Research

Professional Practices
My current research examines professional practice in publicly-traded and global firms (more info here). Previous work in this area examined the balance of power between private and public sector urban design professionals and the implications of this for both policy and the resulting built form. Part of this research focused on the integration of consultants in local design policy activities  and critically examined the nature of professional expertise.







Transportation and the Built Environment
Another branch of my research examines the relationship between transportation infrastructure and urban form. Part of this included examining the impacts of high-speed rail on urban areas; assessing the urban design implications of major transportation infrastructure; and, opportunities to improve planning and design processes. Current work in this area is looking at how development and equity goals are balanced in planning for bus rapid transit in Canadian cities.

SSHRC Insight Development Grant (2015-2017): "Selecting the Route: Balancing Development and Equity in Transit Decision-Making" (with K. Manaugh).




Urban Design Processes
This area of interest focuses on contemporary urban design practices and implications for pedagogical and professional concerns. Part of this has included a study of the evolution of design guidelines in North America since the 1960s, demonstrating that current plans contain fewer analytic research methods, place less emphasis on participatory design strategies, and contain a narrower purview of urban design. Other research examined urban design strategies aimed at retrofitting suburban arterials and assessed the social implications of aesthetically-driven policies.

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