Type Nouveau: A Typological Approach to Modern Suburbia

Abstract

Developed in the early part of the 20th century, prevalent in North America in the 1950s - 80s, the suburb as we know it is no longer relevant — particularly within the mid-urban condition. Rising housing costs, lack of vacant land, and low density suburban developments have made this morphology anachronistic, if not simply wrong.

Increasing density, both in number of people and programme composition, and a typological approach to form-making is the answer for the contemporary suburb.

This thesis investigates the condition of the mature, mid- urban development through a study of Oak Bay, Victoria, BC. This community lends itself to investigation due to the clarity and consistency of its existing urban fabric, the cur- rent development reshaping it, and its perceived desirable character.

The architectural goals of this thesis are to develop a methodology for densification of the mid-urb, and describe a new set of typologies that challenge the existing model.