Observations from Warsaw
Observations from Warsaw Not a typical European city Warsaw is not a typical European city. The city was almost fully demolished in 1944 by the Germans to destroy the Polish national identity. The Poles put enormous effort into rebuilding their capital, but because of limited resources and a different vision of urban design, only the […]
My Letter to Jon Love
Dear Jon, We mostly know each other from LinkedIn, and you were a guest on my webinar series, which I am still grateful for; I appreciate the leadership you clearly demonstrated during the webinar. And that’s why, seeing a leader of your magnitude questioning the necessity of a significant bike network in our […]
ULI Spring Meeting
Hey, are you attending the ULI Spring Meeting? I look forward to showing you the city I love and fortunate to call ‘home’. You can catch me at either of these: WLI Presents: An Evening of Curated Conversations at ULI / Urban Design on Tuesday, May 16, 7 p.m. Accelerating to Net Zero at District […]
Attending your project’s Urban Design Review is worthwhile, and here’s what to do to get the most out of it
Attending your project’s Urban Design Review is worthwhile, and here’s what to do to get the most out of it Having sat through many Design Review Panels as both a presenter and panel member, I am convinced that it is one of the better parts of the planning process. It not only guides how the […]
Is it Time to Abolish Employment Lands?
Is it Time to Abolish Employment Lands? During the COVID-19 pandemic, people’s relationships with their cities and neighbourhoods shifted. Those fortunate enough to have jobs that could support remote work left their offices and began working from home. For many, this resulted in more time spent in their local area than ever before. During the […]
Is there such a thing as a Bike-Lane NIMBY?
Is there such a thing as a Bike-Lane NIMBY? Written by Robert McQuillan After Smart Density’s recent “Out on the Town” bike tour, I’ve been reflecting on the state of cycling in Toronto. Is there such a thing as a bike lane NIMBY? You’ve heard Naama talk about how NIMBYism stands in the way of […]
Out on the Town with the Smart Density Team
Out on the Town with the Smart Density Team It has been a busy summer at Smart Density! We have been hard at work; collaborating with our clients, planning and designing new concepts, and advancing our mission of changing the conversation about what good development can and should look like. Last week, the Smart Density […]
How Angular Planes Perpetuate Toronto’s Housing Crisis
How Angular Planes Perpetuate Toronto’s Housing Crisis You don’t need to be an architect, urban planner, developer, or realtor to know that Toronto needs more housing. Ask anyone who is trying to find a new home to rent or purchase in the city. It’s competitive, expensive, and the options can be disappointing. Even as real […]
In a search for a 3-bedroom, family unit
In a search for a 3-bedroom, family unit We love our neighbourhood – it has great shops and restaurants, it’s close to work, it has good transit connectivity, and we’ve developed a lineup of favourite parks that we frequent with our little ones. With a growing family, our 2-bedroom home just wasn’t doing the trick […]
I am an architect and here’s what my stroller taught me about architecture
My family does a lot of walking. We don’t own a car, but we do own a stroller. When we were expecting our second child, we knew that a flexible stroller was going to be a key component in our new lives as parents of two little ones. We needed a bassinet for […]