Architectural development of urban social capital : cohousing in downtown Toronto

his thesis is an investigation in to the opportunities to create multi-family housing developments in an urban centre, namely downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that facilitate the development of social capital. Social capital refers to the connection that unifies a community, and creates a sense of belonging. A comparative study of social capital creation was undertaken using two typical Toronto housing models, condominiums and cooperatives and a third form of housing not yet found in Toronto, cohousing. Through this comparison, cohousing was determined to have the greatest opportunity for creating social capital. To determine an appropriate design methodology for urban cohousing, the principles of social capital that inspired cohousing design were exposed and used to reinterpret cohousing to include urban conditions. An exploration of the reinterpreted cohousing design methodlogy through the hypothetical redevelopment of an industrial urban five storey complex for a diverse client concludes the design thesis.