Beauti
fying Toronto Neighbour
hoods

Partner City of Toronto

We live and work in neighbourhoods but do we ever stop and wonder how they can better meet our daily needs?

OpenCity Projects delivered creative solutions that make neighbourhoods more beautiful, relevant experiences.

Background
The City of Toronto’s Clean and Beautiful city initiative worked to renew public spaces with the support of neighborhood residents. The City’s Urban Development Services team asked OpenCity Projects to engage city stakeholders and use design to improve urban environments based on their needs. In partnership with OCAD University, we worked with 3rd-year design students to turn this challenge into a creative opportunity.

Solution
Our project began with desk research to learn about urban settings such as the demographics and history. Students visited neighbourhoods to observe people first-hand in public spaces. They conducted one-on-one interviews to learn about the neighbourhood experience from residents’ perspectives and validate opportunities to make improvements. Back in the classroom, students developed personas — fictional portraits of people interviewed —  and mapped those stakeholders’ experiences to help pinpoint opportunity areas.

Based on research findings, we brainstormed a broad range of ways to resolve urban challenges and students designed solutions. Top designs were exhibited as part of the ‘Toronto Unbound’ installation at XPACE Cultural Centre. A special jury, representing the City’s Urban Development Services team and the office of the mayor, selected projects that were implemented by the City of Toronto in 2010.

In the News
Toronto Star Toronto’s Makeover
Bravo! Toronto Unbound
Globe & Mail Toronto Transformed
Torontoist Homeward Unbound