The Future Lives Here: Surrey As A 21st Century Transit City

The Future Lives Here: Surrey as a 21st Century Transit City
A Visioning by the Class of 2015 UBC Master of Urban Design
A project of
the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture of the
University of British Columbia
Funding partners:
© 2015 the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture and
the School of Community and Regional Planning at the University of
British Columbia
All rights reserved. Except for brief reviews, no part of this book may
be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechani-
cal including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage
retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher
Published by the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture

and the School of Community and Regional Planning
Room 370 - 2357 Main Mall Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada V6T 1Z4
patrick.condon@sala.ubc.ca
Edited by Korbin DaSilva, Simone Levy, Dale Lewis and Manali Yadav.
Graphic layout and production administration by Anezka Gocova and
Dale Lewis
Contributions by Nastaran E. Beigi, Manali Yadav, Simone Levy, Amal

Wasfi, Haneen Abdulsamad, Xinyun Li, Prachi Doshi, Lilian Zhang,
Chen Fan, Hedieh Rashidi, Avishan Aghazadeh, Siyuan Zhao, Wei-
cen Wang, Xueqi Wu, Yashas Hegde, Maryam Mahvash
Based on research and work resulting from 2014 Master’s of Urban
Design Studio, School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture
Includes bibliographical references

ISBN: 978-0-9780966-3-2
ACknowledgements
We want to acknowledge the many people who jointly participated in

the class. Obviously the most important participants are the students
themselves: Haneen Abdul Samad, Avishan Aghazadeh, Nastaran E.
Beigi, Prachi Doshi, Chen Fan, Yashas Hegde, Simone Levy, Xinyun
(Chloe) Li, Maryam Mahvash, Hedieh Rashidimalekshah, Weicen
(Kate) Wang, Xueqi Wu, Manali Yadav, Lilian Zhang, Siyuan Zhao and
Amal Wasfi.
Also crucial were our outside guests who guided our students and
made them cognizant of issues particular to Surrey as well as enduring
principles of urban design. We’d like to thank: Michele Alborg, Reem
Allisa, John Bass, Roger Bayley, Mary Beth Rondeau, Alex Boston,
Don Buchanan, Patrick Cotter, Joe Dahman, Cynthia Girling, Andrea
Haase, Preet Heer, Scot Hein, Linda Hepner, Susan Herrington, Ron
Kellett, Isabel Kunigk, Paul Lee, Kees Lokman, Don Luymes, Nicole
Miller, Sam Mohammad-Khany, Gordon Price, Daniel Roehr, Doug
Saunders, Rainer Schmidt, David Singleton, Shira Standfield, Ted
Uhrich, Leslie Van Duzer, Bob Worden and Richard Wozney
The class was organized and taught by Professor Patrick Condon,

also the chair of the Urban Design Program. He was assisted by Grad-
uate Teaching Assistant Korbin DaSilva. Finally we want to generally
acknowledge the City of Surrey who’s support for this project, both in
terms of the time they have provided and the financial support they
have provided our students, made it all possible.
table of contents
1 The Growth of Surrey from Forest, to Farm, to Homes, to

Regional Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2 Transportation from Foot to Horse to Rail to Car .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3 The Physical Morphology of the City:

Landform, Glacial History, Soils Consequences .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
4 The Hydrological History of the City: Watersheds, Water

Quality Impacts, Habitat Areas, Flood Plains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
5 City Landuse and Building Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
6 City Form and Energy Use .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
7 City Form and Sense of Place. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
8 City Form and Demographic Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
9 City Form and Market Value .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
10 Surrey Regional Transit Oriented Development Plan . . . . . . 100
1
Back row left to right: Chen Fan, Avishan Aghazadeh, Hedieh Rashidi, Prachi Doshi, Amal Wasfi, Patrick Condon, Manali Yadav, Simone
Levy, Xueqi Wu, Maryam Mahvash, Siyuan Zhao, Lilian Zhang
Front row left to right: Yashas Hegde, Haneen Abdulsamad, Weicen Wang, Nastaran E. Beigi
Missing: Xinyun Li
Introduction
You hold in your hands the product of a very intense investigation, an longer grow in a way that assumes auto mobility is universal, and
investigation that occurred during the fall of 2014. Sixteen students that the street system can grow endlessly to allow for this metastat-
in the UBC Master of Urban Design program took thirteen weeks to ic growth. But how do you transform a huge city that grew entirely
imagine a future for the City of Surrey BC. That City sponsored this around the car, the cul de sac, the parking lot , and the gas station,
investigation, contributing financial and staff support. The project? Im- into a community where kids can walk to school, parents can bike
agining the transformation of a city from an auto oriented suburb to to work, and seniors can take comfortable and convenient transit to
a transit oriented regional center. Surrey BC, located in the center of doctor’s appointments. Here again the issues faced by Surrey have
its urban region, is adding more people every year than any other city relevance far wider than to BC or even Canada. More than 70 percent
in BC, and will soon surpass the City of Vancouver in population. By of North Americans now live in areas built around the car and these
every indicator this city is a vanguard. It attracts more young families, communities continue to capture the lions share of new population. If
more immigrants, and has faster job growth than its sister cities by far. we cant find a way to reduce auto dependence then all of Canada’s
It was for these reasons that we were happy to provide an urban de- hopes for sustainability will be lost. But while the end game is clear
sign vision for this growing city, one organized around walking, biking the path from here to there (and now to then) is less so. The City of
and transit rather than the car. Surrey has arrived at a unique consensus for how they might achieve
this goal. Citizens, city staff, and elected officials are unanimous in
their support for a city wide light rail system - a system that will be, in
Surrey has significance beyond just this region as well, giving it even
time, more extensive than that of most North American metropolitan
more trenchancy as a case study to investigate. Many of the transfor-
regions!
mations this city is experiencing are being felt in cities not just here
in BC, not just in North America, but around the world. Surrey is the
destination for more new immigrants to Canada than any other city in Thus, the first question for this studio was thus clear. How does the
the region. In this way it is an “Arrival City”, in the words of Douglas city use their transit initiative to transform an auto city to a transit city,
Saunders, author of a book of the same name. People from disparate a city where biking walking and transit provide first a real alternative
cultures, with disparate skill sets, of various ages, and from differing to to the car and, in time, provide the dominant way to get around. The
economic circumstances all arrive here looking for a better life. For second question. How do you do all this recognizing that all of our as-
most of them the city has helped them accomplish their dreams. In the sumptions about land use, cultural homogeneity, and family structure
process the city is a much different place. Former industrial areas are no longer hold true.
now a riot of south asian enterprise. Homes once built as single family
structures for “traditional” nuclear families of a working father, a stay
Surrey is the very crucible of change. Not just here in our region but as
at home mom, and three children now house extended families with
an emblem of the changes that are wracking living patterns through-
many more members, most engaged in some form of entrepreneurial
out the globe. Everywhere on earth cities are expanding, doubling and
activity. Non traditional forms of work, retail, living, and education are
sometimes tripling in size within a generation. A global movement of
rapidly eroding what were once clear planning boundaries between
people away from rural conditions to urban ones is changing our way
residential areas, job centres, commercial areas and schools. What
of life and even our sense of what it means to be a Canadian, to be a
are we to make of such complexity? And how should it now be regu-
citizen more generally, to find a fulfilling life. What happens in Surrey
lated, if at all?
matters everywhere. We are all Surrey. We at the UBC Urban Design
Program are very proud to have had a chance to try to imagine a
Meanwhile this city that grew with the car is being choked by the same sustainable future for this amazing place.
device. Citizens and their elected officials are clear that they can no
3
The GrowTh of Surrey from foreST, To
1 farm, To homeS, To reGional CenTre
Introduction: 1
Surrey’s history of development has gone through many phases, be- Legend:
1. Fraser river
ginning with early interactions between aboriginal settlers and the eu- 2 2.Barnston Island
ropeans. Consequently, early pioneer settlement, trails, roads and the 3 3.Telegraph Track
4. Kennedy Trail
development of railways had a remarkable impact on Surrey’s growth. 5. Nicomkl River
eventually, following world war ii, Surrey saw expanded settlement 6. Port Langley Trail
7. Semiahmoo Bay
and the development of urban centres. This report focuses on Surrey’s
4 8. Semiahmoo River
history “from forest to farm to home to regional centre” through four
phases: (1) early 19th century, (2) late 19th and early 20th century, (3)
mid 20th century, and (4) late 20th and early 21st century. This informa-
8
tion has been gathered with attention to geography, landscape, agricul-
ture, land use, settlement, transportation and movement.
5
first farm 6
7
figure1.2: Surrey’s first Trails and farming lands (early 19th century)
Early 19th Century (Before 1870)

The City of Surrey comprises an area of about 100 square miles, and
is bordered by the fraser river to the north, the uS border and Semi-
ahmoo Bay to the South, the City of langley to the east and the dis-
trict of delta to the west. Surrey’s low hills and uplands are separated
by three rivers: The Serpentine, nicomekl and Campbell. Surrey has
a variety of vegetation with douglas fir forests, evergreen rain forests,
and mixed douglas fir and western red cedar forests. Before europeans
arrived in the early 19th century, the land was occupied by the Semi-
ahmoo and kwantlen first nations People, who had already been there
for 6000 years. few settlers ventured into the heavily wooded glacial
uplands of Surrey. The first nations people were dependent on natural
resources to survive, and did not manipulate the environment to obtain
their human needs.
The movement of europeans into Surrey became frequent in the 1820s.
in this decade, fort langley village was established, and european ex-
plorers and first nations people travelled the fraser, nicomekl, and
Salmon rivers. within this period, a farm was also established by men
of the hudson’s Bay Company who explored the lower mainland. Grain,
fruit, and potatoes were supplied by the farm, and flour and feed mills
were constructed.
Figure1.1: Location of Surrey and neighbouring cities
4
farm, To homeS, To reGional CenTre
1
Team memBer: aviShan,haneen,heidi,Saki wu
in 1856 gold was discovered in the fraser river canyon, and by 1858 Late 19th and Early 20th Century (1870-1920)
this discovery made colonial government necessary. The pacific section in the late 19th century, european settlers occupied Cloverdale and
of the British north west Territory was proclaimed the Colony of British parts of South Surrey. Surrey became a municipality in 1879 and was
Columbia. British colonial office sent the royal engineers to study the named The Corporation of Surrey with a population of 35 resident
area and begin development. males. The eastern boundary of Surrey, where the surveyors placed
The land was divided into blocks of six square miles and each block it, was located at what is currently 192nd street, and langley’s west-
was divided into thirty six sections containing 640 acres each. These ern boundary was the current 196th street. Then, half-mile streets were
sections were divided into quarter sections, each one containing 160 added to Surrey in 1882, and the city’s name changed to The Corpo-
acres. The royal engineers were discharged from their duties, but 1
ration of the district of Surrey. william and Thomas Shannon bought a
many remained and purchased land. large tract of land south-east of Surrey Centre, and called the area Clo-
The Semiahmoo-langley Trail, the kennedy Trail and the Telegraph ver valley. around the same time, Surrey’s first city hall and first school
Trail, were the routes used to navigate around the area before 1870. at Clover valley were built.
The completion of the Canadian Pacific railway was one of the most
influential events for the design of Canada’s cities, including Surrey.
at that time, during the 1880s, Surrey had to construct roads includ-
ing hall’s Prairie road, Coast meridian road and Crescent road. The
creation of the new westminster Southern railway in 1891 boosted
Surrey’s growth, causing the city’s population to reach 4,802 in 1901.
agriculture and dairy production increased at this time, and common
farmed goods included vegetables, fruits, oats, hay, chickens, and tur-
keys.
The most important developments since 1904 include the completion
of the first Bridge through Surrey and the fraser river railroad Bridge,
which was built and designed with two decks: one for vehicles, and the
other for foot passengers and wagons. another significant development
was the construction of the first electric railway, the new westminster–
Chilliwack railway, which began its service in 1910. Shortly after, the
construction few dams began in 1911, and by 1912, as Cloverdale was
the junction of the railways, it became the city center and a home for
important jobs like doctors and policemen.
Rail Road Bridge
Roads
Railway
City Hall
figure 1.3:Transit lines

This map shows the development of transportation during late 19th to early 20th century.
5
The city of Surrey developed its agricultural character at a slow and

steady pace and farmers joined together to improve farming, thereby
creating the Surrey Co-operative association. The opening of the Great
northern sea-line route allowed areas like white rock and Crescent
Beach to grow as seasonal beach communities. western Canada’s
railway construction influenced an increase in the forestry industry, as
production of ties and structural lumber was necessary for its growth.
The largest mill companies at the time were also constructed in close
proximity to railway stations.
in addition, the construction of the Pacific highway (present-day fraser
highway) improved the accessibility of central Surrey, which increased
the population to 5814. also, increased demand for cars and trucks
required better road infrastructure. The increasing trend toward motor-
oriented cities led to the closure of railways. Cloverdale
Mid-20th Century (1920-1960)

in the mid-20th century, farmers became unsatisfied with the unsteady
market. a lot of farmers moved to Surrey because of easy access to
nearby cities, enough expected rain, and affordable land. farms com-
monly had a few pigs, chickens, vegetables, and fruits.
The city’s land was divided into smaller parcels, most commonly lots of Transit Lines
2.5, 5, and 10 square acres. Surrey’s expansion began in the 1930s and figure1.4:The roads that have been developed in mid 20th Century
40s (around ww2) after opening the Pattullo Bridge, the Big Bend high-
way, and the king George highway. The removal of the tolls from the
Pattullo Bridge in 1952 improved Surrey’s accessibility, especially from
the north. The transportation improvements of the 1960s increased the Figure1.5:
development of housing in west Surrey, south Surrey/white rock and Conceptional map of
in the Guildford area, causing the city’s population to grow to 70,838. growth of settlements
The city of Surrey’s transportation system and affordable housing made Guildford Area
West Surrey
it a bedroom community full of single family housing. This caused Sur-
rey to become a lower density and more vehicle oriented city.
it’s clearly to see in this
map that people started
moving from Cloverdale to
Guildford area, west Sur-
rey and South of Surrey in
this period.
South of Surrey
6
1
Late 20th Century and Early 21st (1960-2010) The widening of king George highway south of newton and Clover val-
in the late 20th and early 21st century, transportation improved and tun- ley road increased development in the newton district and east Clo-
nels, highways and more bridges were built leading to an increase in verdale/Clayton. The development and lower land prices in the newton
population growth and development in Surrey. The completion of the industrial area increased the number of workers south of the fraser
George massey Tunnel (deas island) and highway 99 (vancouver) fa- river. in the 1990s, encouragement to develop more industrial parks
cilitated a development boom on the west side of Surrey and in South (e.g. Cloverdale, Port kells, South westminster, Bridgeview/Port mann)
Surrey/white rock. The opening of the Port mann Bridge in 1964 along helped create more employment within the district.
with four lanes of the new Trans-Canada highway led to the develop- Skytrain development in 1994 caused rapid growth in the commercial
ment of the Guildford area and the Guildford Town Shopping Centre. 1
sector outside the traditional town centers of Cloverdale, whalley, new-
ton, and neighbouring white rock. This commercial development took
place with residential development in the Guildford/fleetwood area,
east and west Cloverdale/Clayton, west and east newton, and South
Surrey.
furthermore, the number of employment locations increased by devel-
oping the industrial parks in newton, Sullivan, South westminster, Port
kells, Cloverdale, and Campbell heights. in this period, immigration
increased greatly causing the area to transition from a bedroom com-
munity to a city with a population reaching 304,477.
Guildford
Whalley
Fleet Wood
Newton Cloverdale
ALR
South Surrey
Transit Lines
figure1.6:existing roads and highways in 21st century figure1.7: Towncenters in City of Surrey figure1.8:agricultural reserve lands
(alr) boundaries
This map shows the development of the transportation during this period. most important
ly, is the sky train was built to connect new westminster and Surrey. These two maps shows the regional changes and policy for agricultural land use in this
period.
7
1 The GrowTh of Surrey from foreST, To
Regional summary and new emerging projects :

Surrey consists of six town centers, each settled and developed in dif-
ferent times and for various purposes. These town centers are whalley
(City Center), Guildford, fleetwood, newton, Cloverdale and South
Surrey.
North Surrey:
also known as whalley, it is a thriving urban centre that includes a li-
brary, community plaza, city hall, performing arts center, Sfu building
and new commercial and residential developments. The area is de-
signed to create a distinct urban center that incorporates iconic archi-
tecture and sustainable design practice.
Surrey City Center
Newton:
The BC electric railway stimulated newton’s growth. Today, newton
is home to a variety of educational, recreational and cultural facilities.
one of these is the newton library, which is housed in a unique struc-
ture. newton also includes the historic village of Sullivan, Sullivan
Community hall, which was built in 1928, and the fraser valley her-
itage rail Society.
newton library
South Surrey:
one of Surrey’s popular attractions, and an area with a rich farming
history. it includes natural spaces such as the Serpentine fen nature
reserve, Sunnyside urban forest and redwood Park. in addition, it
has the largest outdoor green wall of its kind in north america on the
Semiahmoo library and rCmP facility.
Semiahmoo library
8
The GrowTh of Surrey from foreST, To 1
Guildford:
Since 1981, development has been mostly centered around the Guild-
ford Town Centre mall.
Businesses located in this area have access to the freeway and are also
well positioned in relation to Surrey City Centre. more recently, residen-
tial development has occurred in the neighbourhood of fraser heights,
which overlooks the fraser river.
Guildford Town Center

1
Fleetwood:
The community of fleetwood is named in honour of lance Corporal
arthur Thomas fleetwood who died in the first world war. Today, fleet-
wood has a Community Centre, and other recreational facilities such
as the Surrey Sport and leisure Complex, and fleetwood Park, which
offers a variety of activities including walking trails, gardens and playing
fields.
fleetwood Community Center
Cloverdale:
Cloverdale is the heart of the fraser valley, and is a region that is grow-
ing fast as many different projects are under construction. in addition to
Cloverdale’s historic neighbourhoods, the community is experiencing
residential growth. The area began growing in the 1800’s, because of
its close proximity to the railway network.
now it has expanded into a commercial activity centre, from a rural and
agricultural community. Today, Surrey museum and Surrey archives are
located in Cloverdale.
Cloverdale recreation Center
Figure1.9. Surrey Six Regional Centers

showing examples of significant Buildings
in each.
9
Transportation Transportation
upland forests upland forests
farming land farming land
river river
Settlements Settlements
fig 1.10: map of early 19th century fig 1.11: map of late 19th and early 20th century
king George highway and Trans Canada highway, Surrey’s municipal hall as well as the
development of the first trails including kennedy trail, fort langley trail and Telegraph
first school were constructed in this period.
track. This map also shows the location of the first farming land.
1861 1872 1884

500000
450000
TranSPorTaTion
400000
350000
population
300000
250000
200000
150000
100000 Kennedy T rail Semiahmoo Ferry K de KS tea
50000 Wagon Road Su
0
1901 1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 1996 2001 2011
fig 1.14: Photo streaming of transportation from past to present
year
due to the development of he transportation and affordable housing, more and more
fig 1.15:Population of city of Surrey from 1921 to 2011 people come here which cause a dramatical increasing of population after 1980s. now
the population in City of Surrey nearly reaches 500000. it’s a big challenge for us to
think about what will Surrey be like in the following decades.
10
The Growth of Surrey from Forest, to
Farm, to Homes, to Regional Centre
1
TEAM MEMBER: Avishan,Haneen,Heidi,Saki Wu
Transportation
Transportation Upland Forests
Upland Forests Farming land
River River
Settlements Settlements
Figure1.12: Map of Mid-20th century Figure1.13:Map of Late 20th century and Early 21th century
This map shows Surrey’s town centers and the relative arrangement of settlements. Also Growth of the transportation system as well as the establishment of Skytrain. This map
a more complex transportation system which was developed in this period. also shows the boundaries of the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).
1889 1904 1910 1920 1936 1964 1994 Future...
?
am Ferry Fraser River BC Electric Cars, Trucks Pattullo Bridge Port Mann Sky T rain
ur rey Railroad Bridge Railway Buses Bridge
References:
M. Condon, Patrick. Sustainable Urban Landscape. Vancouver: University of British
Colombia, 1996.
M. Condon, Patrick. A Convenience Truth. Vancouver: University of British Colombia, 2011.
Hayes, Derek. Historical Atlas of Vancouver and the Lower Fraser Valley. Vancouver:
Library & Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication, 2005.
Brown, Jack .Surrey History. Sponsoring Institution/Publisher, 2013. Medium. 2014.
City of Surrey. Sponsoring Institution/Publisher, 2014. Medium. 2014.
11
Transportation From Foot to Horse to
2 Rail to Car
Land and Sea: Evolution of trails and waterways In due course, the Campbell, Nicomekl and Serpentine Rivers would
The First Nations’ people of British Columbia settled in the region after be used for trading and communication. Around 1827, under the lead-
successfully crossing the Bering Sea during the last Ice Age. Canoes ership of James McMillan, the Hudson Bay Company established a
and boats were used for this journey (Fig 1,2). Water transportation trading post at Fort Langley on the Fraser River to expand their farm-
would become the dominant mode of transit for the First Nations’ peo- ing operations and ancillary industries. Agriculture would soon be-
ples, and several waterways would soon connect them to their sur- come one of the major exports in Fort Langley, thus sowing the seeds
rounding communities. for a major influx of Europeans into Surrey. In the following year, the
American Boundary Survey Commission established a base camp at
About several millennia following the establishment of the First Nations
the mouth of Campbell River. The Commission was keen to map the
in the lower mainland, George Vancouver arrived in what are now the
burgeoning number of trails and roads that were sprouting up through-
Burrard Inlet and Semiahmoo Bay around 1792 with his two ships,
out the region. For instance, between 1858 and 1861, trails such as
the Discovery and the Chatham (Fig 3). Several European explorers,
the Semiahmoo, Telegraph and Kennedy were established (Fig 6),
road-builders, loggers, and settlers would follow suit, marking the begin-
however, none of these were particularly good for wagon thoroughfare
nings of European occupation of present day Surrey, the Semiahmoo
since they were only 10 feet wide. The British Columbia Gold Rush,
and Kwantlen. The Musqueam, Kwantlen, and Tsawwassen seasonal
which began in 1858, led to the construction of the Fort Langley trail.
settlements would soon be established along the mouths of the Fraser
River and Crescent Beach as sites for salmon fishing (Fig 5).
Fig 2: First nation Canoer
Fig 3: G. Vancouver’s Ships
Fig1: Possible expedition routes and early trails in the Lower Mainland Fig 4 The Gold Rush Trail
12
Transportation From Foot to Horse
to Rail to Car 2
Team Member: Manali Yadav
This trail provided a travel route for miners from Bellingham to Hope, Rivers, on the other hand, allowed for transportation of heavy goods
and it also allowed for regulation and control of miner immigration into and exports for most of the year. Steam vessels started operating
the area by British officers stationed in Fort Langley (Fig 4). The Cariboo between Surrey and Westminster. However, heavy rains and dense
Gold Rush occurred soon after in early 1860. By this time, a number of vegetation often made the Nicomekl and Fraser Rivers difficult to nav-
igate. The Semiahmoo trail is preserved as a Heritage Site, whereas
permanent, non-native settlements were established in the region. The
a few other trails were later converted into roads that will be discussed
livelihood of the early settlers comprised fishing, trapping, and agricul-
in detail in succeeding chapters.
ture. New settlers transported the produce from their homestead on the
Fraser River by canoe to New Westminster, where many of the early
References:
markets for farm produce were based. Similar markets also existed in McGillivray, Brett. “Geography of British Columbia People and Landscapes in Transition.”
Victoria. Many farmers also built storage barns and granaries near the UBC Press. 2002
river for easy loading onto freight boats. Surrey began to develop its Molyneux, Geoffrey. “British Columbia An Illustrated History.” Raincoast Books. 2002
Brown, Jack. “First English Contact.” http://www.surreyhistory.ca/. 2012 Web. 14 Sep.
own character in agriculture. During the early days of settlement, water 2014
transportation was seen as a dominant mode of transport. The existing Brown, Jack. “Early Settlment Centers in Surrey.” http://www.surreyhistory.ca/. 2012.
trails were poorly maintained due to the frequent floods, and the muddy Web.14 Sep. 2014
Cariboo Gold Rush. In Wikipedia. Retrieved Sep 14, 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
land often made the route impassable. Cariboo_Gold_Rush
Fig 5: Semi Nomadic Migration in the Lower mainland area

Fig 6: Map shows trail routes, Fort Langely base and established settlements
13
2 to Rail to Car
Advent of Wagon Roads

Road development was necessary to stimulate settlement in Surrey. In
Wood was the staple product of Canadian trade for much of the 19th 1871 British Columbia entered the Confederation with Canada. Trunk
Century. Fuelled by European demand, timber trade brought investment roads were required to connect New Westminster to Surrey and within
and immigration to Canada. Forestry played a vital role in the develop- Surrey as well. The construction of roads in history can be divided in
ment and settlement of Surrey and logging operations were extensive two periods:
throughout the city. Oxen were used in logging in the 1980s as they
were well equipped to travel over peat and bog land. Later they were (i) Provincial roads (1871-1875)
replaced by horses which were prevalent in late 19th century. Later on, (ii) Municipal roads (1879-1890)
horses and donkey engines were used for heavy timber production.
Setters used special breeds of horses for specific purposes including
transferring hay, ploughing, and removal of waste timber. Also, women
used to ride horses for entertainment and evening strolls. Hence, hors-
es played an important and varied role in the history of Surrey.
Two major North-South and East-West roads Roads constructed till 1875 Road network till 1890
14
to Rail to Car 2
Team Member: Prachi Doshi
Construction of major trunk roads such as the Semiahmoo wagon road, When roads became worn down, a hardwood block called a glut, was
McLellan road, Yale road and Scott road (120th St), took place during mortised into the worn part and fastened with a 5’ dog chain. Go Devils
the first half of the 1870s. Construction of trunk roads was completed drove on the roads, made of two logs with boards on top and seats on
in 1875. No further road construction took place until the municipality each end for teamsters.
of Surrey was incorporated on Nov. 10, 1879. By 1890, a number of A logging ditch was constructed in the 1880s, located one fourth of a
additional roads were completed through Surrey including Hall’s Prai- mile west of Coast Meridian road. Originally this was a small creek that
rie road, Crescent road (Tullock road) and Coast Meridian road (168th was deepened so water of neighbouring creeks could be diverted into
St). Skid roads began to honeycomb the uplands of South Surrey, and it. A series of control gates were used upland of the ditch to conserve
provided avenues for moving a series of logs from the uplands to tide water. Logs were brought to the ditch by horses via skid roads. As the
water. Thus, a network of wagon roads was established by the early consequent gates were opened, logs and water would pour down the
1890s throughout Surrey. ditch. This process stopped after 1891 as railways took over.
These roads were constructed of 10’ logs, 10” to 20” in diameter, which
were spaced 9’ apart and partly buried in the ground to make them rigid.
Horses helping in carrying huge wooden logs Horses used for farming
References:
Artibese, Alan. “Surrey”, Historica Canada. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/
article/surrey/ 16-12-2013 (web: 11 Sept. 2014)
“History of Surrey”, City of Surrey. http://www.surrey.ca/6555.aspx (web: 11 Sept. 2014)
Brown, Jack. “Surrey History” http://www.surreyhistory.ca/ 2013 (web: 09 Sept. 2014)
Base map Source: Brown, Jack. “The History of McLellan Road”, Surrey History. http://
www.surreyhistory.ca/mclellan.html 2012 (web: 13 Sept. 2014)
Imposed grid of current road network
15
TransporTaTion From FooT To Horse To
2 rail To Car
The Railway Era (late 1800s to early 1900s)

From the late 1800s to the early 1900s, railway routes expanded across
the Fraser Valley. This was surrey’s railway era. railways built a fast
Brownsville
Cpr transportation network within surrey, and provided a physical connec-
tion to different parts of Canada. Before the railway era, residents re-
lied on boats, walking, and horses for everyday transportation and the
shipment of goods. The railway era brought great social and economic
development to surrey.
In 1885, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) had completed, linking
metro Vancouver to the rest of the country by rail. in 1891, the new
Blaine Westminster and southern railway (nWsr) between Brownsville and
Figure 1. 1891, the new Westminster and southern railway
Blaine was completed (Figure 1). This was Surrey’s first commercial
railway and it created a north-south connection through the city.
in 1903, the Victoria Terminal railway (VTr) was completed from port
Guichon to Cloverdale (Figure 2). This connected eastern and western
Cpr surrey.
in 1904, the new Westminster Bridge was built, allowing a rail line to
nWsr travel across the Fraser river (Figure 3). With the new route, farmers
and logging companies could transport their products long distances
Cloverdale
more easily. more importantly, it built a vital link that permitted direct rail
port Guichon access into the growing municipal surrey area. it made new Westmin-
ster more readily accessible to surrey’s producers of agricultural and
forest products. The bridge also encouraged residents to travel across
Figure 2. 1903, the Victoria Ternimal railway Vancouver and surrey, making surrey more open and contributing to its
further settlement.
in 1909, the Great northern railway (Gnr) opened its sea line route
(Figure 4), and offered new Westminster and Vancouver visitors more
Cpr
opportunities to travel to Crescent Beach and White rock.
another big development in surrey’s railway history was the opening
The new WestminsternWsr of the BC Electric Railway (BCER) in 1910 (Figure 5). The new line ex-
Bridge tended the interurban route between Vancouver and new Westminster,
through surrey and the Fraser Valley, and changed the way people from
surrey did business and socialized.
VTr
Figure 3. 1904, the new Westminster Bridge
16
TransporTaTion From FooT To Horse To
rail To Car 2
Team memBer: CHen Fan
Figure 6 illustrates the entire railway system and two strong intersec-
tions in the metro Vancouver area. it indicates two strategic impacts
on this region: Vancouver
1. Vancouver and surrey are spatially connected by the intersection at Cpr
the new Westminster Bridge. also from here, they are connected with new Westminster
all of Canada by the Canadian Pacific Railway. The later development Bridge
nWsr
of surrey city centre depended on this strategic location.
2. Within surrey, the BCer, VTr, and the nWsr intersected in the VTr
current Cloverdale area. The increased economic, cultural, and social
Crescent Beach
exchanges improved the development of Cloverdale. Historically, this
White rock
area was considered the centre of surrey.
Figure 4. 1909, sea line route of the Great northern railway
presently, all the above railway lines are still in operation, except the
nWsr line. service of the nWsr line was reduced after 1909 and
closed in stages. It was officially abandoned in 1929 and tracks were
lifted in 1930. Today’s BC highway 15 was built along the route of the
previous nWsr line. Vancouver
Cpr
starting in the 1920s, automobiles became increasingly popular. al- new Westminster
though cars, trucks, and buses began to replace train travel in the early
1920s, the railway era was a remarkable period of surrey’s transporta- nWsr
Gnr
tion history. Trains still play an important role in the Fraser Valley today. to langley
VTr
Figure 5. 1910, BC Electric Railway
Vancouver
new Westminster
references:
Brown, Jack. “The railway era 1887–1910.” SURREYHISTORY.ca. 2012 Web. 7 oct.
2014
Brown, Jack. “The Great northern sea line route.” SURREYHISTORY.ca. 2012.Web.7 Cloverdale
oct. 2014
skelton, oscar. “The railway Builders.” UTENBERG.org. al Haines. 20 nov. 2009. Web.
7 oct. 2014.
Figure 6. Railway system in 1910 and two strategic intersections
17
TRANSPORTATION FROM FOOT TO HORSE TO
2 RAIL TO CAR
The Emergence of Road Transportation a huge undertaking. Between 1953 and 1965 Highway 10 , Highway 15,
Before automobiles were introduced in Surrey, people were limited to Highway 99 , Highway 1, and the Port Mann Bridge were built. Map 3
transportation by foot, horse, trolley, and train. The introduction of the shows the Provincial and regional Highways built since 1953.
automobile become a major source of freedom, and greatly altered After the completion of the new Highway 1, Fraser Highway and King
the standard of living and social patterns of city residents. It also led George Boulevard became major arteries in Surrey. Transportation im-
to differentiate suburban and urban areas. In addition, the rise of au- provements in the 1960s and 1970s encouraged population growth and
tomobiles led to the creation of new leisure activities and businesses, development in Surrey.
particularly after World War II. This new form of transportation greatly Road transportation is the most important mode for people and freight
modernized the lifestyle of Surrey’s inhabitants, and eased daily chal- within Surrey and its neighbours, and for trade between Canada and the
lenges. Map 1 illustrates the first road network in 1903 in Surrey with United States. Map 2 illustrates the street grid pattern within Surrey, laid
major roads highlighted in red. out with numbered streets for ease of navigation since 1957. Providing
For Surrey, as for most of North America, the 1920s were the real start an interconnected street network disperses traffic congestion and al-
of the automobile age. The phenomenal rise in the importance of auto- lows for efficient public transit. Although this works at the larger scale in
mobiles, trucks and buses in Surrey demanded the improvement of the Surrey, some neighborhoods have post- World War II suburban cul-de-
road network during the 1920s and 1930s. Traffic moving west to Delta, sac systems, where dead-end streets predominate and offer only one
east to the Fraser Valley, and south to the United States had to pass path from the house to surrounding suburban arterial roads.
through Surrey. After 1945, increasing prosperity brought an increase
in automobile ownership and travel. The standards of much of Surrey’s
road system were inadequate to meet the needs of modern automo-
biles, buses, and trucks. Increases in industrial activity, population and
motor vehicle registration made highway construction and maintenance
Trans-Canada Highway, Fraser River Bridge,BC,1936

