Friday, May 1, 2015 12:30 pm
-
12:30 pm
EDT (GMT -04:00)
Of
the
thesis
entitled: Cultural
Connectivity
: Design as
a
method
to
facilitate
cultural
exchange within the
Gerrard
Bazaar
Abstract:
As
immigrants
choose
to
reside
within
the suburbs
and
the
city
undergoes
rapid
geographical
change,
Toronto’s
ethnic enclaves
are
facing
significant
transformation
in
terms
of
their
neighbourhood demographics,
economic
conditions
and
function.
The
Gerrard
Bazaar
is
a
prime example
of
an
ethnic
retail
strip
that
is
struggling
with
a
changing
identity and
day-to-day
role,
as
the
South
Asian
population
gradually
reduces
within
the area,
while
young,
non-South
Asian
families
continue
to
move
in.
Once
a thriving
Indo-Pakistani
retail
destination,
the ethnic
enclave
has
witnessed significant
economic
decline
leading
to
fluctuating
levels
of
urban
vacancy. Among
the
many
South
Asian
shops,
there
lies
an
increasing
presence
of mainstream
coffee
shops
and
specialty
stores
that
have
replaced
declining
South Asian
retail enterprises
over
time.
Various
social
and
business
organizations are
also
situated
along
the
strip,
yet
a
significant
number
of
their
efforts
to regenerate
the
enclave,
operate
in
an
isolated
manner.
There
also
remains
a cultural
divide
within
the
area
as
well
as
a
general
lack
of solidarity
among the
merchants
and
organizations
within
the
bazaar.
This thesis suggests that the key to reviving the Bazaar as well as other declining ethnic enclaves, lies in promoting new networks of “cultural exchange” in which architecture and urban design can be a facilitator of new interactions and symbiotic relationships among different organizations and individuals. It comprises of a demographic, historic, architectural and spatial analysis as well as in-depth human research that studies how visitors and inhabitants of the Gerrard Bazaar perceive the ethnic enclave, and what culture means to them. These discovered studies and personal insights influence the design process and are meant to serve as a new technique by which one can study the notion of culture and how it informs architecture and urban interventions. Thus, the focus of thesis is on the method by which architecture and design is produced, in response to the lack of cultural exchange.
This thesis suggests that the key to reviving the Bazaar as well as other declining ethnic enclaves, lies in promoting new networks of “cultural exchange” in which architecture and urban design can be a facilitator of new interactions and symbiotic relationships among different organizations and individuals. It comprises of a demographic, historic, architectural and spatial analysis as well as in-depth human research that studies how visitors and inhabitants of the Gerrard Bazaar perceive the ethnic enclave, and what culture means to them. These discovered studies and personal insights influence the design process and are meant to serve as a new technique by which one can study the notion of culture and how it informs architecture and urban interventions. Thus, the focus of thesis is on the method by which architecture and design is produced, in response to the lack of cultural exchange.
The
way
in
which
this
method
translates research
into
design,
is
by
the
formulation
of
a
manual
of
“design
strategies” that
serves
as
a
template
for
the
design
intervention.
This
manual
is
applied to
three
different
sites
within
the
Gerrard
Bazaar,
for
three
types
of
unique design proposals
-
A
re-activated
plaza,
an
adaptively
re-used
square
and
a re-imagined
senior’s
residential
complex.
These
proposals
are
not
meant
to “freeze”
the
changes
that
are
taking
place
within
the
Gerrard
Bazaar,
but rather,
respond
to
the
gentrification
in
a
positive
manner
and acknowledge
the demographic
trend
that
is
transpiring
within
the
neighbourhood.
It
is
envisioned that
these
new
interventions
would
act
as
catalysts
in
fostering
a
new
sense
of community
and
revitalizing
the
day-to-day
life
of
the
neighbourhood.
In addition,
they
would
serve
to
optimize
the
existing
functions
and
events
of
the ethnic
enclave
and
act
as
anchor points
along
the
strip.
Moreover,
the
presence of
these
interventions
and
the
changes
that
they
bring,
are
meant
to
help
the bazaar
pave
the
path
to
a
new
identity
where
its
cultural
heritage
is
shared and
promoted,
yet
its
demographic
and
cultural
transition
are
acknowledged
and integrated.
The examining committee is as follows:
Supervisor:
Committee Members:
Mona El Khafif, University of Waterloo
Adrian Blackwell,University
of
Waterloo
Val
Rynnimeri,
University
of Waterloo
External Reader:
Zhixi Cecilia Zhuang, Ryerson University
The
committee
has
been
approved
as
authorized
by
the
Graduate
Studies
Committee.
The
Defence
Examination
will
take
place:
Friday
May
1,
2015
12:30PM
Architecture
Room 2003
(Photo
Studio)
A
copy
of
the
thesis
is
available
for
perusal
in
ARC
2106A.