M.ARCH THESIS RESEARCH

In Toronto, shared living often takes the form of rooming houses, affordable, yet typically adapted from single-family homes in ways that compromise resident dignity, autonomy, and community connection. This thesis proposes a new model of purpose-built shared housing within the Parkdale Community Land Trust framework. Designed to support chosen families and evolving household structures, the project includes adaptable units with varying degrees of privacy, shared kitchens, living spaces and integrated “refuge spaces”. By reimagining rooming housing through the lens of collective ownership and social infrastructure, the project envisions a dignified, flexible, and deeply rooted future for shared urban living.