Abstract:

The research explores planning and design strategies for adaptive reuse in Canadian cities to preserve and enhance the legacy of Canadian historic places. Propelled by a growing commitment to sustainability, creative planning intervention and a blend of grassroots and public projects, heritage-led regeneration is transforming the urban fabric of Canadian cities and is creating a dynamic new civic identity. Planners have a vital role in heritage conservation practice and the implementation of Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. Heritage planning links a comprehensive understanding of an historic place with intervention that respects its heritage value, considers all factors affecting its future, the potential for economic and environmental impacts, available resources and external constraints.

Our research adopts UNESCO's Historic Urban Landscape Approach as a conceptual framework for the planning and management of urban heritage. Drawing on insights from case studies of adaptive reuse in Canadian cities, we apply the approach to a design thinking process to reimagine the future of a historic place in Calgary. Our vision for the Currie Commons—a provincially protected heritage precinct— recognizes and celebrates the diversity of heritage resources and advocates a robust process of identification, analysis, planning and management to sustainable urban conservation. Currie is a very unique community in Calgary, designed to be a model for sustainable living for 12,000 people. We reimagine the former military site as the new urban commons in the development of the community. The future of the past in terms of design presents the historic place as a catalyst for community interaction and unique neighbourhood design.

The methodology builds on case study analysis, experiential learning, design thinking with a social innovation lens, key informant interviews and critical reflection/refinement of the design and planning vision. The pedagogical approach emphasizes a dynamic perspective of different phases—analysis (of the problem), synthesis (of the solutions), and decision/implementation. The social innovation lab methodologies allow the development of solutions in an experimental way. In our model, the processes involve a research-intensive front end, a charrette process for integrating interdisciplinary thinking, and the use of design techniques to illustrate solutions. Tools used to visualize solutions have a technical component (building, structure, technical system), but also a defined process of institutional transformation central to the solution. The presentation focuses on the following:
- Teaching pedagogy;
- Vision for Currie Commons - adaptive reuse of heritage resources and common spaces;
- Concept design - building massing, public realm and reprograming of heritage resources as a catalyst of community life.

The research illustrates an innovative approach for heritage conservation using the pedagogy of design thinking with a social lens to explore cultural diversity and the sustainable evolution of a place. The planning and design strategy celebrates the historic significance of this legacy while contributing to the creation of economically vibrant and socially inclusive places in the context of community planning.

Keywords:

Teaching innovation, urban planning, heritage conservation, design thinking, social lens.