Mitchel Kosny Associate Director and Professor Ryerson University School of Urban and Regional Planning, 105 Bond Street mkosny@ryerson.ca 416-979-5000 x7314
Interests
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Portfolio Contents /planning & design /scarborough rail garden
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/mimico-judson secondary plan
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/riding without wheels
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/the mainstreet initiative
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/senior research paper
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/finch west - linking social equity and transit improvement
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/chengdu: garden cities of tomorrow
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/writing the city - speculative procedures
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//photographs //cities
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//nature
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//life
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/planning & design
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SCARBOROUGH
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Garden
/scarborough rail garden
NXTCity, 2016
MIDLAND AVE.
The Scarborough Rail Garden is a speculative design submitted as part of the 2016 NXTCity competition, which is held every year by the City of Toronto. The Scarborough RT is slated to close in 2023 upon completion of the Scarborough Subway. We can either spend $70 million to demolish the RT, or we can plan for its future. In this context, my design aimed to convert the existing concrete structure into a vertical agricultural park, the Scarborough Rail Garden.
WEST HIGHLAND CREEK
In the design, former transit stations are preserved and utilized as park stations and greenhouses. The project would act as a unifier of public space, connecting the Scarborough Town Centre, the surrounding parks and greenspace, and the new Scarborough Subway Station.
BRIMLEY RD.
In adition, the project would ensure accessibility through elevators at station entrances, and encourage an organic food movement with a new farmers’ market at the Scarborough Civic Centre. CIVIC CENTRE SCARBOROUGH TOWN CENTRE
NEW SUBWAY STATION
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McCOWAN RD.
Key Buildings
0
125
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Park Stations and Greenhouses
250 metres
Mimico-Judson Area Precincts
A B C 0
Legend Precinct A
0.05
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4 Kilometers
Study Area
Precinct C
ยน
Precinct B
Mimico-Judson New Designated Land Use
0
Legend
10
Commercial
Parks, and Community Recreation
Mixed Light Industrial
Residential
Mixed Commercial/Residential
0.05
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4 Kilometers
Study Area
ยน
/mimico-judson secondary plan
City of Toronto, 2014
In 2014, our Studio team was responsible for the creation of a preliminary secondary plan for Mimico-Judson area in the City of Toronto. Among our recommendations were to split the area into three precincts, each with its own set of policy recommendations.
Precinct A: Commercial & Light Industrial Mixed Use Building Light Industrial at Rear
Loading Facilities facing Laneway
CA LO
AY EW
LR
LAN
D OA
Commercial at Front
Commercial - low density (Office - Retail) Idustrial - light industry
The most unique of these policies was in precinct A, where we proposed a new land use we called “mixed light industrial.” The intent was to preserve the area’s industrial character while recognizing the need for intensification as part of the province’s mobility hub strategy and growth plan. Essentially, this recommendation would allow for auxiliary commercial uses on top of active light industrial buildings, and encourage the sale of manufactured goods and products from the properties in question (eg. a pasta factory in the area would be able to open a restaurant at its base level). Our policies and background research went on to inform Toronto planning staffs’ final policies for keeping the industrial character of the area. Click here to read the full Secondary Plan.
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//riding without wheels
Projexity, 2014
“Riding without Wheels” was submitted for an Urban Design Competition for Victoria Street Laneway on Ryerson University campus in downtown Toronto. Simply, the concept was to use florescent bicycle wheels to light up the laneway. This would serve two integral purposes. First, it would light up the laneway, thereby providing “eyes on the street” and making it safer for the Ryerson Community. Second, it would help indicate the presence of the bicycle locker located within the lane. The lights would be hung high enough to not interfere with servicing and delivery trucks. Other, proposed interventions included benches which doubled as planters, hence providing greenery to the area; a wi-fi transmitter, so people would be encouraged to congregate in the area instead of simply using it as a passthrough; the replacement of the chain link fence that guards the waste management area, with a more visually pleasing wooden on; and the replacement of a portion of asphalt with of brick, to create a pedestrian area and more rainwater permeability. Our submission was one of the finalists.
