TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY: APPLYING XING-SHI FENG-SHUI
PATTERN TO RESHAPE COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN WEST DON LANDS
A Thesis
Presented to
The Faculty of Graduate Studies
Of
The University of Guelph
By
DALI PENG
In partial fulfillment of requirements
for the degree of
Master of Landscape Architecture
April, 2008
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TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY: APPLYING XING-SHI FENG-SHUI PATTERN TO RESHAPE COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN WEST DON LANDS
Dali Peng Advisor: University of Guelph, 2008 Professor Cecelia Paine
This thesis explores the application of Xing-shi Feng-shui Form School pattern to enhance sustainability in community design. Case study review yielded an understanding of the forms and patterns that resulted from application of Xing-shi Feng-shui in ancient cities
in China. Through a review of literature on sustainable development movements, design principles were identified and used to assess the existing design plan for the West Don Lands community in Toronto. Identification of site issues and assessment of the potential for
application of Xing-shui Feng-shui pattern led to development of a modified plan for the site.
The LEED - ND rating system was used to evaluate both the existing plan and the modified plan to assess the extent to which each met objective measures of sustainability. This research contributes to an understanding of the potential contribution of Xing-shi Feng-shui concepts to enhance sustainable community design. TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Study Background 1
1.2 Research Question and Scope 2
1.3 Goals and Objectives 4
1.4 Methodology _ 5
1.5 Chapter Outline 6
2. 0 XING-SHI FENG-SHUI THEORY AND PRACTICE 7
2.1 Xing-shi Feng-shui Context 7
2.2 Ideal Xing-shi Feng-shui Pattern and Its Elements 8
2.3 Case Studies of Traditional Xing-shi Feng-shui Application 10
2.4 Unscrambling Xing-shi Feng-shui Space Design Model Based on Standpoint of
Modern Landscape Architecture 21
2.5 Summary of Xing-shi Feng-shui Design Model 24
3.0 LITERATURE REVIEW OF SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY CONCEPTS 26
3.1 Sustainable Development Overview 26
3.2 Sustainable Development Conception and Movements 26
3.3 Sustainable Community Principles Summary 30
4.0 SITE STUDY 34
4.1 Natural Context, Historic Development and City Background 34
4.2 Site Existing Conditions 40
4.3 Landscape Components Inventory 44
4.4 The Potential of the Site to Develop a Feng-shui Community 53
4.5 Key Site Issues 54
5.0 CRITIQUE OF EXISTING PLAN 58
ii 5.1 West Don Lands Precinct Plan 58 5.2 West Don Land Block Plan and Design Guidelines 59 5.3 Critique of Existing Plan Based on Sustainable Community Principles 62 5.4 Critique of Existing Plan Based on Resolution of Key Site Issues 64
6.0 DESIGN MODIFICATION 65 6.1 Conceptual Xing-shi Feng-shui Model on Site 65 6.2 Sustainable Community Design Guideline on Modified Community Structure 68 6.3 Modified Neighbourhood Spatial Structure Plan 70
7.0 DESIGN ASSESSMENT COMPARISON USING LEED - ND RATING SYSTEM
85
7.2 LEED Rating System for Neighbourhood Development as Assessment Framework.
85 7.2 Evaluation Result Analysis 94
8.0 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 97 8.1 Achievements of this Study 97 8.2 Limitations of this Study 99 8.3 Implication for Future Research _ 100 8.4 Conclusion 101
REFERENCES 102
APPENDIX 105 LIST OF TABLES
Table 2-1: Comparison of Different Design Models 23 Table 2-2: Xing-shi Feng-shui Spatial Design Model 24 Table 4-1: Toronto Monthly Average Temperature 49 Table 4-2: Native Species on Site 52 Table 5-1: Critique Based on Sustainable Community Principles 63 Table 7-1: LEED for Neighbourhood Development Assessment of the Existing Plan 87 Table 7-2: LEED for Neighbourhood Development Assessment of the Modified Plan 90 Table 7-3: Evaluation Result Comparison 95
iv LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1-1: Study Focus and Scope 3 Figure 1-2: Four Phases of Research Method 5 Figure 2-1: Ideal Feng-shui Model 9 Figure 2-2: Armchair Pattern. 10 Figure 2-3: Location of Lijiang. 11 Figure 2-4: Lijiang Ancient City outline 12 Figure 2-5: Lijiang Ancient City bird view 12 Figure 2-6: Map of the Lijiang Ancient City. 13 Figure 2-7: Streetscape and Water Feature 14 Figure 2-8: Streetscape and Water Feature. 15 Figure 2-9: Traditional Courtyard Style 16 Figure 2-10: Sanfangyizhaobi Courtyard 17 Figure 2-11: Zhanqi Village Location 18 Figure 2-12: Zhanqi Village Site Layout. 19 Figure 2-13: Comparison of Ideal Feng-shui Village and Zhanqi Village 19 Figure 2-14: Center of Feudal Ethical System 20 Figure 2-15: Street Section. 21 Figure 2-16: Traditional Architectural 3D Model 21 Figure 2-17 Xing-shi Feng-shui Design Model Dimensions 25 Figure 3-1: Three Sustainable Community Dimensions 27 Figure 4-1: West Don Lands Location and Toronto Downtown Area 34 Figure 4-2: The Don 1,000 Years Age 35 Figure 4-3: Don River Watershed and Road Network 37 Figure 4-4: Urbanization of the Don Watershed 38 Figure 4-5: Surrounding Neighbourhood and Existing Road Network 39 Figure 4-6: Existing Land Use 41
V Figure 4-7: Commercial and Industrial Distribution 41 Figure 4-8: Existing Buildings and heritage 43 Figure 4-9: Existing Streetscape and Visual Corridor 44 Figure 4-10: West Don Lands Flood Area 47 Figure 4-11: Sun Path for Toronto 48 Figure 4-12: Toronto Wind Roses 49 Figure 4-13: The Regional Vein Structure Context of the Site 53 Figure 4-14: Xing-shi Feng-shui Pattern of the Selected Site 54 Figure 5-1: West Don Lands Precinct Plan 58 Figure 5-2: West Don Land Block Plan and design guidelines 59 Figure 5-3: Park and Open Space 60 Figure 5-4: Proposed Berm and River Section 61 Figure 5-5: Proposed Berm and River Plan 61 Figure 5-6: Three Types of Built Forms 62 Figure 5-7: Critique on the Existing Proposal Based on Key Site Issue 64 Figure 6-1: Site Qi Vein Concept 66 Figure 6-2: Xing-shi Feng-shui Design Model on Site 67 Figure 6-3: Site Key Issues and Sustainable Community Principles 68 Figure 6-4: Modified Plan Layout 73 Figure 6-5: Built Form and Type 74 Figure 6-6: Street and Road System 75 Figure 6-7: Park and Greenland 76 Figure 6-8: Canal Sections 77 Figure 6-9a: Main Entrance of the Community 78 Figure 6-9b: Arm Chair Pattern 79 Figure 6-9c: Southwest 3D View 80 Figure 6-9d: Northwest 3D View 81
vi Figure 6-9e: Southeast 3D View 1 82 Figure 6-9f: Southeast 3DView 2 83 Figure 6-9g: Night 3D View 84
vii 1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Study Background
Urban waterfront areas that were once early human settlements are now going through restoration because of the development of cities and deterioration of the natural environment.
Sustainable development in these areas is a particular concern to landscape architects, urban designers, and other professionals. Many sustainable community development theories and movements have emerged during recent decades to explore possible solutions to the conflict between human needs and natural ecology. Since ancient times the tradition of Feng-shui, rooted in Eastern cultures, has reflected a similar concept committed to building harmony between heaven, earth, and humans. This thought also affects the selection and arrangement of human habitats in terms of meteorology, hydrology, topography, sociology, esthetics and psychology, all of which are involved in modern landscape architecture. The purpose of this thesis is to explore modern landscape architecture. Xing-shi Feng-shui pattern based on this idea can be decoded on the standing of the contemporary urban design and landscape architecture. This relevant cross-cultural study will contribute to developing a sustainable
community in an urban waterfront area. West Don Lands is located at the mouth of the Don
River, adjacent to downtown Toronto. The site's physical environment and context exhibit the potential to apply Xing-shi Feng-shui pattern to the riverfront design in order to establish a
sustainable community adaptable to the site. Meanwhile this study will summarize
contemporary sustainable concepts and utilize the LEED Rating System for Neighbourhood
as an evaluation measurement for the proposed design. The result of the design application
1 and assessment illustrate the possibility to apply Xing-shi Feng-shui pattern to develop a sustainable community in the West Don Lands.
1.2 Research Question and Scope
The scope of this study embodies sustainable community concepts, Feng-shui pattern of
Form School, and the West Don Lands site study (see Figure 1-1).
• Why develop a sustainable community?
Entering the post-industrialization period, humankind began consuming more
resources than what the earth could produce. Modern residential environments encounter
ecological, social, economic and cultural challenges in order to meet both human
physical and psychological requirements for a higher quality of life. Sustainable
development is an inevitable strategy in the accelerated process of urbanization and
urban revitalization. To explore sustainable community structure and neighbourhood
form is one of the important aspects of urban sustainable development.
• Why use Feng-shui pattern?
As complex systems, modern cities require integration of different site selection and
evaluation tools in the design process. Feng-shui culture has experienced thousands of
years and contributed to the harmonious persistence of ancient Eastern civilization. As a
"box within box" design and evaluation model (Yu, 1994) paralleling Western concepts
of geometry, Feng-shui philosophy is based on the understanding that everything is
interconnected and everything changes (Mitchell & Wu, 1998), and that its pattern may
be used as an alternative or a complement to contemporary environmental design. The
2 possible incorporation of the two might refresh our design ideas in landscape architecture and urban form.
Why select the West Don Lands?
As one of Toronto's earliest areas of urban settlement and industry, the Don River watershed confronts the conflict between urbanization and natural environment conservation. Redevelopment of the West Don Lands provides the opportunity and potential to redesign the connective area of the heart of Metro Toronto, its lakefront, and the Don River Valley corridor. West Don Lands will be one part of the revitalization of the
Toronto waterfront, which is distinguished by its focus on sustainability.
Figure 1-1: Research Scope and Focus
3 1.3 Goals and Objectives
The goal of this thesis is to explore the contribution of Xing-shi Feng-shui (Form School) pattern to sustainable community design. The objectives are:
• To investigate the theory of Xing-shi Feng-shui pattern and its application in ancient
China.
• To identify sustainable community concepts and relevant design principles.
• To study landscape features and key site issues of the West Don Lands.
• To determine the deficiencies of the existing plan for the West Don Lands with respect to
sustainability.
• To provide a site-oriented design solution applying Feng-shui to develop a modified
version of the design plan for the West Don Lands.
• To assess both the existing and the modified plan for the West Don Lands based on the
LEED Rating System for Neighbourhood Development.
• To draw conclusions regarding the applicability of Feng-shui Form School pattern to
sustainable community design.
4 1.4 Methodology:
Research Scope arwl vc*a* .A i
DATA COLOCTION AND DATA STUDY i-VWsst Don . Sustainable Commurity SiteStvdv Development utgratur* 1 Review 1 l ; 1 ANALYSIS AND >iTH-sa t'ttit-sthii "' LawdstaoeCompooeots. $i&i&? '" Principles of 'flift-'i "' and Configuration feature t»sue ~ Sustainabilitv SYNTHESIS
~ 1 LEEO Rating PateitU
•jKHHHM* 3*Mfn Modification '*•*"*"* y:K- EVALUATION I
. i
Figure 1-2: Four Phases of the Research Method
5 1.5 Chapter Outline
This thesis comprises seven main sections:
• Chapter One: Providing general introduction for the whole thesis, including study
context, research method, study goals and objectives.
• Chapter Two: Exploring Xing-shi Feng-shui origin, elements and ideal pattern.
• Chapter Three: Reviewing contemporary sustainable community movements and
relevant concepts and introducing the LEED Rating System for Neighbourhood
Development.
• Chapter Four: Collecting site data, doing site inventory and studying the site issues
and potentials.
• Chapter Five: Introducing the existing plans and analyzing deficiencies of the existing
plan.
• Chapter Six: Establishing the relationship between key site issues and sustainable
community principles, applying the Xing-shi Feng-shui design model to the modified
plan on the site.
• Chapter Seven: Evaluating both the existing site plan and the modified plan within the
assessment framework provided by the LEED Rating System for Neighbourhood
Development.
• Chapter Eight: Discussing the significance and limitations of this study; identifying
opportunities for the future research and presenting conclusions of the study.
6 2. 0 XING-SHI FENG-SHUI THEORY AND PRACTICE
2.1. Xing-shi Feng-shui Context
Feng-shui (literally wind and water) is an ancient geomancy and art practiced in China for site selection and arrangement. Its philosophy originates from "I Ching," also called The
Book of Changes. According to this ancient book, in use as early as BC 3000, Qi creates continuity and oneness linking the universe together. Feng-shui embraces Taoism and
Confucian thoughts. Taoism pursues the balance and harmony with natural environment, while Confucianism emphasizes the whole social value, proprieties, and the sense of place
(Xu, 1990). The harmony between humans, society, and nature can be achieved by finding the right amount of Qi in a location. Thus, Feng-shui contains practical wisdom to choose ideal locations for human habitation.
