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Urban Planning Blog
Architecture and Urban Planning Blog for forward-thinking developers and innovative municipalities who want to achieve smarter density.
Dutch Urban Design – What can Canadian cities adopt?
Dutch Urban Design – What can Canadian cities adopt? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORvgxcLZodw&feature=emb_logo When it comes to urban design, the Dutch seem to get it right. Cities in the Netherlands are livable and vibrant. Single-family housing is not common and their streets are not designed for the car.
An Immigrant’s Thoughts on Housing
An Immigrant’s Thoughts on Housing Happy Newcomer Day, Canada! Earlier this year, we received our Canadian Citizenship and I would like to offer some thoughts about Housing – by one of Canada’s newest citizens. In almost any large city, families who live in central areas
Toronto’s Missing Middle: 11 answers to your most-pressing questions
Written by Naama Blonder | Edited by Josh Papernick In July 2019, Mayor Tory and Deputy Mayor Ana Bailao motioned to review a timeline to increase housing options and planning permissions in areas of Toronto’s Official Plan (OP) designated as Neighbourhoods. The original date to
Could COVID-19 be the best thing that happened to the traditional Open House?
Could COVID-19 be the best thing that happened to the traditional Open House? CreateTO and City Planning have held its first-ever online-only Open House yesterday, for the HousingNOW revised proposal for 705 Warden St. COVID-19 forced us to rethink and adjust many of our daily
Main & Danforth (Community Open House Summary)
Check out our concept for the Danforth GO + Main Street Subway Pedestrian Connection This summary is meant to cover the main points regarding planning and development that were raised in the Open House, October 7, 2019, for the Area Study at Main Street and
CreateTO | HousingNow – 50 Wilson Heights Blvd
This summary is meant to cover the main points regarding planning and development that were raised in the Open House, September 16, 2019, for the development application at 50 Wilson Heights Blvd led by City Staff and CreateTO. It is not meant to provide an
CreateTO | HousingNow – 705 Warden Ave
This summary is meant to cover the main points regarding planning and development that were raised in the Open House, September 12, 2019, for the development application at 705 Warden Ave led by City Staff and CreateTO. It is not meant to provide an exhaustive
Part 4: How Not to Miss The RER Opportunity
As transformative as the RER can be, its potential is not treated accordingly by the media or the government organizations. Subway projects like the Relief Line or the potential extension of Line 1 to Richmond Hill, and even the Eglinton Crosstown project, which is an
Part 3: How to Make the Most of the RER?
Because of these differences in access to the stations, the RER supports a very different type of urban structure than a subway does. The stations are far apart, but the high speed of travel means it is easy to travel between stations across a large
Part 2: How to Tie the RER Station to its Area?
How is the RER Different from a Subway? While the RER will provide frequent all-day service similar to the subway, the two are different and support different urban structures. The general principle of a subway/metro is that the stations are within walking distance for most
Part 1: What is the GO RER
The RER Potential – and How Not to Miss it In recent years, the province has undertaken a project that has the potential to reshape the Greater Toronto Area. The Regional Express Rail (RER) will convert GO Rail from a network that has limited use
3 Critical Urban Planning Principles Toronto Should Adopt from Tokyo ASAP
Back in 2012, as two freshly minted architects, we decided to travel around East Asia for 6 months. It was a very low budget trip, and I am still surprised we were able to pull it off. But we did. Japan was one of the
Just Who Can Afford Real Estate in Toronto and Vancouver?
By: Penelope Graham, Zoocasa It’s not a new narrative that Canada’s largest urban housing markets have been plagued by eroding affordability. However, a new set of data that pits income tax filings against home prices reveals just how financially steep homeownership can be; even
Not Just Simple Supply and Demand: Five Other Places to Look at to Understand What Prevents Us from Achieving Housing Affordability in the GTA
Not Just Simple Supply and Demand: Five Other Places to Look at to Understand What Prevents Us from Achieving Housing Affordability in the GTA Not Just Simple Supply and Demand: Five Other Places to Look at to Understand What Prevents Us from Achieving Housing Affordability
How Does Condo Density Impact the Value of Other Home Types?
By: Penelope Graham, Zoocasa The City of Toronto is often referred to as a “city of neighbourhoods”, a moniker that came about following its 1998 amalgamation, which saw a cluster of boroughs transform into the existing Mega City. The result is a patchwork of