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2.5.4 Beautification Objects : 40.8 nt % me Ele 6 : 19. nt % me Ele
Frequency 2.38 Per Block
MAINSTREET INITIATIVE
M H B C PLANNING URBAN DESIGN & LANDSCAPE ARCHITEC TURE
3.21 Per Block
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77
Mount Pleasant
Junction
Total
2.5.1 Permanent Patios 0
100 m
9.2
: nt % me Ele
DAVISVILLE AVE
BELSIZE DR
SOUDAN AVE
MANOR RD E
: nt % me Ele
:0 nt % me Ele
Frequency 0.54 Per Block
MOUNT PLEASANT RD
1.3
: nt % me Ele
2.3
Frequency 0.08 Per Block
0.36 Per Block
0 Per Block
MILLWOOD RD
PENROSE RD
HILLSDALE AVE E
EGLINTON AVE E
MOUNT PLEASANT RD
7
9
Mount Pleasant
Junction
1
Total
0
Mount Pleasant
Junction
Total
SHIPM
VINE AVE
AN ST
100 m
MC MU
MARIA ST
MARIA ST
HEIN
JACKSON PL
HOOK
AVE
DUNDAS ST W
DUNDAS ST W DUNDAS ST W
LD T ES W
DU
ND
E
W
RD
INDIAN ROAD
ST
ST
AVE
AVE
AND
MEDL
INDIAN GRV
ST
N O
E ST
TY MAVE
KEEL
AS
CRES
E
N AV
E EC AV
ST
DENA
QUEB
CLEN
FIC PACI
RD S LAW
HNS
ST JO
PARK
AVE
HIGH
OUR
E RD
GILM
YMED
N AV FISKE
RUNN
O
WATK INSO
DUNDAS ST W
N AV
E
PL
N ST
TZMA
HNS
AVE
ST JO
RRAY
PACIFIC AVE
0
DU
ND
TTE
AS
ST
ANNE
AN INDI RD
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BRAD
ST
ST
W
/the mainstreet initiative
MHBC, 2015-2016
Can we find what makes a mainstreet tick? What forms the basis of a healthy, walkable, active and vibrant corridor? Our studio team conducted extensive research to answer this question, and find commonalities between elements of existing Ontario Mainstreets. Together, we carried out extensive research on three successful mainstreets: Dundas Street West (The Junction, Toronto), Mount Pleasant Road (Mount Pleasant Village, Toronto) and Richmond Road West (Westboro, Ottawa). This involved quantifying everything from street lamps to the percentage of glass frontage on buildings. These datasets were then represented through infographics, and contrasted to existing urban literature, to see if they correlated with mainstreet success. Further to this, our group performed intercept surveys on each street, and assembled graphs and word-clouds displaying the information collected (such as, “If you could describe this neighbourhood in three words, what would those words be?”). Our findings will be included in a catalogue of successful Ontario Mainstreets, to be published by MHBC later this year. Click here to visit the mainstreets initiative website. 21.6%
Mount Pleasant
20%
19.6% 18%
Junction
16%
15.7%
10%
10%
9.8% 8%
9.8% 10%
8%
7.8%
5.9%
5.9% 3.9%
0%
I Don’t Live Here
6 Months or Less
7 Months-1 Year
1 Year - 3 Years
3 Years - 5 Years
5 Years - 10 Years
10 Years - 20 Years
20 Years - 30 Years
30 years Plus
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/senior research paper
Ryerson University, 2016
Submitted in partial requirement of my degree, my paper was titled Placemaking for the Fourth World in a Network Society - Case Studies from Colombia. In it, I explore the impact that the introduction of transit networks or ‘flow’ has on squatter settlements in Bogotá and Medellin. Specifically I asked the following questions: 1. Does placemaking lessen hostility within fourth world societies? Does the rapid introduction of ‘flow’ in fourth world societies, (defined here as any technology that facilitates urban linkages) make communities more open or hostile to outsiders as a result of rapid network integration? 2. Does the introduction of different ‘flows’ affect placemaking differently in fourth world societies? If so, how? 3. Is there a juxtaposition between a community-based place and a network-based place, or can one location be both types of place simultaneously? To answer these questions, I employed mixed-method quantitative and qualitative research, inclusive of head counts, site visits, photographic analysis, and primary interviews. My research went on to be published at Ryerson University, and my findings were published in the July/August 2016 edition of the OPPI Journal. Click here to read my paper in its entirety. Click here to read my article in the OPPI Magazine (page 4).
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Finch West: Linking Social Equity and Transit Improvement
Page 1
Linking Social Equity and Transit Improvement
Proposals and counter-proposals
Uses of caucuses and time-outs
Data gathering negotiation
Selection of a negotiating team
Meetings with public agency planners
Initiation of a CBA negotiation
Formulation of a community coalition
Total Score
Human Scale and Friendliness of Urban Design
Slope
Parks and Pedestrian Spaces
Station Proximity to Density
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CBA Process
Station Proximity to Identified Nodes
Sample of Walkability Audit Scores
Signing and enforcement
Sentinel Station
3/5
Tobermory Station
3/5
Driftwood Station
3/5
Jane Station
3.5/5
Norfinch Station
3.5/5
Arrow/Signet Station
2/5
Weston Road Station
1.5/5
Milivan Station
2/5
Duncanwoods Station
2/5
Pearldale Station
3.5/5
Islington Station
1.5/5 3.5/5
/finch west - linking social equity with transit improvement
City of Toronto and Metrolinx, 2015
LRT Catchment Areas - Islington Station 500m As the Crow Flies
0 0.0750.15
Legend LRT Station
5 Minutes As the Pedestrian Walks
In 2020 the Finch West LRT is planned to open in Toronto. It will pass through seven Neighbourhood Improvement Areas within the City that are flagged as high in need for social improvement. As such, there exists potential for the LRT to be leveraged to improve social conditions within the area.