Evolving for thousands of years, this doctrine has been developed into two fundamental
schools: Li-qi (Mf%) or "Compass School," and Xing-shi (^^) or "Form School." The
Li-qi School entails the use of astrology, numerology, and other cosmological approaches to
anticipate the future, while the Xing-shi School emphasizes distinct physical features of the
surroundings to assess and interpret landscape values.
Literarily, "Shi" {%) means context or trend; "Xing" 0&) means concrete feature or
form. The earliest known texts on Xing-shi Feng-shui can be traced back to around 300 years
AD, in Guo Pu's classic book known as The Book of Burial. This book pointed out: "Qi rides
the Feng (wind) and scatters, but is retained when encountering Shui (water). The ancients
collected Qi to prevent its dissipation, and guided it to assure its retention. Thus, it was called
7 Feng-shui" (Field, 2003). This book first defined what was Feng-shui. The ancient Chinese believed that their ancestors' souls still existed near the place where their bodies were placed.
Since their bodies came from their predecessors, people thought their predecessor's soul
could be connected with their fortune in certain ways, so Feng-shui originally was considered
the approach to pursuing good luck. According to the laws of Feng-shui, the site which
attracts water is optimum, followed by the site which catches wind. And water and wind were
the most important elements of a burial location within landscape that had beneficial Qi, the
vital life force energy. Then the book discusses the distance to a burial location affected by Qi:
"Thousands of feet (K.) distant, they are Shi (^); hundreds of feet (JO nigh, they are Xing
(7^)"(Fields, 2003). Thus, Xing-shi as one word was first conceptualized in terms of physical
spatial distance and scale in the Feng-shui concept.
Xing-shi Feng-shui theory was created by Yang Junsong of the late Tang Dynasty
(618-907), who was, at the time, an adviser to the Emperor. Through his teachings and
practice, he further refined the Xing-shi Feng-shui concept and applied it to the landscape of
dwelling. He was regarded as the forefather of Xing-shi Feng-shui, called Form School
afterwards, and other schools that later originated from his works.
2.2 Ideal Xing-shi Feng-shui Pattern and Its Elements
Based on understanding of the landscape, the ideal Form School pattern reflects the
physical configuration of terrain and watercourses, as well as relationship of landform
features for a suitable dwelling site. There are five fundamental geographical elements:
8 Dragon, Sand, Water, Cave, and Orientation. They conceive of these concrete physical features as a whole constituted container of Qi. Dragon represents the topography with mountain ridges. Generally, a favorable Feng-shui site backs onto a mountain ridge, with a high peaks and a long ridge. Sand symbolizes the surrounding hills enclosing the cave. Water means the flow of calm water bypassing the cave with a smooth curve. Cave or niche would be the best location for a site. Orientation of the dwelling is also important, and the best direction for that is southeast (Lip, 1979). Figure 2-1 shows how the five geographical elements are interlinked in the physical environment.
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Figure 2-1: Ideal Feng-shui Model (Source: Yi Ding, Yu Lu, Hong Youn. Geomancy and the selection of architecture placement in ancient China. Hebei: Hebei Science and Technology Press; 1996) Generally, the ideal Xing-shi Feng-shui (or
Form School) model can be compounded to an armchair pattern: the optimal site backed by a high mountain, flanked on both sides by a low hill, with the left side slightly longer but lower than the right, with small front hills facing the site. A winding river flows between the central fiat area and these front hills, acting as a footstool Figure 2-2: Armchair Pattern to the armchair formation (Yu, 1994). This (Source: Joseph Yau Hing Lo. A Chinese Cemetery in Winnipeg Community: A enclosed space is believed to be where Qi dwells Response to the Feng-shui Concept) and accumulates (see Figure 2-2).
2.3 Case Studies of Traditional Xing-shi Feng-shui Application
2.3.1 Ancient Lijiang City
Background Introduction
The ancient city of Lijiang is situated in Yunnan Province (see Figure 2-3). Covering an area of 3.8 square kilometers at an elevation of 2,416 metres, it lies on the border between the southeast Qingzang Plateau and the middle of the Yunnan Plateau. Lijiang experiences the typical tropical monsoon climate of South Asia. The ancient city of Lijiang was established by the Naxi ethnic group in the late Song dynasty and the early Yuan dynasty (1126-1253).
Now there are 22 ethnic minorities with a total population of 160,100 inhabiting the city, and
10 most of them, over 4,000 families, are of the Naxi ethnic group. By absorbing the merits of
Han, Tibet, and Bai cultural traditions into the unique Naxi style, the ancient city has noteworthy elements from several cultures, and is one of the rarest and best preserved ancient multi-cultural towns in the Southwest of China. The city's development was affected by
Daoism and Confucianism, and its structure manifests Feng-shui culture in terms of the city site selection, road network layout, and housing arrangement.
Figure 2-3: Location of Lijiang ( Source : http://www.tannah.net)
11 Figure 2-4: Lijiang Ancient City outline ( Source: http://www.Chinatour.com )
The City Arrangement and Selection
The ancient town of Lijiang was built in the middle of a flatland at the foot of the Yulong
Snow Mountain, surrounded by tree-covered mountains on three sides, with streams running through it (Figure 2-4, 2-5). The town illustrates an ideal Feng-shui (wind and water) location
for retaining Qi. The surrounding mountains in
the northwest shelter it from the cold wind. In
the southeast are extensive fertile fields,
favoured with plentiful sunlight, an east wind,
and clear spring water.
Figure 2-5: Lijiang Ancient City Outline
12 Figure 2-6: Map of the Lijiang Ancient City (Source: www.uzai.com)
The City Layout and Water System
The geographical features and the Heilongtan (Black Dragon Poll) river system were taken into account by the builders while selecting the site and planning the layout of the town.
The whole city is like a net woven with rivers. The flagstones were paved along the flowing of the water, and over 300 bridges made of stone or wood connected each family and corner of the city (Figures 2-6, 2-7, 2-8). Sifang Street at the mouth of the river, formed from three
streams, is the center of the ancient city at the mouth of the river from three streams, playing
13 an important role in building the city's identity. In the Lijiang ancient town, you can reach the
Sifang Street from any point as long as you walk down along the stream. Meanwhile, its ancient ingenious water-supply system still functions effectively today in the natural way.
Dykes have been constructed across the streams and each night, when the bazaar closes, people shut the dykes and let water spill over to rinse Sifang Street. The whole water network consisting of these streams also protects the city from flooding by releasing storm water.
The Book of Burial says Qi is closely connected to retained water. Water conveys Qi; and by creating vital river-friendly city space, the water feature becomes the important cultural element of "Genius loci" to shape the city's form and present a solution for enhancing the integrity of the city. Thus, water becomes the soul of the city.
Figure 2-7: Streetscape and Water Feature (Source: www.81890.gov.cn)
14 Figure 2-8: Streetscape and Water Feature (Source: www.yngoto.net.cn)
15 Most of the houses in Lijiang Ancient City are two-story wooden structures, with a kind of mortise and tenon joint found in ancient Chinese wooden frameworks, mud-brick walls, and tile roofs (Figure 2-9, 2-10). The typical layouts are Sanfangyizhaobi, a pattern that consists of a main house, two side houses, and a screen wall facing the main house, which forms the armchair layout facing a water stream in front of the entrance.
Figure 2-9: Traditional Courtyard Style (Source: www.cnyntrip.com)
16 Figure 2-10: Sanfangyizhaobi Courtyard (Source: www.cnyntrip.com)
2.3.2 Zhanqi Village
Background Introduction
Zhanqi Village, whose name came from one of the poems in The Book of Songs, used to be the home of literary talent in the period of the Ming and the Qing Dynasties. Many old traditional buildings still remain in the village, located 20 kilometres east of Shexian County in Anhui Province. The highway from Hangzhou to Shexian runs to the south. The people of
Wangs lived there in compact communities. It has 516 households and a population of 2048.
It has an annual average temperature of about 16°, annual rainfall of about 1450 mm, and annual non-frost period of about 220 days. Its climate has the characteristics of the monsoon temperate zone.
17 Figure 2-11: Zhanqi Village Location
Site Selection and Feng-shui
According to Feng-shui concept, Zhanqi Village is "Pillowing Mountains, Surrounded by
Waters and Facing the Green Screen." Li-wang Mountain in the northeast of the village is the major mountain from which two branch mountain ranges extend. From the geomantic point of view, the mountain at the back of village was regarded as an ideal Dragon Range because of its rising and falling - just like a flying dragon in the distance. The water of Da-kang passing slowly in front plays an important role in Feng-shui pattern, while providing people with drinking water and irrigation (Figure 2-12).
18 Vv -, ... -, sXvrtr^^"><%
Figure 2-12: Zhanqi Village Site Layout (Source: Kai,Gong (1996). Zhanqi: Series of the Ancient Architecture in Huizhou)
Water System
According to Feng-shui requirements, many trees need to be planted near the river mouth to prevent wind erosion and retain water. These trees known as Feng-shui forest are important landscape features, allowing the curved river course to retain the Qi, which can bring wealth and prosperity (Figure 2-13).
•*• .: ••! • EJLIIIIIC-' «•, T. "' * •HI •• •• -Ji5*sSSk *?- S?^ •'•"•"•'.'*.'*'• •• •-•.-•*•• •
Figure 2-13: Comparison of ideal Fengshui Village and Zhanqi Village (Source: Kai,Gong (1996). Zhanqi: Series of the Ancient Architecture in Huizhou) 19 In addition, a bridge was built across the river, which also functioned as a floodgate at the river mouth. Also completed were a water system of wells, pools, open trenches and hidden ditches (Kai, 1996) for infiltration and drainage of rainfall.
• Layout and Feudal Ethical Social Structure
Just as in many other villages in Anhui, the layout of ZhanqiVillage was divided into groups according to blood relationship and family. Ancestral Temples were built in a hierarchy: one General Temple was located at the center of the village and close to the main water stream, administrated by a village government in the neighbourhood. Eight Branch
Temples were distributed around the village to serve clansmen (Figure 2-14). This arrangement reflects that social structure was linked to physical environmental elements.
