1.5 ConEd Learning Hours
10:30 a.m.‐12:00 p.m
The Canadian public has recently focused its attention on housing and its affordability to an extent that has not been seen for decades, with semi‐regular calls for a “war‐time effort” to increase supply. However, some of the very neighbourhoods that were built in response to previous Toronto housing crises are now being torn down and redeveloped. What have we learned in the meantime, and how are we doing any different from what was done before?
Starting with a quick romp through the contemporary history of Regent Park and Alexandra Park, two of Toronto’s social housing communities now undergoing complex multi‐decade revitalizations, this presentation seeks to invite the architectural community to join a conversation about emerging approaches to the design and delivery of social housing today. (Note: The presentation reflects the personal point of view of the presenter, and is not necessarily shared by Toronto Community Housing Corp.)
Learning Objectives
1. Learn about the history of the Regent Park and Alexandra Park revitalization projects.
2. Learn about TCHC’s integrated and holistic approach to community‐building.
3. Get insight into the role that architects can play in creating complete communities: resilient, sustainable, and socially inclusive.
4. Learn of potential future directions in TCHC community building, and the new skill sets that will be asked of consultants
Michael Lam, Acting Senior Development Director, Toronto Community Housing
Michael Lam is an architect and urbanist who has been working at Toronto Community Housing since 2016. His current role is Senior Development Director (acting), primarily focused on the revitalization of Alexandra Park, a storied inner city social housing community. Notable achievements at TCHC have included co‐editing the TCHC Accessible Build Standard with the R‐PATH Committee and launching the Passive House pilot project currently under construction. Previous roles have included project architect for institutional, recreational, and healthcare projects for multiple firms in the GTA and founding principal for Sasquatch, a design + strategy consultancy. Currently focussing on a system thinking approach to ecology, carbon, and social inclusivity in the city.