The Old Order Changeth: Rediscovering Place Through a Usable Past

Abstract

On the west coast of Newfoundland is the city of Corner Brook, site of the province’s sole pulp and paper mill. During the 1920s, a planned, industrial company town grew around the mill site, introducing company housing based on principles of the Garden City Movement. Unfortunately, subsequent urbanization disregarded the town’s sustainable model. Presently, Corner Brook and much of the province is viewed as a socio-economic crisis linked to the out-migration of youth and the aging demographic. A lack of community collaboration and an industry in need of innovation has rendered the community vulnerable. In support of recent initiatives to make the pulp and paper industry cleaner and more sustainable, this thesis imagines a modern addition to the Garden City plan. It aims for a town of ecological and economic value by implementing a central Research and Innovation Eco Park, creating the groundwork for a viable future for Corner Brook.