City Systems: Understanding the Urban Ecology of Edge Cities

Edge cities are growing rapidly, developing into more self-sufficient urban zones that no longer depend on nearby feeder cities for economic development. Some of the fastest growing communities in Canada are these smaller municipalities that exist on the periphery of major urban centres such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.

This collaborative project with the Municipality of Markham and the Interior Design 2012 will bring together students from a variety of backgrounds to explore the case study community of Markham, Ontario. The team will conduct primary research within the community, meeting and interviewing local residents, business leaders and municipal officials and develop a universally applicable City Systems model and diagram that will capture both the tangible and intangible systems that make up a city.

The Municipality of Markham will directly benefit from the project as they will receive mapping and 3D modeling developed based on their existing 2D maps and datasets. A report will also be generated detailing and explaining the results of the findings. Their culmination of students work will be showcased at The Interior Design Show 2012.