Surrey, BC, 1949
Map 1. Surrey road map 1903 Port Mann Bridge, under construction.
Map 2.Surrey Street Grid pattern Source: www.gov.bc.ca/th
Basemap Source :http://surrey.minisisinc.com/
18
TRANSPORTATION FROM FOOT TO HORSE TO
RAIL TO CAR
2
Team Member: Nastaran E. Beigi
Public transportation Boulevard, and the Alex Fraser Bridge. Its connection by Sky Train and
Public transportation services in the Surrey area grew slowly over the highways to Vancouver has made it an attractive place for people to
years. After the Second World War a local bus service initiated, and bus settle. City residents continue to identify poor transit service as the top
routes were then expanded from White Rock to Crescent Beach, Ocean transportation issue requiring attention. Surrey should prioritize the de-
Park, and Elgin. velopment of Light Rail Transit (LRT) and other bus services in order to
link parts of the city in a more effective way, and also to better connect
Unlike Vancouver, Surrey did not have a streetcar stage, and as a result Surrey to neighbouring municipalities. Private automobiles will continue
there was and still is an over reliance on automobiles in Surrey. Today, to play an important role in Surrey for the foreseeable future. Future
public transport, operated by TransLink, connects some of Surrey’s transportation planning should improve traffic safety, minimize conges-
centers to each other and to other Lower Mainland municipalities. The tion, and support fewer car trips. Some strategies may include redesign-
Sky Train arrived in Surrey in 1993 and made it easier for people to ing streets to add bike lanes, slow traffic, and improve pedestrian safety.
commute to Vancouver and other neighbouring cities.
Surrey is a large city, with easy access to Highway 10, King George
References:
LAVEN, BLAKE.“SURREY, BC. an overview of develop-
ment trends”.2008: page 3 and 4.
Hendrickson, D. J. & Connelly, S.“Improving Public
Transportation Infrastructure in Surrey, BC”.2011
Brown, Jack. “Transportation in Surrey” http://www.
surreyhistory.ca/. 2012 Web. 14 Sep. 2014
Pictures :https://www.flickr.com/photos.10 Sep 2014
City of Surrey. “Surrey Archives & Museums Online
Map3. Surrey Map of Provincial and regional Highways 2011. Access”
Basemap Source :“tourism Vancouver’s official map”,metrovancouver.org (2005)
19
3 The Physical Morphology of the City
Rivers and wetlands

Bear and Quibble Creeks receive ground water discharge and join to-
gether to create the Serpentine river (35km). Likewise, a similar joining
of creeks lead to the Nicomekl (34km) and Little Campbell (31km) Riv-
ers. These rivers then discharge into Mud Bay.
Over Surrey’s history, periodic flooding occurred in the lower lands from
combinations of high runoff and high sea tides. The farming areas were
always protected by dykes.
Logging activities caused an increase in the frequency and duration of
floods, and development that took place after logging resulted in further
flooding. In response to flooding complaints, the City initiated the Stra-
tegic Plan for Lowlands Flood Control in 1994. Human activities also
affected the wildlife health, as exemplified in the following graph.
The graph shows the steep

drop in wild steelhead salmon
in Nicomakl catch from 1968
to 2002 despite of hatchery
efforts to reverse the drop.
Blue colour here is the wild
steelhead salmon caught.
Yellow is hatchery steelhead
salmon. (5)
Topographic Map
Surrey Landform
Surrey’s topography consists of relatively flat uplands dissected by wide
valleys. The city’s upland areas are the result of post-glacial uplift of
the land, where the highest elevation reaches 440 ft. The lowlands of
Nicomekl and Campbell Valleys are the result of recent alluvial deposits
along the river channels. Nicomekl Valley is over 30 km long and 5 km
wide, stretching from Boundary Bay, northeast to the Fraser River.
Nicomekl and Serpentine rivers with the creeks (7)
20
The Physical Morphology of the City 3
Team Member: Amal Wasfi
Wildlife Diversity
Surrey places a high importance on maintaining wildlife diversity. Ser-
pentine wildlife populations are numerous, in both numbers and species
richness. It is situated on a major regional fly-way for migratory water-
fowl using Boundary Bay and the agricultural lands of the Serpentine
and Nicomekl River floodplains.
In respect to the natural land pattern and wildlife diversity, a plan was
adapted by the city to ensure the continuation of the wetland wildlife.
The goal is to conserve a mosaic of wetland, riparian, and open field
habitats for migratory waterfowl and other wildlife within the Fraser River
Delta and Pacific Flyway. Another plan is adopted for the continuation
of the green lands for the city called the Green Infrastructure Network
“GIN”. “GIN” is an interconnected system of green corridors and open
green spaces that conserve ecosystems as illustrated on the Map. Most
of the “GIN” can be seen now and should be respected in any future
development.
Maps showing the first human settlement in relation to topogra-

phy, heavy vegetation- forest
First Human Settlement: The first settlers were attracted to the

lower land as it was easier to farm, while the uplands were made up of
condensed forest. The rivers were the first mode of transportation facili-
tating farming.
When the uplands logging cleared the land, settlements took place and
Surrey began to take shape. Currently, the lower lands, which have a
lot of fertile fields, are designated for agriculture, while the higher eleva-
tions are where the city developed. Therefore, the physical geography
contributed greatly to human settlement in the area over time.
REFERENCES:
1-Government of Canada, Environment Canada, “Wetland Stresses”, http://publications.
gc.ca/collections/Collection/En40-222-11-2002E.pdf
2- Mud bay Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_mud
3-Diamond Head Consulting, “Biodiversity Conservation Strategy”, http://www.surrey.ca/
Map shows the Green Infrastructure Network city-services/11565.aspx, 2014
“GIN”in Surrey 4- Brown, Jack, “Early life in Surrey”, http://www.surreyhistory.ca/watertranspo.html,
2013
5-Greater Georgia Basin Steelhead. http://www.bccf.com/steelhead/r2-focus4.htm#serp
6-Old vegetation map from: http://www.sccp.ca/sites/default/files/species--habitat/docu-
The diagram shows the idea of ments/lowerfraser_hist_veg%20poster.pdf
hubs and corridors (3) 7-http://www.surrey.ca/files/Map_1.pdf
21
Glacial History
Majority of British Columbia was under a thick of ice during the last gla-
cial period, known as the Fraser Glaciation, 30,000 - 11,000 years ago.
Some coastal areas and interior valleys became ice-free around 12,000
to 15,000 years ago, and since then the coastal lowlands have been
rising in elevation. Glaciers pushed into the low central interior of Brit-
ish Columbia where they coalesced to form the Cordilleran Ice Sheet.
Almost 10,000 years ago ice completely disappeared from the lowland
valleys and plateaus in the interior of British Columbia. Glaciers would
break up rock, erode away mountains, shape huge valleys, and form
the many lakes and rivers we see today. Glacial till offers a firm bearing,
which resists erosion while soft alluvial deposits underlay marshes.
Fraser Glaciation and the Fraser River are indeed two major form-givers
for the Fraser Valley in which Surrey is located. For millennia, the Fraser Mountains (bedrock)
River has conveyed silt and sand from the interior. The soil was pushed
Uplands (Ice Age sediments); 10-200 m above sea level
here by glaciers and deposited particle by particle, by the river resulting
in a series of soil profiles. Lowlands (modern sediments); less than 10 m above sea level
Physio-graphically, Surrey consists of two domains of lowlands and up- The distribution of major physiographic domians (Clague & Turner, 2010).
Out of the three physiographic elements of the Lower Mainland, the landscape of Surrey
lands. The upland domain is underlain mostly by thick sediments that
consists of two domains, including lowlands (peat with clay) and uplands (silt, sand and
date back to the Ice Age roughly 2,000,000 to 10,000 years ago, while gravel).
the lowland domain is underlain by modern sediment. It consists of allu-
Surrey
Fraser Valley
The discharge of sediment-laden water and the direction of the Fraser delta’s growth. Fraser River discharge. Image taken from NASA’s Landsat 5 Satellite, Septembre 7,
2011.
22
The Physical Morphology of the City 3
TEAM MEMBER: Maryam Mahvash
vial soil that had formed in the last 10000 years. Sediment-laden water 1000 years ago
is discharged by the Fraser River into the Strait of Georgia. There it is The growth of the Fraser
delta within the last
dispersed by currents where it settles to the sea floor. This sediment is 10000 years illustrates
built up over time and the delta front migrates westward. The formation the formation of the
of Surrey’s lowlands is the result of such a procedure. The Agricultural highly fertile lands of the
Lower Mainland, includ-
Land Reserve (ALR) in Surrey covers almost the entirety of the low- ing Surrey’s lowlands
lands, and its alluvial soil is the most valuable of British Columbia. (Clague & Turner, 2010).
Surrey
Gradually shaping and sculpting the existing morphology of Surrey,
the Fraser Glaciation, and consequently the task of the Fraser River
to discharge the sediments, are two main natural features which distin-
guished Surrey’s uplands from her lowlands in terms of soil quality. They
also resulted in variation of vegetation and affected the wildlife habitat 5000 years ago
of Surrey. Glaciation and its consequences have played a major role in
determining the pattern of land use and urban life in Surrey.
Surrey
Surrey
Present time
Surrey
Forest Gravel, sand and mud Rock and tundra
Surrey and the retreat of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet about 13500 years ago
(Clague & Turner, 2010)
References: britanica.com/EBchecked/topic/79964/British-Columbia. 2014.

Bose, Roger. “The History of Agriculture in Surrey”. Surrey History. www.surreyhistory. Mathews, Bill & Magner, Jim. Roadside Geology of Southern British Columbia. Missoula:
ca. 2012. Mountain Press, 2005.
Brown, Jack. “Surrey’s Virgin Landscape”. Surrey History. www.surrey.ca. 2013. Slotnick, Benjamin. “Glaciation and Glacial History of British Columbia during Fraser
Clague, John & Turner, Bob. Vancouver, City on the Edge. Vancouver: Tricouni Press, Glaciation”. www.geology.ucdavis.edu/~shlemonc/html/trips/skeena_river/documents/
2010. initial_reports/BSSlotnick.pdf. 2014.
Johnston, Hugh James. “British Columbia”. Encyclopaedia Britannica. http://www.
23
Soil of Surrey
Soils in Surrey are made up of sediments that have been exposed to
sub-aerial weathering since glacial ice melted over 10,000 years ago.
They fall into four different categories of British Columbian soils.
Four Soil Types of Surrey

Podzol Soils: Coarsely textured with good drainage.
Gleysol Soils: Poor drainage with the lowest soil horizon.
Luvisol Soils : Sandy loam to clay with poor drainage.
Organic Soils: Drain very poorly, located in south lowlands.
Podzol Soils Gleysol Soils Luvisol Soils Organic Soils
Three layers of ground profile in Surrey (Fig 1)

-Soil Profile
-Surficial Geology Fig.2 Soil of Different Topography in Surrey
1)Vashon Drift sediments are silty and sandy glaciofluvial and gla-
cio-lacustrine sediments, associated with Fraser glaciation, and found
in Surrey’s lowlands. Soil of Different Topographies in Surrey
2)Capilano sediments consist of glacial-fluvial, glacio-marine and Upland Areas: The upland soils consist of various types of clays,
marine sediments. silts, sand and gravel, left behind from glacial-marine deposits, following
3)Salish sediments are the post-glacial sediments found in the low- the last ice age.(Bertrand, Hughes-Games, Nikkel,1991)
lands of the Serpentine River floodplain. North Surrey Uplands Soils: Well Drained Soils
-Bedrock(Eocene age) South Surrey Uplands Soils: Stony, poor draining soils
Consists of lesser basalt flows, sills and minor pyroclastics.
Clayton Uplands Soils: Poorly drained soils
Fig. 1 Geology of Ground Profile: Three layers of Lowland Areas: The lowlands are the result of recent alluvial deposition
ground profile in Surrey along the floodplain of present river channels. Soils are moderately fine
to fine-textured, poorly drained, moderately fertile and have a high water
and nutrient-holding capacity. (Fig.2)
Fraser Lowlands Soils: Low Nutrient Soils
South Surrey Lowlands (Mud Bay): Rich Organic Soils, good for agri-
culture.
South Surrey Lowlands (Delta): Infertile-Acidic Soils
Cloverdale Lowlands Soils: High Nutrient Soils, good for agriculture.
24
The PhySICal MOrPhOlOgy Of The CITy 3
TeaM MeMber: XINyUN lI
Agriculture of Surrey Farming Activities
The key agricultural sectors in Surrey The top 3 crops in Surrey are forage and pasture at 2,362 ha (or 25%
of the alr), followed by berries at 1,407 ha (15%), and vegetables at
585 ha (6%). The farmland and orchards can be designed as ecological
tourist attractions, which can make the agricultural land more productive
and boost the local economy.
Poultry Dairy Berry Vegetable Production
The agricultural land reserve (alr) – a provincial zone in which ag-

riculture is recognized as the priority use. In this area, farming is en-
couraged and non-agricultural uses are controlled. The alr in Surrey Nursery
consists of 9,290 ha. 93% of the alr was surveyed, consisting of a

Forage & Pasture
total of 8,670 ha and 1,743 parcels, with the remaining 620 ha being in Cereals
road rights of ways, foreshore, or parcels less than 100 square metres
in size. an additional 1,388 ha were surveyed outside of the alr (City
of Surrey, 2013). This particular agricultural landscape increases sense Berries
of place in Surrey, as allocated agricultural lands can bring nature into
the city and create open space for human activities.
Land Use and Farm Use

land use in the alr includes 5,706 ha (61%) defined as “Used for fig.4 The agricultural products in alr, the main agricultural products provide the nurs-
farming,” and 2,964 ha (32%) defined as “Not used for farming” (City ery, cereals, berries, forage&pasture. Source: bC Ministry of agriculture
of Surrey, 2013). Farming is an important activity in human daily lives,
and Surrey maintains agricultural heritage and landscapes. The agri-
culture can create a unique sense of place in Surrey for the future. In
urban design, agricultural land can create a public space that connects
the landscape and human activities. The agricultural heritage should be
preserved so it can act as a cultural and historic tourist attraction and
Equines Beef Poultry
education opportunity.
Livestock: Equines (horses) are the most common type of livestock

found in Surrey, followed by chickens and cows. There are a number of
opportunities to create more farmland to attract visitors, and boost the
local economy.
references:
1. bertrand, hughes-games, Nikkel. Soil Management handbook for The lower fraser
Valley. b.C.Ministry of agriculture, fisheries and food,1991.
2. b.C.Ministry of agriculture. Metro Vancouver regional report Summer 2010 & 2011:
fig.3 agriculture land and human activities. Strengthening farming Program. Ministry of agriculture ,March 21, 2014.
Source: bC Ministry of agriculture 3. www.surrey.ca
25
3 The PhySICal MOrPhOlOgy Of The CITy
Vegetative Cover
Surrey’s unique post-glacial geomorphology has affected the pattern
of vegetation across the city. While agriculture dominates the fertile,
alluvial soils of the lowlands, some forested parks thrive in the poor,
glacial soils of the uplands (see map below).
Surrey Bend
Tynehead Regional
Park
green Timbers
Urban Forest
forested areas
Map relating Sur-

rey’s topography to
forested land, most
of which is located
at higher elevations
(gIS Data: City of
Surrey OpenData)
The vegetative cover of Surrey can be mapped into four categories:

forest, shrubs, herbaceous low vegetation, and sparsely vegetated ar-
eas. The forested areas, which comprise 17 percent of the city’s area,
include evergreen, deciduous, and mixed forests. Shrub areas in the
city include a combination of some agricultural crops found in the farm-
land as well as native shrubs, and these make up about 5 percent of
This map demonstrates the various types of vegetated cover throughout the city of
Surrey’s land area. Shorter herbaceous cover accounts for the most
Surrey. (Source: City of Surrey ecosystem Management Study)
space at about 27 percent, and this category encompasses pastures,
parks, sedge marshes and old fields. The old fields are mostly found
references:
within the agricultural land reserve, and vary greatly in ecological value Diamond Head Consulting. Biodiversity Conservation Strategy. City of Surrey, January
from singular grass species to rich mixes of native shrubs and forbs. 2014.
Lastly, a little over 2 percent of Surrey is covered in sparsely vegetated HB Lanarc & Raincoast. City of Surrey Ecosystem Management Study. City of Surrey,
april 2011.
areas. This statistic includes beaches and mudflats and their border- ryder, June M. “Soils: geology, landforms and Surficial Materials.” Soils landscapes of
ing rocky shorelines, as well as sites covered with gravel and recently BC. British Columbia Ministry of Environment, 2013. Web. 7 Sept. 2014.
cleared areas. “Vegetation life.” green Timbers Urban forest. green Timbers heritage Society, 2012.
Web. 14 Sept. 2014.
26
The PhySICal MOrPhOlOgy Of The CITy 3
TeaM MeMber: SIMONe leVy
Forested Hubs of Surrey
The most common evergreen trees found in the forested areas of Sur-
rey are Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and Western Hemlock
(Tsuga heterophylla), and the dominant deciduous tree species are
red alder (Alnus rubra), Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum),
and Black Cottonwood (Populus balsamifera). These trees are
unique because they have extensive, shallow root systems that allow
them to tolerate the impenetrable clay conditions that exist at higher
elevations in the city (see graphic below). The existing forested areas
of the city are classified as either young (35 to 120 years old) or mature
(5 to 35 years old). There are no old growth forests within the city’s
borders.
Some of the largest concentrations of forested land in the city are lo- The diverse native shrubs found in Surrey’s Ecological Hubs include fern species, rattle-
snake plantain, pacific columbine, saskatoon berry, and flowering currant species.
cated in Surrey bend, Tynehead regional Park, and green Timbers
Urban forest. a wide range of shrubs and small understory plants (see
right) thrive in these woodland environments, creating important habitat
for local wildlife. The City of Surrey has identified large natural areas
such as these that have great ecological value as “hubs”, and plans to
connect these sites with corridors that assist species in moving across
the urban matrix.
The most common deciduous and evergreen

tree species of Surrey’s forested upland areas.
The shallow root systems of the trees are able
to absorb water and nutrients in the shallow
Black Cottonwood
Western Hemlock
soil profile.
Big-Leaf Maple
Douglas Fir
red alder
27
4 The Hydrological History of the City
Water and Settlement

6000 Years ago
The Semiahmoo and Kwantlen were amongst the First Nations peoples
that settled Crescent Beach, and along the mouths of Fraser and Camp-
bell Rivers. They also settled in the north along the sheltered bends
of the Fraser River in well established villages, that were sometimes
temporary or seasonal. The shorelines provided resources to support
life such as tidal foods like shellfish and salmon, herring, and oolichans.
Since 1827
The early settlers of Surrey generally located their homesteads near the
river. The road builders established their camp at the mouth of the Little
Campbell River, which provided a fresh water supply and access to the
tidal flats. The Fraser River gold rush led gold miners to set up a winter
camp on the south shore of the Fraser River. The early loggers eagerly
sought out sites that could easily be employed to move the timber of the
uplands to the navigable waterways.
Figure 2: Surrey’s Early Settlement Centers before 1900

The early settlers in Surrey began along the edges of the uplands bordering the Serpen-
tine, Nicomekl and Campbell River valleys.
Source: http://www.surreyhistory.ca/earlycenters.html
Figure 1. The main Kwantlen settlements on the south shore of the Fraser River,
became the site of New Westminster. Here the site is viewed from the Surrey shore of
the Fraser River.
Source: http://www.surreyhistory.ca/kwantlen.html
References:
1.City of Surrey .“History of Surrey.” surrey.ca
<http://www.surrey.ca/6555.aspx>.
2.Brown, Jack. “Kwantlen of the Coast Salish: A Halkomelem tribe.” surreyhistory.ca
< http://www.surreyhistory.ca/kwantlen.html>.
3.Brown, Jack. “Early Settlement Centers in Surrey.” surreyhistory.ca
<http://www.surreyhistory.ca/earlycenters.html>.
28
The Hydrological History of the City 4
TEAM MEMBER: SIYUAN ZHAO
Water and Transportation
Pioneer era prior to 1870
Throughout the pioneer era, the dominant mode of transportation in Sur-
rey was through water, first by canoes, and later by row boats.
Since 1870
The Nicomekl River was the only truly navigable stream. It had been
used for generations by the Coast Salish in their seasonal movement to
the Fraser fisheries near present Fort Langley. The Nicomekl was wider,
deeper and had a greater flow than either the Serpentine or the Little
Campbell Rivers. The Serpentine was winding, narrow, and shallow with
frequent bars. Only small boats or scows could use it at high tide. The
Little Campbell River was only navigable at high tide, as at low tide it
resembled a small creek. The Fraser River was a highly navigable river.
Regular steamship service operated from Victoria to New Westminster,
Fort Langley and Yale.
Figure 3. Most barns were located next to the rivers to provide easy access to water Figure 4: River Size and the Capacity of the ships
transportation for the bulk products. The Fraser river was the largest transportation river in Surrey, with the Nicomekl river
Source: http://www.surreyhistory.ca/watertranspo.html following. The Serpentine River and the Campbell River were not as navigable as the
other two.
Source: http://www.surreyhistory.ca/surreycontours.html
Since 1870
Water transportation rapidly declined following the completion of the
New Westminster and Southern Railways in 1891. The roads were sur-
faced and land transportation became faster and more reliable.
Starting in 1911, due to construction of dams on reclaimed land, Surrey
council banned transportation on Nicomekl and Serpentine rivers. In References:
addition, lands bordering Little Campbell River became primarily used 1.Brown, Jack. “Water Transportation.” surreyhistory.ca
for housing and agriculture. Presently, only Fraser River can be used <http://www.surreyhistory.ca/watertranspo.html>.
for shipping. 2.Brown, Jack. “Surrey’s Uplands and River Valleys.” surreyhistory.ca
<http://www.surreyhistory.ca/surreycontours.html>.
29
Watershed and Urban Development Lowland Watershed and Agriculture

Four primary rivers, in addition to smaller watercourses ranging from Much of the land in the Serpentine and Nicomekl Rivers’ lowland are-
larger canals to roadside ditches, compose the hydrographic net in the as is very close to sea level, as its historically been an intertidal zone
City of Surrey. The watershed system is mainly defined by the three (highlighted by the bright colors in Fig 3). In the late 1800’s, farmers in
dome-shaped uplands, and provides habitat for salmon and other local the area began reclaiming the land for agricultural purposes through the
wildlife while supporting the agriculture, which plays a significant role in installation of canals. Dyke construction originally started in the 1920’s
the regional economy. and completed by the 1950’s, but significant flooding continued. Since
Human activities cause rapid and often irreversible changes to the wa- the implementation of the Lowland Flood Control Strategic Plan in 1997,
tershed. Each of these changes affects downstream areas.1 As illustrat- flooding has been significantly reduced.3 Now, dykes in these districts
ed in Fig.1&2, most urban development in Surrey is located at higher are planned to be upgraded to address the threats of sea level rise.
elevations within the upstream regions. In urban environments, surface
water from rain and runoff collected by storm drains converge into larger Fig 3 (on the left)4: much of the land in
Lower and Central Serpentine Watershed
water bodies. They then flow into low-altitude rural areas, affecting the and Nicomekl Watershed lowland areas
water quality and quantity of whole watersheds. vary in elevation from about 0 to 3 meters
above sea level), used to be suffered
To mitigate adverse impacts caused by urban development, watershed from flooding and now threatened by sea
preservation and management strategies need to be considered as a level rise.
critical aspect in all urban design and development processes.
Sepentine & Nicomekl Watershed

At or below 3m above the sea level
The central lowland of Surrey is among of the richest growing areas

in Canada, due to its favorable soils and climate. 9290 hectares of the
land here is within the ALR5 (“Agricultural Land Reserve”, a special land
use zone established by BC’s Land Commission in 1975 to protect the
province’s dwindling supply of agricultural land). The “T”-shaped ALR
will remain rural with agriculture as its priority land use, limiting urban
extension and separating Surrey’s urban area into three clusters. Future
corridors linking them together will run across the farmland in the central
and lower watersheds of the Nicomekl and Serpentine River (Fig 4).
Elevation: 0 - 350m Commercial / Business / Industrial
Watershed Watercourse Urban/Multiple Residential The BC Agricultural Land Use Inventory of Surrey in 2010 revealed that
Suburban Agriculture / Rural / Green only 60% of the land use within the ALR boundary could be defined as
City Centre / Town centre
“Used for farming” though, with 90% of this land actively farmed. Fig 5
shows the detailed land condition within the ALR boundary. Integrative
Fig 1 and 2: Most of the urban developments, including city and town centers, are on
thinking about increasing agricultural land utilization in the ALR while
higher elevation within the upstream regions, with rural agricultural lands in the valley balancing the necessary development along corridors is essential.
and lowland area.
30
TEAM MEMBER: LILIAN ZHANG
Urban Watershed and Integrated Stormwater Manage-
ment Plan
Over 1400 kilometers of urban streams run through the neighborhoods
Fig 4: “T”-shaped ALR delimits the urban and parklands of Surrey.8 The water courses in urban areas are re-
extension and separates the Surrey urban formed to become a high-efficiency component of the artificial drainage
area into three clusters. New surface
transit lines with development corridor
system. Runoff in urban environments that should gradually infiltrate
along them have been proposed to link into the ground, instead goes untreated directly into the urban water
the clusters, running across the ALR. network, finally converging (sometimes in flushes) into natural streams.
To solve the water erosion and pollution problems stemming from the
urban watershed, Surrey is committed to having an Integrated Storm-
Proposed Transit Linkage water Management Plan (ISMP) in place for each watershed across the
Urban Development Area city. This evolved strategy intends to balance the development needs
ALR Boundary
ALR with the natural values and functions of the watershed, and directs fu-
ture development plans to have a comprehensive approach balancing
land use planning, stormwater engineering, flood and erosion protec-
tion, and environmental protection.9
Fig 5: the actual utilization of the ALR is

low, with only about 54% of the land was
actively farmed.
ALR Boundary
Actively Farmed
Inactively Farmed
Not Farmed
Nature &
Semi-natural
Watercourse
Urban Grid
Fig 6: The overlap of the water system and urban gridiron pattern clearly illustrates that
the narrow water courses in developed area parallel to the grid-pattern street network.
References: These water courses are reformed to become a high-efficiency artificial component of
1. Watershed Stewardship - A Guide for Agriculture. Vancouver: Ministry of Agriculture the drainage system in watersheds.
and Lands, 2006
2,4,6,7,8( Basemap): Brown, Jack. “Surrey’s Virgin Landscape - Surrey’s Uplands and
River Valleys.” SurreyHistory.ca. Surrey Historical Society, 2012. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.
3. “Serpentine & Nicomekl Lowlands.” Surrey.ca. City of Surrey, 2014. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.
5. “Agriculture & Farming.” Surrey.ca. City of Surrey, 2014. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.
8. “Streams & Water Quality.” Surrey.ca. City of Surrey, 2014. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.
9. “Integrated Stormwater Management Plan.” Surrey.ca. City of Surrey, 2014. Web. 9
Oct. 2014.
31
4 The hydRoLogiCaL hiSToRy oF The CiTy
Definition and Zoning of ESA Categories Ecological Value

environmentally Sensitive areas (eSa) are places that have special en- Vast biodiversity is a significant feature of high sensitivity areas. Fresh
vironmental attributes and are worthy of retention or special care. These water originates at headwaters, and provides spawning habitats for fish,
areas are critical to the maintenance of productive and diverse plant and such as salmon and trout.
wildlife populations.2 The Serpentine River, Bear Creek, and Mahood The City of Surrey collects data and then draws watercourses accord-
Creek all originate in the uplands of Surrey. The abundance of water ing to their relative values to fish populations. Watercourses range from
leads to the abundance of flora and fauna there. For this reason, these large rivers to small roadside ditches. This classification is based on the
systems are categorized as highly sensitive areas. The diagram shows presence or potential presence of fish, the seasonality of fish use, and
the distribution of Surrey’s environmentally Sensitive areas. the watercourse’s contribution of food and nutrients to the downstream
fish population.
The map shows an area located at the northeast

of Surrey. in this map, red lines are year round
presence or potential presence of salmon. yellow
lines are streams that provide food and nutrients
to downstream fish. Green lines stand for insignifi-
cant food and nutrients.
The orange shadows are the highly sensitive areas in Surrey, and are mostly situated
Source: City of Surrey. “City of Surrey ecosystem Management Study”
along rivers and creeks.
32
The hydRoLogiCaL hiSToRy oF The CiTy 4
TeaM MeMBeR: WeiCeN WaNg
For example, salmon is a predominant fish species in the area. It is born Water Quality Impacts of Urbanization
in fresh water, and gradually migrates to brackish water. it then moves to Urbanization greatly affects water quality. Point-source pollution comes
the open ocean over the course of months. Since Surrey’s uplands have from industrial areas, such as factories. Nonpoint source pollution oc-
abundant fresh water, the strongest adult salmon return for breeding curs when storm water runs off roadways, parking lots, lawns and ag-
every year. The diagram below illustrates the breeding migration route ricultural fields. Polluted waters reduce salmon spawning areas, and
of salmon. corridors have to be built to preserve water quality and protect high
Future designs for Surrey should aid in protecting the city’s sensitive sensitive areas.
surrounding areas.
Source: City of Surrey. “City of Surrey ecosystem Management Study”

The picture is an example of stream corridor connectivity. The protection of riparian veg-
etation corridors provide a wide range of vegetative structure and habitat possibilities.
References:
1.Condon, Patrick M. Urban Landscapes, The Surrey design Charrette. 1996.
2.Brithsh Columbia. Ministry of Water, Land and air Protection ecosystem Standards
and Planning Biodiversity Branch. “environmental Best Management Practices for Urban
and Rural Land development”. June 2004. <http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/
bmp/urban_ebmp/eBMP%20PdF%204.pdf>.
3.City of Surrey. “City of Surrey ecosystem Management Study”. april 2011. <http://www.
surrey.ca/files/Surrey_EMS_Final_Repor_Consolidated__April_2011.pdf>.
The blue line is the breeding migration route of salmons. They come from the Mud Bay, 4.Condon, Patrick M. Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities. island Press. 2010.
go through the Serpentine River and the Bear Creek. Finally, they reach the fresh water 5.Brown, Jack. “Surrey’s Uplands and River Valleys”. 2012.
area. They spawn there, and then die there. <http://www.surreyhistory.ca/surreycontours.html>.
33
Flood Potential and Seal Level Rise Design Strategy for Floods
For decades, natural disasters have troubled human settlements. Flood- For more than 60 years The Nature Conservancy has come up with
ing is considered to be the most common natural disaster throughout pragmatic solutions for protecting nature and preserving life. The follow-
the world. Floods are often predictable and usually occur on floodplains. ing graphic illustrates a sustainable technique for constructing around
For this reason, development on floodplains is considered incongruous floodplains. Dams, trenches, and dykes are commonly constructed to
by Urban Planning and Design standards. Floodplains usually are flat prevent flooding of an area. Levees must be constructed further away
and fertile lands, which encouraged development in early settlements. from the shoreline to provide additional room for flood waters and serve
Surrey is tormented by this popular trend. Currently 8500 Ha of Surrey’s as nurseries for wildlife.
land is within a floodplain area. The main flood plains of Surrey are the “BENEFITS OF FLOODPLAINS”
Fraser River floodplain, the Serpentine / Nicomekl River floodplain, the Flood plains support
Campbell River floodplain, and the Boundry Bay river floodplain. highly productive farms
Rich in wildlife
50th Ave
175 St
ass
Byp
rdale
Clove Flood plains recharge
underground aquifers
“AT THE TIME OF FLOODING”

