Experiential Density: Infill strategies within Toronto's Centres - Bringing Human Scale, Character, and Walkability

A variety of approaches are being used to accommodate Toronto’s growing population. Most of these solutions rely on high-rise and mid-rise developments, emphasizing the quantity of density instead of the quality. However, this thesis focuses on blocks of slab towers, and explores how the perception of an environment and intensity of development can form an experiential density. Introducing new public and pedestrian orientated spaces to the neglected land between apartment towers to improve the experience of urban blocks also offers open space to increase the density in Toronto’s designated growth areas. To achieve this new environment, urban blocks containing clusters of slab towers will be fragmented into walkable distances; scaled outdoor spaces will activate the neglected park; infill will increase density and define outdoor spaces; and transitional areas will mediate the public and private realm, all to bring life into the block and improve experience of urban density.