Of
the
thesis
entitled: A
Home
for
Urban
Families:
An
Alternative
Approach
to
Housing
in Downtown
Toronto
Abstract:
As
prices
of
single
family
homes
rapidly increase
in
Toronto,
many
families
are
faced
with
a
challenging
dilemma:
move beyond
the
city’s
peripheries
to
where
house
prices
are
lower,
or
remain
within the
city
and
attempt
to find
suitable
housing
in
multi-unit
buildings. Recently,
more
families
have
been
choosing
the
latter,
yet
discovering
that
the city
offers
very
few
affordable
housing
options
suitable
for
families
with children.
This
thesis
is
an exploration
into
why
this
is
the
case
and
a proposition
for
a
possible
solution.
The
exploration
is
broken
down
into
two components:
the
political
and
economic
framework
of
housing
affordability
and an
urban
and
architectural
analysis
of
design
compatibility
of
housing
for families
with
children.
The findings
suggest
that
a
more
comprehensive
economic model
is
required,
with
consideration
given
to
community
land
trusts
and co-operative
housing.
Furthermore,
a
design
approach
which
considers
the amenities
and diversity
required
by
family
life
is
seen
to
create
a
more inclusive
built
environment.
The
research
culminates
in
a
design
synthesis
-
a
proposal
of
a co-operative
building
on
an
existing
parking
lot
in
Bloor
West
Village.
The proposed
design
of
the
Home
for
Urban
Families
is
exemplary
in
nature,
in
that it displays
a
possible
solution
within
the
established
framework
of
the
thesis.
The examining committee is as follows:
Supervisor:
Committee Members:
Val Rynnimeri, University of Waterloo
Andrew Levitt, University of Waterloo
John McMinn, University of Waterloo
External Reader:
Michael Hannay, W Architect Inc.
The
committee
has
been
approved
as
authorized
by
the
Graduate
Studies
Committee.
The
Defence
Examination
will
take
place:
Tuesday
January
17,
2017
3:00
PM
ARC
2008
A
copy
of
the
thesis
is
available
for
perusal
in
ARC
2106A.