Dams hold back
Highway 10 (54th Ave)
Levees set back further flood water
Legend away from the river
4-5m
3-4m
when capacity
200 year floodplain is reached
building it stresses
the levees
Floodways
“ Projected 3-5m Sea level rise in Cloverdale” flood gates help divert excess
( Reference : Accessed November 14, 2014. http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/cas/adaptation/ flood water into farm fields
pdf/SLR_workshopSept26-11_CarrieBaron_Challenge_of_SLR_for_Surrey.pdf.)
“Flexibility is key to good flood risk management ”
( Reference: “What Is Floodplains by Design? | The Nature Conservancy.” Accessed
Settlements around the 200 year floodplain in Cloverdale could be im- November 14, 2014. http://www.nature.org/photos-and-video/video/what-is-floodplains-
pacted by a three to five meter sea level rise. Additionally the surround- by-design.)
ing areas have basements connected to pipes which can’t drain freely, History has proven in numerous cases that constructing dams, levees,
therefore potential flooding impacts a larger area. and trenches are insufficient to protect communities from floods. The
Analysing the flood potential and sea level rise is essential for the rede- design of floodways help steer water away or around communities, and
velopment of many regions in Surrey. A one to two meter sea level rise the floodgates to these floodways would be opened only in the worst
is observed in Boundry Bay, thoughout the Serpentine, Nicomekl and case scenarios. Construction of such floodways requires a collabration
the little Campbell river floodplains. Surrey has approximately 100 km between local communites and landowners and is expensive, however,
of dikes, 30 drainage pump stations, 2 sea dams, over 170 flood boxes such designs can help prevent the high costs of reconstruction due to
and 10 spillways.1 high scale disasters.
34
TEAM MEMBER: YASHAS HEGDE
The Surrey government has spent 1.5 billion dollars for upgrades within Conclusions:
Surrey related to flood control.2 The key strategies followed by the gov- 1 - 8500 ha of Surrey’s land is located within a floodplain area.
ernment towards flood control are collaborating with stake holders to
design a flood strategy at the regional level, and updating planning and 2 - The sea level rise for Surrey is above the recommended curve.
development standards for flood control. This includes the construction 3 - Surrey’s government has spent 1.5 billion dollars for flood control
of more dykes along the shore line. upgrades throughout the city.
4 - Strategies at the regional level should be developed by collaborating
with stake holders.
5 - Strategies should also include local communities and landowners.
6 - Construction of dykes, sea dams, and levees alone are insufficient
to protect communities from floods.
7 - Design of flood gates and floodways helps achieve flexibility in de-
signing for floods, which is key to good flood risk management.
8 - The approach of using sea dams and dykes with set back levees and
reconnected floodplains helps reduce flood damages, improves water
quality and sustains ecological wildlife.
“ Design of floodways could have saved lives in Chilliwack ” 3
References:
1
- Accessed November 14, 2014. http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/cas/adaptation/pdf/SLR_
workshopSept26-11_CarrieBaron_Challenge_of_SLR_for_Surrey.pdf
2
- Accessed November 14, 2014. http://www.fcm.ca/Documents/presentations/2014/
SCC 2014/Building_Resilience_to_Climate_Change_Surreys_Climate_Adaptation_
Strategy_Anna_Mathewson_EN.pdf
“ Flooding of Fraser river in Chilliwack ” 4
3
- Image Credit: Black Press File Photo “Regional Push Forms on Fraser Flood Control
- Surrey Leader.” Surrey Leader. Accessed November 14, 2014. http://www.surreyleader.
com/news/267219791.html
Other strategies for flood control includes installing a perforated drain- 4
- News, CBC. “Chilliwack Declares State of Emergency in Flooded Area - British
age system along a closed sewer system. During redevelopment, Columbia - CBC News.” CBCnews. January 8, 2009. Accessed November 14, 2014.
emphasis would be laid on raising the roads and low-lying properties. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/chilliwack-declares-state-of-emergency-
in-flooded-area-1.784586.
The above images illustrate the flooding due to Fraser river in Chil- 5
- 2007 Urgent Mitigative Flood Works :“Flood Protection Infrastructure.” Flood Protec-
liwack in 2007 and 2009 respectively. The provincial government spent tion Infrastructure. Accessed November 14, 2014. http://www.chilliwack.ca/main/page.
3,753,000 dollars5 in addition to the loss of lives and property due to cfm?id=1372.
these floods.
35
5 City Landuse and BuiLding Forms
History of Landuse in Surrey

after the completion of the Canadian Pacific railroad, the urban center
of surrey, which was Cloverdale at that time, became the meeting point
between rail lines going south to the u.s., and therefore the center for
many activities. in the 1920s, many farmers settled in surrey, and the
city remained mostly agricultural until the completion of the Pattullo
bridge in 1937 and the construction of King george highway in 1940.
transportation developments in the 1960s and 1970s, such as the
completion of Highway 99, opened more areas for residential develop-
ment. the high price of land, especially in Vancouver, still encourages
residential development in surrey. transportation development is an-
Figure3. aerial photo, surrey 1948

other reason for the population increase in surrey during the 1960s
and 1970s. regional commercial centers also developed in guildford
and Fleetwood after the opening of the Port mann Bridge. in 1993 the
skytrain arrived, and surrey officially became a city within the greater
Vancouver regional district. there was significant population growth
in the second half of the 20th century. immigration has contributed to
this growth and the shaping of many international communities.
this could also be because of surrey’s agricultural land use history. in

order for the local governments to be able to respond to the needs of
their community, official Community Plans were established under the
authority of the Province of British Columbia’s Local government act,
and in december, 2013, surrey City Council passed first reading for the
Figure2.the building of the Patullo
city’s newest official Community Plan.
Bridge, connecting surrey with new
Figure. Port mann Bridge in the 1960’s Westminster and Vancouver Planning Progress
one of the main challenges for developing a sustainable community this section focuses on the introduction of three main planning ap-
in surrey is the population’s work patterns; a significant number of the proaches within the city: the official Community Plan, the agricultural
working population work in different municipalities which increases the Land reserve and neighborhood Concept Plans.
need for transportation. the majority of this population uses personal Official Community Plan (OCP)
vehicles for transportation, and about half of the units built in surrey are the oCP is a statement of objectives and policies to guide decisions
single detached units. Because of the low price of land in surrey, many on planning and land use management within the area covered by the
people from neighbouring cities purchase houses in surrey (mostly plan, and respecting the purposes of local government. the official
single detached) while they work in other cities. therefore it can be community plan provides guidance for the physical structure of the City
concluded that the lack of job opportunities in different areas in surrey including land use management, industrial, commercial, and residential
(according to the job demands of the residents of that area), compared growth. the following map shows the 1986 official Community Plan
to the other neighbouring cities, is one of the other issues that contrib- (1986).
utes to the high demand for private vehicle and therefore increases the
sustainability issues in surrey. a significant area of the map is dedicated to the agricultural land. the sub-
urban and urban residential areas surround the agricultural land in most
areas, except some industrial areas in the eastern part of surrey.
36
City Landuse and BuiLding Forms 5
team memBer: aVisHan agHaZadeH
this map also shows that most residential areas consists of suburban if the trends continue, surrey’s town centers will grow and suburban
and single family units, rather than multi-family. the commercial areas areas will become smaller in the future.
are more developed close to surrey’s city center.
Figure 5 shows the oCP amended in 2013. Compared to the oCP map references:
of 1986, it can be seen that there has been significant growth in the Jack Brown. “the City of surrey: a History”. surreyhistory.ca. 2013. Web. october 2014
City of surrey. http://www.surrey.ca/files/surreyagriculturalPlanoctober1999reducedsize.
town centers, but not in the agricultural, commercial and industrial are- pdf. 2014. Web. october 2014
as. there have also been some developments in multi-family housing, the Province. http://www.theprovince.com/Photos+Port+mann+Bridge+1960/6821279/
especially in south surrey and in the Cloverdale area, although these story.html . Web. ocetober. 2014
City of surrey. “official Community Plan 2013”. 2014. Web. october. 2014
developments are not very significant.
Figure 5. official Community

Figure 4. official Community Plan 1986 Plan, amended 2013
37
5 City Landuse and Building Forms
Fig 1. Surrey’s Agriculture Aerial Imagery
Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) Neighbourhood Concept Plan (NCP)

The second planning approach is the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), The third important planning document in the city of Surrey is the
created in 1996. The allocation of the ALR recognizes agriculture as the Neighborhood Concept Plan (NCP), which is a Secondary Land-use
priority use for these lands under the province. Farming is especially plan and an additional source to the OCP. It provides direction on how
encouraged and non-agricultural uses are controlled. The contribution a particular area of land will be developed in the city. Development
of this plan is valuable to the future of urban design, since this approach details for the city are organized by six traditional town-centers (Fig
can control further sprawl and environmental exploitation (Fig 2). 3). To conclude, these three plans (OCP, ALR, and NCP) can be con-
sidered as the main tools that the city can use to facilitate its growth
towards a more sustainable future.
Fig 2. Inventory area and Agricultural Land Reserve location map Fig 3. Existing secondary land use plans
38
City Landuse and Building Forms 5
Team Member: Hedieh Rashidi
Surrey’s Land Use Trend The other dominant land use is residential areas without appropriate
Today, the City of Surrey is predominantly composed of single fami- integration with commercial areas. Also, Surrey has many big-box scale
ly housing, car oriented neighborhoods, sprawl, big blocks and wide commercial developments and shopping centres instead of pedestrian
streets. According to the Official Community Plan and Neighborhood friendly shopping streets.
Concept Plan, the city has encouraged the shift from lower density to
higher density development. The shift from the typical suburban sin-
gle-family detached model that has defined Surrey for so long has not
been desirable for all citizens and developers. This is because a lot
of people still prefer to live in lower density, more affordable suburbs
where they have the opportunity to own their dream single family hous-
es with backyards. Following, are trends that explain Surrey’s land use
characteristics.
Surrey has had a trend toward private enclave development, which
encourages residential developments to use private streets and strata Fig 6. Big Box Development
ownerships (Fig 4 & 5). In terms of urban design, these exclusionary
and internal street patterns are different from the rest of the city. These Another trend is the use of back lanes, which have existed in Surrey
kinds of separation from the surrounding neighborhood can reduce from the beginning in order to move traffic efficiently on collectors and
overall connectivity and increase block size. As a result, more segrega- arterial roads (Fig 7). Housing located on busy streets have rear access
tion brings more auto-dependency to the neighborhood, and a decrease to garages to prevent the slowing down of traffic. In addition, on local
in community and social interaction. streets, the typical front loaded suburban model is still common. This
trend has changed in East Clayton by removing front garages in order
to create a friendlier street atmosphere.
Fig 4. Private interior streets Fig 7. Local Back Lanes
In conclusion, these trends explain the city’s typical suburban environ-

ment, which is defined more by mobility than by social exchange. The
City of Surrey’s neighbourhoods can become more vibrant, sustainable,
and pedestrian friendly by integrating different land uses and reducing
segregation. This can only be achieved with stricter land-use related
policies.
References:
City of Surrey, Official Community Plan, 1986
City of Surrey, Land Use Inventory Plan 2010
City of Surrey, Agricultural Land Use Inventory 2004
Fig 5. Gated communities Surrey, BC, An overview of Development Trends 2008
39
The Current Land Use

Land Use is defined as “The arrangements, activities and inputs people
undertake in a certain land cover type to produce, change or maintain
it.” The two categories of Land use are:
1. URBAN land use: Residential, Industrial, Commercial and Mixed-
use
2. NON-URBAN land use: Rural, Agricultural, Conservation and
Recreation area
Surrey is the region’s second largest and fastest growing city. The ma-
jority of land in Surrey has already been developed, and the remaining
is protected and conserved for agriculture. This area was a catchment
area for initial settlements that gradually drifted to the uplands as the low
lying areas were prone to floods. The newly developed areas of the city
are using remaining precious uplands efficiently, providing more dwell-
ing units per hectare than ever before. The trends and factors affecting
land use can be divided into two categories: Fig. 1 Top: The pie-chart represents the area distribution with respect to it’s Land Use in
1. Tangible factors- These factors are not controllable by humans the city. 40% of Surrey’s land is reserved of agriculture and conservation area.
and they force us to use the land in its existing condition. Riv-
ers initiated early human settlement, providing resource needed 100 mt
for survival. The railway stations initiated the settlement. For Fraser river White Rock
instance: Cloverdale developed at the junction of three railway Agricultural low land.
lines. Land forms and contours played a major role in defining
urbanization, as settlement was preferable on flatlands rather than 0 mt
steep land forms. Ease of access to the USA, Vancouver, Langley, 0 km 10 km 20 km
and Delta plays a vital role. The land use of town centres varies Fig. 2: The diagram shows the cut-section A-A’ as per the Land Use plan to depict the
from surrounding developing areas, and later on exhibits the hub contours and Land form. The central low land is used for agriculture. Settlements have
taken place on the two uplands, North towards Fraser river and South towards White
for the neighbourhood. Heritage sites / trails are preserved and Rock, divided by the land depression.
surrounding land use is initiated accordingly. Ease of accessibility
Google Earth - 2014 Mapabc.com (web: 24-Sept. 2014)
due to Sky Train would lead to faster development. For instance:
Surrey City Centre.
2. Intangible factors- These factors are based on human activities 100 mt
and they force land use change in response to our behaviour. Ear- Delta Langley
ly agricultural settlement kindled the starting point for settlement. Agricultural low land.
Higher prices for real estate in Vancouver encouraged people to
settle in more affordable areas of the region. People from various
0 mt
communities also have specific land use needs. Concentrated 0 km 5 km 10 km 15 km
population growth are the start points of developments and later Fig. 3: The diagram shows the cut-section B-B’ as per the Land Use plan to depict the
on leads to hubs or downtown areas. Urbanization intentionally contours and Land form. It shows the landuse affected due to the land topography.
takes places excluding the conservation and protection areas. Settlements can be witnessed on the two uplands, West towards Delta and East towards
Langley.
Google Earth - 2014 Mapabc.com (web: 24-Sept. 2014)
40
Goals and strategies:
References:
Maps and text: http://www.surrey.ca/
city-services/
Statistics: Surrey Open Data
Statistics and Text: Urban Landscapes
(The Surrey Design Charrette) –
Patrick Condon Fig. 4: The plan depicts the current Land Use of the city of Surrey.
Various factors force people to use land for specific purposes and, in
turn, the use of land by the people defines the character of a particular
land.
41
City of Surrey Strategies and Goals

the goals and strategies of surrey are contained in the 2013 official
Community Plan (oCP). this Plan is intended to guide the development
of the city over the next 30 years.
Land use approach:
since 2001, the official Community Plan major review moved away
from a strictly map-based approach, toward a hybrid approach involving
map-based and performance-based criteria. the land use strategy has
been supplemented by performance criteria to facilitate more business
development opportunities throughout the City.
Challenges:
1. accommodate Continued Population growth.
502,725 in 2012 expected to be 770,200 in 2041
2. match Population growth with employment opportunities. the maps show the trend of directing density towards town centers &
0.7 job opportunity for each working member to be frequent transit corridors (3)
1:1
3. reduce reliance on the Private automobile.
City Growth Management Strategies
4. ensure a resilient City in response to a changing climate. e.g.
sea levels are forecast to rise.
5. serve the increasingly diverse needs of surrey’s vulnerable
populations like seniors, poor, or refugees.
the strategies aim to increase density in areas served with public

transit, balance mixed uses, and reduce development’s impacts on
green areas.
42
Team member: Amal Wasfi
Example of sensitive urban infill: The example showing the trend of sensitive infill:
Location: The area between Fraser Highway and 152nd street Mixed use, higher density, walkable neighbourhood, with easy access
Existing characteristics: Scattered small-scale commercial develop- to public transit and commercial centers
ments with single-family homes or small disassociated residential de-
velopment and big open parking.
References:
1-2013 Official Community Plan (OCP) for the City of Surrey. http://www.surrey.ca/files/
FINAL_DRAFT_OCP_PlanSurrey_2013.pdf
The design aims to change the urban from scattered buildings to com- 2-Sensitive Urban Infill Charrette Report,City of Surrey, 2012
pact mixed use development, especially along Fraser Highway. 3-Boston, Alex, 2014, University Lecture, https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0WWDAVvO-
PcoZFl2Z2Q1cHVvbXM/edit
43
team memBer: WeiCen Wang
1890s 1920s
Family Types
Families from the united states and other parts of Canada, originally
arriving in surrey around the 1890s, usually consisted of parents with
two or three children. the demographic diagrams to the right indicate
the change of population and family size since then. in the 1970s, due
to the change of immigration policy, people from south asia immigrated
to surrey. this led to another housing type new to the region, known as
Population 12,000 Population 112,00
multigenerational / multifamily Households. in this family type, people
avg age: 27 avg age: 30
in vertical generations live together. during the last two decades, small avg Family size: 5.1 avg Family size: 3.7
size families became popular in surrey. generally, parents and their
adult children live separately in this family type.
Housing Types
in 2008, there were approximately 156,900 dwelling units in surrey. sin-
gle-family structures, which emerged a hundred years ago, occupy the
largest percentage. single-family building size changes with the num-
settlers series ready made Craftsman (with farm)
ber of family members. Low-rise apartments and townhouses appeared
2 stories 2 stories, 9 rooms
in the middle of the 20 century. initially, low-rise apartments were 3-floor
structures with no elevators. now, most of them have 4 floors with 3 source: http://www.surreyhistory.ca source: http://www.surreyhistory.ca
bedrooms. in the 1970s, a few manufactured houses emerged in
surrey. they became distributed in different regions of surrey. High- Housing Age
rise apartments with small sized units have become popular since the over half of the dwellings in surrey were constructed within the last two
1990s, especially in city center areas. However, they will not dominate decades. an estimated 80,900 dwellings were constructed between
future real estate development. 1989 and 2008. the chart below shows the median age of dwellings in
Wood is the most popular building material for single-family and low- surrey’s six regions. Whalley, which includes the city centre area, has
rise dwellings. Buildings with more than 6 floors, particularly high-rise the oldest median age, followed by guildford. the median building age
apartments, are built with concrete. in Cloverdale is the lowest.
35
30
25
20
15
10 Median Building Age

in 2008
5 Surrey Average
0
Cloverdale fleetwood Guildford Newton South Surrey Whalley
Chart 1 - Housing types distribution in 2008 Chart 2 - age of surrey dwellings
44
1950s 1980s 2010s
Demographics
Population 330,000 Population 413,000 Population 578,041
avg age: 36 avg age: 38 avg age: 39
avg Family size: 3.3 avg Family size: 2.6 avg Family size: 2.2
Single-Family Typology
Post-war Bungalow Bungalow new single-family House
2 stories, 4 bedrooms 2 stories, 3 bedrooms 2 stories, 6 bedrooms
2100 sq.ft, $384900 (2014) 1479 sq.ft, $479000 (2014) 3532 sq.ft, $769000 (2014)
source: http://www.youvanhouse.com source: http://www.youvanhouse.com source: http://www.youvanhouse.com
Townhouse Typology
2 stories, 4 bedrooms 2 stories, 2 bedrooms 3 stories, 3 or 4 bedrooms
1514 sq.ft, $256000 (2014) 1428 sq.ft, $254900 (2014) avg $469900 (2014)
source: https://www.google.ca/maps source: http://www.youvanhouse.com source: http://www.youvanhouse.com
reference:
High-rise
Apartment Typology
Condon, Patrick and mohamad-Khany, sam.
Apartment
implications of demographic and social Change on
neighbourhood and Housing From in surrey BC. 2012
40 stories,
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-tc4sQ9cllsmjc4n- 362 units,
2nlyjQtnjFlZs00ZdhlLWizngQtmjm5ZWrkotZim- studio, 1 or 2
jQ5/edit?hl=en_us bedrooms,
Housing action Plan, http://www.surrey.ca/communi- avg $334900 (2014)
Low-rise apartment
ty/3174.aspx
3 stories (no elevator), 1 bedrooms
a Convenience truth, a sustainable Vancou-
ver by 2050, http://www.urbanstudio.sala.ubc. 678 sq.ft, $148900 (2014)
ca/2010/111125_chapter3.pdf source: https://www.google.ca/maps source: this photo was took by Weicen Wang
45
Commercial building typology Industrial building typology

1870s Basic store Early 19c Bunk houses
this building type, established in For over fifty years the Crescent
the late 1870s, was a Post of- oyster Company provided em-
fice or general store. the store ployment. the sikh employees
provided basic supplies for the lived in two bunk houses on the
few settlers in the surrey Centre premises.
area.
1960s early prototype of mixed use store Mid 19c Single-level industrial buildings
this typology is an early proto- single-level industrial buildings
type of mixed use, with a store offer the benefits of low cost,
on the lower level and a home efficient design and maximum
above. it made renovations to flexibility of use. there is little
the store and changed the interi- or no concern for form, unless it
or floor plan around. yields some financial benefit.
1970s and 1980s Strip mall-- big-box retailer-safeway 1980s Multi-level warehouse
an open-air shopping mall an example of a multi-level

where the stores are arranged warehouse developed in metro
in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Vancouver 30 years ago in 1982
typically developed as a unit is the former Woodward’s de-
and have large parking lots in partment store facility.
front.
1970s and 1980s Strip mall --wal-mart 20C Multi-level industrial building
the strip mall, wal-mart is typical a partial 2-level industrial build-
of commercial construction in ing is currently being developed
the 1970s. it is service-orient- by Canada Post at the Vancou-
ed and may contain a grocery ver international airport, which
store, salons, dry cleaner, small is an example of a multi-level
restaurant, and similar stores. industrial building.
Early 20C High-rise Shopping Centre Picture source: http://www.surreyhistory.ca

Central City shopping Centre is
a shopping mall and office tower
Future
complex in Whalley, represent-
ing a shifts towards tod com- in the City of surrey, the main industrial building type will become more
mercial development. like “job buildings”, with mixed land uses, combining commercial, resi-
dential and industrial uses together.
Figure1: Commercial and industrial building
46
team memBer: XueQi Wu(saKi)
1
5
2
3
7
4
1. south westminster
Data source: Statistic Canada
2. newton west 6 8 Figure5: Job data of surrey in 2001
3. newton east
4. newton south
5. Port kells the diagram above shows the proportion of people working in differ-
6. rosemary heights ent areas. except for manufacturing, there are a great deal of people
7. Cloverdale
8. Campbell heighs working for business services, finance and real estate, and health and
education.
these different kinds of jobs support the mixed use housing as well as
commercial/office mixed use sites. as a result, industrial buildings are
more like job-buildings which could come up with additional jobs.
Figure2: Location of eight industrial parks in surrey

SUMMARY:
Past: Single-use zoning
this refers to a situation where commercial, residential, institutional and
industrial areas are separated from one another. Consequently, large
tracts of land are devoted to a single use and are segregated from one
Figure3: street view
another by open space, infrastructure, or other barriers. as a result,
these activities generally require an automobile.
rentaL CLiniC oFFiCe WareHouse
Present: Mix-used development

CommerCiaL
surrey has faced the problem of suburban expansion, the phenomenon
Figure4: Function of building
that is characterized by low density residential, with almost no commer-
cial or industrial zoning. now surrey is beginning to implement smart
Figure 2 shows the location of eight industrial parks in surrey, and it can growth, which is an urban planning and transportation theory that con-
be seen from the map layer that these areas have very different fabric centrates growth in compact walkable urban centres to avoid sprawl.
within the urban area. they are low density, and most of the buildings mixed land use will be future trend for sustainable urban design in the
are single-level. City of surrey .
Picking out one site to observe at the street level, we found that the first
reference:
story is mainly used for commercial, and the second story is often used 1.History of surrey
for rentals, offices, warehouse space, and other related uses. 2.multi-Level industrial Feasibility study for metro Vancouver march 2013
47
New Emerging Building Types - the Citypoint towers: residential mixed-use development, consisting
surrey has hundreds of certified green buildings as part of its sustaina- of two towers. it has green features that include green roofs over com-
bility strategy. these newly emerging buildings are mostly found at the mercial units.
centre of each of its 6 districts, which are the centres of their growth. - d’corise: rental apartments in 21 storey towers that have 180 resi-
some of these buildings are completed, while others are still in pro- dential units each. Concrete construction with window wall and brick
gress. the trend used to be to separate the buildings based on their pur- cladding. developed jointly with four storey wood frame condos.
pose, whereas now it is to combine all purposes into mixed-use build-
ings. How did this affect building form? you can notice a few high-rises
becoming integrated into areas where they did not exist before. Here
are a few examples for projects located in the various neighbourhoods
of surrey; all committed to balancing growth with sustainability.
Citypoint towers d’corise

Whalley:
also known as north surrey, is a booming urban centre. it has:
- surrey City Center: the commercial, cultural and social heart of the
city. it includes a library, community plaza, city hall, performing arts
center, new commercial and residential developments such as the 3
Civic Plaza project, as well as the sFu building.
gate Way north surrey recreation Centre

(data source: the City of surrey)
the aforementioned buildings are part of the emerging wave of high-

rise buildings that started as a result of the central city’s development.
despite the emergence of these high-rises the city remains dominated
by low-rise buildings.
surrey City Centre City Centre Library Cloverdale:

(data source: the City of surrey) (data source: the City of surrey)
Cloverdale is a region that is growing fast as well. many different con-
struction projects are underway. For example, the Cloverdale West
Village, which is a master plan that includes condos, townhomes and
mixed-use commercial-residential buildings in addition to a public plaza
and a green space. to add to that, there are many other newly emerging
buildings such as the new Cloverdale recreational centre and another
Community Plaza the new City Hall residential building, the grove, which is more family oriented because
of its close proximity to new schools, transportation, shopping centers
and other facilities. there is a new emerging type of residential buildings
in Cloverdale, specifically in east Clayton, that covers almost 70% of
that area. they are called Coach houses, which are small independent
Performing arts Center units at the back of lots encouraged to increase diversity. their rental
(data source: the City of surrey)
http://www.surrey.ca/city-government/10517.aspx
rates are very affordable.
48
team memBer: Haneen aBduLsamad
semiahmoo Library Semiahmoo Center

Cloverdale West Village the grove (data source: the City of surrey) (data source: the City of surrey)
Conclusion:
alleyway
Alleyway History mixed-use Housing others
rental Houseabove
Rental House
Above Parking
Parking The Traditional 3 Civic Plaza/ Library/ d’corise gateway/ sFu
Whalley
Family
Family House
House Commercial Core Performing arts building/ rCmP e
Centre/ new City Hall/ division/ recrea-
main
Main street
Street
Alleyway City point towers tion Centre
Rental House
road networks/ Cloverdale west the grove new recreational
Cloverdale
Above Parking
Alleyway Family House Commercial/ admin- village center/
Rental House istrative new animal
Above Parking Main Street
shelter
Family House
Logging operations/ Semiahmoo center glenmore residential/ south Point 99/
south s.
Main Street
residential growth Highland Park/ Semiahmoo
Firehall Building Library
upland area/ recent- the new town Center newton library
newton
ly developed area
recently developed 3 Civic Plaza/ Library/

Fleetwood
area/ Loggers area/ Performing arts

residential growth Centre/ new City Hall/
City point towers
recently developed new guildford
guildford
Area town center
summary table to show almost all the new emerging buildings in sur-
rey, including projects under construction, in relation to the historical
the back alley in plan, perspective and the main street view status of each of the 6 regions of surrey.
South Surrey:
this region of surrey is growing and developing as well, with a com-
mitment to maintain sustainability. it is home to a variety of education-
al, recreational and cultural facilities. We can find many residential, old surrey new surrey result
commercial and mixed-use buildings. For example, the proposed (data source: the City of surrey)
semiahmoo center is a mixed-use project with two residential towers,
a performing arts centre, a contemporary arts gallery and a café, as the new emerging building types are represented in surrey’s new
well as a ground-oriental retail and office space. another example is logo. “a pair of high-rises representing the City of surrey”. With the
the semiahmoo Library that has the largest outdoor green wall of its development of new high-density mixed-use buildings located close
kind in north america, which improves the aesthetics in the area and to all basic facilities, surrey is indeed on its way to embodying its
helps making the building more energy efficient. slogan that the “future lives here”.
49
New and Emerging Buildings: Sustainable Types

A shift to a higher density built form with smaller lots is a new trend in
development in Surrey. Moving toward multi-family development in pri-
vate communities in Surrey negatively impacts neighborhoods in terms
of sustainability. The exclusionary entry features, private interior streets
and poor permeability of these developments are major factors. By in-
creasing the block size and by limiting the accessibility options within
the neighborhood, the gated/private developments decrease the overall
connectivity of the neighborhood (Laven 2008, 12).
A mixed-use strategy which aims at creating a more self sustainable
community is another trend of development in Surrey. New develop-
ment in Surrey has also been influenced by new urbanism and smart Source: Sustainability Dashboard, City of Surrey
growth whose traces can be seen in the East Clayton and Innovation
Boulevard projects. A tendency towards green buildings is another Figure 1. Proximity of residential buildings to amenities.
Mixed-use developments along with an appropriate distribution of amenities within neighborhoods
attempt to sustainability in Surrey. Almost one third of existing LEED
meet requirements to determine the sustainability of developments in the urban context while providing
certifications belong to new buildings in Surrey City Centre and the rest less dependency on cars (Sustainability dashboard, City of Surrey).
belong mainly to buildings located in town centers, business parks or
main corridors of the city.
Transit-oriented developments; complete, compact and connected
corridors; and compact, live/work housing are the City’s strategies for
promoting smart and sustainable growth. Increasing population and
employment density on transit corridors by locating residential and
commercial developments adjacent to transit corridors helps to improve
transit ridership and support better transit service. Transit-oriented
mixed-use and compact communities help protect green spaces and
farm lands as well (Sustainability dashboard).
Mixed-use developments along with an appropriate distribution of local
amenities offer residents alternatives to the car and encourage walking,
cycling, and public transit.
Source: Sustainability Dashboard, City of Surrey
Figure 2. The concentration of population distribution in Surrey City Centre, Town Centers, and
Transportation Corridors leads to provide more appropriate density of either dwelling units per hectare
or employees per hectare.
50
Node B
Node A
Image source: Google Earth 2014
Figure 3. Major mixed-use nodes on Innovation Boulevard. Source: Green Building Information Gateway (GBIG)
Figure 5. Completed green buldings in Surrey (2007-2013). The number of new build-
ings were certified as green in Surrey in 2013 indicates a considerable growth. Green
Node A. Node B. Surrey City Centre
Surrey Memorial Hospital buildings use energy, water and other resources more efficiently and consequently they
Simon Fraser University
UBC Teaching Hospital Fraser Health Authority HQ reduce waste and pollution (Sustainability dashboard, City of Surrey).
Kwantlen Polytechnic University National research Council
Neuro Tech Lab Digital Health Hub Smart growth strategies and the seven principles for sustainable com-
BC Cancer Agency-Fraser Valley Centre Surrey City Hall
Lark Group City Centre Professional BC Technology Industry Association munities (Condon 2010), offer Surrey more options toward creating
Building
Health Tech Connex
SFU Venture Connection Incubator more sustainable communities. Compact developments are an advan-
Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation tageous alternative over single-use, dispersed developments in Sur-
Qibble Creek Health and Pheonix
Transition Housing Centre
rey. In terms of creating more sustainable communities, the following
Creekside Withdrawal Management strategies need to be taken into consideration for new developments
Centre
Timber Creek Specialized Acute Mental
in Surrey:
Health Facility
• Conserving land and energy use
• Giving priority to the existing parcels/blocks for the growth
• Providing different dwelling types based on urban pattern, landform
and land use
Planning Area Indicator Base Year 2007 2040 • Promoting social interactions
Housing and Employment Density 20 UPH I 20 EPH 97 UPH I 92 EPH
Surrey City Centre (Dwelling Units per Hectare I Employees per Hectare)
Proportion of Housing by Building Type (% Multi-Family I % Single Family) 100%MF 100%MF
• Emphasizing walkability
Town Centres
Housing and Employment Density
(Dwelling Units per Hectare I Employees per Hectare)
15 UPH I 21 EPH 64 UPH I 65 EPH
• Focusing on more transit-oriented development
Proportion of Housing by Building Type (% Multi-Family I % Single Family) 96%MF I 4%SF 96%MF
Greenfield Housing and Employment Density 5 UPH I 2 EPH 21 UPH I 8 EPH • Providing greener infrastructure
Neighborhood Proportion of Housing by Building Type (% Multi-Family I % Single Family) 42%MF I 58%SF 63%MF I 37%SF
20 UPH I 21 EPH 55 UPH I 33 EPH
• Preserving the natural environment
Frequent Transit Housing and Employment Density
Network Corridors Proportion of Housing by Building Type (% Multi-Family I % Single Family) 54%MF I 46%SF 100%MF References:
Condon, Patrick. M. Seven Rules for sustainable Communities. Washington:
Source: CEEP, City of Surrey
Island Press, 2010
Figure 4. Growth assumption by major land use type Condon, Patrick. M. “East Clayton- Surrey, BC”. Smartgrowth.bc.ca. Web. 2014
It is assumed that the diversity of housing types in Surrey will be divided into two major Laven, Blake R. “Surrey, BC: An overview of development trends”.
categories; while mixed-use nodes such as Surrey City Centre, town Centres and fre- “Community and Energy Emission Plan (CEEP)”. surrey.ca. City of Surrey, 2014. Web.
quent transit network corridors tend to lose their single family houses with having more 2014theoryandpractice.planning.dal.ca. Dalhousie University. Web. 2014
low-rise apartments and mid to high-rise residential buildings, greenfield neighborhoods “LEED Projects Profile”. cagbc.org. Canada Green Building Council. Web. 2014
relatively tends to preserve a combination of both single family and multi-family housing “Surrey, British Columbia”. gbig.org. Green Building Information Gateway. Web. 2014
types despite a decrease in the number of single family houses. “Surrey Innovation Boulevard”. surrey.ca. City of Surrey. Web. 2014
“Sustainability Dashboard”. dashboard.surrey.ca. City of Surrey. Web. 2014
51
6 CITY FORM AND ENERGY USE
Regional Energy Use & GHG Emission City Form and Energy Use at the Regional Scale
A study of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by sector in the Energy use and GHG emissions are greatly intertwined with the 7 ”D”s:
City of Surrey was completed in 2007. At the base year, 2007, buildings Density, Design, Diversity, Destinations accessibility, Distance to transit,
accounted for 56% of the Surrey’s energy consumption, and generated Demand management, and Demographics (Ewing 2010). To investigate
37% of the city’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Figure 1). the situation of energy use on a regional scale, this study compares
energy use and population density. Figure 2 shows energy use intensi-
Waste 4%
Transportation Transportation ty (GJ/hectare) on a regional scale, and Figure 3 illustrates population
44% 59% density (resident/hectare) at the same scale. Energy use per capita can
be calculated based on energy use per hectare and population density.
Five areas are selected as Figure 2 and Figure 3 show. For instance, in
Building Building area 1 and 2, energy use per hectare are 2000 and 1200GJ per hectare,
56% 37% respectively. Population densities are 30 and 10 person per hectare,
respectively. Energy use per capita can be calculated as follows:
Energy use GHG emission
Figure 1. Energy use and GHG emission by sector, 2007
Source: Community Energy & Emission Profile.
2000GJ/hectare 30 person/hectare
200GJ/hectare 1person/hectare
2500GJ/hectare 50person/hectare
Legend 0 251-500 501-1000 1001-3000 3001-6000 Legend 0 1 2-5 6-10 11-15

Figure 2. Building energy use intensity Figure 3. Population density
Source: Community Energy & Emission Profile. Source: Community Energy & Emission Profile.
52
CITY FORM AND ENERGY USE 6
Team member: Chen Fan
Energy use intensity y Energy use per capita

(GJ/hectare) (GJ/person)
Energy use ______________ 300
per capita =
Population density
(GJ/person) (person/hectare) 250
200
For area 1, Energy use per capita = 2000/30=66.7 GJ/person;
For area 2, Energy use per capita = 1200/10=120 GJ/person;
For area 3, Energy use per capita = 200/1=200 GJ/person; 150
For area 4, Energy use per capita = 2500/50=50 GJ/person; and

For area 5, Energy use per capita = 1000/6=166.7GJ/person. 100
50
0
The relationships between energy use and population density are 10 20 30 40 50 60
shown on both charts below. Population density (person/hectare) x

Figure 5. Analysis on population density and energy use per capita.
Energy use intensity

y
(GJ/hectare)
3000 Figure 5 shows a negative correlation between population density (x
axis) and energy use per capita (y axis). As population density in-
2500 creases, energy use per capita will generally be lower.
2000 Conclusion
Building energy use is greatly influenced by city form. Generally, the
1500 total amount of energy use has a positive correlation with building and
population density. However, the energy use per capita has a negative
1000 correlation with building and population density. The reason is that in
areas with denser city form, people drive much less and their homes
500 have more efficient energy use and share.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
population density (person/hectare) x
Figure 4. Analysis on population density and energy use intensity. References
City of Surrey. 2011. Community Energy & Emission Profile.