., ...» ,^. , „i(„l4j, - »,, „r", t~*&-*—*> ***«* «*^4»w*rf v««*i-K-»«~«-—i ***»*»,»» *J»¥ rtwrtwm •^sftrw^gf*
Figure 2-14: Center of Feudal Ethical System (0 is General Temple, 1-8 are Branch Temples) (Source: Kai,Gong (1996). Zhanqi: Series of the Ancient Architecture in Huizhou)
20 m SB
<^> ^\> •v i W Qi \, «a Figure 2-15: Street Section (Source: Figure 2-16: Traditional Architectural Kai,Gong (1996). Zhanqi: Series of 3D Model (Source: Kai,Gong (1996). the Ancient Architecture in Huizhou) Zhanqi: Series of the Ancient Architecture in Huizhou) • Street and Architecture space model The street sections resemble containers for holding and conveying Qi, whether they are wide or narrow (Figure 2-15). The house form was a typical three-story residence built during the transition period from the Ming to Qing Dynasty (Figure 2-16). The house has a typical central axis, the farther end of which is the peak of the mountain. The courtyards at three depths of the residence gradually rise up at different levels from the front to the rear. Manifested is a three armchair-enclosed building form in sequence tally with Feng-shui pattern. 2.5 Unscrambling Xing-shi Feng-shui Space Design Model Based on Standpoint of Modern Landscape Architecture 21 As introduced previously in Book of Burial, "Xing" and "Shi" represent the core and periphery areas identified in Feng-shui hierarchy. They addressed the spatial scale and range for adjusting the Feng-shui model to the physical environment. "Xing" (also meaning building or space form) is the core area for people to gather and communicate, and ranged around one hundred R or 40.8 metres (1 metre was 2.45 R. in Jin Dynasty, when Book of Burial was written). "Shi" (concerning place identity or surrounding landscape features) has a radius of one thousand H, or 40.8 metres, which reflects a convenient walking distance. Therefore, "Xing" and "Shi" collaborate to define the scale of the Feng-shui model applicable to the physical environment. Xing-shi Feng-shui presents a kind of armchair pattern in physical structure. An enclosed surrounding defines the boundary of an inward and centralized space, while the landscape configuration manifests the dominance in spatial order and sequence. Curvilinear water courses express accessibility and continuity. This point of view respects natural forces, follows natural processes, and emphasizes interaction of environmental elements. By identifying the affection of orientation and configuration of physical form, this armchair pattern reflects social relationship, status, and organization structures; for example, the dwelling of parents and the elderly in a family always sits on the central axis of the site. Openness, penetration, and depth variables manifested in its pattern reflect that people prefer locations which provide opportunities to "see without being seen," (Appleton, 1975) and the environment, in which imageability and legibility are responsible for clarity in understanding urban structure (Lynch, 1960) (Table 2-1). 22 The Feng-shui pattern demonstrates a balanced, continual, and hierarchical spatial "box within box model" (Yu, 1994) representing natural and social order, aesthetic archetypes, and psychological implication. It reflects traditional oriental cognition about relationships between humans and nature, humans and society, as well as human behavior and psychology (Han & Sinha, 1996). The cosmographical design model of Xing-shi Feng-shui based on oriental philosophy parallels the Western design tradition rooted in geometrical elements to describe the order and arrangement in the physical environment. According to the above study, the Xing-shi Feng-shui pattern corresponds to contemporary study of environmental psychological and social-psychological, also complementing current urban environmental design. Table 2-1 Comparison of Different Design Models (Yu, 1994): Traditional City Feng-shui Design Model Landscape Ecological Model „,..„...„,..,.,....„....,„.„. j Dw.M0^! I®(!?9nn Mmd ...,;....„„,.„. Theoretic Basis Vision quality j Harmonization among Eco-cquilibnum (Mckg, 1992) j aesthetics(Lyn41960); heaven, earth and human \ Structure Typology - Geometric model: j Cosmographical model: j overlap multi-layers Process and ; Human activities and j Chi, Balance of yw and : Balance of relationship between Components \ perception jyang j nature, society and human j Nodes, Landmarks, \ Dragon, cave, sand, water, I Patchy corridor, matrix, network jpathj edge, district j orientation [ Application Scope \ City Built form and j Natural landscape and Topography, Climate, Geology, jSgace^ | dwell ing built Ibinrn j. Hy?j^?5Ey»„|3i?*?c. *!*yi?5!™?l*^ Space identificationI Connectedness, Integrity, Identity of the landscape 23 2.5 Summary of Xing-shi Feng-shui Pattern as a Design Model Using different evaluation and process criteria, Feng-shui pursues Qi and balance of Yin and Yang. Its five components in the design model could be represented in both nature landscape and building form. According to the literature review and case studies, the Xing-shi Feng-shui pattern can be summarized as in Table 2-2: Table 2-2: Xing-shi Feng-shui Spatial Design Model: Shi Landscape Surrounding area outside the site should provide a network with vein structure continuity, integrity and undulating rhythm to convey Qi out and in. It includes Dragon and Water, which means mountain ranges and rivers on the landscape, or abutted buildings and stretching road in built form. Dragon and Water individually represent Yang Vein and Yin Vein. They interact to play an important role to balance Qi going through or collected on the site. Xing Arm-chaired Container-like inner space has more cohesion to hold Qi. Dragon, physical Sand, and Cave are made up of U-shaped landforms or building forms, spatial described as Qi Cave. The direction and spatial sequence reflecting the structure with movement of Qi: Terrain should be higher in the northwest or higher optimal buildings should sit on the northwest, and then the water-mouth is located orientation the lower south-east side of the site. Water is believed to bring Qi to the site. Facing southeast benefits the site to obtain fortune, which indicates the psychological impact on space and building direction. 24 Xing-shi Feng-shui (Form School) used to be applied to city, village, and dwelling site selection and design. It presents a different design framework from the modern city and landscape designs. The sensible notions contained in Xing-shi Feng-shui are related to the natural, cultural, and psychological elements affecting the quality of human habitation (Figure 2-17). Xing-shi Feng-shui design model could be used to enhance the environmental and social profits when shaping urban community structure. Optimal selection and arrangement of a site from its criteria is often perceived as a well-designed residential environment according to contemporary design conceptions (Han and Sinha, 1996). Its spatial scale and hierarchial structure as an empirical paradigm also provides a reference to organize urban streets, blocks and open space in community design. Psychology Feng-shui Culture Figure 2-17: Xing-shi Feng-shui Design Model Dimensions 25 3.0 LITERATURE REVIEW OF SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY CONCEPTS 3.1 Sustainable Development Overview With industrialization and urbanization accelerating globally, a growing concern is that humanity may consume more than the capacity of the earth's limits. The urban environment where most people congregate encounters ecological, social, economic and cultural challenges in order to meet both human physical and psychological requirements for higher quality of life. Among the challenges and concerns are global warming, endangered species, land degradation, freshwater scarcity, air pollution, and social inequity. Many of these are associated with conflict between over-exploitation in urban areas and un-renewable resources on our earth during the last one hundred year. We need a sustainable development model to reverse these trends (CMHC, 2000). Urban community structure and neighbourhood pattern are among most important aspects in developing a sustainable community. This chapter introduces the concept of sustainability, reviews five relevant sustainable movements and summarizes sustainable community design principles synthesized from the literature. 3.1 Sustainable Development Concept and Movements The World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) established the idea of sustainable development to "meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (1987). The Commission's approaches links three pillows (Figure 3-1): • Incorporates social equity, 26 • Incorporates fair distribution of resources within and between countries and generations, • Resolves conflicts between economic objectives and environmental protection. Figure 3-1: Three Sustainable Community Dimensions (CMHC, 2000) Ways of achieving sustainability will be different from region to region and community to community. This chapter will introduce five important sustainable movements that have been related to sustainable community concepts in recent decades. These movements defined different aspects of sustainable development. Among them, New Urbanism and Smart Growth represent the latest and most integrative concepts in terms of the community design: 27 Eco-city or Green City: Rooted in the historic landscape planning movement and developed further with the urban ecology movement of the 1960s and 70s, this movement looks at the urban ecosystem as an integrated whole (McHarg, 1971). The distinctive concepts of the Eco-city are greening and passive solar design. The Eco-city or Green City idea resorted to environmental organization and management rather than the physical shape of a city as approaches to achieve the aim of urban sustainability. It emphasizes an ecological-oriented framework and integrated environmental management at the urban level. Healthy City or "Liveable City: Traced to the public health movement of the mid-1800s, Healthy City views the environment from a human perspective, using physical, social and mental health of humans as factors to create social equity and a sense of community. Its idea addressed the relationship between the environment and society. Social factors such as social equity and security become important aspects in the sustainable community (CMHC, 2000). Compact City: Compact City advocated increasing efficiency by creating a compact urban form, mixing land use and the public transit system. By reducing sprawl, land can be recycled and preserved. Compact urban form is also associated with diversity, social cohesion, and cost efficiency per capita. It employs physical urban form as a sustainable development solution to enhance environmental, social, and economic profits (Dantzing & Saaty, 1973). 28 New Urbanism: Emerging in the 1980s, New Urbanism synthesized other early sustainable community concepts. New Urbanism relies on the design principles of traditional urban form to create vibrant inner-city neighbourhoods with a strong sense of community. An overall principle is that urban developments should accommodate growth as being environmentally, socially, economically and culturally healthy. Its solution includes managing growth and change that should be fair, open, accessible, and accountable; it includes the organizing of a variety of housing types and other community's facilities within walking distance from a main street or transit service centre. The design-based strategy of New Urbanism identified development practices at three levels (CNU, 1996): • Metropolis, city, and town: The region at this scale is a finite place with geographic boundaries derived from topography, watersheds, coastlines, farmlands, regional parks, and river basins, each with its own identifiable center and edges. Metropolis, city and town are the basic economic unit and should bring into proximity a broad spectrum of public and private uses to support a regional economy. They also have particular historic development contexts which should be respected. • The neighbourhood, district, and corridor: Areas at this level are the essential components of development and redevelopment under an urban context. They form identifiable areas that encourage citizens to take responsibility for their maintenance and evolution. Neighbourhoods should be compact, pedestrian-friendly, and mixed-use. Districts generally emphasize a special single use and should follow the principles of 29 neighbourhood design when possible. Corridors are regional connectors of neighbourhoods and districts; they range from boulevards and rail lines to rivers and parkways. • The block, street, and building. At this level is the physical definition of streets and public spaces as places of shared use. The public open space is involved in a primary task for all urban architecture and landscape design developing from local climate, topography, history, and building practice. Smart Growth: Being town-centered, transit- and pedestrian-oriented, Smart Growth concerns environmental ethics in restoring community and vitality to the center of cities and older suburbs. Besides some principles such as mixed land use, compact building designs and walkable neighbourhoods involved in other movements, it also emphasizes fostering attractive communities with a strong sense of place and preserving open spaces, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas. Keeping spaces open is one of its distinctive features compared with other movements (US EPA, 2008). 3.3 Sustainable Community Principle Summary Although all these movements grew from different perspectives, they overlap and commonly come into being a general direction for sustainable development in community. Physical development should protect quality and integrity of ecosystems, social benefits and cultural value, while promoting economic development in efficient ways. The relevant 30 sustainable community design principles are synthesized within the three dimensions identified in Figure 3-1. Overall principles are summarized below: • Compactness and High Density. Compactness and high density always works together to achieve sustainable urban form. As a critical typology, compactness can minimize transport of energy, water, materials, products, and people (Elkin, Mclearen, and Hillaman 1991). It is a widely acceptable strategy to promote social interactions and land use efficiency. The density of nearby housing influences commuter mode choices. Residents of higher density areas are more likely to commute by transit, walking rather than driving (Transportation Research Board of the National Academy 1996). High-density dwellings provide one possibility of compact community form. • Mixed Used and Diversity Mixed land use reflects a diversity of functional land uses, reducing the need of transportation. Diversity also includes a variety of housing types, household size, and cultures, which represents the social and cultural contexts of the urban form. Studies have demonstrated that mixed used of space enhance security in public spaces for disadvantaged groups (Elkin, Mclaren, and Hillman 1991, 22). In addition, diversity is often adopted to restore vitality and attract ability to the declined urban area. • Ecological Integrity Ecological integrity means a condition that is determined to have characteristics of its natural region and are likely to persist; it includes biotic components and the composition and 31 abundance of native species and biological communities, and rates of change and supporting processes (Canada National Parks Act, 2006). Ecosystems have their native components intact, including physical elements, biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Water body and green land appear to be key elements to preserve urban ecological integrity, both of them contributing to urban drainage systems, ameliorating urban climate, and improving urban image and quality of life (Hough 1995). Thereby, ecological integrity is an important indicator for a sustainable lifestyle. • Passive Solar Design Design with this emphesis helps to reduce consumption of fossil fuel and minimize the need for energy used for heating of buildings. Meanwhile, passive