The Barrel Yards | 25 fl | U/C

[urbd]

Northdale is definitely becoming one of the most interesting areas in KW. The design may not always be great, but the pedestrian-first retail in the middle of the neighbourhood makes me think that in 10-20 years it'll be a destination in a way Barrel Yards won't be.

Thank you for describing it like this. I've had similar thoughts but haven't been able to articulate it well. I can agree with the general impression that the urban design is largely a shitshow but there's a lot of very interesting corners in that neighbourhood and I think the fact that student populations tend to be a lot less concerned about how a neighbourhood changes lends itself to a place where more experiments (many of which will be terrible, no doubt) can occur with less push back about building heights and more natural pressure for walkability-driven experiences. Most of the population moves around on a daily basis with active modes of transportation and opportunities to cater to that will occur. 

Barrel Yards is an intentional, planned neighbourhood, explicitly targeting people of a certain income level and with specific lifestyle preferences. It's got a lot going for it in many ways and the contrast between the two styles of making spaces and the two (broad) types of residents they're trying to attract is pretty interesting.

You should check out the Northdale Urban Design and Built Form guidelines. It's one of the most detailed and comprehensive urban design documents in Southern Ontario, and way more thought out than Barrelyards for example. The execution of the buildings on the other hand, seems to be lacking because developers still choose to build for students first and foremost so they try to cut corners and maximize unit counts in every way possible. I agree with taylortbb that Northdale is becoming an interesting and diverse urban neighbourhood within Waterloo, I'm excited to see it in a few years.

Northdale urban design guidelines here: https://www.waterloo.ca/en/government/re...elines.pdf