The railway lands to the west of the Elgin County Railway Museum, which have been in the news of late, were the subject of an urban design project undertaken by Fanshawe College students.
Doug Tarry Homes is proposing a residential development on the site and more than 90 students from Fanshawe’s GIS and Urban Planning diploma program presented 10 original urban design ideas for the railway lands.
Fanshawe Prof. William Pol explains the design competition.
The design competition or charrette included problem analysis and visualization of a new future for the vacant land.
Each of the student groups delivered a presentation in front of a panel of design professionals familiar with the site.
Pol says it’s about creating a real-life situation.
With the impact on the area of the Amazon Fulfillment Centre and the PowerCo EV battery plant, Pol notes, “all the interested groups, as well as the heritage committee, saw a real opportunity to imagine what this area could look like. That’s what we’re all about. This is inspiring designs for the site.”
Three prizes were awarded to the top Fanshawe teams and all of the presentations are eligible for submission to the Fanshawe College Environmental Design Competition to be held April 6 at the CASO station.
The competition, which is open to the public, will feature submissions from students at other colleges and universities, advises Pol.
As for the Environmental Design Competition, it runs from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. April 6 in Anderson Hall at the CASO station.
The student presentations are from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., with guest speaker Walter Kehm, a landscape architect and lead adjudicator for the competition.
The event is open to the public and you can register by ordering a free ticket at https://buytickets.at/fanshaweschoolofdesign/1182366