City of Surrey. 2014. Community Energy & Emissions Plan.
Figure 4 illustrates a positive correlation between population (x axis) City of Surrey. 2012. Sensitive Urban Infill Charrette Report.
and energy use intensity (y axis). As population density increases, Surrey Open Data. Last modified on Sep 24, 2014. http://data.surrey.ca.
Reid Ewing and Robert Cervero. Travel and the Built Environment. Journal of the Ameri-
energy use intensity will generally be higher too. can Planning Association, First published on: 11 May 2010 (iFirst).
53
District Energy System of Surrey Objective

British Columbia is a leader in district energy use in NorthAmerica.A district The objective of DE is to increase local, low-carbon energy generation
energy system (DES) provides affordable and efficient energy to higher in twenty years for Surrey. DES saves energy use for individual build-
density areas such as downtown districts, colleges or dense neighbour- ings. DES is one of the potential solutions to future energy and emis-
hoods. It uses a network of underground pipes to pump steam, hot wa- sions challenges.
ter, or cold water to multiple buildings in these areas (Fig.1). The district
energy system provides valuable benefits including improving energy
efficiency and fuel flexibility, and decreasing life-cycle and building cap-
ital costs .
Tab.1 The Objective GHG Emissions by Sector. Senior government and energy utility
actions have a significant impact on GHGs and energy in building performance and
energy supply
Strategies&Actions
A. City Centre District Energy Extension
Using District Energy At New City Hall
a. A cycle system,
based on an under-
Fig.1 District Energy System of Downtown Business Community..District energy sys-
ground geo-exchange
tems produce steam, hot water or chilled water at a central plant. The biggest positive
of DES is that it provides heating and cooling from a central plant to save more fuel and field. The source can be
money to the install equipments in each building. reheated and reciru-
There are a number of successful DES examples in Vancouver, for ex- lated. Thermal energy
ample, Vancouver’s Neighbourhood Energy Utility uses heat recovered is transferred to a fluid
from wastewater. (Fig.2) and transported through
undergrond pipes to
buildings.
b.Using pumps to extract
the heating/cooling
energy to City Hall and
Gateway, Civic Center,
Surrey Library, King
George.
c.Compatible hydronic
Fig.2 Vancouver’s Neighbourhood Energy Utility: Sewage Heat Recovery to produce Fig.3 District Energy of Surrey, At the heart of City systems connected to the
heating for Southeast False Creek. /Source:City of Vancouver. Centre is Surrey’s first DE system
City’s DE system within a
core service area.
54
Team member: Chloe
District energy systems use centralized energy plants to generate heat
for hot water and space heating, and sometimes cooling, through a net-
work of pipes to buildings.
Heat exchangers separate the DE system from building mechanical
systems. Generally, buildings require a hydronic (water-based) system
to distribute heating and/or cooling.
District Energy Thermal Demand Opportunity Assess-

ment Summary
2
Generally, in 2040, areas with a minimum of 50,000 GJ per y/km of heat
demand begin to meet the DE threshold. This map series shows growth
in thermal demand from residential, commercial, and institutional devel-
opment over 30 years. The most basic requirement is sufficient thermal
Fig.4 District Energy System- DEScan use different feed stocks including natural gas,
ground source heat, sewage heat, solar thermal, industrial or commercial waste heat, or
energy demand density based on space heating and hot water loads
wood. They may accommodate more than one energy source or transition from one to (City of Surrey, 2011). Therefore, thermal district energy can become a
significant energy source for Surrey, and can promote more sustainable
B. New District Energy Node & Corridor Evaluation and efficient lifestyles for people.
A larger DE network in Surrey City Centre is concentrated around three
high-density nodes centered on King George, Surrey Central, and Gate-
way Skytrain stations.
Fig.6,7 2011 Thermal Energy Density,2040 Thermal Energy Density (Map: Kerr
Wood Leidal)
Source: Community Energy&Emission Plan
C. Integrated District Energy Policy & Planning

Further analysis, policy, and planning are necessary to determine
specific locational feasibility, governance, and a business model for
the use of district energy throughout Surrey.
Fig.5 Surrey to Establish District Energy Utility. It creates three nodes: King George Citation:
node, Surrey central node,Gateway node. It sets a central heater in each node and 1.City of Surrey. 2011. Community Energy & Emission Profile.
connect the underground pipes to heat or cool water to the surrounding buildings 2.City of Surrey. 2014. Community Energy & Emissions Plan.
55
Building Typology High-Rise Residential Tower (9-30 stories):

Single Family Detached Homes: Residential towers consume about 50% more energy than mid-rise
Detached single family homes consume the most energy. These hous- apartments. They are exposed to more heat loss and gains from sun
es are typically large with energy-intensive heating and cooling needs. and wind as a result of their height. Recent tower design trends, includ-
They also consume more energy than other building types because ing more glass exterior and concrete patio extensions, further increase
they are exposed on all sides to climate factors. their energy demands.
Townhouses/Rowhouses: Neighbourhood Density & Compactness
Attached housing types have lower energy demands as a result of their High-density neighbourhoods help save energy in cities. More studies
smaller size. Their shared walls reduce exposure to the elements, keep- have linked high-density development to reduced transportation en-
ing them better insulated. ergy use (Liu & Shen 2011, Pitt 2013), but designing compact urban
neighbourhoods also has a positive effect for building energy use. At
Mid-rise Apartment Structures (4-9 stories): the building level, compact form reduces heating and cooling needs
These residential buildings are the most energy efficient. The design since individual dwellings are typically smaller, and share walls. Dense
maximizes the potential of shared walls to reduce energy use. In ad- communities also have the potential to take advantage of shared district
dition, their modest height allows them to benefit from the shading and heating and cooling systems. The layout, and designed compactness of
wind-shielding effects of neighbouring buildings and trees. These apart- a neighbourhood has an effect on the micro-climate of the area, influ-
ment buildings do not require some of the energy intensive infrastruc- encing the energy needs of the community.
ture found in high-rises.
70.0
60.0
GJ/Unit (including common areas)
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
Single Family Rowhouses Low-Mid-Rise High-Rise
Detached Apartments Apartment
Housing Typology Tower Disadvantage: High-Rise Residential Tower Exposure
Natural Gas Units Electric Units Towers are more exposed to unwanted heat gain from the sun
Heating Energy Consumption Per Residential Unit, By Unit Type (Data Source: Miller
(especially on east and west walls), and heat loss from wind. The
& Cavens, 2008) This graph demonstrates the effect of housing density on heating use, which is the wind speeds increase at higher elevations. Trees have little effect
largest factor in determining residential energy efficiency. on buildings at this height.
56
TEAM MEMBER: SIMONE LEVY
Block Layout
Compact urban blocks are beneficial because neighbouring buildings
can protect each other from losing and gaining heat. It is important for
parking lots not to be included in the layout of the block. This is because
they can prevent the structures from the positive effects of shading one
another, and discourage people from walking or biking.
Benefits of Neighbourhood Trees

Planting trees greatly reduces building energy demand. They are ef-
fective at shading buildings, and are most useful on the western side of
structures in this area, where there is the harshest sunlight for the most
hours of the day. Trees absorb solar energy, leaving their surrounding
environment physically cooler through evapotranspiration. Trees also
help create natural ventilation by modifying the flow of air. When placed
strategically, they can also keep buildings warmer by blocking cold
winds.
North:
Evergreens block winter wind
Conceptual Block Layout. In this scenario, parking is not a dominant form in the
East:
neighbourhood’s urban pattern. High-density mid-rise apartment buildings are clusered Block direct
in a compact manner to protect each other from the elements. Trees are helping to sunlight
further reduce the energy use of the buildings.
References:
Condon, Patrick M. Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities: Design Strategies for
the Post-carbon World. Washington: Island, 2010.
West:
Ewing, Reid, and Fang Rong. “The Impact of Urban Form on U.S. Residential Energy Use.”
Housing Policy Debate 19.1 (2008): 1-30.
Block direct sunlight South: N
Best for cooling Deciduous trees block
Ko, Yekang. “Urban Form and Residential Energy Use: A Review of Design Principles and summer sun, allow winter sun
Research Findings.” Journal of Planning Literature 28.4 (2013): 327-51.
Liu, Chao, and Qing Shen. “An Empirical Analysis of the Influence of Urban Form on House-
hold Travel and Energy Consumption.” Computers, Environment and Urban Systems Typical Effects of Trees Planted Around a Building
35.5 (2011): 347-57. This diagram points out the benefits that strategically placed trees can have on each
Miller, Nicole, and Duncan Cavens. “City of North Vancouver 100 Year Sustainability Vision: side of a house.
GHG Measurement and Mapping.” Design Centre for Sustainability, 2008.
Pitt, Damian. “Evaluating the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Benefits of Compact Housing Devel-
opment.” Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 56.4 (2013): 588-606.
57
Building and Parcel scale The municipal government has partly tackled the issue of sustainable
Importance of energy efficiency living. Some of the design principles, such as an interconnected street
network, street-friendly front yards, and the dominant use of wood frame
YEAR POPULATION DWELLING UNITS
construction for mid-rise and low rise buildings, contribute toward lower
2012 502,725 164,935 GHG emissions. Sustainability holds the key for a better environment,
2017 553,475 184,385 however most of the housing sectors are low tech buildings which con-
tributes to higher levels of energy usage and wastage. The map below
2021 593,600 199,950
illustrates the waste collection route in the City of Surrey.
2026 639,600 219,450
2031 685280 238,800
2036 727,750 256,800
2041 770,200 274,900
“ Projected growth of Surrey, British Columbia”
REFERENCE: Accessed November 15, 2014.Challenge#1.Page number 20.http://www.

surrey.ca/files/OCP_Combined_Final_Fourth_Reading_Reduced.pdf
Our built environment creates endless consumption of resources, mass

waste production, high energy consumption, and a high rate of emis-
sions. The City of Surrey is projected to grow by a million residents,
absorbing up to 1000 new residents each month and in turn creating
150,000 new jobs. Surrey spends 1 billion dollars per year on energy,
generates 2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, and consumes 42.5 giga-
joules of energy in buildings and transportation. The per capita green
house gas emissions (GHG) for Surrey are 4.9 tonnes per year. The
government of Surrey recognises this issue and aims to reduce GHG
emissions by 33% per Capita below 2007 levels by 2020 and 80% per
Capita before 2050.1
“MAP ILLUSTRATING THE WASTE COLLECTION ROUTE BOUNDARIES”
REFERENCE: “Sustainability Dashboard.” Sustainability Dashboard. Choose waste

“Sustainability restricted to usage of materials and green spaces” route layer .Accessed November 15, 2014. http://dashboard.surrey.ca/#water_and_
waste
58
TEAM MEMBER: YASHAS HEGDE
A sustainable city means a synergy of energy efficiency, which can be find solutions. For example, a completely energy efficient tower must
achieved by designing Smart interconnected grids able to store and harness energy from Columns. Steel column helps reduce the weight of
harness renewable energy, with comfort, safety and security. Buildings the structure. If energy optimization is the goal, then concrete is much
need to become sensitive, adaptive, networked, and intelligent. Most more efficient than steel. However, concrete is considered an energy
of these attributes are seen in Germany and act as inspiration behind inefficient material as it emits large amounts of carbon dioxide into the
the design of LEED rated buildings and technology within sustainable atmosphere, and would exponentially increase the weight of the build-
development. ing. Therefore, to construct a fully sustainable tower a new building ma-
terial has to be invented out of concrete which is lighter and emits lesser
amounts of carbon dioxide.
Conclusion
1 - Surrey spends 1 billion dollars per year on energy, generates 2 mil-
lion tonnes of carbon dioxide and consumes 42.5 gigajoules of energy
in buildings and transportation.
2 - The Green House gas emissions (GHG)for Surrey based on per
capita is 4.9 Tonnes per year.vv
3 - The Surrey Government aims to reduce GHG emissions by 33% per
Capita below 2007 levels by 2020 and 80% per Capita before 2050.1
Completed green buildings
“Most high rises in Surrey are energy ineffecient”
REFERENCE: Accessed November 15, 2014. ://www.civicsurrey.com/wp-content/

uploads/2012/05/3222038774ab2621f1ebac_TopView.jpeg
Surrey has an average high temperature of 25 degrees Celsius and

an average low of 0.5 degrees. Therefore using only glass on build-
ing facades is not a bad design ideology. However, excessive use of
fixed glass should be avoided as it does not permit air circulation. The year
high rises are energy inefficient mainly because they are not sensitive, “The number of LEED rated buildings has to increase”
adaptive, networked and intelligent. Technologies like building automa- REFERENCE: “Sustainability Dashboard.” Sustainability Dashboard. Choose indicator
tion can help save 40 percent of building energy. A low tech approach Certified green buildings .Accessed November 15, 2014.
towards the use of insulators, glazing, and lighting will not achieve the
target.
The design of a sustainable high rise building could help solve the en-
ergy issues in Surrey. It is similar to designing a city but on a smaller Reference
scale. Towers are sometimes called Vertical cities. A fully sustainable 1 - “Community Energy & Emissions Plan.” :: The City of Surrey, British Columbia.
tower is yet to be built, as it is a collaborative effort and we need to Accessed November 15, 2014. http://www.surrey.ca/community/11119.aspx
59
City Form and Energy use:
6 Transportation
The City of Surrey has pledged to cut its per capita carbon emissions
by 22% and 80% by 2020 and 2050, respectively. The transportation
sector is the highest source of greenhouse gases, accounting for 59%
of the total emissions and 44% of the total energy consumed by the
City. Of the various modes of transportation, private vehicles consti-
tuted 85% of the total share of commuters in 2007. This large share of
private vehicles is a result of the limited options that are available for
public transit, dispersed housing, and distal job sites.
Fig.3: Distribution of the modes of transportation employed by residents of

Surrey. From B.C. Ministry of Environment, 2007 & BC Emissions
Fig.1: Sources of greenhouse gas Fig.2: Energy usage by the transportation
emissions in Surrey, 2007 sector in Surrey, 2007
Lowering the energy intensiveness of travel

Fig.4: The graphic below compares the carbon emissions per passenger for different modes of transit. The statistics cited in the graphic have been referenced from the technical bulletin,
A Cost Comparison of Transportation Modes. Notably, walking, cycling, streetcars and LRT are low emitters. In order to mitigate its carbon footprint, the City of Surrey should reduce trip
lengths, lower GHG emissions and use lifecycle costs as an important criteria for future investments in transportation.
60
Transportation 6
Team member: Manali Yadav
Fig.5: Breakdown of CO2 emissions by sector. Transportation emissions in the City of

Surrey are 2.9 tonnes CO2 emitted per capita per year. The value for Metro Vancouver
is only 2.1. The bar-chart above shows the amount of CO2 emitted by the
Fig.6: Dwelling density and proposed LRT can predict
6 city centers in Surrey. Cars are the highest emitters of carbon.
future growth along the transit corridors
Strategies to lower energy consumption and develop References:

City of Surrey. “Community Energy & Emissions Plan”. www.surrey.ca/
a transit oriented development: files/ceep-02-02-2014.pdf. 20 Sep 2014
The City of Surrey must create economic zones that will function as City of Surrey. “Employment Lands Strategy Surrey, British Columbia”.
ecosystems for businesses around its urban centres and along the http://www.surrey.ca/files/elsfinal.pdf. 22 Sep 2014
BC emissions. “Surrey“. http://bcemissions.ca/go/city/Surrey/index.html.
transit corridors. The economic zones should be mixed-use and com- 21 Sep 2014
pact. Additionally, transit corridors should be established within 5-10 SFU.ca. “A Focus on Vancouver and Surrey”. www.sfu.ca/geog/geog-
496spring03/2D_focus_vansur.html. 22 Sep 2014
minutes of the major population centers. The transit system should MetroVancouver.org. “Smart & Strategic: Target Setting in Metro Van-
employ efficient and economical vehicle fleets, and also connect couver Region”. http://bit.ly/1mtBlST. 23 Sep 2014
remote parts of the city to the population centers. More pedestri-
an-friendly greenways and sidewalks should also be constructed, and
rideshare schemes should be incentivized.
61
CITY FORM AND ENERGY USE:
6 TRANSPORTATION
City Transit Plan and Land Use Strategy These three spine lines stretching from Surrey city center will run across
The use of personal automobiles is one of the most significant energy the areas with the high residential density. Great amounts of residents
consumption habits in the world. Vehicular transportation is the largest will have convenient transit access not only to Surrey city center but
single source of GHGs and the most attractive transportation mode in Vancouver as well, for the lines are directly connected with the Skytrain
Surrey. These facts can be ascribed to the long history of government system. On the other hand, the current employment density along the
spending on roads and bridges instead of public transit.1 The average LRT lines is relatively low because of the existing residential-dominated
Surrey household owns more than one car. Accordingly, market de- land use. In addition, merely three LRT lines cannot accommodate de-
mand for complete, compact development, a precondition for success- mands for all commute and non-commute travels.
ful transit and active transportation as well as a key element of energy To take full advantage of the LRT and further reduce the energy use of
efficient city form, has been reduced.2 Now, the city has a strong vision both inter-city and local commute transportation, complete and com-
to reverse this trend, and relevant proposals have been demonstrated pact development along designated rapid transit corridors is crucial.
in the “Community Energy & Emissions Plan” (CEEP). Transportation The number of mixed-use developments with business or commercial
strategies focused on shifting trips made by cars to transit have been functions near the LRT lines need to be increased substantially so as
included. The principal layer of Surrey’s transit network is composed to offer more employment opportunities accessible by the rapid transit.
of three Light Rapid Transit (LRT) lines expected to be completed by Moreover, to integrate the future rapid transit system in Surrey, a sec-
2020.3 ondary layer of transit is planned to be built by 2040 as the supplement
to the three spine lines. The routes of this layer will emphasize more on
serving shorter distance travel demands within the city.
Rapid Transit Plan Overlapping Rapid Transit Plan Overlapping Rapid Transit Plan Overlapping Future Rapid Transit Plan Overlapping
Residential Population Density Employment Density Landuse Zoning Grocery Services
Residents Employees City Center Commercial 10min walkshed

per Hectare per Hectare Town Center Industrial 20min walkshed
Business Multiple Residential Grocery Store Location
0
-51
8
0
2
6-1
3-1
-13
Urban Suburban
11
11
The figures above4 shows that the three major rapid transit lines will run across the areas with high residential density. While the current employment density
along the LRT lines is relatively low because of the residential-dominate land use. In addition, many retail facilities are out of the service radius of the stops.
But additional routes in future development phase of the rapid transit system (highlighted by orange lines in the last figure) have been proposed. The complete
network will be able to service all parts of the Surrey urban area.
62
CITY FORM AND ENERGY USE:
TRANSPORTATION 6
TEAM MEMBER: LILIAN ZHANG
Street pattern and energy use Lower VKT is not the only advantage of the gridiron street network.
Street patterns have evolved since the early 1900s to adapt to automo- Research also indicates that the denser and better connected a travel
biles. The figure below shows the standard samples and characteristics network, the more likely it will be for people to walk. Thus, the traditional
of these patterns including gridiron, fragmented and warped parallel, grid pattern is more encouraging for walking.
loops and lollipops and cul-de-sacs. The traditional grid system allows
traffic to flow without inconvenience by providing many alternate routes.
Thus all trips are as short as possible. The dendritic system with cul-
de-sacs creates a stronger sense of residential privacy. In the system,
cars are allowed to flow easily on roads with less intersections. Howev-
er, less alternative routes are offered. Almost all trips are made longer,
leading to more energy use for driving.5
Figure above6: The geometry of the street system is adapted to the automo-
bile, evolving from gridiron to cul-de-sacs with less intersection and access
point. Figure Above9: Walking Mode/Distance Share and Street Pattern. The study
shows that in grid street pattern, people are more willing to travel on foot and
Example of
Example of gridion Warped parallel they intent to walk farther than in the loop and cul-de-sac pattern.
In Surrey, all of these five street patterns can co-exist. For new
developments, the gridiron pattern should be encouraged. For the existing
Example of Example of areas, especially the large blocks with some characteristics of the loop
Loops & Lollipops
Fragmented Parallel and cul-de-sacs pattern, converting the cul-de-sacs end to accesses
linking to the roads or constructing more pedestrian-friendly inter-
block road section with sidewalk may be economically reasonable
improvement strategies.
Example of
Cul-de-sacs
REFERENCE
1. 2. 3. The City of Surrey, Community Energy & Emissions Plan, Nov. 2013. P58, 62, 40
4. Basemap: Community Energy & Emissions Plan
5. Lawrence Frank & Chris Hawkins, Fused Grid Assessment: Travel and Environmental
Impacts of Contrasting Pedestrian and Vehicular Connectivity.
6. M. Southworth, Evolution of Street Patterns Since 1900 Showing Gradual Adaptation
Figure above7: Street Pattern Distribution Map of Surrey shows all of the five to Cars,1997.
kinds of street patterns co-exist in the city. The city center and some new 7. Basemap: Google Earth
communities in Clayton, Cloverdale is covered with the most energy-saving 8. 9. Chris Hawkins, Assessing the Fused Grid Residential Street Design
grid pattern. While in the southern area, loops and cul-de-sacs are more
common.
63
6 Transportation
Sustainable Street Network in figure 1 there is a large-scale grid street pattern, but it definitely
Although streets are the most important element of road infrastructure, needs to be improved to become a more interconnected network.
having a sustainable road designs remains the key challenge for the city For instance, the main arterial roads, which are illustrated in purple,
of Surrey. Streets and corridors are not only for cars and movement, but are more interconnected, but the collector roads, which are shown in
also serve as infrastructure for the city. To be sustainable, streets must green, are not a complete network and need to be enhanced and con-
be efficient and durable, while creating minimal impacts on the environ- nected to each other. Figure 2 illustrates the existing bicycle network
ment. An interconnected street system is vital for having sustainable within the city and the potential for enhancement of this system. The
streets in Surrey. Major advantages of the interconnected system are: roads in red are considered for these modifications. As we can clearly
see, some roads need to be extended in order to link with others. The
being able to make all trips as short as possible, allowing pedestrians
completed street network will provide more efficient traffic circulation,
and bikes to flow through the system without inconveniences, and re-
and will help create smaller blocks by designing more cross-sections
lieving congestion by providing alternate routes to the same destination.
to increase mobility for residents and minimize the use of vehicles.
Surrey requires a more complete network of streets, which would
provide more possibilities for walking, biking and transit. As shown
Arterial Road Existing bike route

Collector Road Potential for new bike routes
Provincial or Translink highway
Figure1. Existing rode classification Figure2. Existing bike rout and creating connection in bicycle network
Map resource: www.surrey.ca/transportation Map resource: www.surrey.ca/transportation
64
Transportation
6
Team member: Nastaran E.Beigi
Sustainable Green Infrastructure In Surrey, an interconnected street network should be provided in a grid
Furthermore, the transportation system is fundamentally linked with or modified grid pattern. We need narrow streets shaded by rows of
nature, and there is a need for a linked system of natural areas and trees in order to lower costs and to provide a greener, friendlier en-
parks in the city. As Patrick Condon mentions in his book, “keeping our vironment. We need to preserve the environment and promote natu-
water clean and our streams and rivers healthy requires a rethinking of ral drainage systems. We should transform cul-de-sacs and dendritic
urban drainage systems and stream protection policies. Maintaining the streets into an interconnected grid system to encourage walkability and
integrity of these systems must be a first design move when planning a multimodal transportation system (figure 4). We also need to design
new communities” (2008.p131). These structures must form the public green roofs, and a dense urban forest canopy to reduce the urban heat
space framework of new and restored communities. As shown in figure island effect. Finally, we should have developments at key locations
3, in Surrey we need an integrated natural system to reduce infrastruc- along major transit corridors to ensure that neighbourhoods are con-
ture costs and negative environmental impacts. Fortunately, there are nected to these areas by a network of local streets, sidewalks, pathways
a lot of positive potentials in green areas of Surrey, but they need to and trails.
be better connected with one another in a coherent framework. Green
spaces provide recreation opportunities and help connect people with
nature.
Figure 4. Cul-de-sacs and Dendritic

Pattern
The first layout is an example of
cul-de-sac and dendritic street sys-
tem and the second layout shows
strategies for creating pedestrian
and biking connections within exist-
ing residential neighbourhoods.
References:
Condon, Patrick M. Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities: Design Strategies for the
Post-carbon World. Washington [D.C.: Island, 2010. Print.
City of Surrey. Sensitive Urban Infill Charrette Report: School of Architecture and Land-
scape Architecture. The University of British Columbia Figure 3. Green infrastructure network in the city of Surrey
The City of Surrey. Transportation. www.surrey.ca/transportation Map resource: www.surrey.ca/
65
6 Transportation
Surrey’s roads are the largest open public spaces in the city. The road
network allows people and goods to travel within and through the city
and accommodates the utilities needed to service Surrey. Road func- Fig 1.Surrey City Centre Road
Network Concept
tions provide the basis for their classification. The roads which form
Surrey’s network can be categorized in 3 types: arterial roads, collector
roads and local roads. Fig 1 shows the road hierarchy in Surrey City
Centre.
Based on the conditions of existing roads, the City of Surrey is planning
to create standard road cross sections. The city-approved sections are
showing in Figure 2,3, and 4. Considering future demands, experts indi-
cate amendments to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety and comfort,
drainage, tree growth, and support for transit-oriented land uses. Their
suggestions are conveyed by the proposed sections in Fig 2, 5, and 6.
Arterial roads
Arterial roads are high-capacity urban roads. Their function is to pro-
vide access to major centers of population and facilitate longer-distance
movements that occur between those areas, including through traffic.
Compared with the existing road, the approved arterial road is planned
to have bike lanes, landscape medians, and grass boulevards with
street trees. The proposed section suggests 6 lanes on arterial roads,
and the construction of infiltration zones under boulevards and pedestri-
an ways (Fig 2). Bicycling on sidewalks is a practice that is employed in
Europe and attracts less experienced riders to use their bikes. Pervious
pavement is designed to allow percolation and infiltration of storm water
through the surface into the soil below. In this process, the water is
naturally filtered and pollutants are removed.
Fig 2.Sections of 4-lane arterial road
Left
Fig 3.Bike path in Budapest
Right
Fig 4.Pervious pavement
66
Transportation
6
Team member: Siyuan Zhao
Collector roads
Collector roads are low-to-moderate-capacity roads, which help move
traffic from local streets onto arterial roads. It distributes traffic in and
around local towns and settlements.
Collector roads have been approved
to include bike lanes, sidewalks,
grass boulevards with street trees,
and parking on at least one side of
the road. The experts also suggest
adding landscaped medians on col-
lector roads. These increase infiltra-
tion and groundwater recharge, and
reduce the total volume of storm wa-
Fig 5. Sections of collector road ter runoff. They can also be aesthetic
parts of the urban landscape and can Fig 7. Landscape medi-
improve local biodiversity (Fig 5). ans in King of Prussia
Local roads
Local roads have the lowest speed limit, and carry low volumes of traf-
fic. They provide direct access to buildings and adjoining land. These
roads connect small communities and link traffic to the collector road
network. New local roads are planned to ultimately have sidewalks, two-
way travel and parking on at least one side of the road (Fig 6).
Conclusion
The City of Surrey should place bike paths near sidewalks to increase
the safety factor for both drivers and pedestrians. In order to enhance
storm water infiltration, roads should include landscape medians and
grass boulevards. Additionally, existing impervious pavement should be
Fig 6.Sections of local road replaced with pervious paving. Adding a street parking lane is very con-
venient for local shoppers. Widening sidewalks can increase space for
parcel utilites and enhance the pedestrian realm.
References:
Condon, Patrick M. Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities: Design Strategies for the
Post-carbon World. Washington [D.C.: Island, 2010. Print.
City of Surrey. Sensitive Urban Infill Charrette Report: School of Architecture and Land-
scape Architecture. The University of British Columbia
The City of Surrey. Transportation. www.surrey.ca/transportation
67
7 CITY FORM AND SENSE OF PLACE
Phenomenology of Surrey
In order to understand how to experience a place beyond its functional
aspects, it is necessary to understand its phenomenology of place. In
his book, Genius Loci: Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture, Nor-
berg-Schulz defines a city’s phenomenology of place as its urban fabric,
which comprises buildings, streets, public squares and parks. These el-
ements combine the man-made and natural environments and encom-
pass all that we experience daily in an urban setting. Norberg-Schulz
also suggests that it is a discipline of phenomenology that studies things
as we experience them in our “lived” world.
For man to truly belong to a place, Norberg-Schulz (1980, p.19) states
that the two psychological functions involved may be called “orientation”
and “identification”. To gain an existential foothold, man has to be able
to orient himself- he has to know where he is. But he also has to identify
himself with the environment, that is, he has to know how he is in a
certain place. Fig 1. The graphic shows the orientation of Surrey and its surrounding landscape.
The Cascade Mountains, North-Shore Mountains, Fraser River and Pacific Ocean are
A system of orientation that has good spatial structures is essential for a elements which create a distinct sense of place in Surrey’s landscape.
city. The relationship between paths, edges, districts, nodes, and land-
marks creates, as Lynch (1960, p.4) writes, a good environmental im-
It is important to understand how a place and its surroundings affect
age, which gives its possessor an important sense of emotional security.
people. In Surrey, for instance, rivers and ocean are clearly differentiat-
He can establish a harmonious relationship between himself and the
ed from the flat land giving the landscape a distinct characteristic of its
outside world. Benjamin Forgey in Shirlington, Main Street Revisited,
scenery (Fig 1.). The direction in which we view different landscapes,
similarly states that a place should reflect “a strong feeling of location”.
such as mountains, water, and agricultural lands also changes across
the city panorama. This characteristic creates fundamental views and
gives us a strong and memorable sense of the location.
Fraser River, Mount Baker (Fig 6.), and the North Shore Mountains (Fig
3.) are distinct landmarks visible from Surrey. Notably, they are also
considered as vital elements for orienting oneself in the city.
The islands in the middle of Fraser River are also unique (Fig 4.). Beau-
tiful lakes, creeks and brooks within the city also contribute to Surrey’s
sense of place (Fig 5.). Although Surrey is known as a flat landscape,
there are some places in south and north Surrey which have high
slopes creating vantage points that allow people to understand their
location in the region.
68
CITY FORM AND SENSE OF PLACE 7
Surrey also has a long history in small industrial sectors such as saw- Although, Surrey has many appealing characteristics in its larger land-
mills, shingle mills, and long booms on Fraser river that provide a scape, the sense of place however diminishes in the dull suburban au-
memorable and distinctive image of the city (Fig 5). Another feature in to-oriented fabric (Fig 9.). Monotonous developments in super blocks,
defining Surrey as a place is its agricultural land- one of the historical with the presence of big-box stores and over sized suburban boulevards
characteristics of the place. Fall Pumpkin Harvest, Red blueberries, and have created an unpleasant scenario. The growth of mass produced
Christmas trees all make it a unique and beautiful place for people (Fig suburban communities has threatened not only the physical landscape,
8). Surrey’s agricultural landscape changes its appearances during the but has also undermined the tradition of civic activism, social cooper-
different seasons. “The day and the changing of the seasons are things ation, and cultural creativity. As a result, people in Surrey experience
that we experience every day; however, they are landscapes where difficulty embracing the existing character and identities of these areas
the natural phenomena are particular spectacular,” says Schulz (1980, (Fig 1.0).
p.19). These landscape elements locate people and instills spiritual To conclude, there is a need to foster a positive and distinctive sense
vibes for the place and location in Surrey. of place in Surrey. This requires designing public places, street markets
and comfortable places to lounge and enjoy. Also, changing the housing
1 2 typology and building more diverse and dense developments will be ef-
fective. Walkable urban thoroughfares and small human-scaled blocks
can attract pedestrians and generate a sense of belongingness, create
vitality, and preserve the heritage.
References:
Forgey, Benjamin.“ In Shirlington,Main Street Revisited” Washington Post 11.01.1986:
Fig 3.: View of North Shore Moun- Fig 4.: Barnston island Page 3
tains from Surrey Centre Cemetery Norberg-Schulz, Christian. Genius Loci: towards a phenomenology of architecture. New
York: Rizzoli International Publications, Inc., 1980.
3 Condon, Patrick. A Built Landscape Typology: the language of the land we live in.
2 Chapter 4.
Pictures Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos.Surrey B.C.Oct 2014
3 4 5
1
4
Fig 5.: Long booms on Fraser river Fig 6: Mount Baker from Fraser Hwy Fig 7.: Surrey Lake Park
6
5 6
Fig 2. The map shows some elements in the city that create Fig 8.: Bose Farm, Surrey 64th Fig 9.: Partial view of Surrey suburban Fig 1.0: Suburban neighbourhood
sense of place. Avenue development in Surrey
69
Comparing an Exchange & Mobility City Exchange Cities also boast numerous amenities that facilitate greater
The sense of place within a city connects itself to its residents through social engagement. Accordingly, a 1.6 km-long stretch along the King
multiple elements. This chapter discusses two concepts - that of the George Blvd was analyzed using factors such as the existing condi-
Mobility City and the Exchange City, each defined within the context of tion of sidewalks, traffic conditions, public amenities and building typol-
mode of flux of people through an area and ease of interaction. The City ogy. These are detailed in the schematic below. In addition, being a
of Surrey is categorized as a Mobility City since its inadequate public high-volume traffic corridor, it is very clear that King George Blvd is an
transportation infrastructure forces people to rely on private transpor- auto-dominated Mobility City. Possible design solutions to transform this
tation. In contrast, an Exchange City is typically pedestrian-friendly and area into an Exchange city are discussed ensuingly.
offers excellent options for public transportation [1].
Fig 3.: Plan Of King George Blvd. 2
Fig 4.: Public Amenities

Besides schools and parks, amenities such as
Fig 1.: Sidewalks Conditions community and childcare centres are not within
Ample parking in front of businesses is the hallmark walking distance (usually 400 m). This increases
of an automobile-centric area. A lack of street furni- car ownership per family and cements a strong
ture and trees, and narrow and disjointed pathways auto-dominant image.
greatly diminishes the attractiveness of walking.
Fig 5.: Typology & Use

