Landscape Architecture for Hyper-Diverse Cities

Abstract

The concept of Hyper-Diversity in the social sciences is used to describe the unprecedented level of diversity in cosmopolitan cities; however, its relationship to landscape architecture has not been explored. The goal of this thesis is to critically evaluate the Tower Renewal Partnership (TRP) program in Toronto, Ontario, through a Hyper-Diversity lens. A Hyper-Diversity Critical Framework was compiled through a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature. Evaluation of the TRP program was carried out by building a case study from the TRP grey literature to which the Framework was applied. The evaluation revealed that the TRP Impact Areas that affect the public and shared spaces of Tower Neighbourhoods met the most criteria of the Framework. Difference is experienced within the public sphere and as such landscape architects should consider Hyper-Diversity and its influence on design.