A decade of high-rise condo construction has transformed Toronto's skyline. But it appears the sky's not the limit when it comes to more skyscrapers. A proposal to build three 80-story towers designed by Frank Gehry has sparked a debate over density.
As densification becomes the mantra for planners and public officials across North America, cities are struggling to determine the right balance between infrastructure, compact growth, and quality of life. How to find this balance "reverberates in the debate over the grandiose triple-tower development proposal on King St. W. that’s being pushed by theatre magnate David Mirvish and renowned architect Frank Gehry," writes Alex Ballingall.
"Toronto’s chief planner, Jennifer Keesmaat, has expressed 'serious concerns' over how the already jam-packed downtown strip can handle an influx of people living in three new 80-storey towers. 'I don’t think we as a city have an obligation to absorb this much density,' she recently told the Star’s Christopher Hume."
"And yet, many agree — including Keesmaat — the city must get denser; the question of how, and how much, is vital to shaping the Toronto of tomorrow."
FULL STORY: Dense living: Toronto struggles with the right formula
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research