Ecological Design Lab

Research

Research

Projects

Studios are client-based projects completed by undergraduate and graduate students in the School of Urban + Regional Planning at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario. All studio projects have been completed under the supervison of Professor Nina-Marie Lister.

BIRD-SAFE CITY:

BIRD-SAFE CITY:

Bird-Safe Design Guidelines for the Biophilic City

Many birds in North and South America are experiencing significant decline due to urbanization and climate change resulting in new ecological interactions, outpacing their ability to adapt (Whelan et... Read more

Lawns at 11: 1

Lawns at 11:

The End of the Front Lawn

This past spring, students in the Master of Landscape Architecture program at the University of British Columbia’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, were tasked with developing... Read more

SHORELINES & SHORE LANDS:

SHORELINES & SHORE LANDS:

Planning for Coastal Resilience in Prince Edward County

Prince Edward County (the “County”), Ontario is facing immense pressure from tourism and development growth. Nowhere are these pressures more evident than along the County’s shoreline. Rapid... Read more

Urban Biodiversity:

Urban Biodiversity:

Cultivating Support through Municipal Codes

Private yards provide an opportunity to bring ecologically rich and biodiverse habitats into the urban fabric of cities. Local governments are increasingly promoting ecological goals of naturalized... Read more

Communicating the Co-Benefits 1

Communicating the Co-Benefits

A Toolkit for Wildlife Crossings

Stakeholder support for landscape connectivity requires that the issues, solutions, and benefits are made visible, and necessitates effective methods for communicating information and data. The... Read more

Breathe: Edmonton’s Green Network Strategy 1

Designing the Emerald Crescent

for the Decoteau Area Structure Plan

The City of Edmonton engaged Ryerson University Master of Planning students to help imagine the development of a new community that builds around a parks and open space system. As the city continues... Read more

Auto Draft 3

The Scandinavian Effect

A diagnostic toolkit for equitable, green and healthy neighbourhoods and cities

Cities are increasingly grappling with major challenges and threats, like aging populations, climate change and poor environmental health. In the face of these issues, our client, 8 80... Read more

A Resurrection of Laneways: 21

A Resurrection of Laneways:

Toronto's Activation of Public Space through Lanes

This research was spearheaded by Holly Carrie-Mattimoe, a Masters student at Ryerson University in the school of Urban and Regional Planning with a keen interest in community building and sustainable... Read more

Ecological Urbanism Exhibit

Ecological Urbanism Exhibit

Running from April 17 to May 14 the Ecological Urbanism exhibit was showcased at the Urban Space Gallery celebrating the intersection of culture, nature and infrastructure. ABOUT THE... Read more

Research

Ravine XING:

A Landscape Connectivity Plan for Toronto's Ravine System

Coinciding with the release of the Ravine Strategy from the City of Toronto, this studio follows draft objectives 10 and 12, which seek to build connections between the city and the ravines. For this... Read more

Stitching the Fabric:

Stitching the Fabric:

Connectivity Strategies for Identified Gaps in Toronto's Ravines

Vincent Racine, graduate student in the Master of Planning in Urban Development at Ryerson University and research assistant at the Ecological Design Lab examined landscape connectivity strategies... Read more

Wet Infrastructure: 1

Wet Infrastructure:

Building Blue and Green

Climate change has increased the frequency and severity of storms throughout Ontario, contributing to overwhelmed stormwater systems and greater risks of urban flooding. A contemporary approach to... Read more

Wet Infrastructure: Building Blue and Green

Wet Infrastructure II:

Building Blue and Green - Governance

The 2nd installment of the Wet Infrastructure series studies the stormwater management governance structure in Toronto and Ontario. The four handbook series seeks to inform, the client City of... Read more

(Re)Engaging Greenspace: 1

(Re)Engaging Greenspace:

The Growing Stewardship Strategy

The Oak Ridges Corridor Conservation Reserve (ORCCR) is a linear greenspace located in the Town of Richmond Hill. The site holds significant ecological and cultural importance as the point of origin... Read more

The People's Plan 1

The People’s Plan

for the Riverfront Ribbon

The People’s Plan for the Riverfront Ribbon presents a vision for a 500-acre riverfront park on the banks of the Don River. Emerging from Evergreen’s Ribbon at the Lower Don campaign, the... Read more

What's Out There Toronto

What’s Out There Toronto

Founded by Charles Birnbaum, The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF), is a Washington, DC-based non-profit organization that provides people with the tools to see, understand and value cultural... Read more

You Are Here: 5

You Are Here:

Planning Ryerson’s Future

You Are Here addresses the Ryerson Master Plan’s disconnection from the Ryerson University community. This project invited community members to read about and reflect on the Master Plan and its... Read more

Container Campus 1

Container Campus

Container Campus investigates the feasibility of animating the Ryerson University campus with shipping containers that have been repurposed for new uses to help serve the needs of the Ryerson... Read more

Riverdale Park East Revitalization Plan

Riverdale Park East Revitalization Plan

The Riverdale East Revitalization Plan sets out to transform Riverdale Park East into a widely used destination park in the heart of Toronto where people come to have memorable gatherings, discover... Read more

XING:

XING:

Landscape + Infrastructure – Connectivity in Toronto’s Ravine System

XING: Landscape + Infrastructure – Connectivity in Toronto’s Ravine System builds on a master planning and design project being undertaken by Evergreen Brick Works, Arc Solutions, The City of... Read more

Discover the Don

Discover the Don

As the Don Valley Trail is home to many of Toronto’s ravines and watersheds, it is important to note that about 2.5 million of Toronto’s trees are found in ravines, which is about 25% of the... Read more

Muskoka’s Foodshed:

Muskoka’s Foodshed:

A Strategy for Sustainable Local Food in a Creative Rural Economy

Recent visioning workshops and surveys undertaken by the District Municipality of Muskoka indicated an importance for local food and agriculture within the region. Promoting agriculture and local... Read more

Winterscape

Winterscape

Ryerson University stands proud as a city innovator and builder, and a visionary and architect of student minds. To complement the school’s promising future and continue to propel its reputation as... Read more

Planting the Seeds for Farm Innovation:

Planting the Seeds for Farm Innovation:

A Guide to Achieving Flexible Land Use Policy in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe

For reasons of food security, economic viability and cultural value, agriculture is an important practice to support, sustain, grow and celebrate in the Province of Ontario. At present, farmers are... Read more

Closing the Gap:

Closing the Gap:

Green Infrastructure as a Cultural Resource

The field of Municipal Cultural Planning (MCP) has garnered a significant amount of attention from various stakeholders in Canadian municipalities. MCP aims to use culture to create distinctive... Read more

Cultivating Rural Creativity 1

Cultivating Rural Creativity

Prince Edward County (PEC), a single-tier municipality in south-eastern Ontario, is a rural agricultural county rich in cultural and natural heritage. Recently, the County has undergone a major shift... Read more

Food and Farm Innovation

Food and Farm Innovation

Although the trend for North American farms has been a shift towards fewer and larger farms, many smaller-scale farmers have been unable, or unwilling, to industrialize to that extent. Often this has... Read more

RU Outside:

RU Outside:

Ryerson’s Public Realm Strategy

A Public Realm Strategy is a living plan that can be used to guide public realm improvements in strategic and meaningful ways to create a legible and cohesive environment. The RU Outside:... Read more