Vancouver-based developers Tomo and Concert Properties have implemented built form and social programming actions to promote social connectedness in dense residential spaces. Happy Cities is helping to evaluate those actions to understand their impacts on building sociability, sense of belonging, social trust, perceived health and level of engagement. Happy Neighbours will shine light on the actions required to build strong social connections through the design and programming of multi-unit housing.
Project Goals
- Share evidence, best practices and innovative ideas that promote social wellbeing in multi-unit housing with industry partners.
- Share each partner’s process and findings with the wider community.
- Create a guide with key programming and design actions that boost social wellbeing in multi-housing.
Who is this for?
- Multi-unit housing designers and developers who want to design for wellbeing
- Property managers and operators who aim to increase resident wellbeing
- Housing planners who hope to maximize wellbeing-oriented design and programming opportunities
- Policy makers who want to ensure municipal and provincial bylaws and regulations support wellbeing in multi-unit housing
Contributors and Funders
We would like to acknowledge Tomo Spaces and Concert Properties’ consistent commitment to this project and to implementing design and programming actions that promote social wellbeing. Special thanks to residents of Tomo House and Collingwood Village. Without their participation this study would not be possible. And a final thank you to the Hey Neighbour Collective, for its support of the Together Apart toolkit, and for sharing learnings about social connectedness.
This website, as part of the larger project: ‘Happy Neighbours: Promoting affordability and social wellbeing through multi-unit housing design and programming actions’ received funding from the National Housing Strategy under the NHS Demonstrations Initiative, however, the views expressed are the personal views of the author and CMHC accept no responsibility for them.