solar design proposes to optimize the urban microclimate by design. Built form, street canyon and traffic arrangement influence airflow, pollution dispersal, and heat discharge; building design urban materials and surface finishes collaborate with vegetation and bodies of water to influence heat absorption, storage and emissivity (Yannas 1998). "Interaction between energy systems and urban structure takes place at all spatial scales from regional, city and neighbourhood to the individual building" (Owen 1992, p.81-82). Passive solar and microclimatic design is another indispensable solution to achieving sustainable urban form. • Accessibility and Connectivity A sustainable community features easily accessible open space and a well-connected street grid network. A hierarchy of boulevards, narrow streets, and alleys disperses traffic and eases walking. Accessible open space and green land provides pleasurable and high quality 32 urban recreation environment, and thereby facilitates interaction and communication within community. • Identity and Sense of Belonging Place identity concerns meanings and significance, within a particular social-cultural and physical context for its inhabitants and visitors. It is influenced by social psychology and environmental psychology, and is associated with security, comfort and protection. A higher spiritual need for the qualities of space, identity and sense of belonging help to shape the integrity of communities at a certain scale. Through physical experience of place, a psychological concept of belongingness: the sense of inside to outside, enclosure, and being at the edge is created (Messervy, 1995) The above-summarized six principles manifest the main contemporary sustainable community conceptions needed to achieve a collaboration of environmental, social and economic dimensions. These principles can also be used as design guidelines and as the basis to critique sustainability of community form. 33 4.0 SITE STUDY The West Don Lands is an 32-hectare area from Parliament Street in the west to the Don River in the east and from King Street down to the rail corridor. It reaches King Street East in the north and is adjacent to the GO railyard in the south. The area is within walking distance of downtown and the Distillery District and has good connections to Commissioners Park, East Bay and other waterfront areas (Figure 4-1). Figure 4-1: West Don Lands Location and Toronto Downtown Area (Source: TWRC, 2005) 4.1 Historic Development, Natural Context and City Background River Watershed Derivation About 11,000 to 13.000 years ago when the last glaciers retreated, the West Don Land was still a part of Lake Iroquois. The shores of this ancestral lake fell to become Lake Ontario 9,000 years ago, and a new lower Don River was formed and flowing to the southwest across the old lakebed. The Don River watershed is now a network of branching 34 tributaries and wetlands connecting the Oak Ridge Moraine with Lake Ontario, 38 kilometres to the south (see Figure 4-2). The Don drains an area of 360 square kilometres covered by forests, streams, ponds and marshes of the watershed. The West Don Lands today are situated beside the river mouth and the end of this natural corridor provides varied habitat for fish, birds, and other animals (MTRCA, 1994). Figure 4-2: The Don 1,000 Years Age (Adapted from "Regeneration, a report of the Royal Commission on the Future of the Toronto Waterfront 1992") Early Human Settlements The first human inhabitants of the Metro Toronto area were Paleo Indians, descendants of the Paleolithic hunters who had crossed over into North America many thousands of years 35 before. Very few traces of the Paleo Indians have been found in Metro Toronto. About 7000 to 1000 B.C., the so-called Archaic Indian left a few more clues. Archaeologists believed that they used to be fishermen flourishing throughout the watershed. The initial Woodland people were the first to make ceramics, yet only a few examples have been found in Metro Toronto of their simple, coiled-technology vessels with scalloped edging. Until 900 to 1550 A.D., the Late Woodland period, there were many remains found in the Don Watershed. They established large palisaded villages housing three to four hundred people in longhouses, and medium-sized villages have been identified in the Don's headwaters (MTRCA, 1994). City Development In the early 17th century, French fur trade boosted the Don River watershed to develop into a major place for human settlement. The coming of European settlers in the late 18th century began massive changes in the watershed, during three successive waves of expansion, so the urbanization of the watershed expanded from the Lower Don (1793-1920) to the Middle Reaches (1945-1965) and Upper Reaches (1975-Present). Industries and city construction resulted in degradation of the watershed environment. The wetlands and tributaries of the Don River were filled in order to lay out city streets in a grid pattern (see Figure 4-3), and the porous soil was replaced by the hard surfaces of roofs, streets, parking lots and omer paved public areas. The expanses of paved surfaces in new developments, as well as the loss of natural water-collecting depressions in the landscape through grading, decreased the pooling, evaporation, and seepage of water into the soil. That in turn, lessened groundwater recharge, and increased surface runoff made the Don River flood more 36 frequently (MTRCA, 1994). Today, the Don Valley Parkway, with a volume of nearly one hundred thousand vehicles per day drastically altered the physical character and condition of the river valley and watershed. Road transportation in cities always becomes an obstacle for foraging and migrating wildlife in nature. With communities built close to streams and vulnerable to flooding, flood control measure, such as dams were built. However, dams and water control devices also changed the habitat of aquatic life. The Don River is thus one of the most highly urbanized and degraded water courses in Canada (MTRCA, 1994) (Figure 4-4). Figure 4-3: Don River Watershed and Road Network (MTRCA, 1994) 37 Figure 4-4: Urbanization of the Don Watershed (MTRCA, 1994) 38 The West Don Lands are surrounded by several established communities (Figure 4-5). Figure 4-5: Surrounding Neighbourhood and Existing Road Networks Development (TWRC 2005) The old Town of York is where Toronto began, characterized by a 19 century block pattern, a dense fabric of low to mid-rise shops, restaurants, hotels, offices, and residential buildings. The St. Lawrence Neighbourhood, redeveloped in the 1970s, is within walking distance of downtown, right next to the Distillery District and has strong connections to the St. Lawrence and Corktown neighbourhoods. The Distillery District, a unique 19th industrial enclave with houses a rich, dense collection of Victorian buildings, alley ways, and courtyards, combines residential uses with studios and workshops, galleries, restaurants, a 39 brewery, a future theatre, and a campus for George Brown College. This area has already become a major tourist destination within the city. Corktown is also one of Toronto's oldest neighbourhoods, beginning as a 19th century working class community of residents of predominantly Irish ancestry. The area consists of a mixture of low-rise residential, commercial and industrial uses, largely original fabric, with an idiosyncratic street pattern that adjusts to suit local context. Historically, the West Don Lands were part of the Old Town of York, established by John Graves Simcoe in 1793, and used as public open space until the 1830s when housing and industry replaced the park space. Industrialization changed the landscape of the area: the Don River running through the area was straightened and Taddle Creek buried; marshes were filled. The 20th century brought refineries, rail yards, steel fabricators, salt storage and automotive uses (TWRC, 2005). 4.2 Site Existing Conditions Site Land Use As the city expanded, many of the industries relocated to the suburbs or closed, leaving behind a number of buildings and large amounts of open space (see Figure 4-6). The sparse street network in West Don Lands, which reflects its industrial origins, is substandard and needs to be rebuilt. The main traffic route, Eastern Avenue, connects downtown with the Don Valley Expressway and the east side of Toronto as a regional route from west to east. Bayview Avenue goes through the site and collects travelers from the north to distribute them 40 to westbound streets. The existence of the GO railyard to the south of the West Don Lands is used for storage of both GO and CN trains. Over time, land surrounding the West Don Lands has been converted from industrial to residential and commercial. Figure 4-6: Existing Land Use Surrounding Commercial and Industrial Distribution Around and within the West Don Lands area, . , . " •, • ••v -• i,i*2ic^\,? - V -v - there are a number of existing commercial and ^_» W'"*r ,»' %>. ^^'* **» • •*• y . »\« industrial enterprises that occupy buildings or land ^g^ytt***1 ^» 'V"- '' » « leased from the Ontario Realty Corporation (ORC). *\ •* 'r' >r ^^^\ # These business activities are distributed along the % ™£ ^S^KKL .** main streets and intersections (Figure 4-7). FiSure 4"7: Retail and Commercial Use 41 Existing Buildings and Heritage Resources There are number of built heritage resources within the West Don Lands that need to be considered. They are as follows (see Figure 4-8): • 153-185 Eastern Avenue (the Former Dominion Wheel and Foundries Company). The site consists of four heritage buildings: The former foundry, a warehouse, an office building and a machine shop that were constructed between 1917 and 1929. Collectively they represent historical and architectural examples of an industrial enclave. They are all listed on the City of Toronto's Inventory of Heritage Properties (Archaeological Services Inc., 2004; City of Toronto, 2004). • Tank House (Distillery District). The property is located on the southwest corner of Cherry Street and Mill Street. In 1885, the Gooderham family (responsible for the Gooderham and Worts distillery) maintained a large residence on this property immediately north of the distillery. • 409 Cherry Street (Palace Street School; Cherry Street Hotel; Eastern Star Hotel; Canary Restaurant). This property is designated under the Ontario Heritage Act (Archaeological Services Inc., 2004). • 445 Cherry Street (CN Police Building). This property is currently being researched for possible inclusion on the City of Toronto's Inventory of Heritage Properties. • Existing Apartments. Three high rising residential buildings are located on the northwest corner of Mill Street and Cherry Street. Their height makes them stand out from the surroundings. .42 Figure 4-8: Existing Buildings and Heritage Existing Streetscape and Visual Corridor From the images in Figure 4-9, along the main axis of the site to the west is the lofty profile of Downtown Toronto. In contrast, the east portion of the site presents a flat and open landform. Overhead bridges define the entry to the site from the north and south. 43 Figure 4-9: Existing Streetscape and Visual Corridor 4.3 Landscape Components Inventory The site inventory of West Don Lands embodies five main components of the landscape outlined below: Geology and Topography The topography and geology of the West Don Lands as a part of the Toronto area resulted from natural and anthropogenic landforms. The waterfront, Don Valley and its stream corridor form the backbone of its natural heritage resources. The landscape of the 44 Greater Toronto Area where West Don Lands is situated features two gently sloping surfaces divided by a prominent shore-bluff formed by glacial Lake Iroquois. South of this shore-bluff is the old lake bottom, while north of the Iroquois bluff, the surface is a gently undulating till plain that gradually rises towards the north until it meets the Oak Ridges Moraine. The underlying shale bedrock of the West Don Lands is covered with a mantle of till, silt, clay and sand deposits from at least four glacial events covering the lake shoreline. The layer of fill covering the site varies in thickness from 0.3m to 6m, and is approximately 2m thick in most areas. The composition of the fill ranges from sand, gravel and clay silt to foreign material such as brick, glass and coal. Organic silt and silt interbedded with peat is found at the south of the site along what was the shoreline of Lake Ontario. Along the east boundary of the site, the eroded shale bedrock channel was filled with deposits of sand and silt which frequently contain peat. Brown silt and clayey to silty till underlie the fill materials and overlie the bedrock at most locations. The total overburden thickness is approximately 10m thick (TWRC, 2005). Hydrology Affected by its geology, the depth to the water table in the area varies between 0.3 and 3m (TWRC, 2005). The direction of groundwater flow tends to be toward the West Don River in the east and goes to Lake Ontario in the west part. Regionally, groundwater flows through the fractured shale bedrock toward the south and the east, reflecting the bedrock surface slopes. Based on available information, groundwater flowing particularly through the fill materials generally does not contain contaminants. Some studies indicated that 45 contaminants entering the Don River as a result of discharges of groundwater from the West Don Lands occur at rates that are negligible in relation to other inputs such as storm water inflows and treatment plant discharges (TWRC & City of Toronto, 2005). Although a small portion of the recharge occurring within the West Don Lands likely flows vertically downward to the fractured shale bedrock then laterally through the bedrock fractures, groundwater infiltration is not an important factor with regards to storm water quality. The West Don Lands was identified as a priority location requiring flood protection based upon an assessment of the extent of area flooded under the Regulatory Flood. In the study, Keating Channel Environment Assessment 1983, it is concluded that an additional increase in flood risk to the surrounding areas of the Lower Don River should be avoided and the volume of contaminated sediment in the channel needs to be reduced. The defined extent of the area of land showed that the Regulatory Flood would occur over the Don watershed in the area of the West Don Land (see Figure 4-10). Some factors increasing flood risk include a ninety degree corner where the Don River enters the Keating Channel, heavy sediment deposition in the Keating Channel, and ice debris jams during the winter and spring. However, Approximately 60% of the storm sewer system drains towards the Don River in the West Don Lands. Approximately 40% of the West Don Lands storm drainage area is directed to the Inner Harbor on Parliament Street and Cherry Street. The Cherry Street underpass under the railway corridor experiences flooding during periods of heavy rainfall. The Cherry Street combined overflow outlet sewer is surcharged under current services for not only a large combined sewer drainage area north of Eastern Avenue but also a local storm drainage 46 area in the West Don Lands and East Bayfront precincts (TWRC & City of Toronto, 2005). v iJIO* " 7 ..