posted on 2021-05-23, 09:40authored byJonathan P. Pascaris
Well-being is a holistic concept of human health, and it is inextricably linked to environment. Built landscapes that do not service real human needs can be extremely detrimental to the growth of community. In the context of Toronto, this is no more apparent than in suburban neighbourhoods where changing demographics have left a populati on with diverse and urgent needs, but in which homogenous and auto-centric built environments inhibit the informal socializati on that contribute to both individual and urban vitality. This thesis purports that architecture has a parti cularly important role in the future of such neighbourhoods because of its capacity to intensify program and create opportuniti es for people to comingle. Drawing upon the metaphor of therapeutic acupuncture, this thesis will explore the ways in which punctual interventions can activate places. Objectives of connectivity, hybridity and porosity will be explored as the means by which this activation can occur. Ultimately, this thesis aims to assert the importance of architecture in facilitating more holistic understandings of urban health.