A qualitative approach to define floating codes for mid-rise in Metro Vancouver
It appears that we need to rethink the connection between city density and the quality of life it offers. Contrary to the bustling, crowded downtown areas that often lead to a decline in living standards, increased congestion, safety concerns, and pollution, there's a nostalgic idealization of neighborhoods characterized by standalone single-family homes with minimal non-residential facilities.
Yet, the horizontal expansion and low-rise development observed in cities like Vancouver come with hefty costs not only in terms of infrastructure and transportation but also significantly impact urban living standards. The overly serene neighborhoods foster a lack of community interaction, stark separation between day and night routines, limited children's social engagement, lengthy distances to urban amenities, and a pervasive sense of insecurity and detachment, all of which diminish the quality of communal living.
This project aims to demonstrate that by shifting away from the conventional notion of high-density living, which often translates to towering buildings, towards a focus on expanding livable spaces, we can redefine the lost essence of a neighborhood. The notion of neighborhood can then be redefined as a place for communal living rather than merely forced clusters of separate lives.
In this perspective, the concept of buildings shifts from being seen as a collection of sell-able spaces and communication areas to being perceived as flexible assemblies of livable spaces.