-V*** * -. ; *». "* ,» f1 •* a «• y' ^^ > i mmixmlEMHSgsni Figure 4-10: West Don Lands Flood Area Climate and Air Quality West Don Lands shares a semi-continental climate with other Toronto areas. Its climate is modified by its location on the shores of Lake Ontario. The water in the lake ensures Toronto is warmer in winter and cooler in summer than it would otherwise be. Toronto summers usually have an abundance of warm or hot sunny days. Being a winter city with snow on the ground most days between mid-December and mid-March, Toronto is less sunny 47 and severe in winter (see Figure 4-11). Dominant wind is from northwest in winter and south and east in summer (see Figure 4-12). Many factories and industrial plants in both Canada and the USA are located on the Great Lakes and smog has become a phenomenon affecting air condition of city waterfront. In 2004, downtown Toronto had 44 days when air-quality dropped to "moderate". However, there were no days when air quality was "poor" or "very poor" (Table 4-1). ["TORONTO, ONTARIO Figure 4-11: Sun Path for Toronto (Source: www.cdnarchitect.com) 48 Table 4-1: Toronto Monthly Average Temperature Toronto, Canada - Solar energy and surface meteorology These data were obtainedfrom the NASA Langley Re s e arch CenterAtmp spheric Scienc e D ata C enter; New etal, 2002 Figure 4-12: Wind Roses Like other areas in Toronto Downtown, air pollutants in West Don Lands originate from a variety of source categories including industry, transportation, fuel combustion, and miscellaneous activities (primarily dry cleaning, painting, solvent use, and fuel marketing) (City of Toronto, 2000). There are five commonly recognized, standard primary air contaminants. They include volatile organic compounds (VOC), particulates (PM), carbon 49 monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulphur dioxide (SO2). A recent study in Toronto suggests that in Toronto, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is the air pollutant with the greatest adverse impact on human health followed by carbon monoxide (City of Toronto, 2000). Aquatic Habitat and Fish Community The Don River originates north of Major Mackenzie Drive in the Region of York and eventually discharges into Lake Ontario through the Keating Channel. Aquatic habitat in the Lower Don River adjacent to the West Don Lands has been heavily impacted by urbanization throughout the watershed. The banks of the Lower Don River consist primarily of man made materials and include vertical steel and cement walls adjacent to the West Don Lands. According to the Draft Don Watershed Fish Community and Habitat Management Plan (TRCA, 1997), the Lower Don River in the vicinity of the West Don Lands is classified as estuarine habitat with the water levels being directly influenced by Lake Ontario. It is considered that the aquatic habitat in the Lower Don River is poor due to limited in-stream cover, excessive sedimentation, the straightened channel and lack of riparian cover and buffer strips. Furthermore, the high sediment load of the Lower Don River is likely impacting available aquatic habitat (water clarity, silt deposition) in Lake Ontario within the vicinity of the West Don. According to the TRCA fish community sampling results, alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and emerald shiner (Notropis atherinoides) make up 90% of the fish community in the Keating Channel. This fish community is not typical of most north shore Lake Ontario river estuaries and is likely a result of lack of habitat features, regular dredging operations and poor water quality (TRCA, 2004a). The TRCA classifies the Keating Channel morphology as having uniform depths, 50 heavy channelization, degraded water and regular disturbances as a result of dredging and a lack of functional overhead cover along the stream. These conditions all contribute to reducing species diversity. The Keating Channel can be considered to be an open water habitat that is connected to the open water of the Toronto Harbor and Lake Ontario. These species may move into the channel and further upstream in search of shallower water for feeding. Flora and Fauna of Terrestrial Environment There are a number of natural areas adjacent to the study area: the Don River Valley System located immediately west of the site; and Tommy Thomson Park (Leslie Street Spit) and the Toronto Islands located to the south of the study area. The vegetation described is based primarily on investigations conducted by the TRCA in 2004. There were four communities identified (see Table 4-2) (TRCA, 2004a). These include: • Sumac cultural thicket located in the southeast corner of the site immediately adjacent to the channelized portion of the Lower Don River. • Native deciduous cultural woodland occurs in the north of the site just south of Eastern Avenue and north of Front Street. • Small pockets of fresh-moist poplar deciduous forest occur in the northeastern corner of Front Street and Cherry Street. • A small section of native forb and old field meadow is located in the northwestern corner of Front Street and Cherry Street A low diversity of fauna species would be expected at the site due to limited habitat diversity and availability. Small mammalian, herpetofaunal, and avian species consist of common species 51 typical of urban landscapes and migratory species that likely use the area as stopover habitat. They are tolerant of habitat disturbances and human activities. Several wildlife species were observed in the West Don Lands including northern rough-winged swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis), northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), red-eyed vireo {Vireo olivaceus), woodchuck (Marmota monax), grey catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), spotted sandpiper {Actitis macularid), and eastern gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis). Table 4-2: Native Species on Site • Cottonwood (Populus deltoids ssp.deltoides) Native Deciduous Cultural • Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) • Manitoba Maple (Acer negundo) • Siberian Elm (Ulmus pumila) • Red Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica • Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides) Fresh-Moist Poplar Deciduous • Largetooth Aspen (Populus grandidentata) Forest • Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) Native Forb and Old Field Meadow • Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense) • Bull Thistle (Cirsium Vulgare • Ox-eye Daisy (Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum • Fleabane (Erigeron sp) • Viper's Bugloss (Echium vulgare) • Chickory (Cichorium intybus) • Common Night shade (Circaea alpine) • Black Bindweed (Polygonum convolvulus) • Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) Sumac Cultural Thicket The Don River Valley land provides a seasonal migration corridor for birds moving to and from the lakeshore to breeding and wintering territories. It may also provide for the movement of wildlife from Tommy Thomson Park and the Toronto Islands to more inland habitats. The natural 52 cover within the Lower Don Valley provides an opportunity for migratory birds to have a rest or take cover and forage (TRCA, 2004a). 4.4 The Potential of the Site to Develop a Feng-shui Community According to Xing-shi Feng-shui pattern, West Don Lands has good potential for building a "Feng-shui" Community. First, at the broad range, Toronto is located in the Golden Horseshoe area which backs on to the Oak Ridge Moraine and faces Lake Ontario (see Figure 4-13). This topography is a preferred Feng-shui site on which to build a city or human habitat. Judged by physical features of the landscape, the Oak Ridges Moraine can be identified as the Dragon ridge of this area and the Don River stands for the Yin/Yang vein to link the ridge to the West Don Lands. These geographic features exhibit the favorable regional landscape vein structure on which to implement Xing-shi Feng-shui pattern. Oak Ridge Marine as Dragon syni b o Ii zi n g Yang ve i n Don Riv«r as Water symbolizing- Yin v West Doit Lands Figure 4-13: The Regional Vein Structure Context of the Site Second, according to Xing-shi Feng-shui tradition, buildings and roads can play the role of mountain ridge and river in an urban context. West Don Lands is located in just such a 53 "cave", an ideal site of human inhabitation. The downtown high-rise commercial business district, one kilometre away in the northwest of the site, is a perfect "Hill of Parents" in Xing-shi Feng-shui pattern. The Don River goes through southeast of the site. The site is enclosed by several established neighbourhoods in the northwest, and its southeast side is open to the water bodies of the Don River and Lake Ontario, which is the preferred orientation for Qi to accumulate (Figure 4-14). Asure Dragon Hit! of Parents Cave Flow o. White Tiger Front Hill Figure 4-14: Xing-shi Feng-shui Pattern Applied to the West Don Lands Site 4.4 Key Site Issues Considering the site is going to be developed into a new urban community, the key issues and challenges from the West Don Lands are identified through the following site context and existing conditions analysis. 54 • Integrity of City and Community The West Don Lands, as an inner city community, should be incorporated with surrounding environment and interconnected spatially and visibly through its open space system, streetscapes and neighborhood structure, design site also needs to capitalize on the landscape features of the Low Don watershed area when to create a the sense of place and identity for the community. Water feature can be used to integrate public open space and provide amenity in the community. The future West Don Lands community should not only be integrated into the city fabric of downtown Toronto, but also have its own distinctive community form. • High Density and Diversity of Land Use The site location near Downtown Toronto implies a compact and dense land use strategy in redevelopment of the community based on economic and environmental considerations. The West Don Lands is an extension of Toronto's central area, thus high-rise buildings and multi-story buildings mixed with townhouses should be adopted as the main housing type. This will provide a feasible resolution for the restoration of this elder neighbourhood, yielding economic and environmental profits and also increasing the opportunities for human social communication. • Winter City "Genius Loci" Located in a high latitude winter city with a lengthy and hostile winter, the site should generate a "climate-responsive" urban environment adapted to northern city form. Through providing a comfortable microclimate environment for urban public activities, the 55 redeveloped community outdoor environment should be usable year-round for people to engage in outside activities in all seasons. Creating a winter urban community form can contribute to environment preservation by saving energy and supporting human comfort in outdoor activities. In addition, a community form and building style adapted to local climate will provide a suitable urban environment to enhance the development of winter city culture. • Ecologically Dysfunctional River Mouth Under the pressure of city development, the ecosystem of the mouth of the Don River is seriously degraded. It is necessary to create aquatic and terrestrial habitats, to encourage appropriate uses of the valley and to improve access to the valley by naturalizing the river corridor. Native species need to be planted in riparian area to restore the lower Don River riparian eco-system. The high sediment load of the river mouth impacts water clarity and aquatic habitat in Lake of Ontario, so silt deposition should be resolved with eco-design and eco-technology. • Flood Risk Vulnerability Urbanization in and around the West Don Lands results in seasonal flooding. A buffer area is needed to balance forces between human community and the river. Flood control involves a sound arrangement of building the natural environment in the West Don Lands plan, which should include naturalizing the river course and increasing the volume of flood discharge. Flood risk must be managed and eliminated by decreasing the quantity of water entering the channel and designing measures to release flooding during storm events. • Preservation of Historic Heritage 56 Since the site is located beside the well-known Distillery District, some existing buildings and structures have value as heritage resources and need to be preserved as symbols of community identity. These old buildings might serve the community and city with new functions. They are indispensable elements to be part of the streetscape and neighbourhood spaces. • Environmental Pollution Alleviation and Health Concerns Having once been an industrial site, the West Don Lands faces challenges in shifting to a residential neighbourhood. Despite being used for light industry, there is no known soil or substrate contamination found on the site. However, the transportation and railyard in the south of the site will be a source of noise and air pollution to the new built community. Similarly, traffic noise impact comes from Eastern Avenue, which links neighbourhoods west and east of the Don Valley, and the Gardiner Expressway and the Don River Parkway generate considerable noise that further impacts the site. Relevant measures such as building both northern and southern noise screen and buffer should be taken to mitigate impacts on the community environment and human health. 57 5.0 CRITIQUE OF THE EXISTNG PLAN The West Don Lands Precinct Plan is an important step in achieving Toronto's vision for a revitalized waterfront. Just like a bridge, the development principles and guidelines it outlines are at a level of detail not possible within the broader Secondary Plan, allowing the city plan to proceed from policies to zoning by-law provisions. The West Don Lands Precinct Plan, prepared by TWRC, is a collaborative effort of many organizations and individuals. The Precinct Plan provides a guideline for the implementation of public infrastructure and the built form of new development. The site is divided into five parts: River Square neighbourhood, Don River Park Neighbourhood, Front Street Neighbourhood, Mill Street Neighbourhood and Don River Park (Figure 5-1). Figure 5-1: West Don Lands Precinct Plan (TWRC, 2006) 58 5.2 West Don Land Block Plan and Design Guidelines In 2006, TWRC prepared a Block Plan and Design Guidelines document to provide more detailed resolution based on the West Don Lands Precinct Plan. The West Don Land Block Plan and Design Guidelines reflect the overall intent of the 2005Precinct Plan with (TWRC, 2006). It also provides further adjustment primarily concerning the role buildings play in creating the residential public realm, such as the height, massing, proportion of buildings and relationship between building and space. There are three important aspects of this study with respect to community structure: street and block, public open space, built form (Figure 5-2). Figure 5-2: West Don Land Block Plan and Design Guidelines (TWRC, 2006) 59 • Streets and Blocks The streets pattern within the West Don Lands are all regularly spaced across the site except for a curved extension of Bayview Avenue separated from Don River Park in the east part. Most blocks in the design are enclosed by buildings with internal parking. They are dimensioned at about fifty to one hundred and fifty metres in length and width, so plotted into small blocks, the whole site has a high density of roads consistent with the fabric of the surrounding neighbourhoods and downtown. • Public Open Space and Park Don River Park, with a total area of 7.3 hectares to > ' ..n-iS^V in the east past of the West - - '-• *• •?" < V\.,r Don Lands, has been designed to serve the whole '-> y West Don Lands * ,.-•*' 7 community (see Figure 5-3). w s I " '- ^*' It is intended to function as \ both recreational open Figure 5-3: Park and Open Space (TWRC, 2006) space and a flood control landform. The green lands elsewhere on the site comprise oniy 2 hectares. A berm is proposed along the bank of the Don River, to protect the site from seasonal flooding. The landform of in the west part of the site is lower than the proposed park area ajacent to the river bank (See Figures 5-4, and 5-5). 60 MV.VWS 'WMwnooicoWRa 9»OV64AN(3tlOWRajrcOOWFft3M UWWOKMHEGHT lilt rargmswrn ! -'--9Bam IBM WIT TO i IHrrBuaiaouitt &o«CLwrai ~—~~-msMm WKO«*W,TODE WUKWICW tseortMHiWTri TMA. Section through Don River Park Figure 5-4: Proposed Berm and River Section (TWRC, 2006) nisvs SP rttva^ftijt 78.* ,r Mft\ **• V |WM>!,., \ V: •/• 80.0 TO 81.5 ELEVATION I . Yrt***- _ ^ . # \ ,\'> TOP OF FLOOD CONTROL LANOFORM $ rtO^ * • TlMl H^J>^**> ? -"fes TBCA DEVELOPMENT SETBACK WET SIDE "'<#s DRY SIDE DEVELOPMENT SETBACK 3$54>***„ I 1 TOP OF THE BERM Figure 5-5: Proposed Berm and River Plan (TWRC, 2006) Building Form and Height Strategy A mix of six to eight stories apartment and four-story townhouses are the two basic types of building forms permitted in the existing zoning. The high-rise buildings (more than 11 stories) are only located along the main arterial and at intersections. Parking is arranged in 61 underground or indoor parking areas (see Figure 5-6). ^ Rooftop gsnJaVteiraee 4* i • I jgg^|fct gSSffwB^f^ sjpl^ljgfe cr-iri^sniT«.