Ana-Karinna Hidalgo PhD (c) Environmental Design - University of Calgary

Winter cities have a unique set of spatial features characterized by low temperatures, snow and ice, and chilly winds, and a rich quantity of textures, shadows, and colors on their environments. However, the reduced exposure to sun during the winter season may affect the use of public outdoor urban spaces, and so mental and physical health, and enjoyment of cities. Streets, as the main outdoor public space, are aimed at providing character to cities.

The shape, textures, vegetation, furniture, lights, colors and buildings that create the street atmosphere should be thought, designed and built harmonically and systematically towards the city growth. Winter cities are to be shaped differently with respect to the sunlight and natural landscapes in order to take advantage of their psychological, ecological, and cultural benefits. Urban design, environmental psychology and biophilic design provide insights for the development of public spaces that help improving the physical and mental health of the residents. The attention restoration theory in psychology proposes that fascination is an important step for the mental restoration process that can be produced by biophilic elements such as native vegetation, sunlight, textures, colors and well-designed buildings. This presentation focuses on the psychological benefits of fascinating streets and presents a conceptual design for the geometry and components for the design of streets and public places that can be considered for urban design policies of winter cities.

Jacob Larsen, M.Urb Planner City of Yellowknife

Recent years have witnessed increasing interest simpler and smaller dwelling options that reduce the environmental and financial cost of home ownership, often encompassed under the term, “Tiny Homes”. In order to provide a regulatory framework to allow these types of dwellings within municipal boundaries while maintaining standards of quality habitation, various issues must first be addressed. They include but are not limited to zoning codes, building codes, community participation, utility servicing and options around tenure.

In response to this growing interest in tiny homes, The City of Yellowknife is exploring these issues in order to enable various types of small, affordable homes. This presentation will provide an overview of these issues, the lessons learned to date, and describe the status of this evolving planning issue in the capital of the Northwest Territories. This presentation is an opportunity to share learning, and discuss how this type of housing may be integrated into the planning regime of Northern municipalities.

Chelsey Jersak, B.A., M.A. – Managing Director of Planning & Communities, Novhaus Inc & Kirk Tyler, Cloudberry Consulting

If we believe conventional wisdom, trade offs in any housing project are impossible to avoid. We’re told to choose two traits—quality, affordability, or speed. We can never have all three at once.

This refrain might sound familiar, but is it really true? And as the north grapples with increasing energy prices and decreasing housing affordability, does the standard refrain offer us the solutions we really need?

We believe it’s time to rethink the conventional wisdom, and begin to realistically explore how to plan and develop housing that meets both our communities’ green desires, as well as our affordable housing needs.

Join us as we discuss planning and policy options for facilitating green, affordable, and efficient housing in the north. This discussion will be grounded in realistic technical options with tangible socio-economic impacts, and will have ample time for questions and answers. Please come prepared for a frank discussion, and bring along a willingness to visualize a new housing future for our communities.