LAST week Michael A. Goldberg spoke to the Lynn Valley Community Association and made a very compelling argument that smart density in the right place is good for our neighbourhoods.
It was a thought-provoking lecture and one that struck a chord with me since I'd just penned my most recent article in which I suggested that our civic reality will soon see a greater density of living.
Our communities here on the North Shore will densify in the future - this is fact.
Debate and concern seem to arise when "the how" and "the where" of densification are inserted into the equation.
Goldberg suggests that a different model of living must be embraced for the betterment of our communities and that the singlefamily suburban model of development has run its course and needs to be rethought.
He argues that a larger population base, when added strategically to a community, will enhance the livability of that community. A more affordable housing stock, better public transit, a more diversified retail base, and more community-oriented amenities will all be the intrinsic benefits that come with increased density.
Densification comes in various forms and all have their place in a sound community plan. Going up is always an easy way to achieve density but how high one goes and where one goes up needs to be carefully considered. Medium and low-rise structures knitted more tightly together achieve higher density targets as well and lend themselves to a more human scale, something that often gets lost in the larger structures.
But for me, as a designer of single-family homes, the pressing question is how to make the density conundrum work for stand-alone residences - residences that must always be part of our urban fabric.
Architect Sarah Suzanka is credited with starting the so-called "small house" movement with the publication of her book The Not So Big House in 1997. Her thesis was a simple one and resonated strongly with many - build smaller but build better. She argues that the quality of a living space is not related to its size but rather to the efficacy of its design. I believe this is where the answer to the single-family density question lies.
A small home can be a stand-alone residence on a smaller lot or be an additional structure on a lot with a home already on it (the coach house concept). Either way the small home increases density and affordability without deteriorating the quality of a community.
Recently I was given the opportunity to design a new small home here in North Vancouver on a tiny, steeply sloping site, facing the ocean. The 25 footwide by 100-foot-long site was demanding enough because of its postage stamp size - affording a floor space ratio (FSR) of just over 1,100 square feet, a solid one-half to one-third the number for a "regular" sized property in North Vancouver - but the fact that the property drops almost 60 feet over its 100-foot length made the design challenge interesting indeed.
The clients wanted to create a small, efficiently designed home that could provide for all their needs without the redundant space of their larger existing home. The challenge was to build smaller and to build better, a very powerful concept with a host of its own unique challenges as I would soon discover.
The construction of this unique little house is about to begin and in coming months the entire building team including myself, the builder (Econ Group), the interior designer (Gaile Guevera) and the client will be creating a comprehensive construction blog that will highlight all the day-to-day construction challenges faced as we build.
We will discuss everything from ephemeral concepts that shape a design to the nuts and bolts of putting it together on time and on budget. In the end, we hope to create a fascinating insight into how a small, efficiently designed building is created from the vantage point of all the different players involved. If you're interested in following along, the address of our blog is: www.cliffhangerhouse.com.
There are various strategies to dealing with developing communities and densification. Building smaller homes is one logical, economical and environmentally sound solution growing communities can embrace.
Kevin Vallely is a residential designer in North Vancouver. His website is www.vallely.ca.
