3855 research outputs found
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Making place: design for stable and sustainable growth in Manotick Village
No full textManotick Village is located in Ottawa, Ontario. The village was forced to merge with Ottawa causing local representation to decrease bringing uncertainty in the needs and growth of the community’s future. Research in political science has no solution for mitigating the negative effects of municipal amalgamation while stating de-amalgamation to be unfeasible. This thesis explores Manotick post-amalgamation as a hybrid suburb where suburban developments threaten the village’s place attachment. This poses the question of how can a sensitive place-based design approach play a critical role in leveraging long-term sustainable transportation and urban development growth in Manotick Village, where post-amalgamation threatens place attachment through excessive growth and political setbacks? Thus, by leveraging concepts of place attachment, mitigating the negative effects of post-amalgamation becomes more feasible due to the thesis uncovering the influential power that a community as a group can have on proper growth for Manotick Village
Helminth parasitism of rodents in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada
No full textParasites are a major force shaping the ecology, physiology, and evolution of wildlife populations. This thesis investigates the complex interactions between gastrointestinal (GI) helminths and rodents in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, focusing on how parasite infections are influenced by host traits such as age, sex, body mass, and reproductive condition. It also explores how parasitism alters host immune responses and body condition. While ectoparasites are widely studied, GI helminths remain underexplored despite their significant impacts on host health and fitness. The introductory material reviews the ecological relevance of helminth infections, detailing their effects on host survival, reproduction, and immune investment. Emphasis is placed on the role of host life history and behaviour in mediating infection risk, alongside sex-specific reproductive strategies. Two helminth species, Capillaria hepatica and Hymenolepis spp., are highlighted as common parasites infecting deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), red-backed voles (Clethrionomys gapperi), and woodland jumping mice (Napaeozapus insignis). Anthelmintic experiments and immune biomarkers such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios are introduced as tools for assessing host–parasite dynamics. Chapter 2 examines infection patterns across the three rodent species, revealing species-specific effects of host traits on parasite richness and burden. Notably, females and reproductively active individuals exhibited elevated infection intensities, supporting the reproduction–immunity trade-off. Chapter 3 assesses immune responses using neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios and an antiparasitic treatment. Results show that parasite diversity, rather than intensity, best predicted immune activation in deer mice, while host sex and reproductive status were key predictors in red-backed voles. Overall, this thesis highlights the role of host biology, immunity, and parasite diversity in shaping infection outcomes in wild rodents
Building Indigeneity: housing futures rooted in Indigenous leadership, land-based knowledge, and personal reconnection
No full textThe housing crisis in Indigenous communities across Canada results from systemic neglect,land dispossession, and restrictive policies that fail to support culturally relevant housing solutions.This thesis examines how Indigenous-led approaches can address these challenges by prioritizing community-driven solutions, cultural knowledge, and personal experience. The research explores how societal and environmental conditions shape housing models through case studies and direct engagement with Indigenous organizations. Successful projects from One House Many Nations and outcomes from the First Nations National Building Officers Association’s Technical Guide for Northern Housing highlight key lessons in self-determination, capacity building, policy barriers, and design strategies that reflect Indigenous values. By challenging conventional approaches to housing and emphasizing Indigenous autonomy, this thesis develops a ‘guide book’ of best practices grounded in real world applications. The findings serve as a resource for designers, students, policymakers, and Indigenous leaders seeking practical and sustainable housing solutions for reserve communities across Canada
Anchoring community through transit: a humanist approach to Richmond Hill's high tech station
No full textThis thesis explores the design of High Tech Station, the final stop on the Yonge North Subway extension in Richmond Hill, and its potential to serve as a community anchor. It explores how transit stations can become vibrant spaces that foster social interaction and serve the community. Key elements essential to a successful station, such as circulation, user experience, and form, are carefully analyzed to identify the most effective design strategies. Central to the design is the architectural concept of humanism, emphasizing communal spaces, proximity, and human-scaled design. These principles prioritize the well-being of individuals by creating spaces that encourage social interaction, bring essential services closer, and ensure that the station’s scale is comfortable and accessible to its users. The thesis argues that applying humanist values can transform transit stations into meaningful community anchors
Spatial practices of rural Punjab: multigenerational housing rooted in cultural values in Orangeville
No full textA multigenerational community is designed as a weave of spatial practices from Punjab and demands from Punjabi-Canadian design. This project aims to create a sense of place and belonging in Orangeville, Canada, fostering a community that harmonises cultural traditions with contemporary urban life. This study examines how Punjabi spatial culture, circulation, and social interactions persist in the Canadian diasporic context. It seeks to explore: How can spatial and cultural practices from rural Punjab help develop a sense of place for multigenerational Punjabi/Sikh life in Orangeville? The design outcome will establish a sense of place in the community, facilitating an environment that supports and enhances multigenerational living. The need for multi-generational housing arises from the diverse needs and lifestyles of different generations residing under one roof. The project envisions a future where cultural belonging is not just remembered but actively experienced through the built environment
