The City's Design Objectives

Design Objective 1:

Unique communities are created when their physical design reflects local values, history, culture, or the surrounding landscape. As communities evolve, it’s important that new developments contribute toward distinct and unique community features.

Views and Vistas

Contribute to memorable and inspiring public views by lining up interesting view planes, creating neighbourhood focal points, and integrating symbols of community identity.

NATIONAL TREASURES

PLACES TO GATHER

Building Facades

Address and define public places and spaces with interesting mix of facades that represent and enliven the character of the surrounding community.

SETTING THE MOOD

ADDRESSING THE STREET

Public Art

Add character and interest to a development by integrating some form of public art that reflects on the local history, culture, or unique aspects of the surrounding landscape.

ON THE WALL

OFF THE WALL

Themed Amenities

Define boundaries and unify special areas with themed public amenities such as benches, banners, light fixtures, planters, waste bins, and bike racks.

TRADITIONAL

MODERN

Design Objective 2:

Throughout many areas of the city, quality has become a civic signature and a symbol of our national identity. To maintain this image, public and private developments should carefully consider the aesthetic and functional relationships that exist between public and private spaces  

Inspired Architecture and Site Design

Create inspired and compatible additions to the community that go beyond function to address creativity, aesthetics, and form.

GRAND STATEMENTS

BOLD GESTURES

Attention to Detail

Decorate special places and spaces with unique details and quality materials that enliven the theme of the surrounding community.

ACCENT LIGHTING

BOULEVARD TREATMENT

Well Maintained

Create beautiful spaces that are easy to maintain and designed to last.

SEASONAL PLANTERS

MULCHING REDUCES MAINTENANCE

Reduce Negative Impacts

Minimize paved areas and locate blank walls, parking lots, garbage enclosures and utility equipment away from public view or screen with professional landscaping.

SCREENED UTILITIES

DECORATIVE FENCING

Design Objective 3:

Safe and attractive routes to popular destinations make people feel more comfortable and confident to walk, bike, or use public transit. To improve safety and accessibility throughout the city, new developments should provide direct connections to nearby destinations and consider site features that enhance the pedestrian environment.

Connected and Convenient

Link sidewalks to buildings and integrate pedestrian-oriented features such as shade trees, rest stops, barrier-free connections, bike racks, and shelter from the weather.

TRANSPARENT SHELTER

RELAXING COURTYARD

Natural Surveillance

Increase the real and perceived safety by orienting ‘the eyes’ of private development toward public places and spaces.

NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAYGROUND

VISIBLE PATHWAY

Strategic Lighting

Create a pleasant aesthetic and a safe environment for places that are intended for use after dark.

PEDESTRIAN LIGHTING

ACCENT LIGHTING

Way Finding

Preserve distinct views and integrate signage that makes it easy for people to understand where they are in relation to where they are going

VIEW TO PEACE TOWER

ROUTE SIGNAGE

Design Objective 4:

In distinct and established communities where character has been built up over many years, it’s important that new and infill developments recognize and complement the unique qualities and positive characteristics that make the surrounding community special.

Established Themes

Complement the surrounding scale, mass, and rhythm with compatible architecture and subtle details that are common to nearby developments.

HISTORIC STITTSVILLE

SPARKS STREET INFILL

Community Landmarks

Develop around landmarks with sensitivity so as not to overpower or detract from these often cherished symbols of community.

LAURIER BRIDGE

WATSON’S MILL

Cultural Landscapes

Preserve our historical relationship with the land by respecting significant cultural landscapes.

GALETTA

CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM

Unique Landforms

Highlight unique landforms so that residents and visitors can identify and connect with the natural landscape.

RIDEAU FALLS

KANATA

Design Objective 5:

As time passes, economic conditions and demographics shift, resulting in new demands and needs for land use. To ensure that our communities can adapt to future conditions, development should incorporate a greater mix of housing types and consider spaces that are adaptable to a variety of future uses and users.

Mixed Uses

Contribute to vibrant walkable communities by mixing residential developments with commercial, employment, and civic uses.

SPARKS STREET

BYWARD MARKET

Anticipate Change

Consider appropriate design responses to major trends such as our aging demographic, climate change, obesity rates, and local growth projections.

WALKABLE SHOPPING

ANDREW HAYDON PARK

Adaptive and Reusable

Accommodate a wide variety of future uses with flexible site layouts and construction techniques that allow buildings to be easily converted, salvaged, or reused.

ADAPTIVE USE AWARD

REUSED BUILDING MATERIALS

Innovation

Explore new and creative ways of approaching the many design challenges that exist throughout the city.

INFILL AWARD

GREEN ROOF

Design Objective 6:

In urban settings we often forget how dependent we are on natural systems. We rely on nature to renew our water and air, and use natural areas to reconnect with our senses. For the long-term health and sustainability of our city, all developments should integrate some aspects of environmental design.

Compact Development

Reduce urban sprawl by locating compact or intensified development along major arteries and in proximity to nodes development that are supported by public transit.

TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

MID-RISE RESIDENTIAL

Resource Protection

Protect air and water quality by preserving parks, greenspaces, wetlands, watercourses and mature trees

URBAN ESCAPES

ANDREW HAYDON PARK

Green Development

Incorporate environmentally friendly design features such as green roofs, solar panels, drip irrigation, permeable site surfaces, and onsite gardens

RAIN BARREL/SOLAR PANEL

LEED^® CERTIFED

Green Infrastructure

Combine function with reduced environmental impacts by providing infrastructure such as dedicated bike lanes, street trees, naturalized stormwater ponds, and energy efficient streetlights and community gardens

TREE-LINED STREET

NATURALIZED STORMWATER POND