My Socials 11 term paper / density rant:
During the twentieth century, much of the world’s population underwent a transition. What was once a predominately rural society evolved into an urban one. In 2008, the world’s urban population is projected to exceed half the world’s total, with Canada’s at eighty percent. In Canada and the United States, the definitions of urban and city have become loose. Traditionally, a city is thought of as a single place where a large number of people live. Today, cities are spread out across vast landscapes where large single-family dwellings sit on massive lots that extend the city farther and farther from its core. Urban sprawl is a phenomenon at the root of numerous environmental and social issues, ranging from global warming to obesity. It is now clear that we are building our cities the wrong way. There is a right way—increasing density. It has been done in the past and it is being done right now, even in parts of Vancouver. It just isn’t being done enough.
Increasing the density of our city isn’t just an option, it’s the only way that Vancouver can grow sustainably for the future. With global warming and other threats to food supplies, we can’t afford to pave over our precious farmland. We can’t build out, so the only way to go is up. There are two distinct areas that need to be focused on when looking at higher-density development. The first are the buildings themselves. People who are opposed to increased density might contend that single-family dwellings would be bulldozed to make way for massive skyscrapers. The truth is, there are many different scales of development, all of which can help increase density and allow for mixed-use neighbourhoods. Simply developing at a higher density is not enough, however. New buildings must be designed well so that they are friendly to their residents, to the neighbourhood and to the environment.
The second area that must be considered is the infrastructure to support increased development. The street is a crucial component of a neighbourhood and any developments built around it must interact well with it. Neighbourhoods must be built so that it is easy to walk or bike to any destination. For longer trips, adequate public transit needs to be easily accessible. If both the developments and infrastructure of a neighbourhood are planned well, then a truly great city can be created.
The forms of development that are needed are changing. If current growth rates continue, Metro Vancouver’s population is expected to reach four million within the next 50 years. Along with this massive population growth, a major demographic shift has also been predicted. The average number of persons per household is expected to drop from 2.6 to 2.3, and the number of families with children is expected to drop from 41 percent to 36 percent. This, along with the aging baby-boomers, will create a much higher demand for smaller single- and double-occupancy dwellings, as opposed to larger family-sized houses. It is then recommended that only 15% of new housing units be single-family.
There are many different housing types that are capable of increasing density. One of the most clear and obvious is the residential tower. Seen not only in Downtown Vancouver, but also in other locations around the region, the high-rise is the most concentrated form of density that can be considered. Currently, there are a few restrictions that limit the size of a skyscraper. The City of Vancouver has an official height limit of 137 metres (450 feet), with discretionary increases for certain locations if certain design conditions are met. The highest of these has been the Shangri-La Tower, at 197 metres (600 feet). While towers like the Shangri-La are great for the city, even more are needed for Downtown Vancouver to achieve its full potential.
In addition to the overall height limit, the city also has a series of overlapping “view corridors” that further limit the height of buildings to preserve views from a few select locations to certain mountains. These “view corridors”, while preserving views from a small number of specific locations, have very little impact on overall views within the city. However, they have proven to be significant obstacles against the increase of density within the downtown area. The truth is, there is another way that downtown Vancouver can preserve views without preventing higher buildings: the streets. Because Vancouver uses a grid system, North/South-oriented streets around the city can provide citizens with beautiful views of the North Shore Mountains. Relaxing height and view restrictions moderately within Downtown Vancouver would be a simple way to accommodate more residents downtown and allow for more iconic architecture.
Downtown Vancouver is only one of the many areas that have the potential for improved density and livability. High-rise living does not appeal to some people, but there are many alternatives as well. In other neighbourhoods around the city, there are many different opportunities for increased density and better urban design. One of the keys to having a livable neighbourhood is having mixed land uses, so citizens can live, work, shop and play without having to travel to the other side of the city. With peak oil and the ever-rising cost of fuel, mixed-use neighbourhoods will become economically necessary. Renowned author and urbanist James Howard Kunstler explains that “Major instabilities in the system will present themselves much sooner than we are led to believe. And by that I mean the way we produce food, the way we conduct commerce, and the way we move around.” When looking at ordinary citizens, habits will only change when it becomes too expensive to maintain them.
Density can even be increased in single-family neighbourhoods while maintaining existing houses. Secondary suites in basements or upper floors of existing houses allow for multiple units within an existing house, increasing density without harming the existing architecture and character of a neighbourhood. Some homes in Vancouver already have secondary suites, but there is potential for a much greater number. Another form of housing that would be very effective within existing single-family neighbourhoods is lane-oriented housing. In the space that is currently occupied by a garage on many lots or backyard space on others, additional housing could be built without altering the existing houses. These initiatives are a key part of the City of Vancouver’s EcoDensity plan.
Between the density level of high-rises and additions on existing lots there is another form of development: the street-oriented mid-rise. These can already be found in many places throughout Vancouver, often under the City’s C-2 zoning. C-2 allows for up to four stories generally three of residential over one of commercial. This mixed-use design allows residents to have easy access to necessities within their own neighbourhood. More recently, some areas have been similarly developed to heights of six to eight stories, such as Arbutus near 12th Avenue. The EcoDensity plan looks at expanding this to other areas of the city.
Besides the housing developments themselves, it is also important to consider the infrastructure that connects them. The street is a focus for city life, so it must be able to accommodate the needs of its users and enhance the neighbourhood as a whole. The key to a well-designed street is making it easy and enjoyable to walk or bike to one’s destination. Wide sidewalks and walking paths along with designated bike routes and lanes create an environment that’s friendly to the pedestrian and the cyclist. Not only is the design of the street important, but the layout is as well. In an effort to keep traffic off of side streets, most suburban developments have adopted spaghetti-like random street patterns within neighbourhoods. Not only are these streets confusing and sidewalk-free, they also force drivers to use a few select arterial streets, causing those to have too much traffic to be walkable. The solution as seen within both Vancouver and Manhattan, is the grid system. The grid allows for walking and cycling, while maintaining peace and quiet on side streets and walkability on major streets. For longer trips, it is essential to provide a public transit system that is fast and reliable.
Today, there are many problems that face Vancouver, as well as cities across Canada and around the world. With global warming, other environmental issues in addition to fuel, food and land shortages, we must take action to handle our population growth and upcoming demographic shift. The steps that need to be taken are clear: Improve our already-dense downtown even more, enhance the density of our existing single-family areas and create vibrant street-oriented neighbourhoods where walking and cycling are the best transportation options. Vancouver is already a wonderful city. But it has the potential to be even better.
Vancouver's Future
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