The rural industrial typology: resisting the imposition of the subdivision in Shelburne, Ontario

Abstract

The town of Shelburne is the second fastest growing town in Canada having nearly doubled in size since 2006.1 It is now facing an issue of housing that is common in rural communities in Ontario. The housing problem is multifaceted, the cost of owning a home is higher than its residents can afford, the homes are not supportive of a dynamic growing family, they lack efficiency, and they lack creativity. The irony of architecture in growing small towns is that there are conditions that require time and careful consideration to deal with, but there is a lack of economic means to put towards solving them. The application of funding towards residential architecture typically comes in the form of developer subdivisions and their primary concern is economic gain, using architecture as a commodity. The inflated market that allows these homes to be sold at this high price is outside the realm of intervention, however price and value are different things and value can be improved. This problem is larger than just economics, the introduction of these urban homes has changed the community fabric of these neighborhoods. The relationship between the individual and the community is dramatically different in urban and rural settings and this is reflected in the housing. In an urban and suburban setting the home is designed for privacy as the city is a centralized public realm where individuals go to interact with one another, then return to their suburban home or urban condominium where sanctuary awaits in the form of privacy. In sharp contrast to this, the rural landscape is designed to promote community interaction everywhere in the town, especially in its neighborhoods, which results in a different residential architecture. How can the single-family house be rethought for growing rural communities like Shelburne? By assessing the current contrasting elements of the typical rural home and the newly built subdivisions based on their Transparency, Ingenuity, Sustainability, and Personality. Taking into consideration the towns values to create a series of rural principles that reflect the essence of the town and applying them to future development. I intend to re-prioritize rural values instead of applying an urban design strategy, while still creating the density that growing towns demand. Focusing on a new proposed subdivision at the East end of town at the intersection of Highway 89 and Dufferin Road 124, and the return of an existing housing typology as benchmarks for improvement this project aims to create a new precedent for further development in town.