repurposing our buildings is smart, and cool.
Do you know about the Wychwood Barns in Toronto?
I didn’t until I read this article from BlogTO, and I couldn’t help but seeing some interesting connections to the sorts of things people in Mile-End have been suggesting.
For example, at the Citizens’ Forum that took place in Mile-End a month ago, some of the biggest desires of residents were:
1. Community spaces for Mile-Enders to come together, hold events and otherwise interact with each other;
2. Affordable housing and work spaces for artists;
3. Some sort of market that would bring together organic produce and the works of art being created in our community. Not only would this serve as a great market for residents but it would also act as another public space;
4. Redevelopment that contributes to the greening of our city and neighbourhood.
Well, looking at the Wychwood Barns in Toronto, we see all of these elements working together in one (it has to be said) rather simple re-purposing of an old, under-utilized building.
The building in question was an old transit barn dating from 1913 (not unlike the STM barns on Bellechasse). These have been cleaned up and renovated in a simple, authentic way that maintains the heritage value of the building while changing the space into a living and work space for artists.
From their website, we learn that the Artscape Wychwood Barns are comprised of four programmed components:
- The Studio Barn: 26 live/work studios and 15 work-only studios to professional artists as well as host a Community Gallery.
- The Covered Street Barn provides affordable community use space, including year-round access for community events, exhibitions, festivals, etc.
- The Community Barn, which provides affordable programming, rehearsal, office and meeting space to not-for-profit community arts and environmental organizations
- The Stop’s Green Barn houses a year-round temperate greenhouse, sheltered garden, outdoor bake oven, compost demonstration site, community kitchen and classroom.
So not only is this a space that provides affordable housing and work spaces for artists, AND a community meeting space that can be programmed for any and all community needs, it also provides for local food needs, issues and educational purposes.
You should really check out the original article to get a feel for what living in this place is like, and take some time to poke around online to see some other images of the finished spaces.
What seems the most interesting to me is that the things Mile-Enders are dreaming about are doable, and there already exist examples from elsewhere (this one not even very far from us).
I don’t know the particulars about how this redevelopment was funded, but I think it merits some more exploration.
Or perhaps, do any of you know more about this particular project and how it could inform our redevelopment?
