An exhibition now on at Urbanspace Gallery, Tapping the Potential of the West Toronto Rail Corridor, showcases work by urban design graduate students from the University of Toronto’s John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design.

The student work explored the untapped potential along the West Toronto Rail Corridor, and was done as part of an urban design studio led by Ken Greenberg and Gaston Soucy in the winter of 2014. Those in the class were given the opportunity to work in groups to conduct background research that would inform the creation of a development framework. Each student later worked individually or in small group to develop specific areas in more detail. The projects build on existing plans, initiatives, and proposals associated with the transportation, urban design, architecture, landscape, and green space along the Corridor.
 
Tapping the Potential of the West Toronto Rail Corridor presents a vision of a consolidated corridor using a planning and design strategy that extends beyond the confines of a linear park and, in turn, connects the corridor with the surrounding neighbourhoods, park systems and the larger city beyond. The ultimate goal is to provide a plan that challenges the traditional gridded street and block pattern developments, and experiments with alternative transportation, urban and public realm fabrics, forms, and functions that promote healthy economic and social growth.

One of the students who has work in the exhibition, Karimah Gheddai, was recently interviewed about the exhibition on CBC’s Metro Morning. Click here to listen to the full interview.

The exhibition was also featured in the Bloor West Villager. Click here for the full article.

“[The student’s] work has garnered the attention and praise of Metrolinx staff and city representatives,” writes Lisa Rainford of the Bloor West Villager. Trinity-Spadina Councillor Mike Layton crafted a motion to incorporate students’ proposals and ideas into any future studies of the corridor.

From September 4th to 20th, an exhibit by regionalArchitects, the firm founded by Alumnus John van Nostrand (B.Arch 1972), #railpathTO will join the students’ work at Urbanspace Gallery (401 Richmond Street West). This part of the exhibition will focus on the City of Toronto’s continuing work to extend the railpath. Images from walking and biking tours conducted during the Gladstone Grow Op weekend and shared using the #railpathTO hashtag will also be part of the show.

The official opening for both exhibits is scheduled for Thursday, September 4 from 6:00 - 9:00 pm.

For more information, visit the Urbanspace Gallery website.

Daniels Faculty Students participating in the exhibition include:
Shaimaa Atef
Karimah Gheddai
Zhengyan Jin
Yujing Ma
Sadaf Pourjavaheri
Riya Sarker
Tarun Saurabh
Weiming Shi
Ziv Shtrikberger
Jou- Heng Yeh
Guangyu Zhao
 
The following gave guest lectures to the studio class in the Winter of 2014:
David Harvey, Parks People
Alfredo Landaeta, B+H Architects
Kim Storey, Brown and Storey Architects
Dr. Steven Webber, Ryerson Planning
Leslie Woo, Metrolinx
 
The Review Panel for the student presentations at the end of the semester included:
Michelle Delk, Snohetta, New York
J. Niall Haggart, Daniels Corp.
Beth Kapusta, Metrolinx
Alfredo Landaeta, B+H Architects
Mike Layton, City Council Ward 19 Trinity-Spadina
Harold Madi, Director of Urban Design, City of Toronto
Ruth Mora, Stantec Architecture
Dr. Steven Webber, Ryerson Planning
Rodolphe el Kouhry, Daniels Faculty
Richard Sommer, Dean, Daniels Faculty