Fig 2.: Traffic Conditions
Most buildings in the area are 1 to 2 storey com-
6 car lanes with no median trees and deep front
mercial buildings, big-box stores, food outlets and
setbacks contribute to high driving speeds. The
gas stations. Single family housing is common. The
average block length ranges between 380 m and
area is a mix of industrial and residential units. Most
790 m. However, the complete absence of midblock
of the people employed here commute here by car
crossings causes a high number of pedestrian
from other parts of the city.
crossing accidents.
Residential Commercial
Industries School & Community
Centre
70
Team Member: Manali Yadav
Design Considerations for an Exchange City Fig 8. Proposed Light Rail Transit
By introducing public transportation
A fine grain street network along King George Blvd will ensure short modes such as LRT that connect
walking distances to transit nodes, whereas mid-block crossings will remote parts of Surrey with the city
centre, reliance on the automobile
aid in deccelerating vehicular speeds. The introduction of connecting could be greatly reduced. Creating
greenways and trails is also proposed. These amenities will provide res- public realms around rail stations
idents with walking and biking options. Additionally, at least 2.5 m wide will also speed the transformation
[6].
sidewalks should also be provisioned to accommodate pedestrians with
strollers, wheelchairs and other walking aids [3]. The accompanying im-
ages on this page detail some of the prescribed design elements to
transform King George Blvd into an Exchange City.
Fig 9. Proposed mixed use
development
Higher density and mixed used
buildings that are 1 to 4 storeys
high can boost the socio-economic
vibrancy of its area. Ground-level
commercial spaces will also prove
to be beneficial by engaging the lo-
cal talent and providing employment
opportunities.
Fig 6. Proposed Multi-Way Boulevard [4]

By separating heavy throughfare traffic from local access lanes, multi-way boulevards
convert mundane and high-speed traffic corridors into safe, pedestrian-friendly roads Related strategies for improving the ambience of the locality include
that can also be used as mixed used environments. The median trees separate the relocation of surface parking for big-box stores, providing landscaped
traffic and pedestrian realms in an aesthetically and psychologically pleasing manner.
areas, creating plazas at the street level, and seamlessly connecting
streets. However, the metamorphosis of a Mobility City into an Ex-
change City is acutely contingent on development of a rapid transit cor-
ridor and ancillary infrastructure. These elements will contribute towards
developing a better sense of place within the city of Surrey.
References:
1) A Convenience Truth- A Sustainable Vancouver By 2050. “4 concepts and their
synthesis”. 12 Oct 2014
2) City of Surrey. “Cosmos“ http://cosmos.surrey.ca/external/. 2014 Web. 11 Oct 2014
3) Institute of Transportation Engineers. “Throughfare Designs for Walkable Urban
Fig 7. Activating the Sidewalks
Design.” http://www.ite.org/css/online/DWUT06.html. 2010 Web. 11 Oct 2014
Customised street furniture and sidewalks provide a platform for generating and cap-
4) Natco.org. “Urban street design guide”. http://nacto.org/usdg/streets/boulevard/. 12
turing value by making the sidewalks lively, and interaction-friendly. On-street parking &
Oct 2014
trees can also reduce noise levels and deccelerate traffic. Side curbs with 4m radii are
5) James Taylor Chair in Landscape and Livable Environment. “Transportation and
recommended since these have been shown to lead to deccelerated traffic [5].
Community Design: the Effects of Land Use, Density and Street Pattern on Travel
Behaviour”. http://www.jtc.sala.ubc.ca/bulletins/TB_issue_11_Transportation_edit.pdf.
2001 Web. 12 Oct 2014
6) City of Surrey. “Newton Town Centre Land Use, Urban Design & Transportation
Study-Stage 1 Land Use Concept Plan and “TownShift” http://www.surrey.ca/bylawsand-
councillibrary/R093-7163.pdf. 2010 Web. 13 Oct 2014
71
Phenomenology in Surrey White Rock’s Waterfront - Marine Drive

Phenomenology is the study of how humans perceive and experience The design of the Marine Drive corridor is sensitive to its stunning nat-
a place (Seamon 158). Views and orientation to the surrounding natural ural surroundings. The street is only built up on one side to take ad-
and historical context help users better understand a site. Scale also vantage of the coastal views, and the commercial spaces open up to
plays a part in changing the perspective of the human user within a the pedestrian realm of the street. Unfortunately, a large portion of the
place. Analyzing the phenomenology of existing commercial corridors coastal side of Marine Drive is allocated for surface parking lots, physi-
and community nodes in Surrey’s urban landscape provides insight for cally separating the commercial corridor from the public waterfront walk.
moving into the design process, especially for new mixed-use transit
corridors.
The White Rock Promenade along Semiahmoo Bay is designed to al-
low people to engage with the waterfront and historic rail line. When
Phenomenology of Surrey’s Commercial Corridors walking the path, people are standing right on the edge of the country
While many Surrey streets lack unique character, some commercial cor- with a sense of their place in the world. The waterfront design creates
ridors in the area have clearly defined and well oriented public realms an example on how to take advantage of natural features in the city of
designed at the human scale. The experience of walking these streets Surrey.
is enhanced by unifying elements along them, design features that help
connect buildings to the street, and natural views.
This view of Marine The White Rock
Drive shows the scale Promenade successfully
and permeability of draws people’s attention
commercial spaces. The to their surrounding
restaurants here are natural and historical
open to the street with environment through the
awnings at eye-level. integration of the walking
path along the railway
corridor, and the water’s
edge.
Martin
Elm
Vida
l
St.
St.
St.
Marine Dr.
N
Map of Marine Drive, Pedestrian Promenade Commercial/Mixed Use Beach Railroad
White Rock Parking Residential Green Space
72
TEAM MEMBER: SIMONE LEVY
Phenomenology of Surrey’s Community Nodes Surrey City Centre Plaza is a place in transition with a design that opens
Surrey has a variety of community nodes that allow for a range of ex- up the civic buildings to the public realm. Connecting the Plaza to the
periences. These spaces include commercial centres, parks, culturally school, mall, and park will link local resources in the neighbourhood and
diverse areas, and urban-focused zones. As in the case of commercial provide people with a more visible relationship to their surroundings.
corridors, successful nodes orient users and provide them with an at-
tractive and flexible place to spend time. Conclusion
When designing future transit corridors in Surrey it is important to con-
Surrey City Centre sider how users will experience these new places. The design of exist-
The City of Surrey is working to make the new City Centre its civic heart, ing commercial streets and community nodes can provide suggestions
combining public buildings and open space within a denser mixed-use for creating successful spaces that balance complexity and continuity
fabric to establish a highly urbanized sense of place. The area to the while celebrating their place within the natural, historical, and cultural
east of the newly constructed Plaza sees heavy use from Skytrain and context of the city. It is especially important to consider phenomenology
local buses. To the south are the popular Central City Shopping Centre, and sense of place in situations where new development neighbours
the SFU campus, and the large Holland Park. Surrey City Centre still unique natural systems and historic agricultural land.
has an incomplete feeling, with poor connectivity between civic spaces,
but the future of the site is promising as a central hub for locals and
visitors.
104th Ave.
City Hall
Future
Surrey City Centre Plaza, looking south. The Library is on the right. This space is meant
Univ
to be flexible and host community functions such as the Summer Farmers’ Market.
ersit
y Dr
.
SKYTRAIN
Future
Library
N
103rd Ave.
Shopping
Centre, &
Holland
Looking out onto the Plaza from inside City Hall. This view shows the transparency of
SFU,
Park
Surrey’s City Hall, and the continuation of the ground plane design inside and outside
the building.
References
Seamon, David. “A Way of Seeing People and Place: Phenomenology in Environ-
Surrey City Centre Plaza Plan View showing layout and surrounding uses. ment-Behavior Research.” Theoretical Perspectives in Environment-behavior Research.
Ed. Seymour Wapner, Jack Demick, and Takiji Yamamoto. New York: Plenum, 2000.
73
Place Attachment
A place is defined as a combination of natural and cultural features in
a location that contributes to its “sense of place” [1]. Similarly, place
attachment is defined as the emotional bonds between people and a
place” [2]. Memories combine sensations and perceptions to create im-
ages of a place [2]. Over time, memories allow an individual to develop
feelings of familiarity that comprise a sense of attachment to a place.
The emotional connection is coming from two sides: a “memorable” and
“distinctive” nature of a location [1]. Combining memories with distinc-
tive places creates the best “sense of place”.
A. Memorable places:
Memorable places are intimately connected to the psychology of a user,
and memorability strongly correlates with the intensity of social memo-
ries of the place. Williams opines that attachment is strongly associated
with familiarity and extent of contact with a place [3].
It is evident that older places become more layered with human history
and experiences, as the richness of heritage consists of past stories
that lend to the history of the place. The signal received from historical
elements evokes pleasant feelings that generate a great degree of at- Semiahmoo Trail -the first pioneer’s route is preserved in some areas
tachment.
B. Distinctive places:
Surrey has multiple layers of historical settlements. The first human ac- Place is more than just a location on a map. A sense of place is a
tivities identified consist mostly of farming, dike construction, the dairy unique collection of qualities and characteristics – cultural, visual and
lands on the lowland, and the green houses in South Surrey. Prominent environmental – that provide identity to a location.
layers of early human development include: Studies often connect distinctive places with either natural beauty or
• Pioneer routes of Semiahmoo Trail and Old Yale Road cultural characteristics such as civic amenities, social opportunities
and the city’s openness to all people [2].
• The grid of rural roads and subdivision of parcels
Surrey is full of natural beauty, including a landscape teeming with
• Railways forests and the creeks. At the same time, Surrey is high in cultural
• Cross-roads villages (Cloverdale, Whalley’s Corner) diversity, and open to new visitors. Preserving the city’s natural
riches and coupling them with responsible development of the
• Beach resorts (Crescent Beach, White Rock) urbanscape will preserve the identity of the city and project the city’s
character throughout the urbanscape. Central to this aim is the ability
to distinguish different parts of the cities through the incorporation of
neighborhood landmarks. These measures enhance the distinctive-
ness and attachment to the city.
74
How urban designers keep and generate distinctive • Re-inventing new types and elements that convey a story and
and memorable places: also reflect the current trends of that place [1]- The stories of the
According to Don Luymes, preserving includes a number of strate- past integrate with stories of the current era, which in turn casts
gies [1]: an identity of the places that people admire.
• Preserving and reinforcing the old characters while revealing the
hidden elements
Brown Family Barn embodies the past history of the activities and people from 1880 in
Surrey
• Re-interpreting the old features / methodologies in a new way.

Art conveys the stories of the past and reflects the new cultural
ideology, such as openness to different cultures and freedom of
Re-inventing the old way of wood construction to convey a story about our time -
expression.
SFU Surrey
Re-inventing new elements that conveys our story and reflects the current trend -
SFU Surrey
The Meadowridge farm and barn has retained few important elements from the past. The References:
new design is layered with the old ones to create a richer experience. 1- Luymes, Don, Sense of Place in the City of Surrey, 2014, from a presentation at the
City of Surrey.
2- McMahon, Edward T, The Distinctive City, April 2012, the magazine of the Urban Land
Institute.
3- Williams and Vaske, The Measurement of Place Attachment: Validity and Generaliza-
bility of a Psychometric Approach, Dec 2003, Society of American Foresters,p. 830-840
75
Place and Urban Space We can classify volumetric spaces into three types:
Spatial containment greatly influences our experiences of place. Urban • Cultural volumetric spaces are formed by the buildings surrounding
spaces provide locations for recreation, which adds beauty and delight it. These buildings act like boundaries and eventually become sub-
to the neighborhoods. Urban spaces consist of parks, green spaces, ordinate to the spaces they enclose.
and piazzas. Patrick Condon classifies urban space in two categories: • Environmental volumetric spaces are areas created by the natural
cubist and volumetric [1]. Cubist spaces are contemporary spaces that formation of trees, water, and/or the contours of the site.
are made by placing objects in a vast open area. While cubist spaces,
such as Holland Park (Fig 1), can host ethnocentric and multicultural • Cultural-environmental volumetric spaces are a mix of the two
events, they often lack sense of space. Volumetric spaces, on the other aforementioned types.
hand, are historic spaces that are made by enclosing an area between
objects such as buildings, trees, and contoured levels. The Rink at Volumetric Spaces in Surrey
Rockefeller Centre in Manhattan (Fig 2) is an example of such a space.
The City of Surrey lacks volumetric spaces. It is observed that most
Volumetric space provides a meaningful sense of place to the area, and
of the spaces between the clustered buildings are parking lots, never-
greatly enhances the experiences of residents.
theless, the city could implement new designs to address this shortcom-
ing. Examples for intervention include:
1. The Central City Plaza in Whalley is a cultural volumetric space that
is similar to historic piazzas. It acts as a gathering space for the com-
munity and the city, and will eventually become the heart of Surrey. The
existing stairs, shown in the right panel of Fig 3, can be interpreted as
an icon, giving a stronger sense of place to the area.
Fig 1. The Holland Park in Surrey City Fig 2. The Rink at Rockefeller Centre,
Centre, BC. [4] Manhattan, New York. [5]
Volumetric Space
Despite their importance to the urban fabric, volumetric spaces can be
as large as an outdoor room or as small as a closet. We create these
Fig 3. Central City Plaza. Photo by Haneen Abdulsamad
spaces seeking human-nature linkages [2]. It is a place where people
gather to foster a positive relationship between humans and natural
landscapes. Each space has its own character and identity, just like City Hall City Hall
Expansion
individual residents. To showcase this identity, it is best to accentuate
a volumetric space with a distinct artistic icon. This creates a unique
sense of space that can hardly be experienced anywhere else, as it give
people an undoubted feeling about arriving into the heart of a place. Future
Mixed
Furthermore, these spaces satisfy both the ability to discern and the Use
desire to be unnoticed. We like to relax in places with pleasant scenery Library
and quality of space. Hence the in between space is avoided according
to “prospect refuge theory” [3].
Fig 4. Central City Plaza, top view showing the volumetric spaces [6]
76
TEAM MEMBER: HANEEN ABDULSAMAD
2. Notably, the wide sidewalks in south Surrey is seen near the entry
point of White Rock area. It comprises of benches and trees on one
side complemented by two-storey buildings on the other side, forming
a Cultural-Environmental Volumetric Space. Even the placement of
parking stalls as seen in Fig 5, offers ample movement space for the
pedestrians away from the traffic flow. This creates a safe and secure
enclosure. It also shows that Surrey is devoting a considerate space for Fig 7. Newton Community Centre. Photo Fig 8. Top View illustrating the volumetric
by Haneen Abdulsamad. space formed.
the public realm. Commonly, such sidewalks are suitable for residential
streets as against the main arterials. Such sidewalks also humanize the
4. The Serpentine Creek Trail is an example of an Environmental Vol-
streetscape.
umetric Space. The enclosure is created by trees and shrubs on both
sides, with a few view corridors along the trail opening up to a wider
volumetric space. Such a space is formed by the varying contours, wa-
ter feature and dense trees around the periphery of lake. Additionally,
the trails across the park offers a chance to indulge with the wilderness.
Fig 5. Johnston Road Sidewalk, South Surrey. Photo by Haneen Abdulsamad.
Fig 9. Serpentine Creek Fig 10. Section Sketch illustrating the intersecting volu-
Trail. Photo by Haneen metric spaces formed by trees, water and contours
Abdulsamad.
Conclusion
Volumetric space can be used to intentionally design areas that serve a
purpose. They create space for gatherings at the heart of a city or small
refuge areas in the metropolitan cities. Such volumetric space helps
to improve the quality of life. Hence, by promoting such interventions
Surrey can enhance its public spaces.
Fig 6. Sketch illustrating the Volumetric Space created on side walks and how trees acts
as a wall and also a roof.
Citation:
3. The Newton community center area consists of a pre-existing cluster 1- Michael Condon, Patrick. “Cubist Space, Volumetric Space, and Landscape Architec-
ture.” Landscape Journal vol. 7 no.1 (1988): 1-14.
of trees with buildings around the periphery, and is referred as a Cul- 2- Paterson, Doug. “Sense of Place in Surrey.” Regional Scale Urban Design/University
tural-Environmental volumetric space. Preserving such natural forest of British Columbia. Macmillan 394, Vancouver. 7 Oct. 2014. Class Lecture.
between buildings develops a sense of closure and contentment, and 3- Appleton, Jay. The Experience of Landscape. New York, John Wiley and Sons, 1975.
4- “Living Car Free in Surrey”. Metro604.com. 2013. Web. 10 Oct. 2014.
it promotes easy and enjoyable public access between surrounding ar- 5- “11 Top Ice Skating Rinks in New York City.” Newyork.com. 2014. Web. 10 Oct. 2014.
eas. (See Figs 7 & 8) 6- “New Renderings of Civic Center Project.” Metro604.com. 2013. Web. 10 Oct. 2014.
77
Place and Lifestyle Strategies: Re-valuing place

Place and lifestyle refer to the combination of natural and cultural fea- SFU Campus: connecting former function and conveying a new story
tures that contribute to a location’s sense of place (Paterson, Doug, SFU’s campus in Surrey is situated in a dense urban core, and formerly
2014). Lifestyle describes the typical ways of life of individuals, groups the site of a public market. In light of the interesting history of the locale,
and cultures, and is connected to a neighborhood’s sense of place the designers working on regeneration of this space tried to retain its
through social interactions. Different senses of place create different historical features but re-inventing these spaces into large, multi-func-
lifestyles. For example, rural environments offer different lifestyles com- tional usage points. These sites now tightly integrate SFU’s buildings
pared to urban areas. with a civic plaza and a shopping mall (Fig 1), these interventions have
In the late 1960s, William H. Whyte researched the effectiveness and significantly improved the mixed-use area by making it more livable and
utility of urban public spaces such as plazas, playgrounds and parks by walkable.
studying these spaces. He concluded that good, new spaces build new
constituencies and that the sense of place stimulates people to develop
new habits.
There are a number of factors that influence a person’s urban lifestyle.
These include building form and use, spatial scale, civic and social
needs, and cultural diversity. Moreover, different senses of place stim-
ulate different lifestyles in the urban realm. In Surrey, the three most
significant factors that influence lifestyle are: (1) cultural diversity, (2) The Site of SFU Campus, 2000
multi-functional use and development, and (3) availability of modern
technologies and ideas. Similarly, urban spaces in Surrey have been
observed to: (1) inculcate a healthy lifestyle by providing ready access
to urban forests, parks and greenways; and (2) enhance human interac-
tion in culturally diverse public spaces or civic plazas. Three strategies
have been extensively used in Surrey to form a more liveable, walkable
The Site of SFU Campus, 2013
and efficient urban environment: Fig 1. The Comparison SFU Campus site between 2000 and 2013, we can conclude
1)Re-valuing place: SFU Campus - connecting former function and that multi-functional use and development of SFU Campus created an integrated urban
environment and urban lifestyle. Source:http://people.math.sfu.ca
telling a new story; and Central Library-transformation from old to new.
Strategies: Re-valuing place
2)Re-inforcing place: Guru Nanak Temple - creating an identity and a
new lifestyle. Central Library-transformation from old to new
3)Re-interpreting place: Surrey Central Business Park-organic space As mentioned before, Surrey has a large proportion of immigrants from
integrated into people’s life. different countries. Cultural diversity within the population has created
an interesting and unique lifestyle in the region. New immigrants can
learn the English language through various educational programs of-
fered by the public library.
Central Cafe
The Central Library in Surrey also has a ‘Cafe Central’
on the ground floor. This public space welcomes
people from diverse backgrounds and the adjoining
lounge space can foster greater social engagement.
78
Team member: Xinyun Li
Such public spaces are multi-functional and equipped with modern Strategies: Reinforcing identity
technologies. The library provides a public space that promotes intellec- Guru Nanak Temple: creating a place and lifestyle
tual exchange, inspires creativity and innovation through art programs.
Hence, acting as an engaging and welcoming spaces for all. The city has a large Indo-Canadian immigrant population that is con-
centrated in North and Central Surrey. South Asian immigration seeks
Central Library uses modern technologies open to all the people. The new cultural practices and spaces to identity a cultural and religious
E-library provides over 3000 newspaper and magazines available so place in Surrey. Guru Nanak Temple was constructed in the heart of the
that residents can avail all the benefits in their leisure time. Accessibility city to perform religious ceremonies and also to encourage communi-
to such amenities is equally important and central to such community cation and social engagement within the greater community (Fig 3).
centers and plazas. For instance the Central library is in close prox-
imity to the Skytrain station. Additionally, in order to promote sustaina-
ble modes of transportation, the building is well equipped with shower
rooms for those who commute by bike. By providing such facilities peo-
ple can rely on sustainable modes such as bike and public transit to help
reduce dependence on private automobiles.
Fig 3. Guru Nanak Sikh Temple provide a religious and cultural place for Indians living
in Surrey to communicate and encourage youth to unite the community and to look after
Engaging community library network: Library Systems connect eight their seniors, children and families. Source:http://www.gurunanakgurdwara.ca
community libraries and central library together, engaging the commu-
nity with modern technologies people can easily access from home or
within your library to receive the information they need (Fig 2.)
Fig 4. Surrey Central Business park is located in an established business park node in
the Newton area.
Strategies: Re-interpreting place
Surrey Central Business Park: organic space integrating people.
Because of the diverse cultural population in Surrey, Surrey Central
Business Park has been designed to integrate the residential and work
place together. Our past history shows that people have been living
away from their work place. Remarkably, the South-Asian immigrants
tend to live together and work closer to their homes. Now-a-days, a
gradual change is evident in the land use plan as an effect of changing
lifestyle and cultural influences (Fig 4).
Fig 2. The Library system in Surrey includes City Centre Library, Cloverdale Library, Citation:
Fleetwood Library, Guildford Library, Newton Library, Ocean Park Library, Port Kells 1.Paterson, Doug. “Sense of Place in Surrey.” Regional Scale Urban Design/University
Library, and Strawberry Hill Library. It allows people to use it more flexibly than before. of British Columbia. Macmillan 394, Vancouver. 7 Oct. 2014. Class Lecture.
2.William H. Whyte, The life of plazas. Carmona, Urban Design Reader. GBR: Rout-
ledge, 2006.
3.http://www.surreylibraries.ca/
79
8 CITY FORM AND DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT
Changing Family Types

Surrey is among the youngest and most culturally diverse cities in Can-
ada. Over the past three decades, Surrey has witnessed unprecedent-
ed population growth. People from different parts of Canada and the
world, particularly South Asia, have immigrated to Surrey in large num-
bers. Over 468,000 people(2011 census) [1] currently reside in Surrey.
By 2046, 1 in 4 residents in Metro Vancouver will be living in Surrey [2].
The family size and type in Surrey is very different compared to other
parts of Metro Vancouver. Although youth account for over one-fourth of
the population of Surrey, the population trend as a whole is aging. Mar-
ried couples are more numerous than both common-law couples and
Fig 1. Marriage Statistics in the year 2010
single parents with two or more children (Fig. 1). Half of the residents
speak a language other than English at their home. Census family [3]
refers to “a married couple, a common-law couple or a lone parent fam-
ily”. Most census families have a maximum of four members. However,
Surrey has the second highest ratio of large families (defined as five
persons or more, Fig 2) in Metro Vancouver. For instance, in the village
of Anmore, large families constitute 11.6% of all families. The average
size of census family is 3.09. Additionally, nearly three-fourth of seniors
live in a census family or with relatives (Fig 3).
Fig 2. Family Size in Surrey’s Communities
References:
Fig 1,2,3,4: City of Surrey. “Families Fact Sheet”, http://www.surrey.ca/files/2006-Fami-
lies.pdf 03-05-2010. (web: 07 Oct. 2014)
Fig 5: The CityCacus, http://archive.citycaucus.com/2009/11/surreys-big-homes-issue-is-
a-real-test-of-watts-leadership 11-03-2009 (web: 14 Nov. 2014)
Fig 6: City of Surrey. “Households Fact Sheet”, http://www.surrey.ca/files/2006-House-
holds.pdf 10-15-2010. (web: 06 Oct. 2014)
Text: Lamontagne Jean. “Child and Youth Friendly City Strategy ” http://www.surrey.ca/
bylawsandcouncillibrary/CR_2012-R184.pdf 07-23-2012 (web: 09 Oct. 2014)
[1]Statistics: Statistics Canada. “ Families, household and housing” http://www5.statcan.
gc.ca/subject-sujet/theme-theme.action?pid=40000&lang=eng&more=0&MM 10-11-2014
(web: 11 Oct. 2014)
[2]Statistics: City of Surrey, “http://www.surrey.ca/business-economic-development/1418.
aspx” 12-2013 (web: 04 Dec. 2014)
[3]Census Family def: “http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/ref/dict/
fam004-eng.cfm” 2012-12-07 (web: 09 Oct. 2014) Fig 3. shows the Seniors’ Living Arrangement
80
CITY FORM AND DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT 8
Team Member: PRACHI DOSHI
The factors influencing theses demographic changes as follows:
1) Immigration- Surrey is attracting the immigrant population. Except
South Surrey and Cloverdale, all other communities are comprised of
greater than 40% immigrant population. Hence, immigrants from var-
ious countries like South Asia, China, and Korea reflect their cultural
values and family hierarchy.
2) Age- The percentage of Surrey residents aged 30 years and over
has risen from 54.7% of the total in 1991 to 59.6% in 2006. This share of
Fig 4. Family Structure and Family Size
population requires special attention towards senior citizens to address
their basic needs and assisted care.
3) Household size- Surrey has the highest amount of large household
size, nearly double than Metro-Vancouver. Newton has the highest pro-
portion of families with 6 or more persons (12.1%). So various housing
types are needed to fulfill all household size requirements.
4) Education- Residents trained in architecture and engineering con-
stituted the largest educational cohorts in the city, followed by business
– management and health – recreation (Pg. 2, “City of Surrey Educational
Fact Sheet”, 08 July ‘09). This indicates that various job opportunities
should be made accessible to all the people.
These factors affecting the changing trends are a driving force for the
future development in the city of Surrey. They are also discussed further
in following chapters. The major typology affected due to the changing
pattern is the type of housing. It needs to fulfill the demands of extended
family, multi-family and single-family housing. Increasing young popu-
Fig 5. A house with cars where multiple families and/or multiple generations reside
together lation and diverse culture makes Surrey a unique place with families
coming from all around the world. However, the urban sprawl needs
to fulfill all these changing demands. Surrey has to accommodate the
constant change in family types. The urban design plan for the future
of Surrey will influence the way people interact with one another and
rest of the city. Surrey’s changing family type is influenced by cultural
diversity of various immigrants. Hence, urban designers need to create
an unique experience that can create a successful sense of place for
these families to make them feel home.
Fig 6. Household Size
81
Age Distribution & Future Projections Age Groups & Neighbourhood Types
Surrey is often dubbed as the city for “the aging and the very young”1. Different neigbourhoods in Surrey tend to have different share of the
The latest national census data indicates that the city has a higher juvenille and elderly population. Fig 3 and 4 clearly show the uneven
share of seniors than ever. As illustrated in Fig 1., among the three age distribution: more children live in the north part of Surrey while most
groups (0-19, 20-64 and over 65 years old), the eldest group has risen senior residents settle in the south of the city, particularly the neighbour-
to 24.7% from 2006 to 2011. The aging population is a result of the baby hoods near White Rock.
boomers era, and the largest components of the population are entering
Children as a Share of the Population Seniors as a Share of the Population
their senior years2. At the same time, the number of children (under 14) 2006 2006
in Surrey has surged by roughly 9,000, giving the city by far the most
Guildford
children (over 89,000) of any B.C. municipality. It is worth noting that
the municipalities located on the main rapid transit lines saw a rise in City Centre City Centre
children population, while the population of children dropped rapidly in
many parts of the province,.3 Newton
Cloverdale
Age Group Distribution
1991-2011
0-19 20-64 65+
South Surrey
Fig 1. (on the left)4: The city
has a higher proportion of
seniors than ever. Among Over 20% 10% - 15% Over 20% 10% - 15%
the three age groups, the 15% - 20% Under 10% 15% - 20% Under 10%
eldest group has the greatest Fig 3.&4 (above)7: More children live in the north part of Surrey while more seniors settle
increase of 24.7% from 2006 in the south of the city, particularly the neighbourhoods near White Rock.
to 2011.
The city is anticipated to have an additional population of 250,000, being Both of the living center for the seniors have relatively smaller
distributed unevenly among all age groups in the next 20 years. It is ex- household size. This fact is closely related to the high percentage
pected that the growing elderly population will be ahead in the following of seniors living alone. On the contrary , in the neighbourhoods
two decades, followed by the children. “By 2036 seniors will comprise with higher share of children, the average household size is larger.
23% of the population share (up from 12% in 2006)”. Meanwhile, chil- Moreover, the seniors concentrated in the neighbourhoods are
dren will continue to make up a large segment of Surrey’s population dominated by detached houses.
(21% in 2036). In absolute numbers, there will be an additional 33,000
children.”5 (Fig 2.) Guildford
Age Distribution Project City Centre Household Size 2011

2006 2026 Above 3.6 2.2 - 3.0
2016 2036 3.0 - 3.6 Below 2.2
Newton
Fig 2. (on the left)6: The Cloverdale
additional population of Fig 5. (on the left)8: Both of the two
250,000 is expected to be living center areas for seniors have
distributed unevenly among relatively smaller household size. On
all age groups: the older South Surrey the contrary, in the neighbourhoods with
generation will have the higher share of children population, the
greatest increase, followed average household size is larger.
by the children under 14.
82
TEAM MEMBER: LILIAN zHANG
The neighbourhoods commonly chosen by families with children are Age-Friendly & Child-Friendly Communities
those with more dwelling options of ground oriented housing types Rapid growth of elderly and very young population will make it increas-
(single-detached and row house/apartment duplex). City Centre, with ingly challenging to balance government investment in education and
most amenities and dwelling type options is popular with both families with senior services.
children and senior members.
Although they have specific needs on services and housing, the juvenile
and the senior share similar demands for liveable environments. Ap-
propriate proportion of various dwelling types is a key element for any
Share of All Occupied Private Dwellings neighbourhood design. This is especially critical in the areas which have
2006 families with children or seniors, such as the neighbourhoods along Sur-
Apt.5 or more stories rey’s new transit corridor.
Apt. under 5 stories
Row house/Apt. duplex Furthermore, it is crucial to promote interaction between the seniors
Single-detached/Other
Fig 6. (on the left)9: The senior concen-
and the children with well layed-out public spaces and service facili-
trate in the neighbourhoods with most ties. Smart strategy to address the needs for “aging in place” in Surrey
detached houses. The communities should be applied, including creating accessible and safe environments
with more children are those with more
friendly to all generations, encouraging community diversity in terms
dwelling options of ground oriented
housing types. of age group and effectively utilizing community resources by sharing
analogous services for seniors and children.
Elderly Population & Needs for “Aging in Place”

South Surrey shares most of the public service facilities with White
Rock—one of the top five oldest communities in Canada. All across the
various municipalities of Metro Vancouver, seniors are most prevalent
in White Rock. Some remarkable facts about the seniors’ population
in Surrey/White Rock is highlighted as below (according to the census
2006)10:
• 2.9% of the seniors’ population were recent immigrants.
References
• 14.2% of the seniors knew neither English nor French. 1. The Canadian Press. “Canada has higher proportion of seniors than ever before.” cbc.
ca. CBC News, 29 May. 2012. Web. 12 Oct. 2014
• 16.1% of the seniors were considered low-income. 6.3% of the sen- 2. 10. 11. “Seniors in Surrey and White Rock An Overview of the Local Seniors’ Popula-
ior-led households and 34.8% senior unattached individual renters tion in Surrey and White Rock.” betterathome.ca. Better at Home and United Way, 2014.
spent at least half of their income on housing. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.
3. CBC News. “Aging B.C. communities have fewer children, census confirms.” cbc.ca.
• 22.8% seniors lived alone (Surrey: 20.7%; White Rock: 42.4%). CBC News, 29 May. 2012. Web. 12 Oct. 2014
42.8% of people over 85 lived alone. 4. “Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census: Census subdivision of Surrey, CY - British
Columbia” statcan.gc.ca. Statistics Canada, 17Apr. 2014. Web. 12 Oct. 2014; “Popula-
The facts above presents challenges that must be addressed for the tion Fact Sheet.” Surrey.ca. City of Surrey, 2014. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.
increasing needs of “aging in place”—from health care and assisted 5. “Population Fact Sheet.” Surrey.ca. City of Surrey, 2014. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.
6. “Official Community Plan 2010 Open House Display: Age Distribution” Surrey.ca. City
living to strengthen sense of belonging, as well as to augment housing of Surrey, 2010. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.
affordability, especially in South Surrey and White Rock where many 7. 8. 9. “Housing Fact Sheet.” Surrey.ca. City of Surrey, 2014. Web. 9 Oct. 2014; “Corpo-
wealthy communities are located. rate Report No.R254.” Surrey.ca. City of Surrey, 10 Dec. 2014. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.
83
Ethnocentric Surrey By 2011, minority groups contributed towards more than half of the total
Metro Vancouver has a largest share of immigrants that comprise of population of Surrey.
various religions, linguistic and cultural groups. According to 2011 Cen- The main reasons why Surrey attracts immigration is as follows:
sus data, the visible minority population of Surrey is around 243,760; 1. Surrey has rich farm-lands and forests that provides skilled immi-
equivalent to 52.6% of its total population. Statistics based on 2001, grants various job opportunities (Luymes 2014)
2006 and 2011 Census years are illustrated on the chart below (Fig
1). It indicates two facts - 1) It shows population of each ethnic group. 2. Land price is relatively cheaper than neighbouring cities
Currently, South Asian is the largest visible minority group in Surrey. In 3. Surrey has a good transportation facilities such as the SkyTrain and
2011, they were a total of 142,445 South Asian compared to 107,810 in highways connecting to Vancouver
2006. Chinese are the second largest group, which accounted for 28, 4. The rate of property tax and values are lower.
480 people in 2011. 2) It illustrates the trend of how fast each ethnic
groups have changed. Lamontagne (2013) reports that the top 5 fastest As a result, Surrey becomes an attractive bedroom community for the
growing ethnic groups in Surrey from 2006 to 2011 are Arab, Filipino, neighboring areas, like Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster.
Southeast Asian, Latin American, and Chinese (Fig 1). He finds that all Amongst the minorities, Asian have become the dominant group (Fig 2).
ethnic groups as a whole grew by 34.7 % between 2006 and 2011
Other
West Asian
Japanese
+80.9%, 2006-2011
Arab
2011
Mixed
+41.1%, 2006-2011 2006
Latin American
2001
Black
Korean
Aboriginal
Southeast Asian
+60.0%, 2006-2011
Filipino
+36.0%, 2006-2011
Chinese
+41.6%, 2006-2011
South Asian
0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000 120000 140000 150000

