Retrieved May 9, 2004 from http://www.mppi.mb.ca/documents/charrette.pdf Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette November 2 & 3, 2001 Hosted by Manitoba Professional Planners Institute Manitoba Association of Landscape Architects Manitoba Association of Architects Professional Interior Designers Institute of Manitoba -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 2 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — i Acknowledgements Charrette coordinating team Valdene Buckley, Angie Clark, Leon Feduniw, David Jopling, Alec Katz, Kristy LeBaron, Jeff Palmer, Dwayne Rewniak, Leanne Shewchuk, Ian Wight and Barry Yanchyshyn Charrette facilitator David Witty Presenters David Van Vliet, Donna May Yeo, Eric Vogan, and Carolyn Chapain Recorders Marc Brown, Derek Eno, Martin Frigo, and Susan Mulligan Report authors Marc Brown, Derek Eno, Martin Frigo and Gord McGonigal With background files compiled by Dwayne Rewniak and Susanne Dewey Povoledo Charrette participants MPPI - Don Armstrong, Marc Brown, Allison Cook, Ed Dolhun, Glen Doney, Derek Eno, Martin Frigo, David Jopling, Kristy LeBaron, Susan Mulligan and Jeff Palmer MALA – Ian Corne, Shaun Finnigan, Yasmine A. Hay, Don Hester, Melanie Johnson Kwan, Susan Russell, Sophie Nichol Sauve, and Rajinder Singh MAA – Andrew Bickford, Robert Eastwood, Colin Grover, Alec Katz, Christy Kuziw, David Penner, Julio Rivas and Grant Van Iderstine PIDIM - Brian Everton, Leon Feduniw, Jason Kasper, Ardelle Martin and Christine McGee Community Participants – Ken Klassen and Carol Peever Sponsors Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Dean’s Office, Faculty of Architecture, University of Manitoba Lewis Instruments Manitoba Association of Landscape Architects Manitoba Association of Architects Family Services & Housing, Province of Manitoba Manitoba Professional Planners Institute Planning, Property & Development, City of Winnipeg Professional Interior Designers Institute of Manitoba -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 3 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — ii Contents Acknowledgements i Charrette coordinating team i Charrette facilitator i Presenters i Recorders i Report authors i Charrette participants i Sponsors i Contents. ii 1.Introduction 1 Synopsis 1 Intent 1 What is a Design Charrette? 1 2.Site 2 Location 2 History 2 Site Characteristics 4 3.Proceedings 5 Guest Presentations 5 Determination of Design Guidelines 7 4.Team Concepts 8 Team 1 8 Team 2 11 Team 3 14 5.Jury Deliberations 18 Team 1 18 Team 2 19 Team 3 19 6.Conclusions 20 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 4 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 1 1. Introduction Synopsis In celebration of World Town Planning Day, the Manitoba Professional Planner’s Institute (MPPI) hosted a design charrette. World Town Planning Day was founded in 1949 by the late professor Carlos Maria della Paolera of the University of Buenos Aires, to advance public and professional interest in planning, both locally and abroad. The participants included members from the four recognized professional design organisations: MPPI, Manitoba Association of Architects (MAA), Manitoba Association of Landscape Architects (MALA) and Professional Interior Design Institute of Manitoba (PIDIM). Also participating were students of these four disciplines (both graduate and undergraduate) and concerned community members. The site under consideration was CFB Kapyong located in southwest Winnipeg. The participants were divided into three groups to develop alternative design concepts. The event was spread over one evening and one day. The evening was set aside for orientation and background presentations, with the actual design deliberations occurring the following day. Intent The charrette was convened to permit an interactive planning and design process to explore potential end uses for the Kapyong Barracks lands that are potentially surplus to the future needs of the Canadian military. The alternative solutions that the charrette generated will hopefully provide useful information for decision-makers as they explore options for the end use of the lands. What is a Design Charrette? A design charrette is an intensive interdisciplinary planning and design exercise intended to generate a number of design solutions over a short period of time for a specific site. The charrette is intended to stimulate analysis, debate and ideas that are rooted in the site’s context, and physical, social, cultural, economic and ecological setting. A charrette should challenge conventional thinking, offering new ideas for more appropriate land uses, policies and development types. A charrette provides one or more design solutions for the chosen site. In this instance, three teams each produced a design for the Kapyong Barracks site. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 5 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 2 2. Site Location The Kapyong Barracks are located along Kenaston Boulevard, in the southwest quadrant of Winnipeg. The site (including base and adjacent housing) extends approximately 2.5 kilometres north to south, and one kilometre east to west. It reaches from Wilkes Avenue to the south, to Tuxedo Avenue to the north. The base proper (i.e. buildings of a military nature) is primarily situated between Wilkes and Grant, while a large recreational area north of Grant extends to Fleet. Base housing continues northward from the recreation area for approximately one kilometre, from south of Corydon Avenue northward to Tuxedo Boulevard. Housing also exists on the east side of Kenaston and on the south side of Corydon (see Figure 1). The site is situated in a highly accessible location, featuring excellent transportation connections to the rest of the city. The primary traffic route is Kenaston Boulevard, an arterial thoroughfare that connects one end of Winnipeg to the other along a north-south axis. The location of the base allows for good access to many significant Winnipeg destinations including the downtown, suburban shopping, the airport, and the emerging retail “power centre” south of the base at McGillivray Boulevard. In terms of general land use, the area contains a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial development located on and near the base. The majority of land uses in the immediate area surrounding the base consist of a mix of single- and multi-family housing. There are also a significant number of higher-end units (both single-family and condominiums) in the adjacent Tuxedo neighbourhood. South of the base is the Tuxedo Industrial Area as well as the CNR Intermodal Terminal, the latter of which is located along the CNR Rivers rail line. Approximately six kilometres northwest of the Kapyong Barracks on Wellington Avenue is the Winnipeg International Airport. Discussions have been underway for many years regarding the introduction of an underpass on Kenaston Boulevard at the CNR rail line. The incorporation of an underpass at this location will have implications on the roadway right-of-way and adjacent lands including the possible widening of Kenaston Boulevard. History The site of Kapyong Barracks was originally prairie and meadow, featuring some marshy areas near Wilkes Avenue, with forest to the north. In its use as a military base, the site was formerly known as CFB Winnipeg (South), and before that Fort Osborne South. However, tracing the history of the Barracks is complicated by the fact that the site may also have been referred to as 17 Wing South, and that two additional Fort Osbornes were previously built in Winnipeg. No development had occurred on the site until approximately the 1940s, with the majority of construction occurring between 1956 and 1957, when this new military post (then called Fort Osborne South) became an extension of Fort Osborne Barracks to the north. In 1973 the base was renamed Kapyong Barracks to commemorate battle honours won by the battalion during the Korean conflict. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 6 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 3 Figure 1. The Kapyong Barracks site. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 7 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 4 Site Characteristics The footprint for the Barracks (excluding military quarters) is approximately 160 acres or nearly seven million square feet. Much of the site currently contains some type of development such as buildings, roads, marching space and related infrastructure. The site also contains a number of open and undeveloped parcels. The total internal floor space of the buildings on site is approximately 800,000 square feet. There is also considerable diversity in the size of the various structures, which range from a few hundred square metres, to over 100,000 square feet. The Kapyong site contains an extensive collection of buildings that are diverse in both use and age of construction. A predominant number of the structures are near ? or have exceeded ?fifty years in age. Because of their age, poor physical condition, and possible contamination considerations, their potential for reuse is limited. A number of buildings have undergone renovations, additions and mechanical retrofits over the years. However, despite the changes that have taken place, it is believed that a number of the buildings still fall short of meeting current occupancy standards. The types of uses found in the buildings are quite varied and include light industrial, storage, vehicle repair, administrative, recreational, food services, entertainment, residential and military operational (weapons storage) uses. The size of the buildings range from small storage sheds to 100,000 square foot warehouse structures. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 8 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 5 3. Proceedings The charrette began on Friday evening with a brief introduction from the facilitator, David Witty, Dean of Architecture at The University of Manitoba. Dean Witty introduced himself and provided first hand experiences demonstrating the effectiveness of a design charrette. Guest Presentations To offer guidance in the design process, four presentations were given to the participants. Each presentation stressed important principles that must be considered in the design of the Kapyong Barracks site. Professor David Van Vliet from the Department of City Planning at The University of Manitoba, gave the opening presentation. The discussion focused on “green design” and sustainable community development. The focus was on improving the human condition within the community while sustaining the ecosystem. The creation of linkages between the built form and the natural