Urban Design Services
The City of Markham wants our public spaces to be functional and beautiful!
Urban design is the discipline that plans the public spaces of the city to make sure they’re attractive, safe, and efficient. Public spaces includes not only parks, plazas and playgrounds, but streets and alleys are also public spaces. So are squares, traffic circles and greenways. Urban design involves issues of transportation, including on foot, by bike and in cars, buses, trams and trains. It helps create the character of a neighborhood or district and sorts out how that part of a city relates and connects to the other parts.
The City’s Urban Design group is a part of the Planning and Urban Design Department. The group, made up of Architects, Landscape Architects and Urban Designers, works to implement the City’s vision to protect the public and respect the natural and built environments through excellence in sustainable community planning, infrastructure management, and programs.
As part of all development applications, building projects and studies, Urban Design's Development Review and Approval team provides professional guidance, technical skills and project management to City departments and stakeholders.
- Design Review Panel
The Design Review Panel advises the City of Markham. It is an independent panel of experts. These leaders give advice to city staff to help us build excellent public spaces.
Contact us:
Ronji Borooah
City Architect
Planning & Urban Design Department
City of Markham
Phone: 905.477.7000 extension 8340
E-mail: rborooah@markham.caDesign Review Panel Members (2021):
Joy Charbonneau OAA, Intl. Assoc. AIA
Richard Witt, B.E.S., B.Arch., OAA, AAA, AIBC, MAA, SAA, NSAA, AANB, FRAIC, LEED AP
Mansoor Kazerouni
Rudy Wallman, B.E.S., B.Arch., OAA
Carol Phillips, BES, B.Arch., OAA (BCDS), NSAA, AIBC, LEED AP, FRAIC.
Eha Naylor, B.L.A., M.B.A., OALA, FCSLA, ASLA, MCIP, RPP
Michel Trocmé, B.Arch, M.A.U.D, RAIC
Nick G. Poulos, P.Eng., MCIP, RPP
- Streetscape and Landscape Inspections
The Inspection Group is under Urban Design and is responsible for the inspection, overseeing of installation, and replacement for assumption of all street trees, plant material, fencing and landscape features, hardscape and streetscape construction installed through development and capital works.
They provide support to the Urban Design group through inspections for tree assessment sand tree preservation measures and expert advice for appropriate plant selection (including shrubs, perennials, grasses, natural seed mixes and aquatics).
They are responsible for the review of landscape plans for both hard and soft landscape installations, engineering, servicing, and tender documents, for compliance with Urban Design standards.
The Inspection Group are also be responsible for built form compliance with approved plans and will ensure all landscape installations are acceptable prior to releasing performance securities, and will be able to engage outside contractors to remediate any outstanding deficiencies in the work.
- Parks
The Parks Groups is part of Urban Design and both work very closely together to implement the City’s vision of a Safe and Sustainable Community. The group work on creating a balanced distribution of parks and open space facilities and activities to meet the diverse recreational and leisure needs of Markham’s residents, workers and visitors.
The primary role of the Parks team is to design and construct beautiful, sustainable and high quality parks for all Markham's residents to enjoy.
- Urban Design Studies & Documents
Urban Design Documents
Markham Built Form, Height, and Massing Principles
A guide to inform the future of Markham’s built form. The Markham Built Form, Height, and Massing Principles [PDF] document assembles a number of ‘best practices’ that can be employed in creating walkable, connected, and transit-supportive neighbourhoods and communities.
Trees for Tomorrow: Streetscape Manual
A manual aimed to preserve existing trees and canopy cover for development applications and City boulevards. The Trees for Tomorrow: Streetscape Manual [PDF] provides specifications, details, and education for staff, developers, contractors, and residents.
Accessibility Design Guidelines
A guideline providing practical examples of solutions that can optimize accessibility for new construction or the renovation of existing facilities owned or leased by Markham.
Accessibility Design Guidelines
Bird-Friendly Guidelines
A City-wide tool to encourage site and building design in a manner that minimizes the risk of strikes/collisions to birds residing in and migrating through Markham.
Bird Friendly Specifications Checklist
Drive-Through Facilities Design Guideline
A design guideline that looks to promote, properly assess, and achieve appropriate forms of drive-through development. The Drive-Through Facilities Design Guideline document assists in regulating the layout, built form, and appearance of drive-through facilities as well as in mitigating any adverse impacts.
Shared Places Our Spaces: Markham’s Public Realm Draft Strategy
Markham’s strategic plan for achieving successful public realm with public spaces that are well planned, designed, and managed.
Shared Places Our Spaces: Markham’s Public Realm Draft Strategy
- Urban Design/Parks Studies in Progress
- Markham Centre Secondary Plan
- Parkland Dedication/Cash-in-lieu Study
- Markham’s Sustainable Development Checklist (Build for Tomorrow Checklist)
- Complete Streetscape Guidelines
- Wind Modeling Study and Guidelines
- Tree Compensation Study
- Off-Leash Dog Parks: Guidelines and Policy
Contact
101 Town Centre Boulevard
Markham, ON, L3R 9W3
Hours
8 AM to 5 PM