U of S Researchers, Students Receive Design Week Award

A three-way partnership between the City of Saskatoon, a Toronto urban planning firm and University of Saskatchewan researchers and students was recently awarded a Saskatchewan Premier’s Award of Excellence in Design.

The project, “Public Spaces, Activity and Urban Form Strategic Framework,” constituted phase one of the new plan for Saskatoon’s city centre. Jill Gunn and Ryan Walker, professors from the U of S regional and urban planning program, worked with students and city officials to design methodology and conduct research for the final report.

The report included detailed information on various aspects of urban quality in the city’s downtown core, including how people are using public spaces, what areas people perceive to be safe/unsafe, and an evaluation of pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.

“The project represents a pioneering partnership between the city and the regional and urban planning program at the U of S. The work can continue into the future to help us understand how our public spaces, activity and urban form are transforming in response to urban changes—changes attributable to population, development and investment in our city,” said Walker.

Added Gunn: “Urban quality, or the attributes that make us want to use a public space, is becoming more and more important to the sustainable development of 21st century cities. There are definite links among a quality urban environment, human and environmental health, and a stronger local economy. For example, when a streetscape is safe, interesting, and has the appropriate amenities, people are encouraged to be outside, to walk and to linger, to shop and to chat with someone else. That type of behaviour leads to all kinds of benefits within a city. We are developing a research program to measure urban quality indicators, to show where improvements can be made."

The award was accepted by Walker and Jeanna South, corporate projects manager for the City of Saskatoon, at a banquet on Nov. 18.

The regional and urban planning research team consisted of Walker, Gunn and a field team manager, Liam Currie. Eleven students from the regional and urban planning program also participated in the research and field-based study aspects of the project, including:

Christian Froess
Lee Smith
Chad Reynolds
Matt Thomson
Michele Friesen
Pamela Larson
Carolyn Dunn
Jade Luzny
April Abrey
John Gyepi-Garbrah
Troy Reynolds

In addition, a high school student undertaking a work placement program, Margaret Ellis-Young also assisted the team on this project, as did nearly 50 community volunteers, ranging from retirees and students to an executive director of for a local business improvement district. Specifically, the volutneers assisted with pedestrian and cyclist counts at 20 sites throughout the city centre on one day in June and November, 2010.

“Public Spaces, Activity and Urban Form Strategic Framework” is phase one of a four-phase plan being developed by the city to help guide future developments and improvements in Saskatoon’s city centre. It is available for download from the City of Saskatoon website.

Design Week is held every two years, and organized by the Design Council of Saskatchewan—a collective voice of six provincial associations representing design professionals working in the disciplines of architecture, community planning, engineering, graphic design, interior design and landscape architecture.