The Social of the Social Housing

This thesis aims to foster social interaction and integration in St. James Town in Toronto. It explores the positive impact that densification is having on a neighbourhood, a neighbourhood, which despite common belief, is not a complete failure in design. My proposal for the area is based on zero demolition and zero relocation of the current residents. It keeps St James Town as it exists today, but adds mid-rise buildings and intensifies public and semi-public spaces as well as programs that enable more social exchange and cohesion. This project addresses the current conditions of St. James Town, which is a transitory place where many of the residents live only for a short period of time. It uses swift temporary tactics and long-term strategic interventions to redefine St. James Town’s often-indeterminate public spaces and to reactivate its underused amenities. The design offers a framework for incorporating more places where residents, present and future, can meet, and transform from passersby into participants.