Public Open Space at the Forefront: Meet the Graduate Students from UToronto!

RESEARCH SITE: Led by University of Toronto

The collaboration will provide much-needed research in how to improve the access, functionality, and quality of public parks in an effort to increase equity for Toronto’s underserved populations. We are looking to better understand the opportunities and barriers to park improvements. How do we increase the legibility and understanding of the value of public open space as critical infrastructure? How do we position open space assets as tools in mitigating and protecting neighbourhoods and community open spaces from the shocks and stresses of climate change? Can we quantify the accessibility and value of Toronto’s open spaces on the physical and mental health of Torontonians? What are the shared cultural uses and amenities needed to expand the use of parks today and to future-proof them for coming challenges?

Waterfront Toronto is looking to co-develop digital visualization tools and illustrations that describe the extent and value of the transformative potentials of public open spaces and parks on the waterfront. Specifically, the intersection of social benefit and their ability to address climate change impacts and sustainability objectives.

City of Toronto PFNR and the Toronto Environmental Alliance TEA will help the research team with community outreach and discussions. They are interested in the intersection of socio-economic demographic information and the role of everyday neighbourhood parks /open spaces in Toronto’s equity-deserving neighbourhoods, and what can be learned from quality/design excellence in Toronto’s waterfront parks.

Short Bio:

Short Bio: I was originally born in Shanghai, China and my family moved to Toronto in 2010. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Honours Urban Studies and Marketing at McGill University, and I am currently pursuing my Master of Landscape Architecture at the University of Toronto. What quality in the built environment means to you in ONE word? Inclusive Where is your favorite place in Toronto that you like the most and maybe one that resembles that one word from the previous question? Don Valley Brickworks Park

1. What quality in the built environment means to you in ONE word? Adaptive
2. Where is your favorite place in Toronto that you like the most and maybe one that resembles that one word from the previous question? Tommy Thompson Park

Short Bio:

Short Bio: I am an international student from China who graduated from the University of Toronto in 2022 with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies, and I will be pursuing a Master of Landscape Architecture degree this fall. I am interested in landscape architecture’s interstitial role in mediating between multidisciplinary elements in nature and social development.

1. What quality in the built environment means to you in ONE word? Adaptive
2. Where is your favorite place in Toronto that you like the most and maybe one that resembles that one word from the previous question? Tommy Thompson Park

Short Bio:

Short Bio: I am an international student from China. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from York University and a Master of Urban Design from the University of Sydney. I am currently pursuing Landscape Architecture program at the University of Toronto. Having multidisciplinary background, my interest is focusing on the application of Landscape Urbanism in improving modern urban life. I believe landscape architecture brings hope for solving urban conundrums by healing the land, reconciling contradictions, and bringing cities back to life. 1. What quality in the built environment means to you in ONE word? Evolution 2. Where is your favorite place in Toronto that you like the most and maybe one that resembles that one word from the previous question? Tommy Thompson Park, it has evolved over time, forming an ecosystem of its own.

Short Bio:

Short Bio: Hello, I am Maria, an international student from Spain completing the Master of Landscape Architecture at the University of Toronto. I have a background in Architecture and Environmental Studies with experience working in research interdisciplinary teams. Very excited to continue my learning journey under the supervision of Fadi Masoud.

1. What quality in the built environment means to you in ONE word? Collaboration
2. Where is your favorite place in Toronto that you like the most and maybe one that resembles that one word from the previous question? Evergreen Brickworks, gets activated daily with people learning from the landscape around it or enjoying the many markets and activities hosted on site.

Short Bio:

Short Bio: I am entering my second year of the Master of Architecture program at Daniels and previously completed my bachelors in Sustainability and Urban Studies at McGill University. I am largely interested in how diverse processes of making become conversations between the land, people, and systems that constitute our collective environment

1. What quality in the built environment means to you in ONE word? A sense of place.
2. Where is your favorite place in Toronto that you like the most and maybe one that resembles that one word from the previous question? Sugar Beach.

Short Bio:

Short Bio: I am a first year Master of Landscape Architecture student at the University of Toronto’s John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design. I have a background in architectural technology and have completed a Bachelor of Design at OCAD University in Environmental Design.

1. What quality in the built environment means to you in ONE word? Accessibility
2. Where is your favorite place in Toronto that you like the most and maybe one that resembles that one word from the previous question? One of my favorite places to visit in Toronto which is also accessible is Tommy Thompson Park. It has beautiful views of the city and lake, as well as the perfect location for bird watching.

Short Bio:

Short Bio: Negar holds a Bachelor and Masters in Architecture from the Art University of Isfahan, Iran. Negar is interested in how good design opines demographic and social factors, equity issues, environmental sustainability formal expressions. She is interested in how these important issues impact both dense cities and rural areas. Through her Masters in Landscape Architecture she believes she can bridge the gap between cities and nature.

1. What quality in the built environment means to you in ONE word? Sense of belonging
2. Where is your favorite place in Toronto that you like the most and maybe one that resembles that one word from the previous question? Edwards Garden

Short Bio:

Rebecca Martin (she/her/hers) holds a BA with majors in Fine Arts and English and a minor in Art History from Mount Allison University as well as an MA in Literatures of Modernity from Toronto Metropolitan University. She has published peer-reviewed papers on American historical fiction and digital humanities and her professional experience includes roles in business development in the public opinion research sector. She is currently completing an MLA at the University of Toronto where she hopes to apply her background towards designing resilient urban landscapes that foster connection to place and joy.

1. What quality in the built environment means to you in ONE word? Connection.
2. Where is your favorite place in Toronto that you like the most and maybe one that resembles that one word from the previous question? Tommy Thompson Park. It’s a part of Toronto where human and non-human interventions have produced a unique and beautiful space

Short Bio:

Sneha Mandhan (she/her) works at the intersections of planning, urban design, architecture, design research, and community engagement. She collaborates on city building and engagement projects with Monumental Projects, People Design Co-operative, and the Department of Words and Deeds. She teaches graduate courses in urban design at the Daniels Faculty and holds a Master in City Planning from MIT, and an undergraduate degree in architecture from NIT, Bhopal. Her work focuses on unearthing and incorporating culture into the planning and design of cities. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Planning at the University of Toronto, where she is working to discover and share the stories of banquet halls as important sites of cultural celebration for the South Asian diaspora in the Greater Toronto Area.

1. What quality in the built environment means to you in ONE word? Welcoming

2. Where is your favorite place in Toronto that you like the most and maybe one that resembles that one word from the previous question? Rouge National Urban Park

Short Bio:

I am an international student from Vietnam currently pursuing Master of Landscape Architecture at University of Toronto. I have background working in architecture and property development, which also has sparked my interest in exploring the intersection of nature, urban landscapes, and cultural identity.

1. What quality in the built environment means to you in ONE word? Diversity

2. Where is your favorite place in Toronto that you like the most and maybe one that resembles that one word from the previous question? Corktown Common. My favourite place to hang out and to learn about. The place has become beautiful public gathering space, but besides its use and aesthetics quality, Corktown Common also supports ecologies and functions as stormwater infrastructure.