Thursday, November 26, 2015 1:30 pm
-
1:30 pm
EST (GMT -05:00)
Of the thesis entitled: Urban Design and Development of a Public Space at the City of Kitchener’s Intermodal Transit Hub
Abstract:
This
thesis
uses
a case
study
approach
at
the
proposed
Transit
Hub
for
the
City
of
Kitchener
to focus
on
opportunities
for
a
high
quality
public
space/square
to
better integrate
a
new
LRT
line
and
a
new
GO/VIA
rail
station
into the
surrounding city.
The
conceptual
framework
of
this
thesis
is
to
create
a
public
space
at Kitchener
transit
hub
in
order
to
transform
the
space
into
a
new
interface where
people
can
experience
a
fulfilling
urban
life.
This
design proposal
seeks to
create
an
intimate
relationship
between
public
life,
infrastructure
and people.
In
addition,
this
proposal
envisions
a
series
of
diagrams
of
the
Edward T.
Hall’s
Proxemics
strategy,
a
non-contact
communication, to
experiment
with the
adequacy
of
all
the
defined
spaces.
Within the city of Kitchener, much has already been done to establish the presence of urban design at the human scale, to integrate contemporary ideas into the design of buildings, and to enhance historic natural retreats like Victoria Park. However, little has been done to integrate the expanded opportunities for new design of work and living opportunities in the city center with the proposal of a new intermodal transit hub in the heart of that growing downtown core.
The combination of both of those aspects will look at how to create a healthy, people-oriented public environment that will also transfer people from one mode of transit to another. With the surrounding new mixed-use developments and the heritage architecture of Kitchener’s industrial past, the case study demonstrates the typical situation facing most urban centres undertaking transit expansion in Ontario.
Within the city of Kitchener, much has already been done to establish the presence of urban design at the human scale, to integrate contemporary ideas into the design of buildings, and to enhance historic natural retreats like Victoria Park. However, little has been done to integrate the expanded opportunities for new design of work and living opportunities in the city center with the proposal of a new intermodal transit hub in the heart of that growing downtown core.
The combination of both of those aspects will look at how to create a healthy, people-oriented public environment that will also transfer people from one mode of transit to another. With the surrounding new mixed-use developments and the heritage architecture of Kitchener’s industrial past, the case study demonstrates the typical situation facing most urban centres undertaking transit expansion in Ontario.
The
examining
committee
is
as
follows:
Supervisor:
Val Rynnimeri, University of Waterloo
Committee Members:
Terri
Boake,
University
of Waterloo
Reema Masri, Masri O Inc. Architects
External Reader:
Patrick Simmons, Robertson Simmons Architects Inc.
The
committee
has
been
approved
as
authorized
by
the
Graduate
Studies
Committee.
The
Defence
Examination
will
take
place:
Thursday
November
26,
2015
1:30PM
ARC
2003
A
copy
of
the
thesis
is
available
for
perusal
in
ARC
2106A.