#streetfront

CJSW

#40 main and lane

We look at main streets and laneways, exploring how vital they are to the urban fabric.

Main Street: We start the show with a look at two main streets where architectural moves have struck ground in an effort to foster neighbourhood vitality. On 9th Ave SE in Inglewood, architectural firm MoDA clad an everyday 2-story commercial building with a parametric screen that serves as both a beacon on the streetfront, but also articulates interior views. The individually-scored wooden slats, placed horizontally across the building face, reveals a subtle patterning leading to the building entrance. Developer Randy Rapaport describes the challenges faced in planting multi-family buildings on main streets, this time on Clinton Street and on Belmont Street in Portland.

Lanes: Laneway housing cracks open opportunity for a diversity of housing options. Think affordability, but also, it’s about offering multiple lifestyle choices. Brandon Donnelly speaks about The Laneway Project, and their in-between spaces summit held last week in Toronto calling attention to the laneway house. His perspective, as someone working in the real estate development industry, reveals why the laneway is one of the last opportunities for an urban fabric middle ground...one where mid-rise housing options are still possible. 

We hear from the architectural design+build practice Studio North, who has researched laneway housing extensively and in the process of building their own laneway. This aligns with the city’s main streets initiative and an investigation into laneway housing in the Hillhurst-Sunnyside neighbourhood.  Calgary City Council  will be voting on a proposal to improve city process for secondary suites on December 15th. Have your say, take action at: www.suiteyyc.ca/ and find out more here.

Idea #22: Get rid of every last skywalk

The skywalk system at the Bennett Block will be undergoing major modifications this year, as the exterior staircase is removed, but there’s still an ugly, scarcely-used skywalk there, ruining the aesthetics of an otherwise-beautiful building. (PHOTO: travelandrew.wordpress.com)

Can we talk about the elephant in the room?

Why do we have dead skywalksall over the place in downtown Spokane? Many of…