Groundbreaking: Alternative Ways of Greening the Urban Matrix

Sara Rickenbacher

Urban areas are defined by high percentage of impervious surfaces and highly manicured, rigid development, which limit dynamic processes and urban nature. This project explores ways of greening the matrix to address the associated problems in underused, transitional, and leftover urban spaces. The goal is to increase ecological and human purpose, using local conditions and resources. Inspired by natural patterns, structures and processes, the design aims to be dynamic and diverse, while maintaining an appropriate aesthetic related to the context and use. As a representative urban setting, West Central Valley in Burnaby is used to analyze space typologies and test design strategies that can be applied on a variety of urban transitional spaces.