Waterloo Low-Rise Family Housing Study

Centralized parking in new master-planned communities can unlock more efficient housing typologies and improve affordability.

By shifting parking away from individual units, land can be used more effectively for housing, green space, and shared amenities. This approach reduces construction costs, eliminates the need for expensive garages, and allows for a greater diversity of unit types, ultimately creating more livable and financially accessible neighbourhoods.

We focused on Low-rise, medium-density housing with large units – to offer affordable, high-quality family living. As per the client’s request, these typologies are all slab-on-grade with centralized parking, eliminating the need for individual garages.

CLIENT:

Build Now Waterloo Region

LOCATION:

Waterloo, ON

YEAR:

2024

Our vision prioritizes human-scale design, affordability, and flexibility in how land and parking are used to support new low-rise typologies in current suburban master planning.

Design Principles for Attainable Family Housing

Good design starts with livability. Our proposed typologies aim to ensure:

Light-filled, well-ventilated units with efficient layouts are achieved with shallow building floorplates.
Compact yet comfortable homes that support affordability without sacrificing quality.
Public realm activation, creating vibrant, human-scaled spaces.
Low-cost, durable construction methods to keep homes attainable.
Sustainable design, with energy-efficient layouts and potential for on-site solar.

Low-Rise, Medium-Density Typologies

North America has seen little innovation in compact 3- and 4-bedroom low-rise homes. Our proposal introduces efficient, scalable solutions:

1. Compact Townhouses

1+2 storey stacked townhomes (ground unit + two stacked above) – great for family-sized units.

2. European-Style Apartments

Single-stair access – leveraging upcoming Ontario Building Code changes to allow cost-effective, larger units.
Excellent light and ventilation, with all units having windows in key spaces.

3. Single-Stair Blocks

Detached 3-storey buildings, each serving up to 12 units with minimal circulation space.
All units are corner units, benefiting from more natural light and ventilation.
Potential for elevators, allowing a mix of barrier-free and standard units.

Rethinking Parking for Better Housing

Parking often dictates land use, but it doesn’t have to limit good design. We propose two alternatives that integrate parking while prioritizing housing and the public realm.

4. Townhouses Over Surface Parking

Low-rise townhomes built partially over parking lots, maximizing land use.
Decks above parking provide additional outdoor space, balancing efficiency and quality of life.
A better street presence, replacing dead parking lots with human-scaled housing.

5. Convertible Structured Parking

Designing parking garages to allow future residential conversion if demand shifts.
Flat floorplates, removable ramps, and structural adaptability ensure long-term flexibility.
Minimizes waste and high embodied carbon costs associated with unnecessary structured parking.

Why This Approach Works

More affordable family-sized units in a low-rise form.
Efficient land use, reducing the space dedicated to cars.
Stronger communities, with vibrant, walkable spaces.
Design for sustainability with adaptable, energy-efficient buildings.

As the demand for low-rise neighbourhoods grows in North-America, the question isn’t just about building more—it’s about building better. Our approach to low-rise, medium-density housing and thoughtful parking strategies offers a scalable, livable, and future-proof solution.