Habitat 2.0: creating gentle density communities in Toronto’s laneways

Abstract

How can Toronto’s housing crisis be solved in a way that respects the existing urban fabric of its streetcar suburbs while increasing their population density? How can the affordability crisis be solved with a built-form that is actually affordable, quick to construct, and can be seen by the local community as a positive addition to their neighborhood? This thesis project seeks to explore increasing density in Toronto by further developing the laneway home typology, while cultivating vibrant micro communities within Toronto’s laneways. It will seek to reinvent the laneway dwelling, and Toronto’s laneways as a whole, unlocking their true potential for providing a place to live, work and play. This thesis will look at the history of laneways and laneway housing and its persistence today. It will further explore the contextual issues of affordability in Toronto and explore the possibilities of additional new programming in laneways