Reflections

context. This middle level of density fulfills the scale, diversity, and density flexibility requirements of adaptable and ecologically resilient cities.

The Latent City framework demonstrates how a zoning system would be formed to create an ecologically resilient urban form. The form demonstrated in this thesis is what might result from implementing said framework in a development. Latent City offers a different consideration from the engineered resilient zoning and planning systems in place in Toronto.

Going forward the city of Toronto is faced with two options to address the pressures it faces. It can choose to keep the current zoning framework in place and maintain a state of uneasy engineered resilience, living with a density imbalance, unaffordable housing, and limited green space. Or the city could address these problems by adjusting its zoning framework into something informed by adaptability and ecological resilience.

Reflections

Latent City offers a beginning exploration of an ecologically resilient urban system. To take this project and framework further would involve the exploration of additional factors that could influence it. These could involve: A further detailed exploration of the architecture in the framework. An exploration of varied or larger scaled building typologies and how they would integrate into the framework. The discussion of how the changing urban system would address economic and capital related pressures. Or what form of regulating body would need to be enacted to ensure the system can continue to change, or even what changes happens where.

There is a challenge in implementing something that is open-ended. The result can be either great or dangerous depending on how changes pan out. Regulation in a system like Latent City would have to allow for freedom within a controlled system. Without controls then the result of the changes could end up in ways not ideal for the urban system.

If we are to consider a realization of the Latent City, then these additional considerations would have to be implemented into a more detailed rendition of the framework. This would be a similar level of detail to realized zoning systems.

62