«p.K«.i«>** - •^Un*«~-™ F to SECTION Small apartment building SECTION Largs apartment building Figure 5-6: Three T^pes of Built Forms 5.3 Critique of the Existing Site Plan Based on Sustainable Community Principles Based on the sustainable community principles summarized in Chapter Three in terms of literature review, an evaluation process was conducted to determine to what extent the existing proposal for the next Don Lands reflects these principles. A matrix was established to assess the layout plan in terms of the community structure of the West Don Lands Block Plan and Guidelines (Table 5-1). The matrix is divided into seven categories measured by three levels according to the extent that the proposals reflect these concepts and content. High level represents a high degree of connection with the principle; moderate level demonstrates partly or incomplete provision related to the concepts; low level demonstrates no relationship between the proposals and the sustainable community principle. 62 Table 5-1: Critique Based on Sustainable Community Principles Sustainabiliy High Moderat Low Remarks Principles e Compactness V • High density land use at 900 residents/hectare and High compared to the density of 700 to 1000 in major Density metro centres (Source: Guidelines for the Reurbanisation of Metropolitan Toronto, 1991). Mixed Use and V • The proposed plans provide the mixed land use, Diversity such as residential, commercial and recreational settings and diversity building forms including 1200 units of affordable rental housings. Ecological V • Establish riparian ecological corridor and buffer Integrity area by designing a river park, and a berm built for storm water management. • On the other hand, this measure might strengthen denaturalization of water course in the long run Passive Solar V. • Lacks efficient use of natural energy by Radiation alignment of entrances, seating orientation and planting pattern to encourage people to engage in outdoor activities and enhance physical comfort. Connectedness , V • Well connected road network provides convenient transportation. Accessibility, • Proposed berm on eastside separates residential area from water feature. Distribution of Walkable and vegetation lacks a green linkage from west to east. Recreational • Community centre is laid on the southeast corner Public Open in the existing plan, which is inconvenient for all Space community to be equally accessible. • The narrow space within blocks is not able to provide enough basic communication and recreational space • There is a path system designed for bicycles and pedestrians on and off site Identity and V • Lacking water-friendly space and features as a Sense of riverfront community Belonging • Lacking the communication space in block units 63 The table illustrates that the proposed plans fulfill the high sustainability in economic dimension. Meanwhile, there are deficiencies of sustainability in the social and environmental dimensions, particularly lacking fully applied site characteristics and cultural significance while resolving the design issues functionally and aesthetically. 5.4 Critique of Existing Plan Based on Resolution of Key Site Issues Taking account of the key site issue related to sustainable community principles, as identified in chapter Four, we can conclude that the existing design proposal does not fulfill specific social and environmental objectives that support developments a sustainable community (see Figure 5-7). Partly solved Ecologically DysfunctionalRiver Mourn Flood Risk Vulnerability j i Environmental Dimension Winter city "genius loci" • Well solved * High density hind use requirement i i . Economic Dimension * Integrity of city and community * Preservation of historic heritage Partly solved ' Health and Safety Concern Social Dimension Figure 5-7 Critique of the Existing Proposal Based on Key Site Issues 64 6.0 DESIGN MODIFICATION The design approach employs a two-step process: the first is to identify these Feng-shui elements in the physical environment and use them to engender a favorable Xing-shi Feng-shui community spatial structure on the landscape; the second is to establish the design guidelines of a sustainable community structure that address the issues of the site. The first process concerns the mechanism of Qi, Yin and Yang, as well as the relevant environment elements in building up a conceptual model on site, such as how to find Qi vein, define the spatial scale and arm-chair structure, and decide on the optimum orientation. The second emphasizes the dissection of sustainable community structure according to these individual principles and tfieir contribution to the design solution for the West Don Lands. 6.1 Conceptual Xing-shi Feng-shui Model on Site Xing-shi Feng-shui shares the concept of Qi with other Feng-shui schools. Xing-shi Feng-shui advocates that Yang Qi accumulates in the celestial bodies and Yin Qi condenses into the earth. Yang and Yin can be balanced in the right form of landscape (Book of Burial). True Dragon influencing Yang Qi, represented as a geographical apophysis, could be a natural mountain ridge or artificial structures. Water symbolizes Yin vein and can be a watercourse or road. River or vehicles along this vein should not flow so fast as to impact accumulation of Qi (see Figure 6-1). Xing-shi Feng-shui also perceived the spatial scale Xing and Shi which directly and indirectly impact a site arrangement. The elements Dragon, Hill, Cave and Water make up an arm chair space inner structure, and its orientation is to outside. 65 Figure 6-1: Site Qi Vein Concept A conceptual site design model is built up at two spatial hierarchies. First, the distance of the road network is decided by scale of Xing. The length and width of each neighbourhood block is within 100 metres. Main roads and streets symbolize Water as Qi vein around each neighbourhood, enclosed by arm-chair buildings facing south or east. Second, the site needs to consider about 300 square metres (One thousand square feet or R) of surrounding area as influencing Shi. Since the high-rise buildings (Dragon ridge) in the downtown city and the Don River are located in this area, they function as Yang and Yin veins to balance Qi brought 66 into the site. The height of buildings on the site is designed to descend gradually in grading from northwest to southeast. Two canals are built across the site to reinforce this vein connection. A public park as the major Qi field should sit in the cave of the whole site; near Therefore, it is located at the south-east of the site (Figure 6-2). — HOW OF ROAD FLOW OF WATbR Figure 6-2 : Xing-shi Feng-shui Design Model on Site 67 6.2 Sustainable Community Design Guideline on Modified Community Structure Through reviewing sustainable community concepts and studying the site, Figure 6-3 illustrates the relationship between the summarized sustainable community principles and key issues concluded from the site analysis: SITE KEY1SSVES ™ 3 i; " | PRINCIPLES | Integrity of city ami community MiM'd I'se ami Dixersiti- High density land use Identity and Sense of requirement for development / Belonging r- --'^ X»~..., / i*-~ Conifxicrness andHigh Density II Inter city "genius loci' K •\ v Ecologically dysfunctional \ \ Connecmess and'Accessibility river month "\ X Flood risk vulnerability Walkabie and Recreational Public OfH'/i S/xice Pollution alleviation and health /\ Passive Solar Radiation concern / x. X V Ecologicai Integrity Preservation of historic heritage Figure 6-3: Site key issues and sustainable community principles The relationship shown in Figure 6-3 bridges the sustainable principles and site issues. The applied sustainable community design guidelines aiming at site issues are as folllows: • Mixed Use and Diversity: Preserving the commercial and residential mixed use basic built form and incorporating them into the compound building form in plan layout. • Conpactness and High Density 68 Selecting high-density built form and increasing the floor area of building; laying out road blocks in the appropriate shape and scale to increase efficiency of land use. • Walkable and Recreational Public Open Space Setting multilayer public open space for the neighbourhood basic units and all the community; making use of a water body to enhance the vitality of the public open space; creating a continuous pedestrian system and vehicle-controlled neighbourhood environment • Passive Solar Radiation Appropriately locating the entrance and orientation of buildings and properly arranging vegetation within streets and blocks • Ecological Integrity Establishing a green network and building riparian corridors with native species; naturalizing the watercourse and ameliorating natural infiltration with rain gardens and storm water management • Connectedness and Accessibility For community vehicle circulation, the public park should be easily accessible, and connect and serve both neighbourhoods and city. Connected buildings within a block should provide indoor linkage for pedestrians in winter. • Identity and Sense of Belonging Reflecting riverfront area and winter city characteristics in design layout; preserving the historic architecture on site; improving the sense of safety in the neighbourhood by creating open space that is easily monitored by residents. 69 6.3 Neighbourhood Spatial Structure Plan According to the above suggestion, the modified community structure on site was developed around built form, street and road system, and public open space (see Figure 6-4): • Built Form Building form is an important component of community structure. It usually reflects the social, economic and local environment background of a community. Compared with the single house form in a traditional neighbourhood, the modified design selects three higher-density residence types: high rise, multi-story, and row house. They are assembled into six basic types of arm-chair neighbourhood units (see Figure 6-5). High rise residences are distributed along three northwest gateways of the West Don Lands community (Parliament Street and Front Street East, Eastern Avenue and Cherry Street, King Street and River Street) where the site is connected with other city neighbourhoods in the northwest. The relatively lower row house and row house compound blocks are close to the Don River riparian area, which exhibits the built form profile of all communities higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast. Parking lots, commercial-purpose use, and residence are individually located on underground, two first ground levels to three stories above, and allowing residence units to possess maximum eyeshot and visual privacy and a short service distance by mixed use in all buildings. • Road and Street Network Being a major factor determining the community structure, the road and street network presents the city's functions and natural landscape conditions. The road and block plan based 70 on Xing-shi Feng-shui concepts also meet the West Don Lands site context and city development requirements. The surrounding neighbourhoods and planned Toronto blocks are 80 m by 120 m. The existing Front Street and Cherry Street crossing not only shows major city streets, but also sets up a starting point for a horizontal coordinate to divide the minor roads on the site. The planned Bayview Avenue curved along the southeast boundary of the site links Cherry Street, Eastern Avenue, and King Street East. This new main traffic line is also one favorable to the flow of the Qi vein on site, according to the Xing-shi Feng-shui pattern. All major and secondary roads with higher volumes of traffic can act as major Qi veins at neighbourhood levels (Leung, 2003), while local streets with lower road capacity and speed reduction present minor Qi vein for individual blocks in this "box within box" design model. Neighbourhood lanes are vehicle-controlled paths serving temporary access. The parking lots for residents are arranged underground to keep each neighbourhood's inner space pedestrian friendly. Visitor parking is laid in a periphery area around neighbourhoods within walking distance. This arrangement decreases the vehicle impact on the community. Across Eastern Avenue and Cherry Street, the tri-dimensional bridge or corridor is designed to guarantee the continuity and connectedness of walking routes around neighbourhoods (see Figure 6-6). • Public Open Space Public parks and open spaces are an indispensable aspect of the community structure, closely associated with the road network and built form. There are three types of physical spatial configurations in the designed community structure: public park, street corridor, and 71 neighbourhood courtyard. The arm-chair built form and neighbourhood layout result in neighbourhood courtyards and a public park that acts as gathering and communication places, respectively serving individual blocks and all the community. Street corridors link two of them by shift from privacy to public in sequence. They are accessible and connected in space sequence and hierarchy. Due to the west-prevailing wind orientation and south solar radiation direction, the enclosed courtyards are designed to face southeast in order to obtain more passive solar radiations and warmer winds. The comfortable microclimate encourages people to participate in outdoor activities even in winter; meanwhile, it is believed that a southeast orientation bring good fortune. The public park and open spaces are also integrated with green space and water body system on site. The canal plays a key role to maintain ecosystem integrity, preventing flooding. The vegetation planted along the canal functions as an ecological corridor that links to the Don River Park and the Don River. The pieces of green land in the courtyard are stepping stones for migrating birds and form part of a green networks. The two canals can collect storm water from most of the surface areas on site and release water by control devices at the mouth of the river in flooding seasons. Furthermore, the canals may also be considered as a series of detention pools and rain gardens combined with infiltration technology. In addition, water is considered to convey fortune in Feng-shui tradition, and the flowing water endows the community environment with a sense of place in the riverfront area. The water feature shapes the recreational environment and the water course becomes a physical geographical symbol to blend into public open spaces (Figure 6-7). 72 Figure: 6-4 73 fflGHRISING RESIDENCE MULTI-STORY RESIDENCE ROW HOUSE RESIDENCE / PUBLIC SERVICE v_y NEIGHBOURHOOD BORDERLINE ^1 4^ 1 -^VH* 1 *V» C 3 in MAJOR OR REGIONAL ROAD (12-20m) SECONDARY ROAD OR COLLECTOR (10-I2m) LOCAL STREET (8-10m) NEIGHBOURHOOD LANE (6m) OUTDOOR VISITOR PARKING UNDERGROUND PARKING s ON PUBLIC GREEN LAND NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAYGROUND RIPARIAN CORRIDOR STEP STONE S Figure: 6-8 77 Figure: 6-9a: Main Entrance of the Community 78 11III HI Him HE Figure: 6-9b: Arm Chair Pattern 79 Figure: 6-9c: Southwest 3D View 80 Figure: 6-9d: Northwest 3D View 81 Figure: 6-9e: Southeast 3D View 1 82 Figure: 6-9f: Southeast 3D View 2 83 Figure: 6-9g: Night 3D View 84 7.0 DESIGN ASSESSMENT COMPARISON USING LEED - ND RATING SYSTEM This chapter focuses on evaluation and comparison of the existing West Don Lands plan and the modified plan based on Feng-shui pattern using the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Rating System for Neighbourhood Development (LEED-ND) rating system. This comparison intended to demonstrate the extent to which sustainability indicators have been met and to compare similarities and differences in the two plans. 