Our team was tasked with finding the best ways to leverage this transit investment to provide for socially equitable development in the Finch West Corridor. Throughout the report, we defined social equity broadly, so it would account for factors such as immigration, educational attainment, Kilometers Kilometers 0 0.075 0.15 0.3 0.45 0.6 0.3 0.45 0.6 proper housing accommodation, Path (Existing) Path (Proposed) and transportation options. A number Buildings Area Node Catchment Area Property Boundaries Path (Improvements) of policy approaches and case studies were researched including most notably, Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs). Our findings were presented to the City of Toronto and Metrolinx, and used to provide a framework for the ongoing Finch West Avenue Study.
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As well within this project, I spearheaded a walkability audit, which is now being replicated by the City. Click here to read the report in its entirety.
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//garden cities of to-morrow
+CityLab, 2015
Human society and the beauty of nature are meant to be enjoyed together. The two magnets must be made one. - Ebenezer Howard
An interpretive map of Chengdu, China, displaying some of the unseen forces that govern the city’s development. The map was hung in the Urban Space Gallery at 401 Richmond for four months as part of an exhibition on “mapped grounds.”
Located in a valley between two mountain ranges, Chengdu is a city with agrarian roots and a strong tea culture. Starting in the 1980s with China’s “Go West” policy, Chengdu became a centre of economic and industrial growth. To house a growing population, large brutalist towers were built on the outskirts of the city, hence segregating the surrounding natural landscape from the urban core. In this map, Chengdu and its proposed garden cities, to be built by 2021, are overlaid with an earlier 19th century proposal of London’s garden cities by Sir Ebenezer Howard. The similarities between the new and the old are illustrated in the concentric nature of both plans. Chengdu’s proposed garden cities can succeed where London arguably failed, and mitigate what may be called Howard’s fear of the industrial city, replicated in 21st century style. In addition to the map, we created a presentation showcasing Chengdu’s urban development history, as well as current urban projects the city is undertaking. Click here to view my presentation slides.
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life of th e th
around them
the ca p
o rpo
ity
ac
in isolation
c
nd
is the ideal - silence, a welcome relief -
-
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feiler emoclew a ,ecnelis
acc
in to
Density
ea
rat
-JosĂŠ Luis Sert
.
These Cores will act as catalysing elements, so that
l develop wil
ommunity c e
o mmodate
//writing the city - speculative procedures
Ryerson University, 2014
Using only typography for visuals, I did a presentation on speculative procedures in Urban Design. Using the works of various architects and designers, the presentation critically compared and contrasted speculative design procedures to other methods of urban design. The presentation ultimately observed that the components of a city’s ‘identity’ have changed overtime, and in turn become separate from the identity of its inhabitants. This in turn shifted the focus of designers from connecting people towards first creating a monumental city through modernist architecture, and now towards creating a “generic city” through post-modernism. This ultimately creates a dystopian view of future architecture, which in turn needs to be reconnected to cultural, ecological, and scarcity factors.
Click here to view my presentation slides. 23
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/pictures
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///cities I take photographs wherever I go, especially when I’m traveling. Whether to different countries, regions, cities, or simply neighbourhoods, it’s a privilege to experience new places and cultures. Because I’m a planner, and because cities are the gathering points of culture, food and people, I love exploring them. This in turn has led to quite a photo collection. One way I’m fond of photographing cities is through puddles on the ground. My friend Joe Balderston introduced me to this style, and I’ve been in love it ever since. I like the way that the water on the ground serendipitously reflects the city, creating a window in to life on a barren paved surface. Puddle photos also serve as a reminder that, we cannot see the real city. Like the contents of the puddle, what we see is merely a reflection through our own gaze.
Click here to see my instagram profile.
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///nature I find solace in parks. There’s one near my apartment. Anytime I feel stressed about something, I’ve learned to go there and sit down with a cup of tea. Beyond providing the oxygen we breathe and providing space for recreation, many parks act as a form of green therapy within the city, for those who cannot afford to venture outside of it. For those who can venture outside of it, well...it’s a beautiful world. I strongly believe we need to stop thinking of nature as somehow being the opposite of urbanity. What lessons can we take from rural landscapes and apply to many of our inner city ravines and watersheds? And conversely, what lessons can we take from cities, to create more sociable and interactive walks through rural landscapes?
Click here to see my instagram profile.
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///life No matter where you are in the world, ultimately the people and things are what bring moments to life. These are the photos that reflect those moments and make me happy.
Click here to see my instagram profile.
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ikolas Koschany
for the common good of the community
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“bonum commune communitatis