DTAH is excited to work with our partners at Praxis Consulting to renew the 11^th sequential Wascana Centre Master Plan in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Wascana Centre is located on the traditional lands of Treaty 4 territory, the original lands of the Cree, Ojibwe, Saulteaux, Dakota, Nakota, Lakota, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation.

Wascana Centre is a unique place in Canada and one of the country’s largest park systems. At 930 hectares, it is home to many uses, including the Provincial Legislative Grounds, the University of Regina, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, recreational facilities, museums, galleries, performing arts centres, and a federally protected waterfowl preserve. DTAH has had the privilege to lead all of the master plans since 1982. This effort, the first for the Saskatchewan Provincial Capital Commission, will include a 100-year vision alongside a focused set of recommendations to inform capital works over the next decade.

We are at the beginning of the process where we listen to the community. To date we have held one-on-one interviews with Indigenous Community Leaders, an Indigenous Sharing Circle, a well-attended public open house, and our first online survey. More opportunities to engage will take place throughout the year. The overall project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2023.

Learn more

DTAH is pleased to announce that Partner Emeritus Robert (Bob) Allsopp has established the Robert N. Allsopp Urban Design Fellowship with the Landscape Architecture Canada Foundation (LACF). The one million dollar donation will allow LACF to award a yearly Fellowship of $35,000 to $50,000.

The Robert N. Allsopp Urban Design Fellowship is intended to provide a practicing mid-career landscape architect, whose work and exploratory interests are in urban design, with funds for research or pursuing a specific area of inquiry over a five-to-six-month ‘sabbatical’. The Fellowship will provide support for urban design research which elevates the art, science, and practice of landscape architecture, contributes to the knowledge base of the profession and is beyond the scope of the projects in their office or practice.

Bob Allsopp explains:

In establishing this Fellowship, my larger motive is to promote excellence in the landscape architecture profession particularly in urban design. I am offering an opportunity to seasoned urban designers to take a break from practice and to pursue areas of enquiry and research that are useful and invigorating to them personally, and that benefit the larger profession and ultimately, urban environments.

Click here to learn more about the Fellowship.

First Deadline for the Fellowship is 1 June 2023.

According to Eha Naylor, LACF President:

This extraordinary gift will advance awareness of landscape architect's role as leaders in thinking critically and creatively about urban design issues in our built and natural environments.

About Robert (Bob) N. Allsopp

Bob grew up in Leicester, England where he studied Architecture at the Leicester College of Art and Technology and was winner of the Royal Institute of British Architects Soane Medallion design competition following graduation. He became a registered architect in 1961 and completed his first major architectural commission two years later. He then pursued graduate studies in Civic Design at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, followed by two years as Visiting Lecturer in Architecture at the University of Kansas, USA under the auspices of the Fulbright Scholarship Program. Returning to London, UK, he worked as an Architect/Planner on the planning of Redditch New Town and major urban regeneration projects in London and Cardiff. Bob moved to Canada in 1968 to take up the position of Director of Campus Planning at the University of Manitoba and subsequently became involved, with Alex Rattray, in establishing the graduate Landscape Architecture Program there. He taught the first design studio in that new program. In 1979, he joined Roger du Toit Architects/du Toit Associates in Toronto and began teaching in the Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Toronto. The partnership, du Toit Allsopp Hillier, was formed in 1985 and it continues as DTAH, a much-expanded, multi-dimensional design practice. Bob is principally known for his breadth of understanding of urban design issues and his doggedness in search of deceptively simple design solutions strongly rooted in their place. His best-known work is in campus planning, urban neighbourhoods and a wide range of projects in Canada’s National Capital recognized nationally and internationally. He is the recipient of CSLA Fellowship in 1995, the 2008 OALA Pinnacle Award and 2016 CSLA Lifetime Achievement Award.

Bob was recipient of the 1989 Canada Council’s Residency in Barcelona Award. It is the personal and professional value of this ‘sabbatical’ experience combined with his belief that Landscape Architecture is the best multi-dimensional ‘home’ for Urban Design, that has stimulated the establishment of this LACF Fellowship.

DTAH Partner James Roche contributed a chapter to a new book, Innate Terrain: Canadian Landscape Architecture, edited by Alissa North. In his chapter, James explores the transformation of Toronto's waterfront from an industrial land to a new vibrant community.

Learn more at the upcoming book launch event at Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design on February 9 at 6:30 p.m.!

Register here.

The book is available for purchase here.

The Toronto Island Master Plan project team is hosting an open house on November 30. Now in the third and final phase of the process, this open house will give attendees a chance to learn more about the Draft Master Plan, speak with the project team, and share thoughts.

DTAH is leading a diverse design team in the development of the first Master Plan for Toronto Island. As a strategic document, the Master Plan will ensure that future park improvements contribute to a vision for the entire park that is comprehensive and inclusive. This vision will better serve the public, improve equitable access and user experience, celebrate the character, natural and cultural history of this cherished park, and ensure its sustainability and resilience for future generations.

Meeting details:

Canoe Landing Community Recreation Centre

45 Fort York Blvd

Drop-in between 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm on Wednesday November 30, 2022

There will be an event opening at 6:00 pm with the project team.

Though not required, we encourage you to register to receive reminders and event details.

