URD1511HF
Instructor: Mark Guslits
Meeting Section: L0101
Thursdays, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

The course will focus on urban/affordable housing, which, in the 21st century, means a mix of market and non-market housing within a context of mixed-income/mixed-tenure communities. During this Fall term, we will examine the evolution of housing thought, policy and built form - particularly in Canada where we are moving closer to positioning housing/shelter as a right rather than a privilege.  

The course will consist of a mixture of lectures from faculty and from knowledgeable guests in the form of traditional lectures, panel discussions, round-table discussions, and studio type one-to-one dialogue. As some of the speakers will be located out of the city, there may be times when classes will occur online and/ or speaker shall appear online. Field trips to tour some of the more important mixed-income housing communities in Toronto built over the last 30-40 years, such as Regent Park and the St. Lawrence Community, will be undertaken with experts on those sites who will lead the tours on-site (ideally) or virtually when necessary (with the help of Google Earth) or through graphic presentations. Students will be encouraged to visit the sites in person prior to the lecture.

On occasion, there will be books, articles, papers etc. assigned to read and discuss in class. Where possible this discussion will be held with the author of the book. Similarly, there are a number of very important films and documentaries that fill in many blanks about the evolution of housing form and policy in Canada. Farewell to Oak St, the 1950’s NFB film about the start of the “New” Regent Park in the late ’40s and early ’50s will be shown early in the year followed by a detailed analysis of how that community came to evolve into the new neighbourhood that it is today.

As part of the path to understanding, the global context will also be examined during the term. Precedents from other cities, provinces, countries, and other cultures (i.e. Finland, USA, Vancouver) will be examined in an effort to better understand how we are proceeding here at home and how we might improve our approach to the challenge facing all cities – the provision of good housing supply and housing affordability within an excellent urban planning and architectural design framework. 

Course Objectives

The hope is that students will come away in December with a much better understanding of the notion of shelter and housing. Why it is the way it is…and how we can improve it and better respond to the constantly changing face of our multi-cultural cities.

Schedule

Please note: There will be one paper/presentation relating to mixed income/mixed tenure/mixed use housing and housing policy. The nature and details of this assignment shall be discussed in class early in the term. A paper will be due (in slide show and/or written paper form) and in-class presentations will occur late in the term.