Reappropriating the Single Detached Street: Inhabiting a Manipulated Landscape with Public Housing and Amenity

Abstract

Single-detached, suburban style neighbourhoods prioritize automotive convenience and private property value at the expense of accessibility, affordability and diversity. This thesis proposes reappropriating underutilized public and automotive space as a landscape inhabited by public housing and amenity. Rather than revitalizing low-income areas, new public housing must be added to mature, single detached neighbourhoods. Public housing requires services and amenities to support residents. Universally accessible public amenities create an interface between public housing and single detached typologies and residents, enabling increased density and diversity. Glenora, a single detached neighbourhood in Edmonton lacking affordability and diversity, is used to test the thesis. Streets are reappropriated as public landscape and inhabited by a mix of amenity and public housing that promote alternative transit and walkability. The result is a new urban fabric with increased affordability, density and accessibility.