environment was stressed. The ideas of reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink were invoked. It was suggested that the environmental design of the built form and the local, natural process be integrated within the site to promote the human condition. Donna May Yeo of The Council of Winnipeg Women gave the second presentation. Her presentation stressed the need to redevelop the site for the betterment of the community. The discussion stressed the need for a “town” centre and a mix of middle-income housing. The displeasure of current big box store development was established. The desire to enhance transit facilities and widen Kenaston Boulevard was expressed as a means of alleviating current traffic congestion problems. Yet, the need to decrease automobile dependency was documented. Eric Vogan of the Urban Development Institute gave the third presentation. His discussion focussed on aspects of real-estate development. The need for sound development that did not depreciate the area’s inventory was expressed. The area’s inventory was documented in relation to the services, institutions, open spaces, low crime rates and transportation facilities that exist in the prosperous surrounding areas such as Tuxedo. In particular, the presentation discussed the need to enhance current transportation facilities as a means of facilitating the movement of goods and services into, out of, and through the site. Kenaston Boulevard is considered a major economic route in this respect. The presentation stated that the area already has sufficient commercial capacity, so the redevelopment of the site should be oriented around the significant amounts of residential development and supporting infrastructure. It was expressed that as a whole, the site should offer dense residential opportunities that are affordable. Carolyn Chapain of The University of Manitoba’s Transport Institute gave the final presentation, highlighting the impact of site re-development in relation to transportation. This is important because the proposed high-density residential development would place a strain on current local and regional infrastructure. Kenaston Boulevard was the major focus of the discussion as it is an important transport link to numerous urban nodes. The need for either a transit- or auto-oriented development was documented. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 9 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 6 Friday, November 2, 2001 Location: Centro Caboto Centre (Italian Cultural Centre) 1055 Wilkes Avenue 7:00 pm Registration 7:10 pm Welcome and Introductions – Valdene Buckley, MPPI 7:15 pm Presentations (10 minutes each) David vanVliet – Department of City Planning, U of M Donna May Yeo – Council of Women of Winnipeg Eric Vogan – Urban Development Institute Carolyn Chapain – University of Manitoba Transport Institute 8:00 pm Planning Principles – David Witty, Facilitator complete a facilitated identification of planning principles for the project 8:45 pm Review Next Day Activities – David Witty Saturday, November 3, 2001 Location: Centro Caboto Centre (Italian Cultural Centre) 1055 Wilkes Avenue 9:30 am Introductions and Outline – Valdene Buckley 9:45 am Review Background Information – Susanne Dewey Povoledo, Dwayne Rewniak 10:15 am Break into Teams/Coffee – David Witty 10:20 am Start Context and Site Analysis 11:30 am Complete Analysis 11:45 am Prepare Development Programme 12:00 pm Working Lunch • Begin Concept Plan Preparation 2:00 pm Evaluate Concept Plan and Modify, as required 2:30 pm Begin Final Concept Plan 4:00 pm Presentations to Jury 5:00 pm Wrap Up -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 10 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 7 Determination of Design Guidelines After reflecting upon the importance of each presentation, the participants were asked to state guidelines that they considered important in the design of the site. A list of these important ideas and concepts was created by the facilitator. The participants were then invited to each place three markers beside the ideas or guidelines they considered most important in developing the design concepts for the site. From the collection of markers placed by the participants, the facilitator was able to establish eight predominant design guidelines of importance to the group as a whole. These are listed below. 1. Design that is integrated into the surrounding community. 2. Integrate a work, live, play, environment (less commuting) 3. Accessible community (resident mobility) 4. Create a pedestrian scale. 5. Design that is responsive to future demographics (aging populations). 6. Include a mix of uses. 7. Green-space connectivity 8. Promote innovative and emerging technology. The participants were divided at random into three groups on the following day. Each team consisted of equal representation from the four recognized design professions. There were also other participants included in the three groups, including engineers, teachers and concerned community residents. Teams were not in competition to produce the ‘ best’ design solution. The teams were urged to share information with each other. Each team was given a package that contained a large amount of information regarding the site. Demographic information, profiles of surrounding neighbourhoods, a building inventory and data regarding transportation patterns were included. Pictures of the site and the structures that exist were also provided. An aerial photograph of the Kapyong Barracks site was also made available. Teams were also provided with a variety of maps. Maps ranged in size from basic maps of the site itself to maps of the neighbourhood and the larger city-wide context. The content of the maps included zoning information for the site and immediate area. The three teams had access to this information so that innovative yet realistic design concepts could be developed. The design teams were encouraged to be creative, but were also warned of the constrained timeline. Dean Witty wished all the participants the best of luck. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 11 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 8 4. Team Concepts Team 1 Site Context and Analysis Team 1’s site analysis focused around gaining a better understanding of the physical and social characteristics of the Kapyong Barracks site. The team focused on the present quality and possible reuse of existing buildings on the site, and the demographics of the River Heights community in terms of age, income, and housing types. Team 1 examined how these variables might inform future land use on the Kapyong Barracks site. The majority of residents in River Heights are highly educated. River Heights also has a large population of residents between the ages of 25-64. A significant lack of adequate housing for families with lower income levels was discovered. It was decided that any proposed development of the Kapyong Barracks site must include services and facilities for an aging population, as well as a wide variety of housing types and densities to provide for families with different income levels. It was also found that large industrial warehouses situated in the southwestern quadrant of the site provided the opportunity for future industrial use. Uses would include space for digital, telecommunication and film industries. The main underground sewer line that extends through the middle of the site was also seen as suitable for development as a green corridor. Design Concept Team 1’s redesign for the Kapyong Barracks site called for a mixture of commercial, residential and industrial land uses. Team 1 proposed a strong central commercial area situated in the north section of -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 12 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 9 the central quadrant. The proposed commercial section is characterised by a linear pattern of shops with housing units located above. Roof top gardens and patios characterize residences above these commercial units. Residential units would also vary in size from single person units to larger family suites. Integrating new housing into existing housing patterns Team 1 wanted to enhance a sense of physical connectedness between existing residential areas and new residential areas. New single-family residential uses would be found adjacent to existing single-family housing on the northernmost quadrant of the site. Multi-family medium-density housing would characterize the majority of the central quadrant, sitting adjacent to existing single-family housing. Senior’s housing would be located on the central quadrant south of Grant, to allow easier access to commercial amenities and services. Vehicular and pedestrian circulation This Kapyong site redesign would also support fluid vehicular and pedestrian circulation. New vehicular routes in the central quadrant would give unrestricted access to all residential and commercial areas, and ample parking for both uses. Pedestrian circulation would follow tree-lined routes through both commercial and residential sections. A tree-lined corridor along Kenaston was also proposed to allow for future road widening. Promoting innovative technology Team 1 envisioned an innovative reuse of the two large warehouses on the southwestern quadrant of the site. These warehouses would support high-tech firms specializing in digital, telecommunication services and media products, specifically those related to the film industry. With development of commercial areas on the site, and a highly educated population, emerging digital industries would be attracted to this area. Recreational redevelopment Team 1 proposed that Lipsett Hall, located at the northern quadrant of the site, would be fully renovated and serve as a recreational space for local community use. Key concepts A mixture of commercial, residential and industrial land uses. The development of low-rise retail and office units with residential housing units on the top floors. The development of roof-top gardens and patios for residential use. Housing that reflects different family sizes and income levels. Housing that responds to the needs of seniors. Housing patterns that reflect the existing neighbourhood patterns in density and scale. The innovative reuse of industrial warehouses to support emerging digital, telecommunication and film industries. The renovation of Lipset Hall. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 13 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 10 Figure 2. Perspective showing medium-scale commercial development with residential patios and gardens above. Figure 3. Team 1’s conceptual redevelopment of the site. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 14 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 11 Team 2 Site Context and Analysis Team 2 thoroughly examined the physical characteristics of the Kapyong Barracks site in its site analysis. The site analysis acknowledged several key facts. Kenaston Blvd. is a major truck and traffic route that will eventually be widened. Any future site design must accommodate this. The CNR rail inter-modal site south of the Kapyong site is permanent, and may expand in the future. This could affect future land use on the Kapyong site. Expansion of the inter-modal facility will impact traffic volumes on Wilkes Ave. and Kenaston Blvd. The majority of buildings on the Kapyong site are in poor physical condition. Any future designs on the site will require extensive infrastructure improvements in services (sewer, hydro) and building construction. Pedestrian access to the Kapyong site by crossing Kenaston Blvd. or Wilkes Ave. is an unpleasant experience. Design proposals must explore different ways in which pedestrians can access the Kapyong site safely and comfortably. Since the land is spatially divided into five sections of varying scale, the site is conducive to multiple land uses. Team 2 assumed several other key elements to guide the design process. The team assumed that the entire site would be cleared of buildings, except for the two large warehouses at the south end of the site. Team 2 also assumed that the central sewer line that extends through the middle of the site would not be removed. Team 2 also assumed that all contamination on the site would be removed before development. The abandoned rail line running west of the site would also be used as a future rapid transit corridor. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 15 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 12 Design Concept Team 2 envisioned a mixed commercial, recreational and residential use for the Kapyong Barracks site. Residential use along the site would be a mix of high-rise apartments and two- to three-storey apartments that would accommodate the different income levels and housing preferences of families. The northern quadrant of the site would be characterized by recreational and educational uses. The site would support soccer and football fields, an elementary school, and housing. The central quadrant between Grant and Taylor would contain the main commercial and residential section of the site. The site would support small-scale commercial uses, specifically at the corner of Grant and Kenaston. Linear green space A major characteristic of the Kapyong site redesign was a proposed green corridor that extended through the entire site. The green pedestrian park followed along the existing sewer line, to provide pedestrian circulation and biking through the site. Housing The majority of housing in the central quadrant was envisioned to be two- to three-storey apartments located along cul-de sacs. The existing motor vehicle entrance on Grant Avenue provided access to the central quadrant. Two vehicular passages on the west and east side of the quadrant connected all apartments and businesses to the Grant Ave. entrance. Warehouse reuse The two large warehouses on the southern quadrant just south of Taylor would be retained as a garden marketplace and future office space. Communication and digital media companies could be encouraged to rent space in the office warehouse. Community gardens for local residents were proposed for the rest of the quadrant. Pedestrians and traffic To encourage safe and comfortable pedestrian crossings, above ground pedestrian skywalks were located along Kenaston Blvd. and Grant Ave. A park and ride facility was located along Taylor adjacent to the future rapid transit corridor. The rapid transit corridor would provide quick access to Portage Ave. A soft edge of trees and vegetation approximately twenty feet wide was located adjacent to Kenaston Blvd. This would provide a sound barrier for businesses and residences on the site and provide space for future widening of Kenaston Blvd. Commercial anchors An eight storey building is envisioned for the corner of Kenaston Blvd and Grant Ave. The tall building would help physically anchor this corner and provide a mixture of commercial and office space. Key concepts A mixture of commercial, residential and recreational land use on the Kapyong Barracks site. Low to high density housing that physically relates to the surrounding neighbourhoods in vertical scale. The safe and continuous circulation of pedestrians through the Kapyong Barracks site. A rapid transit corridor linking the neighbourhoods of Tuxedo, South Tuxedo, J.B Mitchell and Mathers to Portage Avenue. A linear green space through the middle of the Kapyong Barracks site that supports recreational use, and permits safe pedestrian circulation through the site. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 16 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 13 Figure 4. Elevation showing interplay of buildings and vegetation. Figure 5. Team 2’s site plan. Note the emphasis on fluid pedestrian and vehicular circulation. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 17 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 14 Team 3 Site Context and Site Analysis Team 3 conducted an intensive analysis of the site and its context. The main focus of the evaluation centered on issues related to transportation and residential development. The team decided that it was imperative to investigate design principles, especially those related to transportation and housing, at three different scales. The site context was thoroughly analyzed at the neighbourhood, local and city-wide scales. Ideas to be included in the final concept plan were evaluated according to their relation and effect on these various urban settings. The neighbourhood site analysis referred to the immediate area, including the site itself. The local scale context included the site and surrounding areas such as Tuxedo and River Heights. Finally, the city-wide or regional scale context looked at the redevelopment of the site and its relation to the larger, Winnipeg based context. The primary objective for discussing the three various scales was to establish the important characteristics and linkages for use in the design of a final concept plan. The site analysis began by establishing the importance of demographics in the redevelopment of the Kapyong Barracks. In particular, the team looked at the potential population growth in the area that the redevelopment of the site would initiate. It was agreed that the site would create low to moderate growth in the area. Consequently, a less dense development, with a variety of land uses was envisioned. Reasoning suggested that low growth and a relatively less dense residential development would allow for the inclusion of green space, recreational areas and commercial components into the final concept plan. At the neighbourhood scale, it was decided that only existing infrastructure on the site presented opportunity for improvement, and should therefore be maintained in the formulation of a final concept plan. Existing buildings were not deemed unique and therefore not included in the site analysis. Land-use analysis established the need for the development of new residential, commercial and institutional uses in the establishment of a design concept. The team agreed that land-use and redevelopment should be based upon two critical hubs that currently exist: 1) the intersection of Grant Avenue and Kenaston Boulevard, which is perceived as a community service node and 2) the intersection of Taylor Avenue and Kenaston Boulevard, which is viewed as a node identifying the transition to big box stores. Kenaston Boulevard was identified as a barrier separating the area into east and west sections. Analyzing the Kapyong Barracks site -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 18 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 15 included the evaluation of forecasted effects that development would have in these east and west areas, and the possibility of reducing the isolation imposed by the Kenaston Boulevard barrier. The site analysis at the local scale considered the residential layout and land use character of Tuxedo and River Heights. Redevelopment of the site should therefore include ideas and concepts that are consistent with the middle- and high-income residential character of these two areas. In the site analysis, the team established the need to avoid the duplication of uses and amenities that currently exist in surrounding areas. Additionally, the redevelopment of the site is to include uses that are appropriate for the area, linking and relating themselves to the character and functionality of the local context. Analyzing the site context at the regional scale focused on the effect that redevelopment of the Kapyong Barracks site would have on transportation and related issues. The effect of residential and commercial development on regional transportation infrastructure was of particular importance. Design Concept Team 3 envisioned a design concept that included a mix of uses spatially distributed throughout the site. Provisions for office space and recreational uses are located in the southern area of the site. Commercial uses were placed along the northern section of the Kapyong Barracks site in a town-shop or commercial village orientation. Key to the design of the site is the inclusion of an accessible green route with a central civic space running north to south along the eastern portion of the site. The green route is accompanied by a mix of residential uses that would also run north to south in the eastern portion of the site. The idea was to incorporate a pedestrian scale within a village concept. Kenaston Boulevard Kenaston Boulevard was viewed as a key element in the design of the Kapyong Barracks site. A green buffer of trees to run along side Kenaston Boulevard was proposed. As a major transportation linkage, Kenaston Boulevard needs to accommodate relatively large volumes of vehicular traffic while encouraging alternative methods of transportation such as cycling and pedestrian mobility. The buffer also serves the purpose of separating the negative aspects of high volume vehicular traffic from nearby land-uses located along the busy thoroughfare. Facilitating this, the group decided that land uses would be set back at a minimum of 60 feet from Kenaston Boulevard. Additionally, the creation of a pedestrian-friendly promenade along the busy street would encourage alternative forms of mobility while improving the aesthetic quality of the area. Pedestrian Scale and Orientation One of the key elements in the design of the site is the creation of a