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/toronto-island-park-master-plan-open-house-tickets-465931462547

An open letter to Premier Ford and Minister Clark
Re: Bill 23 – More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022

We are writing to you as leading architects, landscape architects, and urban designers in Ontario.

The More Homes Built Faster Act, introduced on October 25, proposes extensive and significant legislative changes that would, if enacted, radically alter land use planning and city building in Ontario. The stated intention of this proposed legislation is to accelerate the construction of 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years to address our housing crisis.

We firmly believe that this legislation will not achieve its stated intent.

Instead, it will inhibit the construction of affordable housing in our province; dismantle regional planning and urban design considerations; undermine heritage protection, environmental protection, and climate change mitigation; and limit public participation in how we build our communities.

We have summarized our major concerns below:

Bill 23 will reduce the supply of truly affordable housing by reducing the affordable housing requirement in Inclusionary Zoning from 20% to 5%. The required period to maintain affordability is reduced from 99 to 25 years. This will exacerbate generational poverty and extend inequitable access to resources and infrastructure for the people of Ontario.

Bill 23 will encourage urban sprawl and undermine local democracy by effectively dissolving 50 years of regional planning in the Golden Horseshoe. This will certainly lead to a substantial conversion of farmlands, loss of green lands, and suburban sprawl.

Public participation will be limited by removing the requirement for a public meeting for plan of subdivision. The Minister will have new powers to amend Municipal Official Plans at any time, for any reason, without public consultation.

Bill 23 undermines environmental protection by limiting the role of Conservation Agencies to solely that of flooding and erosion hazards. Removed from their oversight will be watershed planning and management, coordinated flood protection, conservation of green lands and biodiversity, which are all core to climate change mitigation.

Bill 23 threatens the Greenbelt. There are 86,500 acres within the GTA currently zoned and ready for development. This is more than enough land available now that can be used to meet government targets. Housing construction needs to start without delay on these lands that are close to transit and urban services, where people already live, work and play.

Yet the government wants to remove 7400 acres of protected green space and farmland in the Greenbelt. Our Greenbelt lands protect the headwaters of the rivers flowing into Lake Ontario, preserve valuable farmland, connect forests and wetland ecosystems that form a continuous arc from the top of the GTA to the Niagara region, and limit suburban sprawl. The Greenbelt belongs to current and future generations of the people of Ontario.

Bill 23 removes design from the municipal approvals process. Exterior design, landscape and streetscape design should be reviewed during Site Plan Control. Design review at the municipal level is considered best practice nationally and internationally.

We must emphasize that design is not a superficial aesthetic overlay. It is fundamental problem-solving, directly related to the quality of the built environment, and to climate change mitigation. The design review process is critical in delivering safe, healthy, affordable, socially and environmentally sustainable communities to the people of Ontario.

We agree that the current system of municipal approvals needs to be streamlined to deliver urgently needed affordable housing. Bill 23 is not the way to do it. It needs to go back to the drawing board.

To effectively address our affordable housing crisis, we strongly urge the Government of Ontario to rethink Bill 23 and invite the Government to a robust and immediate consultation with leaders in our industry. In collaboration with municipal and provincial governments, we can produce the best possible outcomes for the people of Ontario.

Thank you,

Adamson Associates Architects
DTAH
ERA Architects
FORREC
Greenberg Consultants
Janet Rosenberg & Studio
KPMB Architects
MJMA Architecture & Design
Moriyama & Teshima Architects
Perkins&Will
PMA Landscape Architects Ltd.
PUBLIC WORK
Superkül
The Planning Partnership

This year marks our 50th anniversary! To celebrate 50 years of interdisciplinary design excellence, we're sharing some of the projects we're most proud of, in addition to ongoing work, starting next week on our Instagram. Follow us to learn more about our rich 50 year history and help us celebrate by posting a photo of your favourite DTAH project with the hashtag #DTAH50!

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The new vibrant outdoor space is the first implemented landscape that draws from the University of Toronto Scarborough Landscape and Public Realm Master Plan, which DTAH authored with permaculture specialist Jane Hayes. The pilot project is a case study intended to inform future campus projects by prioritizing sustainable, functional and accessible design. The permaculture approach integrates groups (guilds) of plants that support abundant natural ecosystems.

The Quad functions as an animated social hub, where academic and community life can spill out from beyond the classrooms. Integrated seating, outlets to recharge electronics, and custom lighting create memorable and comfortable outdoor environments for a range of programmed uses. Brightly coloured shade sails protect users from the elements while clearly defining the unique gathering space, attracting students, faculty, and staff from across the campus.

DTAH Associate Victoria Bell and Partner Brent Raymond along with Terence Radford of Trophic Design are speakers at the joint Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (OALA) and Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) 2Gether Conference in London, Ontario later this week.

Their talk, “Up High, Down Low: Master Plans to Details,” will reference two DTAH projects as case studies: Toronto Island Park Master Plan and the Landscape and Public Realm Master Plan for University of Toronto Scarborough Campus (UTSC). In this session, they will explore how these two projects address ecosystem health and critical environmental issues, their Indigenous significance and how they layer this with community needs to create exceptional and transformative spaces for public enjoyment and ultimately celebrate the power of place.

Read more about the 2Gether Conference here.

Read more about Toronto Island Park Master Plan here.

Read the Landscape and Public Realm Master Plan for University of Toronto Scarborough Campus here.