On Common Grounds
Abstract:
Canada's housing market has been unaffordable, inaccessible, and commodified for a long time. Due to the ever-increasing real-estate prices and critical housing shortages, there has been an elevated need for more alternative amenity-rich housing which evolves with the competitive nature of the housing market. This thesis explores communal living and proposes an alternative rental typology within the expanding urban centers of Canada geared towards young professionals working to afford their own homes. The design proposal will learn from the historical and modern communal living typologies that show significant community involvement, social benefits, and economic advantages. The design proposal aims to adapt to the growing urban downtown environment as an alternative urban residential option that will be socially and environmentally healthy, affordable, and foster positive, supportive relationships between the residents. By learning from existing communal living models, this design strategy utilizes the concept of cluster communities, a modified version of communal living that includes tiered common spaces servicing designated floors of residents, forming various micro-communities within the apartment tower block. The alternative residential typology can contribute to the residents' success and the community's betterment. It seeks to resolve the tension between the needs and desires of the individuals and the larger community's interests by dissolving the barrier between them. This thesis does not present a solution to the housing crisis; instead, it proposes an alternative option and attitude to approach modern living that has its roots in how people have lived together in history.
The examining committee is as follows:
Supervisor:
John
McMinn
Committee
member: Marie-Paule
Macdonald
Internal-external
reader:
Rick
Andrighetti
External:
Julia
Dicastri
The
defence
examination
will
take
place:
Monday,
July 25,
2022,
10:00
a.m.
Please
contact the
grad
office for
the
Teams
link.
The
committee
has
been
approved
as
authorized
by
the
Graduate
Studies
Committee.
A
copy
of
the
thesis
is
available
for
perusal
in
ARC
2106A.