What makes a community vibrant? This is the question architect Avi Friedman seeks to answer in his re-thinking of community design. Reputed to be one of the most renowned housing innovators in the world, Friedman is changing the way Canadians live within their communities.
As a professor at McGill University for the past 25 years, Friedman has worked on various urban design and residential housing projects throughout Canada. Taking inspiration from his city – Montreal – Friedman celebrates the social benefits that duplexes and triplexes offer to communities. Friedman’s focus is to build relationships in urban spaces by shifting peoples’ daily patterns in order to form a society based on meaningful interactions.
Following the philosophy that the resident resides in the city and the city resides in them, Friedman is shaping both Canada’s urban environments, and the urban Canadian. He remarks that in order to create a community that feels intimate and based on social relations, urban residential areas must prioritize human scale and sustainability.
Image courtesy of Alex Tran Photography
His star project in Canada has been his continual engagement with housing in Canada’s North.
A view of Iqaluit, with a population of 6,700, it is the most populated community in Nunavut
Friedman’s interest in the remote regions of the Arctic began during his first visit to Nunavut in 2007, when he visited the area to design social housing in Iqaluit. Previous to this visit, he had been unaware of the region’s unique demands and rich Inuit culture that coloured the Arctic landscape.
While many Canadians insist that the Arctic region is an important aspect Canadian culture and history, little is known about the expansive land and its residents. Friedman outlines the importance of connecting the southern regions of Canada to the North in his article North by North Housing.
Taking cues from Scandinavian design and experience with cold climates, Friedman proposes a Nordic-inspired neighbourhood of affordable housing in Iqaluit.
The biggest challenge posed by this unique setting is logistics. Every building material from outside of the region must be transported by ferry from the south during the warm seasons. Accessibility can be an issue and requires the buildings be constructed as interlocking parts of a kit for rapid assembly.
The frigid Arctic winds are harsh and damaging, so buildings must be oriented to reduce the impact of wind load. They must shelter one another with streamlined silhouettes and shallow roofs. Using large buildings to protect smaller ones, a micro-climate is created which allows the houses to withstand harsh winds, and reduces energy consumption.
A rendering of one of the proposed social housing rows with the key features that will be incorporated into the design
Some special aspects of the project include:
-A sheltered workshop built around the residences for local sculptors to work, as soapstone carving is an aspect of Inuit culture, and a vital part of many people’s livelihood.
-Individual entrances – rather than communal ones – are chosen to foster personalization and a sense of place.
-Colours from local art pieces are used for the wood-siding exterior facades.
-The profile of the roofs references the local culture.
-Storage space is provided for hunting and fishing gear, and includes a storage room for carcasses.
A rendering of the Iqaluit neighbourhood
Working in the Arctic comes with a unique set of challenges and characteristics that differ drastically from southern Canada. Friedman’s work enables reconsideration of what typical architecture is in Canada. Canada’s North is an opportunity for innovation in architecture, and for Avi Friedman and the residents of Iqaluit, the results are transformative!
Visit McGill’s webpage to learn more about Avi Friedman, and make sure to read his article North by North Housing
All images, unless stated otherwise, are courtesy of Avi Friedman
Researched and written by Sara Nicole England, undergraduate student of OCAD University in the Criticism and Curatorial Practice Program.
