Flexible City: A Future for Growing Families in Toronto's Vertical Communities

As Canadian cities reach higher population densities, with 80% of Canadians living in urban areas, the dream for families to live in downtown cores is becoming just that, a dream. Skyrocketing housing markets and limited choices for those looking for affordable living spaces creates a new social phenomenon for families; either leave the downtown cores with all the associated heartaches, or stay in densely compacted dwellings that simply do not meet essential living requirements. We must therefore ask ourselves: Is there a future for families in urban centers such as Toronto, or have we achieved a point of no return? As the Queen City densification continues and steadily increases, vertical communities will need to be more accommodating; and as such, The Flexible City Proposal provides a true alternative for continuous reconfiguration, flexibility and growth, in order to adapt to the changing needs of families in our cities.