Fig 1. Visual Minority Population of 2001, 2006, and 2011 Census years. Data Source: Census 2001, Census 2006, and Census 2011.
84
TEAM MEMBER: CHEN FAN
South Asian
Vietnamese
Vietnamese
Chinese
Chinese
American
North
American
North
Surrey City Centre Chinese
SkyTrain Station
Philippine
North
American
Fig 3. An Asian dominated commercial area next to the Surrey City Centre SkyTrain
Station makes this area very multicultural.
Fig 4. Asian dominated commercial strip. Photography by Chen Fan
3. Immigrant families have different lifestyles and hence prefer to use

Southern Asia Southeastern Asia Eastern Asia Other Parts of Asia public spaces in a different way. Physical environments will have major
Africa Southern & Central Eurpoe Oceania USA positive or negative impact based on the everyday activity they perform.
American
Fig 2. Intensity of ethnic immigrants in Surrey. A dot represents 5 people.
The question remain on how to integrate these ethnic communities
Source: http://blogs.ubc.ca/maps/2013/01/03/immigrationclusters/ within the existing fabric. Although, Fig 2 illustrates a pattern of ethnic
segregation, there is also a mix of ethnic groups in each segregated
zone. Urban designers should respect the existing ethnic pattern in their
decision-making processes and also work towards restoring cultural di-
Cultural Consequences of current ethnic situations
versities with respect to housing type, public spaces and emphasis on
1. Surrey’s character is mostly influenced by immigration from Asia cit- creating a successful sense of place.
ies. Fig 3 and 4 illustrates the Asian-dominated commercial strip next to
References
the Surrey City Centre’s SkyTrain Station. The foreign (Mandarin,Kore- City of Surrey. “Community Demographic Profiles”. http://www.surrey.ca/business-eco-
an etc) signage and multi-cultural food stores represent a strong Asian nomic-development/1417.aspx. 2014. Web. November 2014.
culture. Allen, Kate. “Debate rages over Surrey ‘monster homes’”. http://www.theglobeandmail.
com/news/national/debate-rages-over-surrey-monster-homes/article4295171. Aug, 2012.
2. South Asian families in particular tend to have multiple generations Web. Nov, 2014.
Smith, Anthony. “From Where to Where: Immigration Clusters in Vancouver”. Blogs.ubc.
living at home (Allan 2012), hence larger houses are preferred by these ca. January 2013. Web. October 2014.
communities. However, there is a shift from single-family detached Don. “Place.” Lecture, University of British Columbia, Surrey, BC, October 9, 2014.
Lamontagne, Jean. Information from the 2011 Census. 2013
home to a denser, multi-family oriented built form.
85
Introduction: The dominance of single family housing as shown in (Fig 2) has the
Surrey is one of the fastest growing cities in Metro Vancouver, and is highest percentage among other housing types. This percentage is
considered as one of the main cities to accommodate a substantial fu- highest in Cloverdale at 78% and Fleetwood at 77%. In Newton, the
ture growth. Affordable housing has been reflected as one of the most tendency towards multi- family housing has recently increased.
important factors to attract an increasing population. The demographic
change in Surrey is taking place on account of immigration. The city at-
tracts more young families, first-time buyers, and lower-income renters.
Surrey’s home-ownership is possible for an average household income
group, as land prices are inexpensive as compared to other parts of
Metro Vancouver. Because of this the percentage of owned units are
three times more than rental ones. Surrey’s rental rate is at 25% lower
than the regional average of 35%.
Demographic change and dominance of housing ty-
pology:
1. Housing typology in Surrey has affected due to the increasing influx
of immigrants and their housing choices. The new immigrants in Surrey
are mostly from India and South Asia. Due to their cultural and ethnical
backgrounds they tend to live together preferring bigger homes. New-
ton town center has the major share of private households with six or
more people living together, while Whalley has the maximum share of Fig 2. Household Composition within Surrey Community Census 2006
one-person households (Fig 1).
Since the demand for single-family housing is at its peak in Surrey, it

is difficult to replace this dominant housing type by other forms. Other
building typology such as multi-family housing and mid-rises are more
sustainable and energy efficient. However, these housing forms might
not be in demand. The city still wants to be a destination for the immi-
grant population, the single family housing is still a viable option while
at the same time its necessary to accommodate the growing needs of
housing. The city can consider energy efficient structures, for instance,
today single family housings can be transformed into multi-family hous-
ing. This consideration only can be applicable by having a suitable
street patterns for higher density communities rather than auto-oriented
neighbourhoods and cul-de-sacs (Fig 4).
2. The second major influence of demographic change on housing
types in Surrey is the emergence of multi-generational homes. The sec-
ondary suites in single-family form are categorized in two types - Manor
housing (Fig 6) and Coach housing in the City of Surrey. These suites
has changed the rental market to a private market.
Fig 1. Household Size by Surrey Community Census 2006
86
Team member: Hedieh Rashidi
Housing and future trend:
The private market impacting the household growth in Surrey does not
necessarily explain an equal number of housing stats in the city. To be
specific, new households can rent secondary suites and vacant apart-
ments which cannot change the housing stock. As a result, demand
for new residential construction is predicted to stay below household
growth in Surrey by 2031. Furthermore, housing types have adopted
Fig 4. Single Family Housing Pattern smaller lots size for housing (Fig 5). The City of Surrey is expecting to
add more multi-family housing or transform single-family housing into
multi-family in order to increase the density. In addition, the city began
the construction of residential high-rises and urban amenities in City
Center to accommodate more population near the transit corridor.
To conclude, housing sector can be considered as the main element
to gradually change the existing sub-urban pattern. This current trend
of adding density to the existing structure can be designed along the
Fig 5. Multi-family Housing Pattern main arterials. The city needs to incorporate a range of housing types
and job opportunities within 5-minute walking distance that decreases
These structures began to appear in order to accommodate bigger
car-dependency and increases walkability and compactness within
families of immigrants that will be shared by the same family, including
neighborhoods. One of the strategies is to locate mid-rise mixed use
their grandparents and close relatives. These suites have illegally be-
building along the corridors to prevent the city from nodal development
come rental units for non-family members because of the cheap rents
and create a better streetscapes and stronger sense of neighborhood.
and also a source of income for the owners. The city of Surrey based
on Zoning By-law has identified these suites and asked the owner to As shown in (Fig 4), the majority of the street pattern in the city is not
authorize them by paying utility fee of 24% of the 78,700 single-family suitable for walking and indicates a more car-oriented neighborhood.
structures in Surrey as they acts as a secondary suites. The other approach is to shrink the blocks size and get rid of the dead-
end streets (Fig 5). Hence, the city will provide more dwelling units per
acre and accommodate more population in a variety of housing types.
This will increase the demand for more local businesses in the neigh-
borhood, making it a more walkable and vibrant neighborhood.
References:
City of Surrey, Official Community Plan, June.2014
City of Surrey, Housing Action Plan, Dec.2009
Luymes ,Don. Planning for Affordable Market Housing in the City of Surrey Presentation,
Oct. 2011
Metro Vancouver, Metro 2040 Residential Growth Projections, Nov.2009
Cleathero, Jennifer. A Demographic Profile of Children and Families in Surrey and White
Rock, Oct. 2009
BCREA Economics, Surrey/White Rock Long Term Housing Demand, Jan. 2008
Condon, Patrick, and Sam Mohamad-Khany.
Implications of Demographic and Social Change on Neighbourhood and Housing Form
in Surrey BC. 2012
Patrick M Condon . 2010. Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities: Design Strategies
Fig 6. Manor House–Four Strata suites in one single for the Post-Carbon World. Washington, DC: Island Press. 200 pp.
87
8 CITY FORM AND DEMOCRATIC SHIFT
Job Change and Ethnic And Demographic Change Top 5 Occupations of the Total Population Vs. Immi-
A study conducted on immigration and population growth in Surrey grants (2006)
suggests that the population growth is projected to double (from 304, Most people of Surrey are employed in the following professions: sales
477 to 636,653) between 1996 and 2021. Population growth influences & services, trades & transport, business & administration, manufacturing
urban form such as transportation, housing, and the footprint and the and management.
density of neighbourhoods. Another factor influencing the city form is By comparing the percentage of Immigrants with the total population,
the location, distribution and the accessibility to jobs. According to Sta- given in diagram below concludes that the top three occupations for im-
tistics Canada (2011 National Household Survey), roughly 15.4 million migrants are manufacturing, trades & transport and sales & services.
Canadians commuted to work, while 1.1 million worked at home.
In order to understand the impact of job changes, ethnic and demo- 30.0%
graphic changes on the city form, three major factors are addressed 25.6% 25.9%
25.0%
in this study:
19.1%20.2%
1. Immigration and population growth in Surrey. 20.0% 18.3%
15.0% 14.3%
2. The population’s top occupations.
9.9% 9.5%
3. The location of work places and modes of transportation to work. 10.0%
6.4%
8.4%
5.0%
0.0%
Total Population Immigrants

Fig 1. Surrey City Center Fig 3.Top 5 occupations ofTop
Figure3. total5 Occupations-Total
population vs. immigrants (2006)
Population vs. Immigrants
Increase of the Immigrant population, Surrey (1996-
2021) Total Population -Top Occupations- 2001 Vs. 2006
The following figure shows that there will be a significant growth in Sur- From 2001 to 2006, the following industries had the highest employ-
rey’s immigrant ment growth: 1. Sales & services, 2. Trades & transport, 3. Business
60.0% population by 2021.
& administration
50.5%
50.0% 46.3%
40.4% Social Science &Education Total
40.0% 38.0%
Population (%)
labour-force:
33.0% 210,930
Processing & Manufacturing
30.0% 29.6%
Management
20.0% 2001
Business & Administration 2006
10.0%
Trades & Transportation
0.0%
1996 2001 2006 2011 2016 2021 Sales & Services
Year
0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000
Immigrants(% of Total Population)
Fig 2. Immigrant Population Increase-Surrey (1996-2021) Fig 4. Top Occupations of the total Population (2001 vs. 2006)
Figure2. Immigrant Population Increase-Surrey (1996-2006)
88
CITY FORM AND DEMOCRATIC SHIFT 8
Team Member: Avishan Aghazadeh
Work Place as followings:
Fig 5 shows that in 2001 and 2006, less than half of Surrey’s population • Air and noise pollution.
was employed outside the city. • Major traffic increase and greenhouse gas production.
Interestingly, between 2001 and 2006, the percentage of population • Affordability issues for lower income families, as they do not have access
employed outside the city decreased from 49.1% to 46.0%, although to personal vehicles which leads to class segregation as some areas are
there was no significant change in the percentage of population that only accessible to higher income group.
worked inside Surrey.
• Decreased pedestrian movement and social interaction is also responsi-
This Shows that 2.7% of population shifted from having a workplace ble for place-making (discussed in previous chapters).
outside Surrey in 2001, to having no fixed workplace in 2006.
The fact that the population working outside Surrey is decreasing does not
6.9% 6.7% mean that less people are using private vehicles, the remainder accounts
12.8% 15.5% At home for ‘no fixed work place’ within Surrey. Individuals with no fixed workplace
may be working as a contractor, salesmen or independent truck driver
Surrey (exept
31.2% 31.8%
at home) (these professions rely on transportation more than the jobs with fixed
Outside Surrey work places in Surrey). This study shows that the demand for occupations
49.1% 46.0%
No fixed such as sales & services, trades & transport and manufacturing will be
workplace more as compared to other professions in future. All of these professions
2001 2006
rely on transportation within the City of Surrey.
Fig 5. Work place for the residents in years 2001 and 2006
It can be concluded from this study that the most important factors affecting
Mode of Transportation to Work the urban form in Surrey, with respect to jobs and demographic changes
A significant percent of population uses private vehicles to commute. are:
Comparing Fig 5 and 6, it can be seen there is a positive correlation • Population growth rate that leads to high demand for jobs within Surrey.
between the use of private vehicles and people who work outside Sur-
• Location, density and distribution of jobs.
rey. However, the population using private vehicles has decreased by
approximately 3%, from 2001 to 2006. • Modes of transportation from home to work.
Proposed solutions:
4.4% 4.2% 1. Efficient public transportation system, connecting the whole region in
8.3%
10.9% Private auto as order to make jobs in Surrey accessible and near to homes.
7.8% driver
8.8% Private auto as 2. To locate diverse jobs close to all neighbourhoods. Hence, decreasing
passenger the demand for transportation.
79.5% Public tansit
76.1%
3. To increase job density along the transit corridor in order to create easy
Other
access to work places through public transportation and eventually de-
2001 2006 creases the reliance over private automobile.
Fig 6. Modes of transportation to work in 2001 and 2006 References:
*Does not include those working at home or working outside Canada. City of Surrey. http://www.surrey.ca/city-government/9893.aspx. Web. November 2014
Statistics Canada. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/99-012-x/99-012-
x2011003_1-eng.cfm. Web. November 2014
Conclusions: Community Resources Society. “Community Cultural Diversity Profile Surrey - 2006
Census”. http://www.getintheknow.ca. Web. October 2014.
A significant number of residents work outside Surrey and rely on pri- Statistics Canada. “2006 Community Profiles”. STATCAN.ca. August 2013. Web.
vate automobiles to commute. With the current population growth rate, October 2014.
some of the consequences of the trend of using private automobiles are Labour Force Fact Sheet. http://www.surrey.ca. Web. October 2014.
89
9 CITY FORM AND MARKET VALUE
Existing Real Estate Markets

The existing real estate market in Surrey can be divided into four parts:
Housing structure type, housing size, housing starts and housing value.
The Trend of Housing Structure Type

Over the last five years, approximately 18,600 dwelling units (including
secondary suites and coach houses) have been built in Surrey. During
this same period 1,740 units were demolished, resulting in a net in-
crease of 16,860 dwellings (an average of 3,372 per year). The trend
has seen an increase in housing supply.
By the end of 2013, detached housing accounted for the largest share Fig 1 - Structural Type of Residential Housing Starts (2008-2018)
Shows the estimated number of dwelling units in Surrey by dwelling unit type, both
of dwelling type in Surrey, representing 63.9% (112,350 units) of total existing and projected, for the years 2008 through 2018.
occupied private dwellings. The percentage of detached homes has Source: City of Surrey Planning and Development Department
changed over the course of five years. The proportion of multi-family
housing in Surrey has increased from 33.9% in 2008 to 36.1% in 2013.
Altogether, the majority of the existing housing typology is detached
housing, however, multi-family homes may be a growing trend in Surrey.
The Housing Size

The trend of reduced household size (refer
to 8.1 City Form and Demographic Shift) re-
sults in the changing household footprint. So
the small lot zones (RF-9) introduced in 2002
has become standard in many new neighbor-
hoods. Such kinds of new homes (with sec-
ondary suite or coach house) have 9.0m or
7.9m frontage and 28m lot depth.
Fig 2 shows lots size is 240 square meter
(2583 square feet), and principal building floor
area is 130 square meter (1400 square feet).
This is a revised RF-9 typology that is 7.5m
frontage and 32m depth.
Fig 3 - Image of small lot zone

Fig 2-Scenario of RF-9
Shows the small lot has become a standard new building typology.
Source: City of Surrey Planning and Development Department Source: City of Surrey Planning and Development Department
90
CITY FORM AND MARKET VALUE 9
Team member: SIYUAN ZHAO
The Trend of Housing Starts
Fig 4 shows the number of housing starts in Surrey since 2008, which
reflects the relationship between economic patterns and the housing
development industry. The steep drop in housing starts in 2009 which
reflects the global economic downturn of 2009. The period from 2009 to
2013 has seen a recovery, but the past four years data is still below the
number of housing starts in 2008 (the time before the economic down-
turn). The economy has a big influence on Surrey’s real estate market.
As shown in Fig 4, the trend towards multi-family housing accelerated
in 2009. The proportion of multi-family housing (including apartments
and townhouses) in new residential starts increasing from 38% in 2009
Fig 4 - Structural Type of Residential Housing Starts (2008-2018)
Source: City of Surrey Planning and Development Department
to 73.7% in 2013. Housing in Surrey is seen to shift from single family
house to multi-family housing and in particular, smaller lots.
The Trend of Housing Value

Fig 5 illustrates Surrey’s average real estate in terms of valuation of
home adjusted for inflation during 2005 to 2013. The trend of a house
price is upward from 2005 to 2009. However, the global economic down-
turn of 2009 resulted in a drop in housing prices that year. Detached
housing has seen the most drastic drop. For the past four years, town-
houses were stable around $300,000. The average benchmark cost of
an apartment is around $200,000. Comparing the fluctuating cost of
detached homes, the price of multi-family is remains more stable.
Conclusion
Surrey’s real estate market remains very active. It is observed that there
is an increasing demand for housing supply. Moreover, housing typolo-
gy is been shifted towards multi-family dwellings and smaller lot sizes.
Even though the economy has a big influence on Surrey’s real estate
market, the value of houses are still relatively stable.
Reference
1. City of Surrey, Housing Action Plan, Dec.2009
Fig 5 - Average Benchmark Prices in Fraser Valley (2005-2013) 2. City of Surrey, Annual (2013) Review of the Surrey Official Community Plan,
Source: Fraser Valley Real Estate Board June 23, 2014
The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board releases average benchmark prices of different 2. Metro Vancouver, Metro Vancouver Housing Data Book, Sept. 2014
housing types from 2005 to 2013. Most of statistics cover Surrey, which includes South 5. Don Luymes, Planning for Affordable Market Housing in the City of Surrey, February
Surrey, Surrey Central, Surrey Cloverdale and North Surrey. 3, 2012
91
Emerging Real Estate Markets The table below shows the benchmark price for both low-density hous-
The emerging real estate markets in Surrey can be divided into three ing and middle- to high-density housing in Surrey in January 2014.
categories: low-density housing, middle-to high-density housing, and Residential
rental housing. Region Detached Townhouse Apartment
Combined
North Surrey 379,400 541,800 249,600 204,800

1. Low-density Housing
Detached houses and townhouses are the two main types of low-den- Surrey 446,400 566,700 298,600 183,700
sity housing. Due to the reduced family sizes, the general single-fam-
ily homes and townhouse are becoming smaller. Mostly, new built Cloverdale 480,800 579,800 330,800 227,500
detached houses and townhouses have three or four bedrooms. Mean-
while, another style of detached homes for large families are emerging: South Surrey & White Rock 597,000 862,700 458,500 228,200
the Manor house (refer to 8.4 HOUSING FORM AND ETHNIC AND Table 1 lists the Benchmark price of detached house, townhouse and apartment in
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE). The Manor house is popular within immi- different regions of Surrey in January 2014.
gration communities. Source: MLS® Home Price Index – Fraser Valley
2.Middle- to High-density Housing

Middle-density housing is one of the most GHG (greenhouse gas) ef-
ficient housing typologies because the radiant heat convection loss is
minimal due to shared walls.2 Low-rise apartments are the most com-
mon type of middle density housing. The newly built low-rise apartments
usually have small size units, for instance: studios, one-bedroom units
or two-bedroom units.
During these two decades, high-density housing has been built around 3.Rental Housing
central part of Surrey. In order to achieve five-mins walkability, most of There has been significant growth observed in the rental housing mar-
the high-rise buildings are built along the upcoming transit line (LRT). ket over the last decade in Surrey. The phenomenon of high priced
However, the high-rise buildings do not hold much land value in Surrey, housing markets in North America has also been observed. New immi-
and it is speculated that they will not dominate the future real estate grants and young families who cannot afford a house or an apartment
market. tend to choose rental housing. This means affordable housing with no
Mixed-use development is another form of land-use that is becoming extra land tax and property fee. The following table shows the average
popular for middle- to high-rise buildings. This building type allots space rental rates of private apartments and private townhouse in Surrey.
for local retail businesses. Most mixed-use buildings will be built along
main arterials. Unit type / Unit size Bachelor 1 Bedroom 2 Bedroom 3 Bedroom + Total
Private Apartment 614 723 886 1,015 813
Private Townhouse n/a n/a 933 1,118 1,060
Table 2 indicates the average rental rates of private apartments and townhouse in Surrey
in October 2012.
Source: CMHC Rental Market Report – Vancouver and Abbotsford CMAs - Released
Fall 2012
92
TEAM MEMBER: WEICEN WANG
Reasons for the Trends 3. Job distribution
1. Population Real-estate influences the way jobs are located. Some people prefer to
In 2011, Surrey’s population was 468,251, which shows an increase live near their workplace, as they save time from commuting. Increasing
of 18.6% (from 394,976) since 2006. The current population of Surrey job opportunities will also shape the way future real-estate will be dis-
equals to 18.7% of Metro Vancouver’s. Now it’s only second to Vancou- tributed throughout Surrey.
ver, and with an annual growth rate of 10,000 people. This increase in
population leads to the increase in real estate demands. Conclusion
Altogether, the future trends of Surrey’s real-estate will have low-densi-
ty housing, middle- to high-density housing, and rental housing. Such
trends are affected by factors such as uncertain population growth, af-
fordability and job distribution.
Table 3 shows Surrey’s population projections, there is an increase of 250,000 people

over the next three decades.
Source: City of Surrey – business Economic Development Reference
1. Surrey Sensitive Infill Bulletin 1. Condon, Patrick and Mohamad-Khany, Sam.
2. Affordable Issue Implications of Demographic and Social Change on Neighbourhood and Housing From
in Surrey BC. 2012
Surrey is attractive to young families, first-time buyers and lower-income 2. Condon, Patrick M. Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities. Island Press. 2010.
renter households. Therefore, the affordable issue directly influences 3.Don R. Campbell, Melanie Reuter, Allyssa Epp. TOP BRITISH COLUMBIA INVEST-
the future real estate trends (refer to 9.3 REAL ESTATE MARKET IM- MENT TOWNS, June 2013
4. City of Surrey, City of Surrey Total Income Fact Sheet, November 19, 2008
PEDIMENTS TO AFFORDABILITY). The figures 1 to 3 below show the 5. Don Luymes, Planning for Affordable Market Housing in the City of Surrey, February
increase of Surrey’s housing price during last decade. 3, 2012
Fig 1-3 show the apartment, attached and detached housing price index from 2001 to Source: REW.ca News
2012 in Surrey North, Surrey Middle, and Surrey South.
93
Surrey’s existing real estate market

Median income in
Housing is affordable when owners less than 30 per cent of their gross 2005
income on shelter. Couple family households with children $77242
The unit price for housing types (as in Fig.1) indicate that housing in Couple family households without children $68169
Surrey is more affordable than Metro Vancouver. This is large-scale
however, and does not show the differences between individual com- ‘Other’ household types (includes multi- $58604
munities within the large city of Surrey. ple-family households, one-parent family and
non-family households other than one-person
households)
Table 2:Median Income in Surrey by Households Type
Source:2006 Census
Whereas in 2005 the median income for Surrey households was $60,168, it was $30,007
for one-person households and $37,160 for lone-parent families. (2006 Census).
Fig 1:Unit price by housing type

Housing is relatively affordable in (most of) Surrey, compared with much of Metro
Vancouver.
Data Source: Statistics Canada, 2011 National Household Survey
Housing affordability is a combination of housing cost and the inhabitant’s

ability to meet these costs. A major factor influencing the real estate mar-
ket in Surrey is a person’s income. That includes median income, median
income by housing type and prevalence of low income. Table 1 shows a
comparison between median owner income and median renter income.
The median household income can be used as a measure for determining a
household’s ability to find housing in their community at an affordable price.
2005
Median owner income $70074
Median renter income $37090 Legend
Prevalence of Low
Renter income as% of owner income 53% Income
Table1: Median Household Income in Surrey by Tenure 45% and over
Source: 2006 Census 30% to 45%
According to 2006 Census data, the median income of renter households in Surrey
15% to 30%
($37,090) in 2005 was slightly more than half the median income of owner households
0% to 15%
($70,074).
No Data
Additionally, income is also affected by household type. Table 2 shows Fig 2: Areas with High Prevalence of Low Income
the median income of different household types. This indicates that Source:2005 income reported in 2006 Census
one-person households and lone-parent families have income and
Low income refers to income levels at which families or people not in economic families
housing challenges. Interestingly, Surrey will remain affordable as there spend 20% more than average of their income on food, shelter and clothing. This map
are vacant lots that are either unused or are occupied by low income shows the distribution of low income tends to be concentrated in specific neighbour-
group, the dark solid color as shown in Fig 2. hoods, as opposed to being uniformly distributed across a community.
94
TEAM MEMBER: XUEQI WU (SAKI)
Another major element to be considered is the housing typology. Table Nonetheless, policies should also be revised. As housing issues are
3 indicates single detached homes in Surrey cost $459,900. It is esti- generally operated by government or non-profit agencies.
mated they require a qualifying household income of $98,564, which
is much higher than the median owner income of $70074. Entry-level
(2-bedroom condo apartment) multi-family homeownership is particu- 500000"
larly accessible. But with a median income and $37,090 for a rental 450000"
household in Surrey (2006 Census), even entry-level homeownership 400000"
is out of reach for many renters. On the other hand over the last five 350000"
300000"
years, Surrey has had higher vacancy rates than the regional average. 250000"
In summary, the real estate market could not provide affordable housing 200000"
in some parts of the City. 150000"
100000"
Surrey Single Detached Townhouse 2-bedroom 2-bedroom
50000"
(20th percentile) (50th condo apartment condo apart-
0"
percentile) (50th percentile) ment (20th 1901$ 1921$ 1931$ 1941$ 1951$ 1961$ 1971$ 1981$ 1991$1996$ 2001$ 2011$
percentile)
Fig 3: Population of Surrey from 1901 to 2011
Housing $459,900 $339,900 $284,000 $234,500 Data Source:Statistics Canada, population of surrey
cost Surrey’s population in 2011 was 468,251, and between 2006 and 2031, the population is
Income $98,564 $76,271 $65,886 $56,690 expected to grow by another 225,000 individuals, an increase of more than 50 percent.
required
Strategies:
Table3:Income Required for Homeownership in Surrey
Data Source: McClanaghan & Associates, Housing Affordability in Metro Vancouver,May In order to provide diverse and affordable housing choices:
2008.
• Careful planning is required to ensure supply. Affordability includes
bach- 1 bed- 2 bed- 3 bed- Tatal more than initial purchase price. Tax load, transportation cost, security
elor room room room+
of investment should also be considered. In Surrey, housing affordability
Aver- Surrey $585 $707 $887 $1113 $827
issues arise due to lack of new purpose-built rental housing, both sup-
age
rent
vancouver $804 $919 $1175 $1381 $986 portive housing and independent/workforce. “Good design in affordable
CMA
housing meets the needs of the users, fits into the surrounding envi-
Table4: Average Market Rents and Vacancy Rates for Private Purpose-built Townhouses ronment, reflects current socio-economic and demographic trends, and
and Apartments, October 2009
Data Source:CMHC, Rental Market Report: Vancouver and Abbotsford CMAs,fall 2009
incorporates quality and aesthetics.”
Over the last five years, Surrey has had higher vacancy rates than the regional average. • Corporate Policies and Priorities. Although the market fluctuates,
In 2009, the vacancy rate for private purpose-built townhouses and apartments in Surrey
was 6.6% compared with 2.2% for Vancouver CMA.
progressive and well considered tax policies could have a significant
impact on the availability of affordable housing in such expensive cities.
Reason:
Now-a-days, a few types of housing are becoming unaffordable in Sur- Reference:
rey. The major impediment is the growing population in the city and the 1. Don R. Campbell, Melanie Reuter, Allyssa Epp. TOP BRITISH COLUMBIA INVEST-
shortage of rental stock (Fig 3). The current market can not meet the MENT TOWNS, June 2013
escalating housing needs. 2. Metro Vancouver Housing Data Book
3. City of Surrey, Housing Action Plan, Dec.2009
Additionally, “the recent high construction cost, along with high land 4. Condon, Patrick M. Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities. Island Press. 2010
5. Don Luymes, Planning for Affordable Market Housing in the City of Surrey, February
values have brought the market to a stagnated today”, says Condon.
3, 2012
There is a significant number of Surrey households facing affordability 6. Bringing the power of design to affordable housing, community development, SPARC
challenges, especially among renting households. BC news, winter2005
95
Real Estate Market Impediments to Sustainability Compact, mixed-use, transit-oriented developments provide more sus-
As one of the best cities in British Columbia for real estate investments, tainable communities with conserving more land, protecting more green
Surrey is a stimulating place to attract conventional developments spaces, and locating more services and amenities close to homes and
whose projects even in small scale could have considerable impacts job buildings/work places.
on the environment. Properties benefit from proximity to transit, avail-
ability of infrastructure (hard, soft and environmental) and eventually Year City Centre 104 Avenue King George Boulevard Fraser Highway
having direct impact on the market. In fact, the quality of each provided 2009 21 14 12.3 13
by either developers or the city itself, in both new developments and 2011 22 13.8 12.5 13.7
2012 22.1 14 12.7 14.2
re-developed areas, determines the success or failure of the market for 24.5 14.3 13.5 15.4
sustainable communities. Fig 2. Residential and Employment Density on Transit Corridors.
Source: Surrey’s Open Data, City of surrey
The dominance of auto-dependency in Surrey indicates that the market,
even in recent years, has not been quite responsive to the decreasing Proximity of residential units to amenities is a crucial factor, which illus-
reliance of car ownership. Consequently, the city consumes large piec- trates the failure or the success of the real estate market to provide sus-
es of land and increase more environmental pollution. tainable communities. Although 75% of homes in Surrey have access
to parks, transit and bike routes within 400m, access to the amenities
and services such as schools, trails, grocery stores and town centres
Vehicles per Capita are considerably low.
0.6
Registered Vehicles per Capita
Year Transit Retail Schools Town Centres Parks Trails Bike Routes Grocery Stores
0.4
2009 80 64 44 26 86 46 81 33
2011 82.8 66.7 40.4 29.2 86.5 45.6 84.9 24.4
2012 83 66 41 29 86 46 85 29
0.2 2013 83.5 66.3 39.7 29.1 87.3 46.5 88.8 28.2
Fig 3. Percent of Households within 400m of Amenities
0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Fig 1. Car Ownership (Non-Commercial Vehicles/Total Population).
Source: Sustainability Dashboard, City of surrey
$14,000
Within 61 meters
Despite the growth of residential and employment density on transit 183 - 244 meters
corridors in Surrey, this rate does not indicate a significant growth of $10,000 367 - 458 meters
density (population per acre) in the most of the areas. The Surrey City
Centre has the highest share of density that is possible because of the $6,000
newly compact and mixed-use developments in recent years. However,

the density rates on three major transit corridors including King George $2,000
Boulevard, 104th Avenue and Fraser Highway are considerably chal- image source: google m
Urban Parks Natural Park Area Golf Courses Specialty Park/Facility
lenging. Taking into account that Surrey is among the top real estate
Fig 4. Property value and the proximity to open spaces.
investment cities in Canada, it is enough to clarify that the market in
Source: Technical Bulletin No.9, 2001
Surrey has been largely influenced with the dispersed/conventional de-
velopments rather than compact/sustainable developments.
96
TEAM MEMBER: MARYAM MAHVASH
Proximity to the various kinds of open space is one of the primary factors Additionally, large blocks/parcels with small or absent right of ways also
affecting property value. Homes cost more if an open space or green act as barriers. Dead-ends and cul-de-sacs create blockages and are
area is located at distance. Findings of the study done by Netusil and less compatible with transit, biking and walking (Condon, 2010).
Lutzenhiser suggest that with the exception of urban parks, homes up Real estates developments always involve risky businesses. Avoiding
to 458 meters from all types of open space can experience an increase uncertainty and reducing the risk, developers mostly tend to replicate
in their sale price (Technical Bulletin No.9, 2001). the most profitable products (Bucher, 2008). In other words, sustainabil-
Even after placing affordable housing opportunities, Surrey’s real es- ity requirements enhance their concerns with marketability and trigger
tate market puts the city at a disadvantage as less job opportunities are variety of impediments to promote sustainable communities.
available near homes. Statistics indicate that less than 50% of residents
The followings are points focusing on the various concerns within the
work in Surrey. This challenging issue, as well as the desire for single
development industry as a new projects are implemented: Increased
family housing works against creating complete and sustainable com-
risk of compact development compared to conventional development;
munities in Surrey.
Cost risk of various housing types and sizes; Cost of newly alternative
standards (infiltration, drainage, pervious pavements, green roof, parcel
Year Work in Surrey Work outside of Surrey No Fixed Workplace grading, returning topsoil to the site after construction).
2006 38.5 46 15.5 A crucial lesson learned from the 250-hectare neighborhood of East
2011 40.5 42.8 16.8 Clayton in Surrey was accommodating increasing residential density -
Fig 5. Place of Work for Surrey Residents. promoted social cohesion and maximized affordability and walkability.
Ignoring long term environmental impact in favor of short term business/

financial benefits is considered as a barrier to implement more sustain-
able communities, in terms of soil condition and water quality. Infiltra-
tion strategy & the cost of technical solutions and alternatives on one
hand, and the development industry specialization on the other hand
are deterrent factors for improving sustainable developments (Patrick
Condon, 2010).
East Clayton, Surrey
Gated communities and private streets in Surrey are two other impedi- References:
ments to sustainable development and social cohesion. Privatized edg- Bucher, Geneviene S. “Implementing sustainability in Surrey: amending the East Clayton
neighborhood concept plan”. summit.sfu.ca. Simon Fraser University. 2008. Web. 2014
es (rivers, creeks, ravines, parks) and blockage of crucial views (natural
Condon, Patrick. M. Seven Rules for sustainable Communities. Washington: Island
landmarks and landscape) also act as a real estate market impediment Press, 2010
to sustainability. While these areas benefit both a higher number of Condon, Patrick. M. & Isaac, K.”Green municipal engineering for sustainable communi-
properties in the community and the public realm, considerations are ties”. jtc.sala.ubc.ca. Municipal Engineer 156. 2003. Web. 2014
“Technical Bulletin N.9: The Effects of Community Green Space on Property Value and
ignored in favor of few properties located on the edges. Community Completeness”. jtc.sala.ubc.ca. James Taylor Chair in Landscape & Livable
Block/parcel size and auto-oriented developments are also challenging. Environments. University of British Columbia. 2001. Web. 2014
“Technical Bulletin N.10: The Effects of Developer Cost Charges on Sustainable Growth
Deriving from a dispersed development, suburban pattern of Surrey in the Greater Vancouver Regional District”. jtc.sala.ubc.ca. James Taylor Chair in Land-
map, 2014 clearly ignores significant rules of sustainable communities such as: scape & Livable Environments. University of British Columbia. 2001. Web. 2014
location of commercial services, frequent transit and schools within a “Technical Bulletin N.2: Status Quo Standards versus an Alternative Standard, East
Clayton two alternative development site standards compared”. jtc.sala.ubc.ca. James
five-minute walk, and locating good jobs close to affordable homes. Taylor Chair in Landscape & Livable Environments. University of British Columbia. 2000.
Various concerns about the density, transit, and environmental issues Web. 2014
“Headwaters project: A sustainable Community Development in Surrey, B.C.”. jtc.sala.
are a result of massive asphalt surface parking. Space between such ubc.ca. James Taylor Chair in Landscape & Livable Environments. University of British
large blocks requires easy accessibility. Columbia. 2003. Web. 2014
97
CASESTUDY - EAST CLAYTON

