The healing power of the aquatic commons

Abstract

This thesis expands upon predominantly land-based understandings of public space to include water for the common good. The concept of an ‘Aquatic Commons’ orients a hybrid architectural and urban design program that contributes to the urban and social revitalization of downtown Winnipeg. Focusing on the Civic Centre and South Point Douglas district—the historic site of colonial settler outposts, and of new affordable housing projects developed without social amenities that build community and cultivate safety—this thesis engages with the area’s social and spatial tensions that result from its low socioeconomic standing, its criminal activity, and its inhabitants who are disproportionately affected by acute health issues. By proposing the adaptive reuse of two industrial buildings and their large site to host recreational, educational and food security-focused programs that predominantly focus on water as a cohesive programmatic feature, this thesis aims to cultivate inclusion and healing.