Great Examples of Designing for Winter

Montreal's Fete des Neiges (crédit: Montreal Tourist Guide)

Not far from Toronto and the YorkU campus, Montreal is looked to worldwide as a beacon of successful winter design. Although it is home to some of the harshest of weather conditions of any major Canadian city, Montreal chooses to embrace its climate and celebrate its environment. The City hosts a wide variety of outdoor events and activies that ensure residents and tourists continue exploring and accessing local amenities year-round. From the Grand Bal du Nouvel An outdoor New Years celebration, to La Fete des Neiges week of children’s programming and Old Montreal’s annual Extravaganza month-long event of live music and entertainment, the City does not slow down with a chill in the air.

Montreal has also mastered the art of the everyday interaction with winter, in addition to the above annual events. The local ‘café culture’ sees patrons of the urban core sitting outside under heated and covered restaurant patios year-round. The local willingness to embrace the season is encouraged by the City, which offers free outdoor ice skating, snow-shoeing and tobogganing opportunities within the highly trafficked Mount Royal Park.

Cycling remains popular throughout the winter in Copenhagen (credit: Mikael Colville-Andersen)

Basking in its own winter glory is Copenhagen, the capital of the small Scandinavian island of Denmark with a population just over 1 million. The high latitute of the city means that daylight can be as short as six hours in the depths of winter, but this doesn’t deter the Danes from making the most of their days. Much like Montrealers, local residents spend hours outside at downtown cafes sipping coffees in the cold – although they snuggle under fleece blankets provided by almost every restaurant.

Skating in Copenhagen's central square (credit: WikiTravel)

 As 80% of all inner city traffic is pedestrian, Copenhagen prioritizes the winter stroller. The City has strategically planned for maximum thermal comfort by maintaining low masses of buildings that allow the harsh ocean winds to pass over urban areas while at the same time catching sunlight on the street level. To further enhance the pedestrian experience throughout the year, Copenhagen has continued to dedicate central ‘pedestrian only’ zones in the heart of downtown that are well-linked to metro and bus services, making walking a viable mode of transporation throughout the City and keeping the streets animated year-round. This urban character was further enhanced over the past few decades as local government embarked on an initiative to provide second-story housing opportunities over shops and restaurants. The light streaming from upper windows in the evening creates a more inviting and safe atmosphere for pedestrians below.

As we can see in these and many other winter cities, outdoor places can retain strength and value throughout the season by maintaining a purpose, be that recreational, educational, industrial or social. Dense and deliberate design strategies minimize negative effects of weather on public spaces and allow for increased movement and participation within the city.

What outdoor spaces do you enjoy on the Keele Campus? Can you think of any events or regular programming you would like to see on campus during the winter?