Urban Landmark/Ref. Point
Neighbourhood Gateway Feature.
multiuse Pathway on public land or on private property
with public use.
multiuse Pathway
Speciality Community
Utility open spaces
Institutional ( church,schools, civic building)
Storm water ponds
storm water pond on private property

school and Park.
Riparian Protected Area.
The East Clayton NCP design was based on the seven sustainable
principles by Patrick Condon:
1- Conserve land and energy by designing compact walkable
“ Landuse plan for East Clayton”
neighbourhoods.
Reference : Accessed November 15, 2014. http://www.surrey.ca/files/EastClayton- 2 - Provide different dwelling types in the same neighbourhood or
NewNCP.pdf even on the same street.
3 - Communities are designed for people hence all dwellings should
LEGEND
present a street friendly face to promote social interaction.
- Half Acre Residential
4 - Ensure that car storage and services are handled at the rear.
6-10 U.P.A (Low Density) 5 - Provide an interconnected street network.
10-16 U.P.A (Medium Density) 6 - Provide narrow streets.
7 - Preserve and enhance the natural environment.
10-15 U.P.A (Special Residential)
15-25 U.P.A (Medium High Density)
The East Clayton neighbourhood is developed with a fine network of
22-45 U.P.A (High Density) interconnected streets and green paths to facilitate traffic distribution
30-70 U.P.A (High Density) and encourage walking and cycling. All amenities are zoned to promote
Business Park cycling and walking, with major commercial activities zoned along the
main roads. Major parks and schools are centrally located and the
Neighbourhood commercial
residential community is merged harmoniously around these facilities
Natural Area by preserving the existing vegetation as it is vital for the East Clayton
Public open space or Park neighborhood. As one walks around East Clayton, it is evident that the
concept of urban landmarks, such as well designed
98
TEAM MEMBER: Yashas Hegde
gateway features, marked the entry into different neighbourhoods. Ad- Medium density housing comprises of 10-15 units/acre, detached or
ditionally, a mixture of dwelling types helps break the monotony and \ semi-detached single-family and with or without coach houses. Here,
facilitates social interaction. The use of the Riparian parks are limited to lanes are mandatory. Medium high density housing (15-25 units/acre)
passive recreation and helps protect the ecology. Adjacent to the Ripar- consist mainly of row houses, townhouses, stacked townhouses,
ian ponds are two detention ponds which are natural filters for run offs, semi-detached homes, duplexes and single family homes with coach
while providing habitat for wildlife. houses. Few residences are designed as live-work spaces. These resi-
dences have the option to use up to 30% of the floor area of a dwelling,
including the floor areas of a basement and garage for small scale busi-
nesses. The intent of these home businesses is to provide job opportu-
nities for the residents of East Clayton. The setback area is nicely land-
scaped and courtyards help to provide sufficient light and ventilation to
the area. All the loading and unloading of goods are zoned to the back
lane of the lot. The soil type in East Clayton supports moderate urban
growth and is characterized by a loamy sand texture.
Currently, the East Clayton neighborhood is growing rapidly and de-
velopers in Surrey are pushing to rezone properties in East Clayton.
The density in East Clayton has led to some issues regarding parking.
The business district in East Clayton has not developed according to
the original plan and the city plans to rezone the business district. The
increasing high rise buildings have escalated the real estate value of
East Clayton. The live-work units provide flexibility and contribute to
decreased traffic and commute times. It also provides incentives for a
private sector to initiate employment in the neighbourhood.
Conclusion
1 - The seven sustainable principles of design namely varying dwelling
types,street friendly elevations,compact walkable neighbourhood,ser-
vices handled at the rear, interconnected street networks and preserv-
ing and enhancing natural environment are the key concepts in the
designing of East Clayton.
2 - Bicycle network is integrated with the green network.
3 - Gateway features which mark the entry into different neighbour-
“BICYCLE NETWORK IS INTEGRATED WITH THE GREEN NETWORK”
hoods act as urban landmarks.
Reference : Accessed November 15, 2014.Page number 91. http://www.surrey.ca/files/
eastclaytonncp.pdf 4 - Riparian parks help protect the ecology.
5 - Live, work units offers flexibility and job opportunities within the res-
idential neighbourhood.
6 - Developers are pressing to rezone property in East Clayton.
Bike lanes near riparian areas have multifunctional lanes that support 7 - East Clayton has built out rapidly.
pedestrians, cyclists, joggers and elders with wheelchairs. Low densi- 8 - Increase in the number of high rises has increased real estate value.
ty housing of 6-10units/acre, consists mainly of detached single-family 9 - The East Clayton not built the way it was intended in the NCP.
or duplex with or-without coach houses. The provision of a lane is not 10- Designing a city or neighbourhood or a district is a complex process
mandatory. and sometimes outcomes are unpredictable.
99
Surrey Regional Transit Oriented
10 Development Plan
SURREY CITY CENTER AND GUILDFORD
Fig 1. Master Plan
100
Development Plan 10
Team Member: Haneen, Prachi, Avishan, Nastaran
Surrey City Center is a prime area of Surrey. Our study boundary cov-
ers the city center and the Guildford town center in Surrey. Our design Footprint is 10% of
proposals and strategies are based on two important tenets of sustain- the Parcel
ability:
Footprint is 60% of
1-Social Considerations 2-Physical Reflections the Parcel
Fig 2.
1- Social Considerations:
a) Human Scale - The current population of the study area is approxi-
mately 138,000 whereas our targeted population is 412,000. Hence,
its necessary to provide specific housing typologies and job opportu-
nities in order to accommodate the new growing population. The cur-
rent density of this area is 8 Dwellings Unites (DU) per acre. Inorder
to reach our goal, we have proposed mixed-use high density buildings
along the main arterials, as they are more sustainable form of buildings
compared to high-rise towers. The larger footprint of a given mid-rise
structure helps to create a lively and humanized street life with a larger
circumference accessible to pedestrians. The proposed density for this
vision is 27 DU per acre.
b) Demographic Shift - An average household size in Surrey City Center
and Guildford area comprises of families with 2 people when compared
with other town centers in Surrey. Families with younger children needs Fig 3.
access to schools, library and recreational spaces. The population
share of senior citizens is also gradually increasing. Hence, having
transit stops within a five minute walk radius is importanat. It can pro-
vide easy accessibility to hospitals, green parks and community centers
close to the city center area. Hence, we have added more number of
units to the existing single detached houses as seen in Fig. 3. This leads
to increased number of rental units.
c) Cultural Drive - This area is culturally diverse hence our vision is to
provide housing such as live-work units that are close to the city center.
The ethnic groups residing in this area are mainly South Asian, African,
European, Southern and Central American. In order to satisfy the needs
of different ethnic groups, we have proposed various communal spaces
for strengthening public interaction. Cultural diversity will also be seen
through the various retail jobs and housing provided along the main Fig 4.
arterial.
101
10 Development Plan
2- Physical Reflections:
i- Transit - Fig 5. shows the LRT and bus transit routes along with the
five minutes walk radius. Based on our proposal, there will be growing
job opportunities for the residents in Surrey city center and Guildford
town centre. These are major commercial zones and will attract many
jobs and businesses. Most residents who can afford to purchase a
house in Surrey usually work in neighboring municipalities. This has
encouraged the dependence on personal automobiles and has cre-
ated many sustainability issues in Surrey region. In order to create jobs
closer to homes, we have provided commercial and mixed-use building
along the main arterials with retail located within ten minute of walking
distance.
Fig 5. - Transit
ii- Walkability and Bike Lanes - Fig 6. shows the intercon-

nected pedestrian and bike lanes routes.
Special attention is given to bike lanes. Placing bike lanes besides
pedestrians sidewalk has always created issues on the main arterials.
Hence a special parallel shifted grid is provided for bike lanes. This
helps in providing a broader side walk for pedestrians encouraging
street interaction and enhancing the street life.
Fig 6. - Transit
102
Development Plan 10
Team Member: Haneen, Nastaran, Avishan, Prachi
iii - Green Infrastructure - Fig 7. represents the network of green
spaces. The proposal aims to evenly distribute the walkable green ar-
eas for each of the neighbourhood block. This also covers the 5 min
walking radius. An interconnected system of green and recreational
space is proposed for this area. The location of green spaces have
been proposed mostly along the existing water streams. Green timber
urban forest and Bear Creek Park are given special importance through
our design strategy. All the existing creeks and green parks have been
preserved. The proposed network aims to encourage people to walk
instead of relying on their automobiles.
Fig 7. - Green Infrastructure

iv - Energy Use - Fig 8. District Energy system as well as smaller
neighbourhood heating systems has been proposed for this area. DE
system is envisioned along the main arterials and transit nodes (King
George Boulevard and Fraser Highway) where we have increased
density and proposed mix uses, retail and commercial buildings. The
proposed plan for this area promotes walkability which is a major factor
in energy saving.
Fig 8. - Energy Use
103
SURREY REGIONAL TRANSIT ORIENTED
10 DEvELOPMENT PLAN
WHALLEY - SURREY CITY CENTRE
WHALLEY - SURREY CITY CENTRE I will use the existing buildings as inspiration and investigate with the
community about their needs and requirements. by public consultation,
Site Analysis the community can feel a sense of ownership and be more involved
The study area of this project is located right next to the City Centre, than before.
stretching from King George Boulevard to University Drive and from
105a Avenue to 104 Avenue. It is a mixed-use area with existing low
density. The current scenario is mostly buildings with one-storey, as
shown in the pictures below, with a poor pedestrian network and a few
high-rises. A future urban plan will accommodate the fast growing popu-
lation and respond by designing a high-density area.
Fig 4. Al-Mustafa Academy Fig 5. masjid
Main Goal
The main goals of this scheme is to attain sustainability and to create a
104 Avenue healthy and walkable city. This is achieved in following 3 steps:
1 - by providing a good streetcar/bus transit system that is nature-
friendly, and can be located within a reasonable walking distance. This
gives us a grid of a half mile by half mile. According to Patrick Condon’s
King George Boulevard
research and statistics in the “Seven Rules for Sustainable Communi-
Fig 1. Surrey Map Fig 2. Site Location The grey area along King
George mostly one storey ties”, the best and efficient transit system is the streetcar.
buildings and parking lots
105a Avenue
2 - To devote part of the street for bike lanes, and locate those lanes on
a shifted grid just parallel to the streetcar arterials.
The Designated Site
3 - by constructing mid-rise mixed-use buildings that do not exceed six
Sk
ytr
floors, using wood frame structure which is very affordable in the area.
ain
These buildings offer around 75 dwelling units per Acre.

104 Avenue
Surrey City Centre Design Concept

The simple concept is to create a new grid purely for pedestrians. It
University Drive King George Boulevard
can be interconnected with streets and links all the volumetric spaces
Fig 3. Key Location Map Showing the Boundaries of the Designated Site with an Area
of 40 Acres.
between the buildings with a focus on the area underneath the SkyTrain
bridge, as shown in the following diagram. This grid and these pathways
made for pedestrians are created to provide safety. More importantly, it
Existing Conditions
moves people away from automobile noise and lets them enjoy nature
From our previous research about the demographic shift in Surrey, we as well as give them a cozy feeling as they walk amongst the crowded
concluded that it is a culturally diverse city. The area has witnessed an pubs and restaurants. With the high density that the area will reach in
unusual growth, as people from all around the world have migrated to 50 years, these streets won’t take away the life from the main arterials.
the city. During my site visit, I could find a religious place, a preschool Instead, they will provide more diverse spaces for people. This will en-
and an academy whose name was written in a foreign language. Keep- courage the walkable city.
ing that in mind, I want to ensure that the design will give the existing
ethnic community a sense of place to feel at home.
104
SURREY REGIONAL TRANSIT
ORIENTED DEvELOPMENT PLAN 10
TeAm membeR: HAneen AbDULSAmAD
Fig 8. Perspective view showing the general mood of the site with the mid-
rise buildings as well as the pedestrian grid integrated within.
Mixed-use six Storey Buildings

Surrey City Centre Existing Highrise Buildings
Fig 6. Site Top view showing the green park squares.
bike Lanes
Bus Transit Lanes
Pedestrian Green Grid
with a Sketch Showing
the mood to be created
market (Fig 7)
Fig 7. Perspective Sketch Showing the Pedestrian market Fig 9. Illustration of the designated area showing the mixed-use functions this neighbourhood is offering with a gross
Street. density around 50 units per acre.
Sections
The street and building sec-
tion shows how each street
element is contributing with
respect to the street width to
buildings’ height ratio. Also,
the design focuses on creat-
ing beautiful volumetric space Fig 10. Schematic Section in King George Boulevard (150ft wide) showing Fig 11. Schematic Section in City Parkway Street
between the buildings. the liveliness and the mood of the street plus the Streetcar/Bus transit line. (60ft wide) showing the bike Lanes and the
volumetric space created.
105
10 Development Plan
SURREY CITY CENTER AND GUILDFORD 2-Diversity: Using different building types, such as mixed-use (commer-
cial/residential), live-work, multi family, single-detached and stacked
Site Location: row houses, help create a diverse environment and provides afford-
The selected site is located in the Guildford area, close to Guildford able housing for different income levels and also locates jobs close to
Town Centre along the 104 avenue. The site is bounded by the 105 homes. Mixed-use and live-work building types are mostly concentrated
avenue from North, 102 avenue from South, 148 street from west and along the 104 avenue, and other main streets. This also contributes to
150 street from East. building neighbourhood character.
3-Continuity: To create continuity in order to generate a sense of place,
buildings with similar height levels were placed along the main streets.
Building types along these corridors are mostly mixed use.
4-Street hierarchy: Three type of streets are presented in this design, (i)
The 104 avenue, which allows the major public transportation system
to operate, (ii) 105, 102 and 103 avenues and 148, 149, 149a and 150
streets, which are the main streets, and (iii) the narrower streets which
link the residential blocks to the main streets. These intersections de-
crease walking distances and also create safer environment for pedes-
Fig 1. location of the selected site in Guildford area-Surrey trians, as they reduce speed levels of personal vehicles.
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.189462,-122.8072889,16z
Existing Issues:
Lack of transit options between commercial zones and residential areas
increases the use of personal vehicles and therefore causes heavy traffic.
The density of this area is low, considering its location close to the Guildford
town centre, because of the dominance of parking lots and single detached
houses. In general, this environment discourages any type of social interac-
tion and pedestrian activity, and also lacks a clear sense of place.
Design Objectives:
This design is based on five main objectives:
1- Pedestrian and biking activities, which is an important element in creating
social interaction and a sense of place (see chapter 7).
2- Affordability in order to increase density and decrease social segregation.
3- Green infrastructure.
4- Jobs close to homes is another important factor considering the ethnic
and demographic changes as studied in chapter 8.
Design Approaches:
1- Light rail transit system, placed in the middle of 104th avenue:
This system was chosen for two main reasons: (i) to allow pedestrian activ-
Fig 2. Site Plan, indicating housing types, street hierarchy and block division
ity on the sidewalks without the interruption of bus stops (this also creates
space for other activities to take place) and (ii) to create a safer environment
for cyclers.
106
Development Plan 10
Team member: Avishan Aghazadeh
Fig 3. Axonometric view

Table 1. Basic Statistics
5-Recreational space:
A belt of interconnected green space has been considered for the site. Each block has access to a green space, some of these spaces can be dedi-
cated to specific recreational activities according to the demands of the residents. Green areas will create an opportunity for social communication
and also provide space for future development.
Fig 4. Street section
107
10 Development Plan
Site location:
The site is located in Whalley, south of Simon Fraser University. The
density of population in this neighbourhood needs to increase, because
of the strategic location of the intersection of King George Boulevard
and Fraser highway and easy accessibility to King George sky train
station. Presence of these two components, enhances the capability of
high rise commercial to replace the currently existing strip mall typology.
The current site includes green field and grey field spaces. Fig 1.,2 represents the location of the 40 acre site in the city of Surrey. It is located in
Whalley region
Design strategy:
The proposed plan includes mixed-used mid-rise and high-rise build-
ings along the corridor to enhance the density of the neighbourhood.
The effort is to connect the green areas and conserve them. The green
field park, which is to the left of King George Boulevard, is connected King George sky Triangular
Green field park train station urban plaza Water creek
to the Holland park, which is to the north-west area of the site. Further
crossing the road, a triangular urban plaza is provided in between the
high rise buildings and the sky train line. The green belt below the sky
train line stretches till the creek and further, encouraging a pedestrian
friendly walk amongst the high rise infrastructure surrounding it. The
reclamation of the water creek to the east of the site (as shown in plan)
and further development of the walking trail for public use creates a
mixture of green areas and dense infrastructure.
Street Section:
King George Boulevard is a multi-way boulevard with a wide sidewalk of
17’ and also includes bike lanes, which make the city pedestrian friendly
and sustainable. The side lanes are provided to separate slow traffic
and the parking lane from the rest. The LRT is located after the slow
traffic lane to avoid the intersection of pedestrians with the freeway fast
paced traffic.
Total commercial units 79

Total residential units 1612
Mixed use building
Residential unit density 40.3 units/acre Residential building
Water creek
Population density 125 ppl/acre Street car route
Net impervious land 46% Street grid
Fig 3. represents the proposed landuse plan for the site. It includes mixed use and
Total FAR 1.8 residential buildings. A triangular space is formed by King George street, Fraser highway
and King George sky train station. Surrounded by building infrastructure and sky train
line, an urban plaza is created for the people, giving an identity to this area.
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Development Plan 10
Urban plaza Water creek reclamation The major concepts are:
1) To design a land use that can
enhance the density of the neigh-
bourhood.
2) To reclaim the water creek and
compensate the eradicated forests
by providing green spaces which
are environmental friendly and
walkable.
3) To enhance the finer grid pattern
of the street.
4) To replace the huge parking lots
by providing a public space / urban
plaza that is easily accessible to
residences, commercial and retail
areas and sky train station.
Commercial
Residential
Fig 4. (top) represents the proposed mixed use and residential buildings and reclama-
tion of the water creek on the site.
Fig 5. (right) represents a perspective view of the green pathway along the sky train line
stretch going towards urban plaza.
10’ 8’ 11’ 10’ 11’ 11’ 11’ 4’ 11’ 11’ 11’ 10’ 11’ 8’ 10’
Sidewalk Parking Car Median LRT Car Car Median Car Car LRT Median Car Parking Sidewalk
lane lane lane lane lane lane
Fig 6. represents the street section 150’ wide King George Boulevard. It is a multiway boulevard with separate car lane with slow traffic.
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10 Development Plan
This site is located at the intersection of 84th Avenue and King George The overall density of this area is 50 dwelling units per gross acre. We
Boulevard close to the Bear Creek Park. occupied about 7 blocks in 40 acres of site; each block is 100 by 200
meters (Fig 1.). The buildings are mostly mid-rise and low-rise density,
and parks and open spaces complete the neighbourhood fabric. Mixed
use buildings with medium height are located along the proposed LRT
line and two to four story residential buildings are mostly located in the
inner parts of neighbourhood (Fig 4.).
This neighbourhood is mostly a residential area with low density. The

key strategy is to make a sustainable and pedestrian-oriented neigh- Existing Street Pattern
bourhood, aimed at conserving land and energy. The proposed LRT
stop will be 800 meters from the designed location; to be more practical
we proposed to add a new LRT stop near the study area. Also, all of the
buses that serve the district take this arterial which shows that existing
and potential bus routes are accessible.
Currently the major problem for this district is that King George corridor Designed Street Pattern
does not have any features of human scale and walkability. Further- Fig 3. Existing and pro-
more, this way divided the neighbourhood into two parts. In order to posed street pattern
solve this problem a multi way boulevard has been proposed with some
cross sections for walking and cycling to connect these separated parts Fig 1. The plan shows mixed-used buildings frame the intersection of 84th Avenue and
King George boulevard. The presence of retail and office space allow for more people to
together (Fig 2.); and for having easier access to the Bear Creek park. work and shop in areas closer to home and accessible b y transit. Row houses are used
The original street pattern in this area will become more interconnected, to buffer higher density residential buildings. Greenways and path ways crossing king
which will provide more options for travel for both drivers and pedestri- George allow for easier walking and cycling to Bear Creek park .
ans (Fig 3.). The streets have been reduced in width, and rows of trees
are added to save costs and provide a greener friendlier environment
and promote natural drainage systems.
Fig 2. Proposed Multi-way Boulevard with 46 width: First, placing the bike path, second revise street section to enhance storm water infiltration, using boulevards and medians, adding
more cross section and enhance the a safety. All this enhancements are explained in details in Chapter 2, part 4..
110
Development Plan 10
The overall neighbourhood design creates a pedestrian district, making streets more walkable and more vibrant. We propose development of mid-rise
density, mixed use and compact neighbourhood with easy access to transportation, local markets and community facilities where basic services are
within a five to six minute walk of all homes (Fig 5.).
Fig 4. Major strategies influenced the 2050 plan:1-Change the king George Boulevard’s character to a multi way road. 2- Add mixed-use commercial and areas along LRT rout while
adding residential density. 3- Making pedestrian and bicycle cross section to Bear Creek park.
Fig 5. This perspective shows the future scheme of Fig 6. Comparing these two figures together it can be viewed that with Fig 6. Existing street conditions on King George
embedding design approaches such as adding pedestrian cross section as well as increasing the density make it more Boulevard and 84th Avenue
walkable and vibrant and will have a sense of enclosure.
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10 DEvELOPMENT PLAN
FRASER HIGHWAY
ALR
Fra
se
rH
igh
wa
y
Legend
Mixed-Use and Commercial
Mid-rise Apartments (6 Story)
Lower Density Housing, and Four Story Apartments
Civic Buildings
Employment Locations and Industrial
Natural Resources and Green Spaces
N
0 500 meter
200 1000
MASTER PLAN Langley City Centre
112
Surrey Regional Transit Oriented De-
velopment Plan HIGHWAY 10
TEAM MEMBERS: Chen Fan, Maryam Mahvash, Simone Levy, Xinyun Li, Yashas Hegde
The Fraser Highway Transit Corridor runs along a 14.5 km transect in Surrey, terminating at Langley’s city centre. The current building typology of this
area within Surrey is mostly single-family residences (see chapters 5 and 8), with the Langley portion housing many industrial buildings. The existing
density averaged along Fraser Highway is about 3.5 dwelling units per gross acre. The new master plan for the district follows four strategies, outlined
below, to create a series of vibrant neighbourhoods sensitive to local resources.
1. Integrate Diverse Land Uses

The long stretch of Fraser Highway passes through a diversity of land uses, which are preserved and integrated into this plan. The new transit corridor
runs across a large band of the protected Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), which becomes a more visible and productive element of the landscape
through neighbouring land uses and community gardens integrated into residential development. One each side of the ALR there are some live-work
units and newly introduced industrial spaces related to local farming. Existing industrial sites at the entrance to Langley have been preserved, with
new living units integrated amongst them.
2. Preserve and Link Natural Systems

The site’s physical landscape includes an extensive system of streams that weave their way through the entire area. Many of these riparian areas are
now hidden behind single-family housing developments or are extremely degraded. In the new plan these natural resources have been enhanced
and emphasized within the urban fabric. In addition to improving the health of individual habitats, the plan connects natural spaces through green
streets and riparian paths.
3. Create Lively Neighbourhoods with Diverse Housing

To address the diverse and growing population along the new transit system (see chapter 8), the plan provides a range of housing types. Low-density
housing areas have been preserved with new policies implemented to allow for the addition of basement suites and other similar strategies. New
housing includes townhouses, and low and mid-rise apartment buildings. Higher density buildings are concentrated near Fraser Highway, especially
at the sites where the new LRT line will be stopping. To address the housing needs of various income groups, new housing will include rentals and
units available at rates below market value. The new proposed density along Fraser Highway averages 26 dwelling units per gross acre. Open spaces
are designed throughout the site at multiple scales. In addition to recreational areas within the overall green network, additional small-scale spaces
defined by surrounding architecture provide places for residents from different backgrounds to interact.
4. Improve Mobility
Mobility, especially for pedestrians, cyclists, and people using public transit, is greatly improved through the new design of the Fraser Highway cor-
ridor. New streets are designed to be interconnected within the existing system to make circulation easier for all. Also, new roads have been placed
along the stream corridors that prioritize bicyclists and pedestrians, and encourage people to experience the interconnected green system throughout
the site. Mixed-use development also encourages people to walk around by adding vibrancy to the neighbourhood, and creates a beneficial environ-
ment for older citizens and people with mobility challenges.
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10 DEvELOPMENT PLAN
168 Street
176 Street
184 Street
152 Street
192 Street
160 Street
200 Street
Walking Routes
Alternate biking Routes
Bus Routes
LRT Line
LRT Stop (and 5 minute walk)
Bus Stop
Diagram 1: Movement Systems and Transit Stops

This map shows alternative transportation routes throughout the site. new streets and walking paths have been added to reconnect suburban neighbourhoods to main streets and establish a
more connected road network. bike routes that take cyclists off arterial roads have been highlighted.
The proposed transit system includes a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system and a bus system. Fig 1 illustrates all proposed transit routes and stops. The LRT system goes along Fraser Highway,
with seven stops and bus stations are allocated on arterial roads. The inset diagram illustrates that all the people who live inside the square marked by black lines can access nearby bus
stations by walking less than 10 minutes.
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DEvELOPMENT PLAN
10
TeAm membeRS: CHen FAn, mARyAm mAHvASH, SImOne Levy, XInyUn LI, yASHAS HeGDe
Diagram 2: Green Network

Green infrastructure network, including habitat enhancement, recreation, community
gardens, school grounds, ecological services and storm water mitigation. The connectiv-
ity of the new green spaces promotes native species movement and provides recrea-
tional opportunities for local residents. Agricultural land use extends within the neigh-
bourhoods adjacent to the ALR in the form of community agriculture space.
Agriculture Areas
Riparian Corridors and
Green Spaces
Diagram 3: Energy
The energy diagram describes the revamped energy grid for Fraser Highway. To coun-
terbalance the high rates of energy consumption, district energy systems are being
installed at Surrey City Center. Bioenergy fuels replace the existing fossil fuels as the
energy resource. The buildings at the parcel scale use solar panels and wind mills to
generate and store energy which would be stored in a thermal storage unit. Thermal
storage units built at the neighborhood scale provides for flexibility and takes the load
off the main grid and this is illustrated in the conversion of green spaces into energy
parks. Flexibilty is the key for making a renewable energy grid functional and this is
provided by the combined heat and power plants which helps integrate the production
of both usable heat and power efficiently. Harnessing and using energy is important to
LEGEND
meet everyday energy demands but storing energy is even more important for future
Connectors sustainability of the place.
High Density Residential
with Mixed-Use Commercial.
Low-Density Residential
Thermal Storage
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10 Development Plan
FRASER HIGHWAY & 152 STREET grid pattern is applied, with the regular block size around 200 by 100
meters. People live in this community will have easy access to shop-
Project Site ping, parks, and transit stops by 5 minutes walking (Fig 2).
The site is along the 152th Ave and the 88th Ave, and crossed by the 2. A high density of residential and other uses mixed that can support
Fraser Highway (Fig 1). The area of the site is 47 acres. Currently, it is people’s everyday needs in the next 50 years. All buildings are residen-
composed of big parking lots and low rise shopping malls, which reflects tial and commercial or civic mixed (Fig 2). There are multiple building
a classic North American suburban landscape. There are three main types that meet preference of different ethnic groups (See Chapter 3.3).
issues: unwalkable blocks, single land use, and bad quality of urban
space. 3. A hierarchy of urban space. First, open green space. They are in
central locations that easily accessible for all people who live in this
area. Second, spaces between buildings. These spaces have a spatial
quality of semi-public. Third, spaces along streets. As the red line illus-
trates (Fig 3), these streets are 25 meters wide in terms of “right of way”.
The three types of space are connected, which provide a possibility of
diverse and dynamic outdoor urban life.
Concept plan
A concept plan and perspective illustrate the physical relationship be-
tween buildings, streets, and space (Fig 4&5). Information about build-
Fig 1. Site and its context. Source: Google Map ing typology in detail is summarized in the chart on the next page (Fig
6). In this plan, the number of total dwelling units is 3740 and the gross
Design Strategies density is 79.5 u/a. A multiple way boulevard is proposed for pedestrian,
Three strategies deal with the three main issues. The target density of cars, and light rails (Fig 7).
this area is 80 dwelling units per acre (u/a).
1. A street network with great walkability and connectivity. The idea of
Proposed
Existing Existing Proposed

Existing
grey space
commercial mix used open green space open green space space between space along
buildings streets
Fig 2. A comparison of existing street pattern and land use with proposed street pattern Fig 3. A comparison of existing open space and proposed hierarchy of urban space
and land use system.
116
Development Plan 10
Team Member: Chen Fan
residential
152 Ave
commercial
space with hard surface
civic
green space space with
hard surface
N
Fra
ser
Hig
hw
ay
0 100 300
88 Ave
Fig 4. A site concept Plan illustrates the relationship between buildings, street network, Fig 5. A perspective illustrates the spatial quality of this area
and space with different surfaces.
Building Typology Number of buildings Dwelling Units Occupied Stories Total Units
Mixed-use shopping centre 1 100 6 100
Mid rise type A 4 136 10 544
Mid rise type B 5 74 7 370
Mid rise type C 2 352 12 704
Mid rise type D 4 45 6 180
Mid rise type E 10 129 12 1290
Mid rise type F 2 96 13 192
Low rise 10 36 4 360
Sum 3740
3740
Fig 6. Statistical information about selected building typology. The highest building is 13 stories high, which is relatively sustainable
in terms of energy use (See Chapter 2.4)
Data source: elements db
2m 1.5m 1.5m 1m 3.25m 3.25m 2m 3m 3m 2m 3.25m 3.25m 1m 1.5m 1.5m 2m

Fig 7. A cross section of the proposed Fraser Highway (35 meters), including ways for the LRT, cars, and pedestrians.
References
Condon, Patrick M. Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities. Island Press. 2010.
Kellett, Ronald and Girling, Cynthia. “elements db”. http://elementsdb.sala.ubc.ca. 2010. WEB. Nov 30, 2014.
117
10 DEvELOPMENT PLAN
FRASeR HIGHWAy & 164 STReeT The site is located along the Fraser highway and 164th street, and be-
tween 84th avenue and 80th avenue. With the new light rail system
Design prototype - City of Surrey (Fraser highway and proposed along the Fraser highway, a new approach to land use is es-
164th Street) sential. Located on the main arterial road, Surrey Sports and Leisure
Center provides state of the art recreational facilities and is home to
The city of Surrey is the second largest city in british Columbia. Cur- many hockey league tournaments. north of the Leisure complex is the
rently over 8500 Ha of Surrey’ s land is within a floodplain area and the bonnie Shrenk park which is a natural urban forest through, which flows
sea level rise for Surrey is above the recommended curve. The govern- an urban stream hence preserving and enhancing this urban space is
ment of Surrey has spent over 1.5 billion dollars for upgrades within Sur- very important.
rey for flood control. The population of Surrey is estimated to increase
by over 300,000 people in the next three decades. Surrey absorbs up
to 1000 new residents each month. This trend in population increase
has resulted in higher levels of energy consumption. The City of Sur-
rey spends 1 billion dollars per year to meet the energy demands. To
counter balance the high rates of energy consumption, district energy
systems are being installed at Surrey City Center. my vision for Surrey
is to revamp the energy grid in exchange for a smart interconnected
grid which would be completely dependant on renewable sources of
energy which is illustrated in my design prototype for Fraser highway
and 164th street.
Site Location and characteristics