Breaking the ice: an architectural representation and exploration of northern Ontario ice huts
No full textIce huts are a seemingly under-represented form of vernacular architecture. They are purpose-built by their user to meet their practical needs while they express cultural congruity. These small structures reflect the narratives, craftsmanship and ingenuity of their creators. This thesis documents ice huts in the City of Greater Sudbury, a region with a rich ice-fishing culture that can provide a foundation for local and broader vernacular research. The methodology includes field visits, photography, sketches, and mapping to record typologies, material and construction patterns. A design-build portion explores a “whatever works” attitude, creating a functional ice hut that resonates culturally and personally with the user. Ultimately, this thesis demonstrates that ice huts are more than shelters; they are cultural artifacts withholding local architectural traditions worthy of representation and exploration
Reclaiming Andalucía’s farmhouses: strategies for water resilience, adaptive reuse and eco-tourism
No full textWater scarcity is an escalating crisis, particularly in semi-arid regions like Andalucía, Spain, where climate change and rising demands from agriculture and tourism threaten livelihoods and ecosystems. This thesis proposes the adaptive reuse of cortijos as hubs for communal practices, including eco-tourism, research, and water management. Focusing on the province of Málaga, the proposal integrates traditional water management methods such as balsas and rainwater harvesting, with modern innovations like greywater recycling and renewable energy. Cortijos will be reimagined to accommodate new programs and users that reflect contemporary ways of living and align with current ecological and social values. The resulting design creates an immersive space that fosters awareness and engagement with water resilience strategies while preserving the architectural and historical identity. This thesis demonstrates how cultural heritage can be positively transformed through contemporary design, serving as a model for sustainable strategies in architectural preservation and innovation
Knitting the fabric of the outport: adaptable fragile architecture as a pathway to a new commons in rural Newfoundland
No full textDeclining, aging populations and a growing emphasis on heritage preservation present an exaggerated, objectified image of life in rural Newfoundland. By exploring outport culture through the lens of knitting, a deeper understanding of the spatial systems and tectonic principles that informed vernacular architecture and supported resilient communal life is uncovered. This research addresses how adaptable architecture can facilitate the reimagining of the outport commons by integrating lessons from traditional making practices to promote resilience, collective care, and an evolving culture. Drawing on an analysis of fragile vernacular systems, this thesis proposes a flexible approach to a New Commons in three outport communities on the Bonavista Peninsula. The system employs repurposed materials from local abandoned structures, recognizable construction methods, and adaptable components that respond to environmental conditions, community needs, and inevitable change. The resulting framework aims to re-establish shared, functional spaces and create opportunities for sustainable, continually evolving outport communities
Adaptable housing model for environmental migrants: exploring transitional housing within the city of Greater Sudbury for Ontario Hudson-James Bay communities
No full textGlobal displacement driven by the climate crisis demands urgent attention and architectural solutions. Architecture has made great feats in designing long-term disaster-resilient housing but has left a gap in the needs of those who are currently undergoing displacement due to the climate crisis. This thesis explores the possibility of an adaptable housing solution for environmental migrants, focussing on establishing a disaster relief housing option for the Ontario Hudson-James Bay Region in Coniston, Ontario. It will bring light to the experiences of environmental migrants, who face not only physical displacement but also psychological and social disruptions, losing their sense of home, identity and normalcy. This research will investigate architectural strategies to design housing where the primary function is to house environmental migrants, prioritizing the well-being and the continuation of these communities every day
Perfectionism and mental health help-seeking : an extension of the social disconnection model
No full textWhile access to mental health services remains an issue in Canada, many individuals who do have access to mental health services do not seek help. The current study sought to examine the impact of perfectionism on mental health help-seeking behaviour using the framework of the Perfectionism-Social Disconnection Model (PSDM). In line with the PDSM, we hypothesized that social disconnection would mediate the relationship between higher levels of perfectionism and lower help-seeking. An online sample of 346 Ontario university students completed measures of perfectionism, social connectedness, perceived social support and psychological distress, in addition to assessments of both mental health help-seeking attitudes and actual help-seeking behaviour. Results revealed that neither socially prescribed perfectionism (SPP) nor self-oriented perfectionism (SOP) showed zero-order associations with help-seeking attitudes, however SPP did predict more negative attitudes towards help-seeking via small indirect pathways through both social connectedness and perceived social support. Additionally, perfectionism was associated with higher rates of mental health help-seeking behaviour, mediated through increased psychological distress. Lastly, neither SPP nor SOP moderated the relationship between mental health help-seeking attitudes and help-seeking behaviour, though the moderation effect for SPP approached significance. Findings suggest a more complex relationship between perfectionism and help-seeking attitudes than previously documented in the literature and emphasize the importance of assessing actual mental health help-seeking behaviour in future research