design oriented towards pedestrian mobility, accessibility, and the creation of a pedestrian scale. To accommodate this need, a green promenade was designed along Kenaston Boulevard with a similar concept proposed for Grant Avenue and Taylor Avenue. The promenade would separate busy roadways from important community land uses. This would encourage pedestrian mobility throughout the site, providing accessibility to key neighbourhood areas while promoting a more aesthetically pleasing community through design. Mixed Use Design The redevelopment of the site incorporated the need for mixed land-uses. This included the integration of a contiguous greenway running from north to south in the east area of the site. This green space was designed to promote ecological sensitivity while providing the community with an aesthetically pleasing and multi-functional amenity. The greenway included a central civic square to provide residents and visitors with an opportunity for passive recreation and socialization. The civic square included a military monument to commemorate the historical significance of the Canadian Forces Base. Additionally, the redesign of the Kapyong Barracks included the development of a recreational area behind Lipset Hall. Lipset Hall was the only pre-existing building on the site that was not to be demolished. The team envisioned the hall would be renovated to complement the design and to incorporate recreational facilities. This recreational area is surrounded by mixed residential uses. A transit stop, pathways, and space for -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 19 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 16 parking makes the area accessible to most residents and visitors. Much like the rest of the Kapyong site, the design focus was on the pedestrian and community resident. The design of the site also includes the provision of a commercial town centre located along Grant Avenue. The idea was to provide residents with a mix of low and high order commercial goods at a community focal point that was accessible to pedestrians, vehicles and transit users. Incorporating a transit node into the overall design of the commercial village was considered imperative. The village or town center was street oriented, with a strong focus on pedestrian scale and accessibility. The goal was to provide residents with basic necessities so that the need to travel outside of the area would be reduced. The last concept included into the design of a mixed-use community was the provision for office space. Offices were included along Kenaston Boulevard between Grant and Taylor Avenue. Offices were set back 100 feet from the road and incorporated landscaped courtyards to maintain the aesthetic character of the site. Mixed Residential Uses Redevelopment of the Kapyong Barracks should provide future residents with a rich housing mix. This will provide residential opportunities to a variety of socio-economic groups. Of particular importance was the inclusion of both seniors and student housing. Residential uses incorporated into the design of the site were situated from north to south along the eastern edge of the site, along the contiguous greenway, and around the recreational facilities that surround Lipset Hall. Key Concepts The provision of various types of housing, including public housing, and housing for students and seniors. The integration of a contiguous community greenway. The construction of a village or town centre that supports daily commercial activities while providing basic necessities. • The inclusion of an educational institute. The provision of office space and recreational space that supports a live, work, play environment. The enhancement of transit services. The focus on pedestrian scale through the design of boulevards, buildings and public space. The development of land uses compatible with those in surrounding communities. The introduction of traffic calming design principles to reduce traffic volumes in the area. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 20 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 17 Figure 6. Team 3’s transportation plan for vehicular and pedestrian movement. Figure 7. Team 3’s conceptual plan for the site’s northern quadrant. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 21 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 18 5. Jury Deliberations The jury in the design charrette played an integral role in providing constructive criticism on each team’s design. The jury included representatives from each design profession. The jury members were Eleanor Shewchuk, Cynthia Cohlmeyer, Herb Enns, and Chris Leach. Team 1 (Photo) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 22 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 19 Team 2 (Photo) Team 3 (Photo) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 23 Kapyong Barracks Design Charrette — 20 6. Conclusions The Kapyong Barracks design charrette proved to be an interesting experience for all those who participated. Despite the diverse backgrounds of the participants, the teams generated unique design solutions that may be included in the future redevelopment of the site. The event was a successful collaboration between the four design professions, and concerned citizens. The Kapyong Barracks charrette formed an appropriate tribute to World Town Planning Day.