Living atlas of quality
in architecture and the built environment
CIS #5: Equity and Resilience in Public Open Spaces by Prof. Fadi Masoud (University of Toronto) - 16.02.2023
Thursday, February 16, 2023
Integrated resilience
Spatial justiceCIS #5: Equity and Resilience in Public Open Spaces by Prof. Fadi Masoud (University of Toronto). 16-02-2023
"Towers in the Park: A Prospective for Equitable Resilience looks at the untapped potential of the "parks" in "Towers in the Park". Many of these tower neighbourhoods were built between 1950-80's based on modernist principles of site planning and building layout. One of their most critical ambitions was the provision of ample open space surrounding natural areas such as ravines, creeks, and networks of green open space. The "park" portion of the "Tower in the Park" has been deemed problematic, anti-urban, and undervalued for decades.
The significance of these tower neighbourhoods and surrounding open spaces are becoming increasingly valuable as Toronto begins to experience more acute climate-related shocks (such as flooding and extreme heat), as well as chronic socio-economic stresses (such as rising inequality, mental and physical health). As such, this presentation aims to evaluate, measure, assess, and quantify the social and environmental value of public and private open space assets, including parks, and right-of-ways, as they relate to the city's overall resilience goals. It will also explore the potential for integrating adaptation and mitigation strategies in these tower neighbourhoods to pursue overall socio-environmental sustainability strategies.
For more background information on the topic of this CIS click here.
About the presenter: Fadi Masoud is an Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urbanism at the University of Toronto and the Director of the Centre for Landscape Research. His research, teaching, and design work focuses on the relationships between environmental systems, spatial design, and instrumental public policy. Masoud currently leads projects on urban climate adaptation and the design of inclusive and resilient public space. Prior to joining the University of Toronto, Masoud held teaching and research appointments at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. He is the editor of Terra-Sorta-Firma (Actar 2020), an atlas of urbanism on reclaimed land. Masoud currently sits on Waterfront Toronto’s Design Review Panel and was a member of the City of Toronto’s Urban Flooding Working Group.
