Creativity, Codes and Bylaws

The Intent of this seminar is for students to learn and understand the process of creation of urban zoning from a political ideology to its built manifestation.  Our built environment is regulated and as such shaped by national, provincial, and municipal rules and codes. The purpose of these regulatory systems is mainly to provide safety to all of Society. In addition, local cities and municipalities have the right to introduce additional regulatory systems referring to livability, neighbourliness, and stylistic elements of form, shape, and colour. In British Columbia these municipal rules exist in the form of Bylaws.

In 2008 Vancouver City Council unanimously adopted the EcoDensity Charter and a set of Initial Actions. As part of this initiative a change in zoning to single family neighborhoods was made to allow for a soft densification and “laneway house” bylaws were created. Since July 2009, laneway housing has been permitted in Vancouver’s RS-1 and RS-5 zoned single-family neighbourhoods. The Laneway bylaws are still in a testing/review phase with about 100 houses having received permits from the city.

In this seminar students will examine this new regulatory system, which was set up to allow small infill buildings in the backyard of a single family house. The bylaws are often criticized for their rigidity in prescribing form, height and programme leaving little room for individual architectural expression or innovation.

The seminar will start with researching innovative compact houses around the world, testing these locally and measuring them against the local regulatory framework.  Several field trips are anticipated including a visit to a laneway prefabricator and built projects as well as input lectures from planners and bylaw writers.  In the final exercise students will frame their own bylaw for a Laneway house.

The seminar will be structured as in-class workshops led by Inge Roecker, Faculty, and Sandra Moore, Architect and supported by guest lectures from planners and bylaw writers. All fieldtrips and workshops are within scheduled seminar times.

Deliverables will be framed as 5 exercises and work will be predominately produced during class time. Students are expected to summarize all exercises at the end of the seminar in a reflective presentation to classmates and invited guests.