As the urgency to build more homes intensifies, the instinctive response is to get people building — and build quickly. The new Liberal government has put forth what it calls Canada’s most ambitious housing plans since the Second World War, which pledges to double the pace of construction and “get the federal government back into the business of homebuilding.”
But history warns us: speed without care can backfire.
In the postwar rush, Europe responded to the housing shortage by building a wave of large-scale, government-led housing developments. For example, the Swedish government launched the Million Homes Programme, aiming to construct one million new homes over 10 years. In an effort to build quickly, logistics became the focus, and architectural expression and social considerations fell to the wayside.
Today, these developments are recognized as failures. While they succeeded in addressing urgent housing shortages, they fostered alienation and loneliness, giving rise to a host of new social challenges. If Canada focuses on speed over quality, are we in danger of making mistakes we will regret?
How do we get it right?
Building at scale is necessary, but design quality and human experience matter. Many Canadian cities have developed thoughtful design guidelines for infill development or instituted design review committees, but these mechanisms are slow and unenforceable. Instead, simple form-based zoning can offer the solution municipalities need.
So, what elements must be championed so that we’re building homes and not just housing units?
In the 1960s, Jan Gehl and Ingrid Gehl’s pioneering research revealed that the liveliness and safety of a neighbourhood depends on what happens in the “life between buildings.” Semi-private zones — porches, balconies, front yards and landscaped setbacks — are not mere afterthoughts, they are vital connectors that foster social interaction, urban recreation and a sense of security.
Ingrid Gehl identified fundamental psychological needs that well-designed environments must fulfill. Having opportunities to see, hear and interact with others is just as important as privacy. Pleasant environments can nurture a sense of well-being. Semi-private outdoor spaces provide a sense of purpose and identity, as well as spaces to play and enjoy hobbies, or just watch the world go by.
In Jan Gehl’s book, Cities for People, he applies his wife’s research to neighbourhood streetscapes, highlighting the important role that balconies, porches, terraces and gardens play in the life of neighbourhood streets.
Social well-being and zoning considerations
To ensure vibrant and livable communities, strategies for accommodating new housing should explicitly incorporate the following elements into zoning:
1. Passive surveillance
The design of façades and semi-private spaces is not just about esthetics — it’s fundamental to safety, community and quality of life. Generous glazing creates “eyes on the street,” a proven urban design principle championed by Jane Jacobs that enhances natural surveillance and fosters neighbourly connection. Street-facing front doors further reinforce a sense of ownership and belonging, while making it convenient to use and enjoy semi-private outdoor spaces.
2. Animated and engaging building façades
Zoning should also include architectural features that project forward or recess further from the street. These elements do more than improve architectural character — they create dynamic, engaging streetscapes that invite people to pause, connect and linger, encouraging neighbourhood streets that are well-used, well-loved and great places to walk.
3. Semi-private spaces in front of homes
Humans are social creatures, and well-designed neighbourhood streets can be places of human connections. Neighbourhood streets that have semi-private spaces in front of homes — porches, balconies and terraces — breed more vibrant, socially-dynamic communities with places for people to sit, chat and see each other.
As Jan Gehl says in the book Happy City by Charles Montgomery: “Even though the modern cosmopolitan city makes it easier than ever for individuals to retreat from neighbours and strangers, the greatest human satisfaction lies in working and playing cooperatively with other people. No matter how much we cherish privacy and solitude, strong, positive relationships are the foundation of happiness.”
Enhancing the human side of housing
As all levels of government strategize new, sustainable ways to accommodate growth, it’s essential to not only have tunnel vision on unit counts but also focus on building homes where people love to live.
Form-based codes offer a proven path forward that doesn’t slow housing supply or present barriers, but ensures that the human dimension is at the heart of every new housing project.
