This school project entailed working with a group of 6 students in order to redesign a given area in downtown Kitchener, Ontario. The recent approval of the LRT has given students the opportunity to come up with their own ideas for how to revitalize the surroundings of the Ottawa-Borden station area. There is also talk about a new OHL arena, which students have incorporated into their designs in order to act as a stimulating focal point.
This area currently exists as a neglected, run-down, and gritty industrial area, however the New Eby District (NED) team has worked as a team by dividing the site into 2 focus areas in order to find ways to incorporate adaptive reuse and infill where the character can be cherished and maintained. Some very neglected, yet prime development areas provide a perfect opportunity for brand new development, especially near the arterial King and Ottawa streets, where the NED team has proposed higher densities. The Schneider’s and Maple Leaf buildings has given the NED team the opportunity to create a mini commercial-office adaptive reuse block for the surrounding established neighbourhoods. The NED team has also worked hard to increase multimodal connectivity between the 2 focus areas on and also throughout the surrounding areas and the rest of Kitchener-Waterloo.
Here are the panels that were presented at Kitchener City Hall in April, 2012:
This viewing was a public open house, where the NED team and other teams had the chance to meet and discuss with many planners and developers, including those working for the City and those working on or owning property on the Station Area site itself. It was a very enlightening and informative session for the students because they had the opportunity to discuss the project on a very realistic level.
The highlight of FocusArea1 is the arena, which is proposed to be named The Rangers Metrodome. Here are renderings which include views of the metrodome:
The highlight of FocusArea2 is the redevelopment and adaptive reuse of the Schneider’s and Maple Leaf buildings. The proposed development for this area is proposed to be named The Courtland Block. You can download or view the PDF the mock promotional booklet for it by clicking here:
COURTLAND BLOCK
Preview (page 1,2) :
Proposed [progressive+passive] educational ‘Nature Walk’ between the buildings.
CITYSPOT 