7.1 LEED Rating System for Neighbourhood Development as Assessment Framework The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Rating System for Neighbourhood Development has been established through a partnership of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the Congress for the New Urbanism and the Natural Resources Defense Council. These standards combine comprehensive principles of smart growth, new urbanism, and other sustainable community concepts, and are used to assess and reward superior development practices (USGBC, 2007). LEED for Neighbourhood Development is used to certify projects in a three-stage process: Optional Pre-review (Stage One); Certification of an Approved Plan (Stage Two); and Certification of a Completed Neighbourhood Development (Stage Three). There are four primary categories: Smart Location and Linkage, Neighbourhood Pattern and Design, Green Construction and Technology, and Innovation and Design (USGBC, 2007). As this study is focused on conceptual design of community structure, the last two stages, which emphasize construction technology and design process, are not applicable to this research, so they do not contribute to the validity and reliability of the assessment result. Therefore, the assessment 85 framework of sustainability in this study will be based on the first two categories at stage one of the project certification process. Quantitative measurement based on the LEED Rating System for Neighbourhood Development provides an independent assessment framework for evaluating the achievement of a sustainable community at the conceptual design stage before the project is executed. The purpose of this evaluation is not to achieve LEED certification but to serve as a comparison between the existing plan and the modified plan. LEED rating systems for Neighbourhood Development includes prerequisites and credits. In order to be certified, a project must meet each prerequisite. There are eight prerequisites in the first two categories selected for evaluation. Since the West Don Lands risks seasonal flooding, developing a sustainable community on the site meets all these prerequisites except in the "Floodplain Avoidance" category. Furthermore, "Smart Location—Linkage" and "Neighbourhood Pattern and Design" might test the site selection and arrangement, respectively, as two functions of xing-shi Feng-shui pattern as a design tool. It shows that the variables proposed to be evaluated in the design model can be mostly measured in this two-category evaluation. According to this rating system, the assessed projects can be divided into four levels: certified (40-49 points awarded), silver (50-59 points awarded), gold (60-69 points awarded) and platinum (80-106 points awarded). The first two categories, which are the ones applicable to this evaluation, include 18 credits. These credits are valued with a total of 69 points, and each point accordingly matches specific requirements. Tables 7-1 and 7-2 illustrate the credits achieved by both the existing plan and the modified plan. 86 Table 7-1: LEED for Neighbourhood Development Assessment of the Existing Plan Credit Category Assessment Requirement Satisfied Prereq 1 Smart Location Project located on infill site; 50% dwelling units near planned adequate transit service Satisfied Prereq 2 Proximity to Water Project on a site served by existing water and Wastewater and waste water infrastructure Infrastructure Satisfied Prereq 3 Imperiled Species vProject applicant shall provide buffer, or and Ecological set back area from development Communities Satisfied Prereq 4 Wetland and Water No wetlands, water bodies within 100 feet Body Conservation on the project site Satisfied Prereq 5 Farmland Project site contains no more than 25% Conservation prime soils, unique soils Not Prereq 6 Floodplain Project located on a previously developed Satisfied Avoidance site for developing any portions, lying within the 100 year floodplain 2 credit /2 Credit 1 Brownfield Project located on a site that used to be Redevelopment Brownfield 0 credit /l Credit 2 High Priority Project using a site in Federal Enterprise Brownfield's Community area Redevelopment 10 credit Credit 3 Preferred Location 1. Project in an infill site previously /10 developed site (6 points) 2. 40 centerline miles per square mile or greater (4 points) 6 credit Credit 4 Reduced Automobile More than 350 public transit rides per week /8 Dependence day available on site (Transit bus stops within 0.5 mile walking distance of 50% of the project dwellings) 1 credit /l Credit 5 Bicycle Network 50% of the dwelling units have 4 diverse uses within 3 miles; bicycle parking and 87 storage available 3 credit Credit 6 Housing and Jobs Non-residential component equaling at /3 Proximity least 25% of the project's total building square footage; 1 credit Credit 7 School Proximity Over 50% of dwellings in project site are /l within 0.5 mile of a planned school 0 credit Credit 8 Steep Slope Not applicable in project /l Protection 0 credit Credit 9 Site Design for Flood protection issue is considered, but /l Habitat or Wetlands water quality maintenance, wildlife habit Conservation protection, and hydrologic function maintenance are not included in plan 0 credit Credit Restoration of Not considered in project /l 10 Habitat or Wetlands 0 credit Credit Conservation Not considered in project /l 11 Management of Habitat or Wetlands ,.,-''•'-" Credit Category Assessment Requirement Satisfied Prereq 1 Open Community All streets and sidewalks serving the project are available for general public use, and not gated Satisfied Prereq 2 Compact Residential components of the project at an Development average density of more than seven dwelling units per acre of buildable land; non-residential components of the project at an average density of more than 0.5 Floor Area Ratio per acre of buildable land 7 credit 11 Credit 1 Compact Residential density is over 70 units (300 Development units ) per acre, and non-residential density floor area ratio is over 3.5 3 credit /4 Credit 2 Diversity of Uses 50% of the dwelling units are within 0.5 mile walking distance of more than seven diverse uses 2 credit Credit 3 Diversity of Housing Score of 0.9 received on the Simpson /3 Types Diversity Index scale; over 0.6 required for three credits. 88 2 credit Credit 4 Affordable Rental Adopting the dwelling built form in the 12 Housing existing plan, 20% of rental units at affordable level 2 credit 12 Credit 5 Affordable For-Sale Having potential in modified design of at Housing least 10% of for-sale housing priced for households up to 80% of the area median income, and an additional 10% of for-sale housing priced for households at up to 120% of the area median income (2 points) 2 credit Credit 6 Reduced Parking Locate all off-street surface parking lots at 12 Footprint the side or rear buildings, leaving building frontages and streetscapes free of surface parking; use no more than 20% of the total development footprint area for surface parking facilities or underground parking 4 credit Credit 7 Walkable Streets 1. A principal functional entry of each /8 building has a front facade that faces a public space, such as a street or square 2. A minimum of 30% of all street frontages located with the project 3. Continuous at least 4-foot wide sidewalks or equivalent provisions for walking are provided along both sides of all streets within the project. 4. All streets along residential blocks within the project are designed for a maximum speed of 20 mph. 5. All streets along non-residential or mixed-use blocks within project are designed for a maximum speed of 25 mph. 2 credit Credit 8 Street Network The project's average street centerline grid /2 density is over 30 miles per square mile 0 credit Credit 9 Transit Facilities Public transit shelters are not demonstrated A in this design 0 credit Credit Transportation Not included in this design stage 12 10 Demand Management 1 credit Credit Access to At least one through-street at the project /l 11 Surrounding Vicinity boundary every 800 feet or at existing abutting street intervals, except that 89 connections cannot physically be made, e.g. rivers, expressways and other limited-access roads 0 credit Credit Access to Public A park, green plaza, or square of at least /l 12 Space 1/6 acre in design area, and at least 150 feet wide, lying within 1/6 mile walking distance of 90% of the dwelling units and business entrances in the project. 1 credit Credit Access to Active 90% of the dwelling units locate within 0.5 n 13 Spaces mile walking distance of an active open space facility (e.g., general playfields, multi-use trail or a public recreation center) 1 credit Credit Universal Project has the possibility to develop 20% /2 14 Accessibility of each type of residential unit to comply with the accessible design provisions of the Fair Housing Amendments Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as applicable. 1 credit Credit Community Outreach Public participation is considered /l 15 and Development an essential step in the design process 0 credit Credit Local Food Not applicable /O 16 Production - Table 7-2: LEED for Neighbourhood Development Assessment of the Modified Plan Credit Category Assessment Requirement Satisfied Prereq 1 Smart Location Project located on infill site; and 50% dwelling units near planned adequate transit service Satisfied Prereq 2 Proximity to Water Project on a site served by existing water and Wastewater and wastewater infrastructure Infrastructure Satisfied Prereq 3 Imperiled Species Project applicant shall buffer or set back and Ecological area from development Communities 90 Satisfied Prereq 4 Wetland and Water No wetlands or water bodies within 100 Body Conservation feet on the project site Satisfied Prereq 5 Farmland Project site contains no more than 25% Conservation prime soils, unique soils Not Prereq 6 Floodplain Project located on a previously developed Satisfied Avoidance site for developing any portions lying within the 100-year floodplain 2 credit 12 Credit 1 Brownfield Project located on a former brownfield site Redevelopment 0 credit /l Credit 2 High Priority Project site is not applicable as a Federal Brownfields Enterprise Community area Redevelopment 10 credit Credit 3 Preferred Location 1. Project in an infill site previously /10 developed site (6 points) 2. 40 centerline miles per square mile or greater (4 points) 6 credit Credit 4 Reduced Automobile More than 350 public transit rides available /8 Dependence on site per week day (Transit bus stop within 0.5mile walking distance of 50% of the project dwellings) 1 credit /l Credit 5 Bicycle Network 50% of the dwelling units entrances within 3 miles of 4 diverse uses; bicycle parking and storage available 3 credit Credit 6 Housing and Jobs Non-residential component equaling at /3 Proximity . least 25% of the project's total building square footage 1 credit Credit 7 School Proximity Over 50% of dwellings in project site are /l within 0.5 mile of an existing school 1 credit Credit 8 Steep Slope Restore native plants or adapted plants to /l Protection 40% of any previously developed slopes between 15%-25% 1 credit Credit 9 Site Design for For sites with water body, compile existing /l Habitat or Wetlands assessment, performing water quality Conservation maintenance, wildlife habit protection and hydrologic function maintenance, including flood protection 1 credit Credit Restoration of Using only native species to restore over /l 10 Habitat or Wetlands 10% of development footprint in re-development habitat 91 0 credit Credit Conservation Long-term management plan for any /l 11 Management of on-site water bodies and their buffers, Habitat or Wetlands including wetland and water-body conservation Credit Category Assessment Requirement Satisfied Prereq 1 Open Community All streets and sidewalks serving the project are available for general public use, and not gated Satisfied Prereq 2 Compact Residential component of the project at an Development average density of more than seven dwelling units per acre of buildable land; non-residential component of the project at an average density of more than 0.5 Floor Area Ratio per acre of buildable land 7 credit 11 Credit 1 Compact Residential density is over 70 units (300 Development units) per acre and non-residential density floor area ratio is over 3.5 3 credit IA Credit 2 Diversity of Uses 50% of the dwelling units are within 0.5 mile walking distance of more than seven diverse uses 3 credit Credit 3 Diversity of Housing Score of 0.9 received on the Simpson /3 Types Diversity Index scale; Over 0.7 required for three credits. 2 credit Credit 4 Affordable Rental Adopting the dwelling built form in the /2 Housing existing plan, 20% of rental units at affordable level 2 credit /2 Credit 5 Affordable For-Sale Having potentials in modified design for at Housing least 10% of for-sale housing priced for households up to 80% of the area median income, and an additional 10% of for-sale housing priced for households at up to 120% of the area median income(2 points) 2 credit Credit 6 Reduced Parking Locate all off-street surface parking lots at /2 Footprint the side or rear buildings, leaving building frontages and streetscapes free of surface parking; use no more than 20% of the total development footprint area for surface parking facilities or underground parking 92 6 credit Credit 7 Walkable Streets 1. A principal functional entry of each /8 building has a front facade that faces a public space such as a street or square 2. A minimum of 30% of all street frontages located within the project 3. Continuous at least 4-foot wide sidewalks or equivalent provisions for walking are provided along both sides of all streets within the project. 4. All streets along residential blocks within the project are designed for a maximum speed of 20 mph. 5. All streets along non-residential or mixed-use blocks within project are designed for a maximum speed of 25 mph. 2 credit Credit 8 Street Network The project's average street centerline grid n density over 30 miles per square mile sq.mi (36 miles/sq.mi) 0 credit Credit 9 Transit Facilities Public transit shelters are not considered in /l this design 0 credit Credit Transportation Project does not consider transit service to /2 10 Demand rail ferry or other transit facilities, or Management another major destination such as a retail or employment center, with service no less frequent than five rides per week day at peak period 1 credit Credit Access to At least on through-street at the project /l 11 Surrounding Vicinity boundary every 800 feet, or at existing abutting street intervals, except that connections cannot physically be made, e.g. rivers, expressways and other limited-access roads 1 credit Credit Access to Public A park, green plaza, or square at least 1/6 /l 12 Space acre in design area, and at least 150 feet wide, lying within 1/6 mile walking distance of 90% of the dwelling units and business entrances in the project. 1 credit Credit Access to Active 90% of the dwelling units located within /l 13 Spaces 0.5 mile walking distance of an active open space facility (e.g., general playfields, 93 multi-use trail, or public recreation center) 1 credit Credit Universal Project has possibility to develop 20% of /2 14 Accessibility each type of residential unit to comply with the accessible design provisions of the Fair Housing Amendments Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as applicable. 0 credit Credit Community Outreach Not considered in project design /l 15 and Development 0 credit Credit Local Food Not considered A 16 Production 7.2 Evaluation Result Analysis Based on Tables 7-1 and 7-2 above, Table 7-3 illustrates the evaluation results comparison between the existing plan and the modified plan. The existing plan and the modified plan respectively earn 51 points and 56 points. Thus, both plans achieved silver status in the assessment. The existing plan earns one more credit in "Community Outreach and Development" than the modified plan because there is no public participation in the modified plan. In areas that support sustainability, the modified plan earns five more credits than the existing plan, as shown highlighted in Table 7-3. Among these credits, "Walkable Street" and "Access to Public Space" belong to the social dimension" of sustainability and "Site Design for Habitat", "Wetland Conservation" and "Steep Slope Protection" are related to the environmental dimension of sustainability. 