URD1507H F
Instructor: Mark Guslits
Meeting Section: L9101
Synchronous
Thursday, 9:00AM - 12:00PM

The course will focus on urban 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 the faculty and from knowledgeable guests in the form of traditional lectures, panel discussions, round-table discussions, and studio type one-to-one dialogue. In addition, there will be, when appropriate, class field trips to tour some of the more important mixed income housing communities in Toronto built over the last 30 -40 years. These would include Regent Park, the St. Lawrence Community, Lawrence Heights, Bathurst Quay at Harbourfront, the Canary District at the waterfront, Alexandra Park and others. When possible, experts on those sites will lead the tours.

There will also be books assigned to read and discuss in class. Often 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 40’s and early 50’s” 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 early in the term. Precedents from other countries and other cultures will be presented and 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 framework.

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.