Life begins in the garden: open spaces and livable environments of the Spence Neighbourhood in Winnipeg
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Date
2022-12-11
Authors
Laya, Ian
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Abstract
According to the landscape architect Dieter Kienast, the open spaces surrounding a home are crucial for a good quality of life (Freytag, 2021). These open spaces are the private garden, the front street, and the back lane. They play an essential role in the physical and social environment, and they are an integral part of peoples’ everyday life. Attractive and welcoming private gardens and public streets open the possibility for informal social interactions amongst neighbours, provide cozy and hospitable places for various activities, increase community belonging, and create a better human-nature relationship.
The practicum will study the neighbourhood of Spence. It is an old residential area in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba. An iconic feature in the area is the urban canopy. It provides numerous environmental and ecological benefits. But the health of the urban canopy is in decline due to pests and diseases. The degradation of the urban canopy has detrimental effects on public health, the overall spatial condition of the urban environment and community image.
The practicum intends to develop suggestions and to provide inspirations to reconsider the design of private gardens, streets, and back lanes while taking good care of the neighbourhood’s urban canopy. The quality of outdoor spaces and the urban canopy is vital for a healthy and meaningful life. They can also increase the overall satisfaction with one’s home. The design outcomes are derived from careful examination of the neighbourhood context and the sequence of spaces from private to public.
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Keywords
inner-city, downtown, Winnipeg, neighbourhood, Spence, Residential, Private garden, urban canopy, Winnipeg Urban Forest