94 Table 7-3: Evaluation Result Comparison: Category The Modified Plan Credit The Existing Plan Credit Smart Location & Linkage 26 of 30 23 of 30 Credit 1 Brownfield Redevelopment 2 credit 12 2 credit 12 Credit 2 High Priority Brownfields Redevelopment 0 credit/l 0 credit /l Credit 3 Preferred Location 10 credit/10 10 credit/10 Credit 4 Reduced Automobile Dependence 6 credit/8 6 credit/8 Credit 5 Bicycle Network 1 credit IX 1 credit IX Credit 6 Housing and Jobs Proximity 3 credit/3 3 credit/3 Credit 7 School Proximity 1 credit/1 1 credit/1 Credit 8 Steep Slope Protection 1 credit/1 0 credit/1 Credit 9 Site Design for Habitat or Wetlands Conservation 1 credit/1 0 credit/1 Credit 10 Restoration of Habitat or Wetlands 1 credit/1 0 credit/1 Credit 11 Conservation Management of Habitat or Wetlands 0 credit/1 0 credit/1 Neighbourhood Pattern & Design 30 from 39 28 from 39 Credit 1 Compact Development 7 credit 11 7 credit 11 Credit 2 Diversity of Uses 3 credit /4 3 credit /4 Credit 3 Diversity of Housing Types 3 credit/3 2 credit/3 Credit 4 Affordable Rental Housing 2 credit/2 2 credit/2 Credit 5 Affordable For-Sale Housing 2 credit 12 2 credit 12 Credit 6 Reduced Parking Footprint 2 credit/2 2 credit/2 Credit 7 Walkable Streets 6 crcdit/8 4 credit/8 Credit 8 Street Network 2 credit/2 2 credit/2 Credit 9 Transit Facilities 0 credit/1 0 credit/1 Credit 10 Transportation Demand Management 0 credit/2 0 credit/2 Credit 11 Access to Surrounding Vicinity 1 credit/1 1 credit/1 Credit 12 Access to Public Space 1 credit/1 0 credit/1 Credit 13 Access to Active Spaces 1 credit/1 1 credit IX Credit 14 Universal Accessibility 1 credit/2 X credit/2 Credit 16 | Local Food Production 0 credit/1 0 credit/1 Total Credits 56 51 Adjustment to Comparative Assessment As only two categories of the LEED-ND were evaluated in the assessment process, it is appropriate to consider the proportion of earned credits According to the calculation of LEED-ND Rating System, among the total 106 points, 37.7-46.2% are certified; 47.2-55.7% are silver; 55.7%-74.5% are gold; and 74.5-100% are platinum. The existing plan achieved 51 from 67 in two categories, or 73.9% of the credits. Thereby, its reevaluated level is at the Gold level. The modified plan obtains 56 from 67 points, or 81.6% of credits in the two categories, which places it at the Platinum level. This adjusted result more appropriately 95 reflects the enhanced quality of sustainability in the modified design. Review ofLEED-ND Rating System LEED-ND has as its objective to rate a project fully, from community planning to architectural design and construction. It considers the balancing of social, environmental, and economic factors by means of credit distribution on checklists. In the first two categories, most credits are allotted to social and economic factors, and little attention is given to neighbourhood identity and other environmental and social psychological aspects - parameters that are hard to measure quantitatively. Even if green building is a strategy to be realized as environmental goals, these credits are placed in the third category "Green Construction and Technology," However, both "Neighbourhood Pattern and Design" and "Smart location and Linkage" can contribute to energy consumption efficiency. In addition, "Solar Orientation," "Storm Water Management," and "Building Reuse and Adaptive Reuse" are all related to hydrologic patterns and building orientation and vegetation arrangement. To better ensure good environmental planning that supports sustainability, environmental or social-cultural influences should thus be included with credits in "Smart Location & Linkage" and "Neighbourhood Pattern & Design." The results of the comparative assessment of the two plans shows the importance of the first two categories, with both points coming to 67, two-thirds of the total credits awarded. It suggests that community structure design, including neighbourhood pattern and location selection, plays a crucial role in developing a sustainable community. The next chapter will discuss further the significance of these assessment results in the context of study. 96 8.0 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION The goal of this study was to explore the contribution of Feng-shui Form School pattern to sustainable community design. The study has explored Xing-shi Feng-shui pattern as a design tool, revealed the principles of sustainability with respect to community structure design, and applied these in the West Don Lands site design and plan assessment for the West Don Lands. This chapter summarizes the study achievements, limitations, and implications for future research. 8.1 The Achievements of the Study This thesis has developed new knowledge through a literature review, case study, site analysis, and design application and evaluation. Specific achievements include: • Xing-shi Feng-shui Pattern as a Model for Modern Sustainable Community Structure Many examples once existed in terms of Xing-shi Feng-shui pattern applied to the traditional Eastern landscape architecture, and much previous research has been done about Feng-shui as a design tool suitable for modern site selection and arrangement. However, this thesis is a unique attempt to explore the possibility of employing the Xing-shi Feng shui (Form School) pattern and scale to a practical project to enhance the sustainability of community structure. In addition, this design model by involving environmental psychology and social psychology, raises the notion of adding psychological factors in developing a sustainable community. • Developing Guiding in Principles for Designing a Sustainable Community Structure Sustainability is defined differently for different regions and in different historic periods. 97 Social, economic and environmental factors are three general dimensions in developing a sustainable community, but a concrete project often needs a site-oriented guideline to execute these concepts. This thesis has provided such a guideline in principle for conducting a site plan and design in an urban context. • Based on the Existing Plan, Creating a Distinctive Design Solution to Resolve West Don Lands Site Issues Through site inventory and analysis, this study discovered key environmental elements not considered in the existing plan. These elements could play an important role when designing a sustainable community structure. Moreover, the deficiency of consideration on the social and environmental dimension of the existing plan negatively impacts the quality of the proposed sustainable community for the West Don Lands. The modified design has provided a fresh design solution, and the applied Xing-shi Feng-shui model has exhibited great potential value for rehabilitating the natural and urban environment. • Making Use of LEED Rating System for Neighbourhood Development to Set up an Assessment Framework to Evaluate Sustainability of Community Structure and Neighbourhood Pattern The LEED Rating System for Neighbourhood Development provides an example of how measurement may be used to assess variables that support sustainable design. This assessment framework could help us to perform a design assessment comparison before the project begins construction. Through use of this tool, we can evaluate different approaches to design, including cross-cultural design. The assessment conducted in this study also 98 pointed out the some weaknesses in the LEED-ND rating system and the need to refine the system to take into certain account factors at an earlier design stage. 8.2 Limitations of this Study • Limitation in Data Collection Literature review and case studies are two of the major research approaches used in this thesis. Feng-shui conception and examples exist in ancient Chinese books, local county records, and even human settlement remnants. Many of the documents were written in ancient Chinese, a language very hard to interpret and understand, and the historic sites are also difficult to identify for information useful to the case study. Therefore, the data came mainly from secondary data sources, such as relevant peer research or published documents, so the data could be limited or be based on subjective bias. Another data limitation is sustainability conception review is the focus on six sustainable movement reviews, so the summarized principles may not contain all contemporary sustainability information. All these factors have possibly limited the value of information and statistics in this study. • Limitation in Selecting Design Application Site The Xing-shi Feng-shui pattern can be applied to sites with certain physical features, so this landscape configuration condition and site environment requirement limits the possible sites for applying the design model. The established Xing-shi Feng-shui design model in this thesis has two prerequisites for application on natural environments and urban contexts: first, the potential sites are usually located somewhere that has a west-prevailing wind and a river lying southeast, or a high building surrounding site to the northwest and the main entrance 99 across a road. Second, Xing defined hundreds of feet as its basic physical scale, being suitable for the dense road networks of Downtown Toronto (100-150 metres or 300-450 feet) between two streets in West Don Lands). This physical model is not applicable to bigger residential blocks beyond this scale (more than 90,000 square metres, the area defined by Shi). • Limitation in Evaluation Due to the evaluation based on the LEED Rating System for Neighbourhood Development, the evaluation requirement is limited by the original LEED rating system set. LEED - ND system has coordinated the principles of New Urbanism, Smart Growth and other sustainable community concepts, so the assessment result exhibit the connection to many principles summarized in study but not all of them, such as psychological influences related to the sense of safety and belonging. Therefore, the assessment result shown in the indicator has limitations when providing an accurate quantitative measurement on a sustainable community structure. 8.3 Implication for Future Research This study provides a case study for future Feng-shui theory research and plays a constructive role to enrich the concept of sustainable community development. There are two areas for future community structure research that could build on this study. First, the study results suggest a strong link between the ancient Xing-shi Feng-shui pattern and modern sustainable community concepts with respect to social and environmental dimensions. 100 Further study should be done to explore the possibility of establishing a combined framework, including psychological dimension adaptable to community structure and open space design. Second, the study suggests the need for an evaluation rating system just for community structure, which especially tests sustainable community design in comprehensive aspects before it is carried out. We can understand that there exists a certain connection between human habitat form and social equity, feelings of safety, and identification. We need to measure how these variables exert social, environmental, and even economic influences on human psychology or how they are symbolized by physical environmental elements used in design. These issues are an incentive for future research to complement the unfinished part of this study. 8.4 Conclusion This thesis endeavored to explore the potential value of applying the ancient Chinese Feng-shui tradition in contemporary sustainable community development, and provided a practical experiment of design application in the West Don Lands. Sustainability is perceived as the direction of urban development to be adapted as an indispensable strategy in landscape architecture today. When we apply sustainable community principles to a specific site, we , should not only consider concrete reality, but also look for past wisdom gathered throughout human history, inspiring us to create new solutions. My thesis is such an attempt toward a sustainable community: applying the Xing-shi Feng-shui pattern to reshape community structure in an urban environment. 101 REFERENCES Appleton, Jay. 1975. The experience of landscape. London: John Wiley. Corbett, Judy & Michael Corbett. 2000. Designing sustainable communities: Learning from village homes. Washington, DC: Island Press. Dantzing, George B., and Thomas Saaty. 1973. Compact city: Apian for a livable urban environment. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman. Ding, Y, Lu, Y & Youn, H. 1996. Geomancy and the selection of architecture placement in ancient China. 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Pilot version LEED for neighbourhood development rating system. Retrieved January 15, 2008, from http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx7CMSPageiD-148 103 Wheeler, Stephen. M. 2000. Planning for metropolitan sustainability. Journal of Planning Education and Research 20: 133-45. World Commission on Environment and Development. 1987. From one earth to one world: An Overview. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Xu, Ping. 1990. Feng shui: a model for landscape analysis. PhD thesis, Harvard University. Yannas, Simon. 1998. Living with the city: Urban design and environmental sustainability. In Environmentally Friendly Cities, eds. M. Eduardo and S. Yannas, 41-48. London: James& James. Yu, Kongjian. (1994). Landscape into places: Feng-shui model of place making and some cross-cultural comparisons. History and Culture, ed. J.D. Clark, 320-340. Mississippi State University. 104 APPENDIX or Neighborhood Development Pilot Checklist Project fs YM ? No Smart Location & Linkaqo 30 Poinls Possible Prereq 1 Smart Location Required prereq 2 Proximity to Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Required Prereq 3 Imperiled Species and Ecological Communities Required Prereq 4 Wetland and Water Body Conservation Required Prereq 5 Farmland Conservation Required Prereq 6 Floodplain Avoidance Required Credit i Brownfield Redevelopment Credit 2 High Priority Brownf ields Redevelopment Credit 3 Preferred Location Credit 4 Reduced Automobile Dependence Credit 5 Bicycle Network Credits Housing and Jobs Proximity Credit 7 School Proximity Credit 8 Steep Slope Protection Credit 9 Site Design for Habitat or Wetlands Conservation Credit 10 Restoration of Habitat or Wetlands Credit 11 Conservation Management of Habitat or Wetlands Neighborhood Pattern & Design 3» Points Possible Prereq 1 Open Community Required Prereq 2 Compact Development Required credit 1 Compact Development 7 credit 2 Diversity of Uses Credit 3 Diversity of Housing Types Credit 4 Affordable Rental Housing credit 5 Affordable For-Sale Housing Credit 6 Reduced Parking Footprint credit 7 Walkable Streets Credit s Street Network credit 9 Transit Facilities Credit 10 Transportation Demand Management credit 11 Access to Surrounding Vicinity credit 12 Access to Public Spaces Credit 13 Access to Active Public Spaces credit 14 Universal Accessibility Credit 15 Community Outreach and Involvement Credit 16 Local Food Production Groan Construction & Technology 31 Points Posssibla Prereq i Construction Activity Pollution Prevention Required Credit 1 LEED Certified Green Buildings 3 Credit 2 Energy Efficiency in Buildings Credit 3 Reduced Water Use credit 4 Building Reuse and Adaptive Reuse Credit 5 Reuse of Historic Buildings Credits Minimize Site Disturbance through Site Design Credit 7 Minimize Site Disturbance during Construction credits Contaminant Reduction in Brownflelds Remediation Credit 9 Stormwater Management Credit 10 Heat Island Reduction Credit 11 Solar Orientation credit 12 On-Site Energy Generation Credit 13 On-Site Renewable Energy Sources Credit 14 District Heating & Cooling Credit 15 Infrastructure Energy Efficiency credit 16 Wastewater Management Credit 17 Recycled Content for Infrastructure Credit 18 Construction Waste Management Credit 19 Comprehensive Waste Management credit 20 Light Pollution Reduction Innovation & Design Process Credit 1.1 Innovation In Design: Provide Specific Title credit 1.2 Innovation in Design: Provide Specific Title Credit 1.3 Innovation in Design: Provide Specific Title Credit 1.4 Innovation in Design: Provide Specific Title Credit 1.5 Innovation in Design: Provide Specific Title Credit 2 LEED* Accredited Professional Project Totals (pre-certification estimates) TT Certified: 40-49 points. Silver: 50-59 points. Gold: 60-79 points, Platinum: 80-106 points 105