Legend
- Residential unit
- Mixed use commercial
and residential unit
- Commercial unit
- Stream
- favourable bike
path
existing building
Legend
1 existing skating ring - Connectors
- Concentrated demand
Fig 2. “ A smart grid which relies on renewable sources of energy ”
1
my intent is to convert bonnie Shrenk park into an energy park. It would

be the site for thermal storage and neighborhood water storage facilities
making it an important landmark in the proposed smart grid. Spreading
out mixed use commercial residential unit along the monotonously long
Fraser highway along with the introduction of courtyard spaces which
act as multi functional spaces that help break the monotony and in-
Fig 1. “ Proposed 40 Acre developed Site Plan ” creasing the density around the stream which in turn helps give the
118
Development Plan 10
TEAM MEMBER: Yashas Hegde
important green space a function, and prevents it from becoming a dead Storing and harnessing water could be the biggest challenge surrey
shanty area. There are the zoning strategies used which is clearly il- faces. Located near flood plains, key water management is essential to
lustrated in (Fig 1.). maintain ground water level and prevent floods from causing damage
to property and lives. Since Fraser highway is in close proximity to the
agricultural land reserve rain water harvesting at the building scale is
very essential. At the building scale consider a house of 100sq.m. Sur-
rey receives an average rainfall of 1486mm hence the volume of rainfall
is 140 cu.m which is 140,000 litres. The Assumption made for the next
calculation is that 70 percent of the rainwater is effectively harvested
hence the volume of water harvested is 98,000 litres and this is for one
house of 100 sq m in a site of 40 acres following the same calculation
procedure we can collect 161,576,5201 litres of water approximately.
However, the collection efficiency and runoff coefficient must be deter-
mined for more precise calculations. Thus this inexpensive technology
should be adopted at the building and parcel scale.
“ Units that refuse to join the smart grid can choose not to “
Flexibility is the key factor in a smart grid. Each building unit is a key
component in the entire network. The smart grid is a combination of
building automation, computers and new technology which work to-
gether harmoniously to make the grid more efficient and more sustain-
able. It allows for newer technologies like wind and solar energy to be
integrated. At the building scale each home does not just use electricity
but also stores renewable energy. Introduction of thermal storage at the
block level can help take the load off the main grid. “ THE STREET DYNAMICS “
REF: SE 17TH AVE & HOLGATE BLVD. HTTP://TRIMET.ORG/PM/OPEN
HOUSE/SE17TH-HOL- GATE.HTM
Conclusion
By converting Bonnie Shrenk Park into an important landmark and by
varying the dwelling density and type, a sense of place is established for
the region. Introduction of courtyards help create interesting volumetric
spaces which helps break the monotony in Fraser Highway. Consider-
ing the proposal of the light rail, I have increased the density of the 40
“ Rainwater harvesting helps reduce floods.” acre plot to 42 units per acre to meet the ever increasing housing de-
Reference: Accessed November 30, 2014. http://waterbucket.ca/wuc/files/2014/09/rain-
water-harvesting-system.jpg
mand 1. Job opportunities are increased with the increase in commer-
cial units. The introduction of thermal storage units and water harvesting
would ensure an excessive energy storage which could be sold to areas
Reference:
1 - Kellet, Ronald and Cynthia Girling. “Elements DB”. http://elementsdb.sala.ubc.ca, that require energy.
119
10 DEvELOPMENT PLAN
FRASeR HIGHWAy & 164 STReeT through the neighbourhood. The plan also creates a generous buffer
and wildlife corridor between the ALR and the new buildings. new green
Connections to Natural Systems and Agriculture spaces are also integrated amongst the buildings in the form of pocket
This site within the Fraser Highway Transit Corridor borders Surrey’s parks, that enhance the area for people while also assisting in wild-life
natural creek system and the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). The movement.
design infuses ecological resources and agriculture into the built envi- The 40 acre site at the intersection of Fraser Highway and 184th Street
ronment, creating a well-connected neighbourhood with a distinct, local (Fig 3) has higher density and more mixed use development since this
sense of place. is the location of a stop along the proposed Surrey-Langley LRT Line.
The larger scale conceptual design (Fig 2) explores the overall plan The new density of this area is 30 dwelling units per acre. The site is ide-
. This is to better link the preserved agricultural land of the ALR, to ally designed and situated for young families and new immigrants to the
the new development through community agriculture spaces weaving region (See chapter 8), with affordable housing and community-based
agriculture acting as a catalyst for the growth of small local businesses.
Fig 1.: Location map Green open spaces throughout the site range from larger more public
Site along Fraser Highway highlighted in orange. areas closest to the LRT station, to more enclosed pockets framed by
the new development.
Fig 2.: Conceptual Diagram of Interface between ALR
Land and New Development
This diagram shows a rehabilitated wildlife corridor and
riparian buffer between the ALR and new development.
Green spaces and community agriculture sites continue
permeate the neighbourhood, with higher density
development concentrated at the corner of Fraser Hwy
and 184th St.
Street
184th
ALR
Fra
se
rH
igh
wa
184th Street
y
0m 100m
Residential Live-Work Commercial Open Space

Total new residential dwellings: 1171
Proposed density: 30 dwelling units/gross acre
Agriculture Fig 3.: 40 Acre Development- Land-Use Site Plan

The site houses residential units and mixed use buildings within a new interconnected
Riparian Buffer
Fra street network. There are open spaces integrated between buildings, providing public
Green Street
Hig ser gathering space, native habitat, and shared community gardens.
Circulation Connections hw
ay
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DEvELOPMENT PLAN 10
TeAm membeR: SImOne Levy
In this design, Fraser Highway’s generous right-of-way has been re-allo-
cated to incorporate the proposed LRT line and waiting platforms in the
centre of the street (Fig 5). In order to make the street into a new, walk-
able commercial corridor, crossings are more frequent as a result of the
newly designed street pattern (See Fig 2). Pedestrians and bicyclists
have individual travel lanes separated from traffic by planted zones that
also act as part of an integrated stormwater management system.
The overall design encourages new movement throughout the site, and
better connects residents to their natural surroundings. It improves the
health of agricultural and native landscapes by sensitively integrating
these systems within the structure of the new neighbourhood. Fr
as
er
Hi
gh
w
ay
t
ree
St
4th
18
Fig 4.: bird’s eye view of 40 Acre Site
Source for models: This view shows the highest density, mixed use buildings at the corner of Fraser High-
Kellet, Ronald and Cynthia Girling. “elements Db”. http://elementsdb.sala.ubc.ca. way and 184th Street near the new transit stop location. It also shows the green spaces
October 26, 2014. weaving through the site.
3.5 m 2.5 m 3m 3m 1.5 m 1.5 m 1m 2m
35 m
Fig 5.: new Fraser Highway Section
This section shows the new distribution of space along the cross-section of Fraser Highway to include Light
Rail Transit. The plan also includes protected bike lanes and wide pedestrian sidewalks.
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10 Development Plan
FRASER HIGHWAY & 192 STREET

Fraser Hwy & 192 Street
The population of Surrey will increase by over 300,000 people in the
next few decades. That means the mid-rise and high-rise neighbor-
hoods need to be developed with green open space, and be paved. My
site focus on the diversity and affordable dwellings for increasing people
demands in future, and create the natural, sustainable, and walkable
neighborhoods within the urban fabric. My site is along the Fraser Hwy,
located from 68 Ave to 192 St, near East Clayton communities in Surrey
(Fig 1). It is roughly 108 hectares in size.
Fig 4 Proposed design to separated space around the commercial area along Fraser
Hwy into multi-function using space.
Design Strategy:
The key concepts for the site design is the integration of green infra-
Fig1,2 The site location, there are a number of traditional North American communities structure, public space, diversity, and transit into communities (Fig 4).
and two elementary schools and one high school surrounding the site. In future, the
growing population immigrate here, because it’s very accessible to transit and education Five main strategies include:
institutions, the site will become a significant part of this area. Source: www.google.map.
ca
a. Add mixed-use commercial and residential dwellings along the street-
car routes, which can meet the demands for the adjacent neighbour-
hoods, and combined with more urban plazas, creates more job op-
portunities and encourages social interaction. In the former commercial
Current Condition of Site areas, design for higher density and mix-used housing types and city
The site has accessible commercial retailers and markets, and natural plazas, street parks, also enhance the public transit in this area (Fig 5).
resources. such as the forests and the watershed, which contributes
more ecological and sustainable communities in future (Fig 3.).
Fig 3. The natural forests and watershed attribute to sustainable and ecological urban
environment, protecting the natural environment design several parks as a linked Fig 5. Mixed-use Middle rise dwelling designed to the former commercial area, and left
system to establish an organic water system and green system. more public space to people social interaction and physical activities.
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Development Plan 10
TEAM MEMBER: XINYUN LI
b. Preserve the current grassland and watershed for public use, creat- e. Diversity of affordable dwellings to suite different incomes. In the com-
ing more plazas, parks, and green space that can serve a culturally mercial areas, the combine commercial and residential in high rises. In
diverse neighborhood. residential areas, they should be mostly mid-rise and low-rise (Fig 7).
c. Green infrastructure systems built on current waterways create a
community ecological system, combined with interconnected street Low rise: Middle rise:
systems and green space. The different small parks and green infra- Residential Commercial &Residential
structure create the urban forest system which add to sense of place
and walkable neighborhoods.
d. The green corridor between buildings and streets act as a stormwater
system in the neighborhood (Fig 6).
Fig 6. The green corridor between streets and buildings. The rain water runs off to the Fig 7. A google earth export showing the different types of dwelling of communities, com-
green corridor collect to be drained into our storm sewer system. It creates the stormwa- mercial, industrial , and public space and green space.
ter system connected with the watersystem of the site.
Source:http://www.werf.org/liveablecommunities/toolbox/approach.htm
3.Transportation
Transform diversity types of streets into greenways connected to green corridor to provide a efficient, safe, walkable neighborhoods (Fig 8).
Fig 8.The resilient transportation system, it make more multiple transportation types: motorcar way,Low Rise for Commercial
LRT transportation, cycling,parking and pedestrian. It will make street
lifestyle more vibrant.Source:http://www.canin.com/master-planned-communities-new-economy-restoration/
References
1.The Headwaters Project: A Sustainable Community Development in Surrey, B.C.
2.Partrick Condon, Seven Rules for sustainable communities,
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10 Development Plan
Examining the Sense of Place and Density for a Sustainable, Com-

Surrey City Centre
pact and Pedestrian Friendly Neighborhood Langley
The City of Langley, and more specifically its downtown, is at the intersection of vehicular, Fra
ser
Hw
y
Kung George Blvd

rail, and public transit networks. In addition, LRT will connect Surrey City Centre to the City
of Langley through the Fraser Highway. All these facilities offer a significant opportunity for
Langley Centre
developing a transit-oriented community in the designated areas for the project. Existing
figure-ground plans and the mass-space configuration of the area illustrates that a consider-
able amount of land has been dedicated to either parking or industrial sector (Fig 2). The
Surrey
existing amount of under-utilized land in the area indicates the significant potential of site
Fig 1.a. Site location, 59 acre in downtown Langley.
redevelopment.
Fig 2.a. Existing figure-ground map Fig 2.b. Exisitng urban mass-space configuration Fig 1.b. Site location, close-up
Focusing on the sense of the place and density, the four major design prin-
ciples influencing the 2060 plan for this part of the City of Langley include:
1. Emphasizing historical (heritage) assets
2. Improving the public realm by creating a variety of urban open spaces, based
on the natural, built, and historical potentials of the site/Langley Community garden
3. Enhancing the quality of streetscape
4. Increasing housing diversity and mixed-use developments Mixed use (live/work) - mid density
Recreational
5 Mixed use (Residential/Commercial) - mid to high density
4
Civic plaza
Conceptual design key elements: 3 Mixed use (Residential/Commercial)

Mid density (4 story)
1. British Columbia Electrical Railway
2. Shopping Street 2
3. Innes Corner 1
4. LRT 6
5. Plaza
6. Lanes, walkability and visual connectors Institutional - mid density
Mixed use (Residential/Commercial)
Mid density (3 story)
Fig 3. The key elements of the design Fig 4. Landuse and density
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Development Plan 10
Some of the proposed design strategies are as follows: Mixed-use de-
Building typology Number of buildings Housing density Dwellings Stories Total
velopment and densification relevant to the nature of the streets (Fraser
Hwy, 203 St, 56 St, Logan St, Glover Rd); creating human-scale spaces Maple mid-rise 1 317 UPH 74 6 74
where two-story buildings enclose a 20-meter wide shopping street with Cornerstone mixed-use low-rise 3 298 UPH 124 4 372
small shops and cafes in the tradition of main street in this area (Fig Lorne mixed-use low-rise 17 367 UPH 32 4 544
7); the addition of narrow/human scale greenways to the existing net-
Vine mixed-use low-rise 2 124 UPH 64 4 128
work of streets as a result of subdividing the existing large blocks; these
Pender mixed-use mid-rise 1 383 UPH 22 6 22
greenways provide both accessibility and walkability); a civic plaza; and
the removal of the existing angle parking on the “shopping street” to West first mixed-use mid-rise 1 302 UPH 45 6 45
enhance green space, add a bike lane and create a more vibrant and West forth low-rise prefab 8 113 UPH 4 4 32
pedestrian friendly street (Fig 9). Fig 5. Statistical information on proposed building typology
1297
Data source: Elements DB
A unique design proposed for the lot located on the north-west corner
of Fraser Hwy at Glover Rd will be an effective landmark for the City of
Langley (Fig 8).
Fig 6. Bird’s eye view of 59 acre site. This Existing buildings Shopping street buildings Fig 7. Master plan Shopping street existing buildings
view illustrates the increase of density in
downtown Langley and the relationship be-
tween open/green spaces and the buildings.
High density potential for 2060

Proposed network/path C
Green/public open spaces
Major urban node Sidewalk Straight Lane Sidewalk
2.9 4.1 6.2 4.1 2.9

Angle Parking Angle Parking
Fig 9.a. Existing section
R
Landmark
C
Fraser Highway major shopping street
Fig 8. a and 8. b. Design features and considerations P
Planting 1.7 Planting
Sidewalk Straight Lane Sidewalk
References: Fig 9. Sections of shopping street, existing and proposed. The new additional stories on
Kellett, Ronald and Girling, Cynthia. “Elements DB”. elementsdb.sala.ubc.ca. 2010. WEB. November 29, 2014. the “shopping street” are set back to maintain the traditional cornice line of the street.
125
10 DEvELOPMENT PLAN
Fig 1. Site Location

NEWTON CITY CENTER
Site Characteristic
The case study is located near Newton Town-
center. The majority of the area currently oc-
cupied by one-storey commercial buildings
along the corridor, single family housing, and
parking lots. The existing density is in the
3 range of 8 to 15 du/acre. The two major arte-
rials are King George Blvd and Highway 10.
The proposed LRT by city of Surrey will be
located on two intersections of 76 Ave and 72
Ave at King George Blvd.
MASTER PLAN
Fig 2. Proposed Master Plan
126
Development Plan 10
Team Members: Heidi, Kate, Amal
Design Concept
The design aims to create a more sustainable corridor with respect to
the existing urban built environment and natural resources. The pro-
posed master plan will reach a density of 25 du/acre in order to accom-
modate the increasing population of the next 50 years.
Design strategies
1. The first strategy proposes diverse building typology in order to serve
the residents with different needs, including young people, families, and
Fig 3. Increasing density by adding units in existing single family housing particularly, the aging population. The mixed-use buildings are proposed
along the main arterial (King George Blvd) in order to accommodate
more population especially young people. These mixed-use buildings
will provide job opportunities for local residents. The main commercial
nodes will be on 72 Ave and 76 Ave, because of the proposed LRT
stops. In addition, the design offers mid-rise residential buildings within
the 5-minute walking distance to main transit line to meet the aging pop-
ulation’s daily desires. The multi-family housing types are located further
from the higher density area in order to serve the families with kids.
2. The second strategy is to respect the existing housing and add sec-
ondary suites to the existing single-family structure. While changing the
street pattern in some residential areas is critical and expensive the
design will add density to the existing low-density residential unit. This
Fig 4. The proposed Green Corridor with mixed uses on the sides also creates more affordable housing types for lower income population
(Fig 3).
3. The third strategy connects the missing green corridors to create an
interconnected pedestrian network and green infrastructure (Fig 6 & 8).
The strategy contributes to the natural habitat, managing the storm-
water into the existing streams, and improving shorter walking expe-
rience. The strategy also aims to integrate these corridors via green
street pattern with the urban landscape, and bring more local cafes and
businesses to the connection of these nodes of green infrastructure with
streets (Fig 4).
4.The fourth strategy is to create a connected street pattern in order
to encourage more sustainable transit choices (Fig 7). The future LRT
plan will increase the demand for a connected public transit. In order
to facilitate these changes in future, reducing the block size and add-
ing more streets will be considered. In addition, King George Blvd will
be transformed to a multi-way boulevard with designated bike lane and
walking path (Fig 5).
Fig 5. Separate biking and pedestrian lanes on King George Blvd
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10 Development Plan
Fig 6. Connected Pedestrian Network Fig 7. Transit System

• Connecting the missing links within the shortest possible paths • Distributing mixed-use buildings along the main arterial (King
• Providing beautiful scenery, and local and social activities George Blvd)
• Linking these pathway to the civic buildings and public transit • Locating the higher density units within the five minutes walking
distance to public transit
• Placing bus routes every 800m (1/2 mile), while considering the
location of civic buildings and main activities along the corridor
128
Development Plan 10
Fig 8. Interconnected Green Infrastructure Fig 9. District Energy System

• Respect to the existing natural systems • Considering a District Energy System (DES) along the corridor and
• Linking the disconnected green corridors in higher density area
• Preserving the streams and creeks • Expanding the Energy district into the urban fabric
• Connecting natural habitat, green zones, and community gardens • Higher density means more affordable to use more sustainable en-
ergy systems such as: solar, heating, etc.
• The denser neighborhood is more walkable and reduces the de-
pendency on private cars and less GHG emissions will be created
129
10 Development Plan
76TH AVE AND KING GEORGE BLVD Design Strategies

The main objective of the design is to create a stronger sense of community
Site characteristics
in the site. Below is the list of the proposed strategies:
The site is located at 76th Ave and King George Boulevard, close to New-
1. Creating a street pattern to supports the maximum connectivity and walk-
ton town-center (Fig 1). The existing urban form of the area exhibits the
ability. This strategy reduces the block size by adding more streets in a grid
typical suburban characteristics lacking “sense of place” and identity (as
form. The large blocks of 270*400 sq m will be altered to smaller blocks of
described in Chapter 3). The dominant attributes are big box businesses,
100*200 sq m. This alternation will provide accessibility to public transit as
wide streets, massive parking lots, low density, long walking distances,
well as walkability in the neighborhood. In addition, the streets will be shared
large blocks, etc. (Fig 2). Moreover, the massive scale of the site causes an
among all kinds of mobility choices (i.e., cars, bikes, and pedestrians) to
inconvenient urban experience for the aging population, which is expected
improve human activities, vibrancy, sense of neighborhood and safety in
to grow over the next 50 years.
the neighborhood.
2. Locating various housing types in 5-minute walking distance with the re-
spect to all residents’ needs, particularly the aging population. There will
be a higher density and mixed-use buildings along the main arterial (King
George blvd) to accommodate more population near the transit line. Addi-
tionally, this strategy proposes mid-rise buildings close to King George Blvd
to accommodate the aging population and their daily desires. Townhouses
are designed to meet the families with kids lifestyle.
Fig 1. Site Location
3. Generating Volumetric Spaces to improve life between buildings and to
encourage social interactions. This strategy aims to propose buildings with
permeable spaces to gather people to nurture positive human and urban
exchanges. These spaces also create room for more natural landscapes,
organic cafes and restaurants, and human activities.
Fig 3. Volumetric Space between Building
Fig 2. Existing Land Use Fig 4. Proposed Street Section of King George Blvd
130
Development Plan 10
Design concept
The Light Rail Transit proposed by City of Surrey will
pass through the site, which will increase demand for
more commercial activities along the King George Blvd.
The design designates all the buildings along the cor-
ridor as mixed-use buildings to accommodate for both
commercial and residential units (Fig 5). Also, having
an LRT stop at 76th Ave requires a suitable street pat-
tern to encourage sustainable modes of transit such as
walking and public transit. The design provides a con-
nected grid-like pattern of streets to be shared between
cars and pedestrians. This will increase vibrancy and
human activity in the neighborhood. Also, the design
transforms King George Blvd to a multi-way boulevard.
The LRT will be located on the edge of the streets to
create more spaces for pedestrian pathways, along the
building fronts (Fig 4).
The rest of the buildings in the site are different types of
residential units that are all located within 5 minute walk-
ing distance of daily needs. Furthermore, all the build-
Fig 5. Proposed Block Plan ings have permeable surfaces to generate volumetric
spaces between buildings with public spaces, cafes,
and restaurants to increase social activities and sense
of space (Fig 3).
Fig 6. Proposed Block Form

Proposed Dwelling Units: 2160 - Gross Density: 53.6 du/acre
131
10 Development Plan
KING GEORGE BOULEVARD & 72ND AVE Fig 2 below indicates the density change of this design. According to
the five divided zones, each zone will have a significant increase. (Unit:
UPA)
Site Location
This design is located between the 70th Ave and 73rd Ave, across from
the King George Boulevard. There is a railway passing through it, and
is adjacent to Newton City Center. Currently, there is a small bus loop
with large parking lots, a plaza, and some old detached houses in this
area. Once the LRT is built, 72nd Ave and King George Blvd will be a
proposed station. In order to adapt to the improved transportation sys-
tem in the city center, and to satisfy the increasing population; this site is
recommended to be rebuilt. Fig 1 below shows the site location.
Existing Density Proposed Density

Design Strategies
Fig 2 - Density Comparison Source: http://geodepot.statcan.gc.ca
The concept plan on the right shows the land use of this site. Most parts
should be transformed into residential buildings. Commercial use is set
along the 72nd Ave and King George Boulevard. The railway will remain
in this site, with some alterations, like designed landscapes and local
retails along it. A civic and residential mixed-use building will be placed
beside Newton city center.
The site is divided into small size blocks, roughly 150 meters by 150
meters, and taking into account of the high-density requirement around
the LRT station. According to Surrey’s future real estate trends (refer
to 9.2 FUTURE TRENDS IN SURREY REAL ESTATE) mid-rise and
high-rise buildings will be largely used here. Due to decreasing family
sizes, the apartment will be designed in small-size units, dominated by
three-bedroom, two-bedroom and studio.
Fig 1 - Site Location
Fig 3 - Concept Plan
132
Development Plan 10
TEAM MEMBER: WEICEN WANG
Fig 4 - Concept Perspective Source of 3D models: http://elementsdb.sala.ubc.ca
Design Concept
The area of this site is 43.6 acres, and the total dwelling units within the site is 3911. The density will reach 89.7 dwelling units per acre. Since most
buildings in this area are between 6 to 12 floors, large distances between buildings remains, which will go to green space. Each block will have its own
park. There are two main reasons for doing this. First, the green system within the block can create a safe and convenient environment for children
playing. Also, the yards work as a symbiosis element with the green roofs. Residences who live on the upper floors will enjoy a pleasant view. Refer-
ring to the design of sense of place, it would be a good practice.
The proposed cross section of King George Blvd will be

38 meters wide. The travel lanes will be 28 meters in to-
tal, including the LRT lines and platforms. Each side will
have a 2 meter sidewalk, a 2 meter bicycle lane, and a
1.5 meter boulevard.
References:
Kellett, Ronald and Girling, Cynthia. “elements db”. http://elementsdb.
sala.ubc.ca. 2010. WEB. October 30, 2014.
Condon, Patrick M. Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities. Island
Fig 5 - Proposed Cross Section of the King George Boulevard Press.2010.
Condon, Patrick and Hein, Scot Editors A Convenience Truth. Supplied
and on line. http://www.urbanstudio.sala.ubc.ca/2010/book%20
templates.html
133
10 Development Plan
Major site Characteristics and Visions: b- The area is condensed with buildings (around 52unit/ acre)
• The site is located at an important intersection of main arterial roads c- Compact buildings with shared walls decrease the amount of heat
served with public transit: King George and Highway 10 and close loss.
to 62 Ave (all served with buses) Good potential to create d- Most are mid-rise buildings with six floors, and is proven scientifically
a compacted node within the corridor of King George. to be a good sustainable model.
• The project land is partially a green area which itself is part of a e- A good percentage remains as green-space.
larger wooded area Keep part of the green wooded area
inside the project
• The area is relatively high with an ocean view overlooking Mud Bay 2-Intimate places:
from King George Increase the height of the buildings We’re lacking intimate places in our cities today, so I aimed at creating
along King George. spaces that increase connection amongst residents and with the city.
Spaces encourage sitting, socializing, enjoying and relaxing. Walkable
cities are a great goal but sit-able is better in creating “life” in the city.
Design Goals and Strategies:
The concept outlined is based on a network of continuous volumetrical-
In this urban design, I’m pursuing the concept of an eco-social city in my ly defined spaces with character, full of natural landscape and friendly
vision of enhanced human physical activities. building elevations.
1-Ecological design: Our previous search shows that sitting among volumetric defined spac-
Stemming from environmental concerns, here solutions for a sustain- es, grace, townscape diversity, human scale and safety are major ele-
able neighbourhood: ments of “place capital”—an increasing buzzword for urban success. A
a- The proposed neighbourhood is walkable with easy access to pub- number of strategies are applied:
lic transit and a commercial centre to reduce the use of automobiles.
The commercial centre has a central location along with a Pedestrian
Boulevard.
Site plan of the proposed design Perspective of the boulevard showing the intimate spaces for socializing
134
Development Plan 10
Perspective showing the flow and hierarchy of spaces

a- The whole concept in this proposal is based on a continuous network
of volumetric defined spaces that take you from space to space with
diverse experiences. Each place has different shapes, building eleva-
tions, and varying degrees of privacy (starting from the public space
serve the city to the private spaces serving individual homes). These
spaces are facing big green natural areas.
b- Friendly elevations with activities flowing from inside to outside. Po-
dium building types and low rises are used for human scale.
Building Types:
The design includes diversity in building types. Generally it has 4 apart-
ment buildings and 4 different kind of row houses. Most of the buildings
are mid-rise with 6 floors. Some of these buildings have the ground floor
with separate entrances adapted to allow for seniors. The diversity of
the buildings and units will accommodate different kind of demographic
needs. Most of the buildings around the boulevard are of mixed use
having one or two commercial floors. All the housing parking is under-
Perspective of the boulevard
ground.
135
10 SOUTH SURRey & WHITe ROCK
Fig 1.: Site Location

The proposed master plan for South Surrey and the
White Rock region is a vision for the next 50 years. The
existing area manifests urban sprawl, dominated by the
single family housing. The population density will nearly
double in size. Considering the close proximity to White
Rock, the aging population in the area is also expected
to grow considerably.
The master plan (Fig 2.) proposes to use mixed-use de-
velopments along the transit corridor. A light rail transit
line has also been proposed to run along 152nd Street.
The current urban fabric has largely been retained, how-
ever, infills and retrofits will be utilised to increase the
density in the area as well as neighboring regions. The
overall master layout achieves 22 to 28 dwelling units per
gross acre. LEGEND
Proposed Mixed-Use/
High Density Residential
Proposed Middle
Density Residential N
Proposed Low
Density Residential
Green Space
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5KM
136
SOUTH SURRey & WHITe ROCK 10
The proposal emphasizes several strategies to transform the region into a transit-
oriented corridor. Chiefly, a light rail system has been proposed, and the incorpora-
tion of mixed-use developments along the transit corridor could boast the economic
and social realms within the region. The intersection between 32nd Avenue and King
George Blvd., and the Semiahmoo Centre act as the main civic centers in the region.
These locations are expected to serve as main commercial nodes of the region. Ad-
ditionally, geographical features such as the nicomekl River to the north, the bay to the
south, green urban forests and wildlife habitats have also been seamlessly integrated
Fig 3.: Live and Work building Typology into the built form. The proposed project aims to build a unique character for the region
and achieve urban sustainability. The average block size in the region is around 400
m x 200 m, which is larger than the ideal block size. In order to reduce the walking
distance, mid-way pedestrian crossings and mid-blocks have been introduced into
the design. Cul-de-sacs, which are commonly observed in suburban developments,
precipitate inefficient road networks. As a result, these features have been eliminated
in favor of an interconnected grid system that improves accessibility and way-finding.
Jobs: A business park has also been proposed to enhance employment in the re-
gion. Innovative live-and-work housing developments are proposed to improve the
work-life balance and diminish commute times (Fig 3). by increasing the employment
prospects in the area and reducing the dependence on private transportation, carbon
emissions in the area will undoubtedly fall.
Enhancing the ecology: Disconnected green infrastructure and water streams
are integrated throughout the region. In order to increase oneness with nature and
eliminate traditional barriers such as fences, the construction of coach houses within
the riparian corridor and urban forests is also proposed (Fig 4.). Such developments
Fig 4.: Additional Suite Facing Riparian Corridor strike a subtle yet important balance between the private and public realms, and also
support the natural habitat and stormwater management initiatives by diverting sur-
face runoffs into the streams.
Housing: Over the next 50 years, the existing model of extended families, espe-
cially evidenced by the South Asian diaspora in the region, will fragment into nuclear
families. As a consequence, there will be a greater demand for secondary housing
units within existing houses. An incremental infill strategy is proposed (Fig 5). Consoli-
dating vacant plots, modifying existing homes and adding secondary dwelling units or
duplexes could increase the dwelling density and also promote affordablility. These
measures will enable co-habitation of residents from diverse income levels.
Ageing Population: In light of the steep topography and the large ageing popu-
lation in the White Rock area, an escalator system is proposed. This measure will
resolve mobility issues that currently limit the elderly and children.
The ensuing discussion will delve deeper into the strategies proposed.
Fig 5.: Incremental Infill Strategy
137
10 SOUTH SURREY & WHITE ROCK
Fig 6.: Green Infrastructure Fig 7.: Movement System
• Green buffers along streams are kept so as to preserve the habi- • Greenways and bike paths are connected to the main institution
tats. and religious and recreational centers.
• Green fingers stretching out to the main street makes green space • Semiahmoo Trail is a recognized and well preserved heritage trail
more visible. that extends along the north-south axis.
• Connecting natural habitat, urban forests, and community gardens • The bike and pedestrian ways are given priority and extended
to form an integrated green infrastructure system, running all the across the district.
way from the river in the north to coast line in the south.
138
SOUTH SURREY & WHITE ROCK 10
Fig 8.: Transit Plan Fig 9.: Energy Strategy
• The transit system is integrated by the LRT line as the vertical spine • By providing mix-used buildings, jobs and shopping sites along the
and the bus routes as horizontal and coastal supplements. transit corridor, greenhouse gas emission is reduced extensively.
• High-density development areas are mainly located within 500-me- • 4-6 story mix-used footprint is the best form of energy efficient build-
ter walkable distance from the LRT stops. ing typology. Newly constructed neighborhoods are supplied with
• Key bus stops are arranged to serve community facilities and the district energy. Create more fine grained inter-connected street and
popular coastal recreational area on steep slope. block to reduce both walking and driving distance for residents.
139
10 DEvELOPMENT PLAN
NICOMEKL RIvERSIDE
Location & Existing Entities:
The site is located in South Surrey, from nicomekl river side to 32nd
avenue, between vancouver-blaine Highway to 152 st, as shown in Fig
1. The entire site is about 100 acres. The existing condition of the site
will be summarized in four aspects: strength, weakness, opportunities
and threats.
Strengths: Good view of landscape, green space and corridor;
Weaknesses: Single land use, low density, poor transit;
Opportunities: LRT station, business parks, water front;
Threats: Damage to the eco-system, flood risk.
Agriculture land
Commercial area(high-rise)/
nicomekl River Mix used (high-rise)
Green Corridor Mid-rise residential
Existing residential Green corridor
2-3 stories residential
Existing residential
Schools/ recreational center
BC hydro corridor
Highway 99 N
King George
Fig 2: master plan
future LRT station business park
mercial center which is close to the future LRT station. mix used building
Commercial center will be build along the arterial road. Furthermore, school, community
centers, and recreation centers will be build in the next 50 years.
Fig 1: Site analysis
Source:Google map
Low density to middle-high density (Fig 2)
According to the SWOT, in order to maintain and enhance the unique The buildings near the waterfront are low-rise, stepping up to higher
character of these places, the following is my Master plan and Proposal buildings between 32nd Avenue and 34nd Avenue. The overall form
& Strategies: acts like a basin.
Single land use to mixed land use (Fig 2) The density of this area is about 30 UPn, which changes the low density
There is a proposed commercial area here, next to the existing com- before and reasonable for this area.
140
DEvELOPMENT PLAN 10
TeAm membeR:XUeQI WU(SAKI)
Create an ecological system Build a walkable community
Water is any site’s most important ecological element. In this site, there Restore the connected street network, including the street car line and
is the nicomekl river, which means a good opportunity to create an in- the internal road net. Transform a number of streets into greenways to
tegrated ecological system. First, keep the buffer along the stream to provide a five minute walking radius to green corridors. make a better
preserve the habitat; Second, there is a proposed wetland park here to connection between arterial roads and internal communities.
protect bio-diversity. Lastly, incorporate stormwater management into build connections between the community areas and the future light rail
greenways so that the water, after going through the roof and under- transit station. Also, add trails along the forest and riversides so they
ground pipe system, can be reused in the community. The wetland park can become a system for pedestrians and cyclists.
is also a part of this recycling system.
RAIN COLLECTION
RAIN COLLECTION GREY WATER

ATER
ATER
E
LIN
ER
SEW
RAIN COLLECTION
7m 7m 5m
5m 7m 7m 8m
Fig 4: Arterial street section
GREY WATER Reference: element Db;
Condon, Patrick m. Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities. Island Press. 2010.
creature
Fig 3: Surface wetland details
Fig 5: Perspective
141
10 Development Plan
152ND STREET AND KING GEORGE BOULEVARD

Site Analysis
The triangular plot formed by the inter- Considering the existing automobile-dependency and unpleasant pe-
section of 152nd Street, 24th Avenue, and destrian conditions on the King George Blvd., a multi-way boulevard
King George Boulevard currently lacks fine that separates the heavy throughfare traffic from local access lanes
Surrey grained streets, exhibits low levels of so- is proposed. This feature will transform the high-speed traffic corridor
cial interaction and a lack of open space, into a safe, pedestrian-friendly corridor. In addition, wider sidewalks will
and is punctuated by gated communities also promote sustainable infrastructure by accommodating storm-water
that segregate people. The area is a clas- drains and allied service lines.
sic example of a Mobility City, and 152nd
Street and King George Boulevard, in par-
ticular, exhibit very high traffic volumes in
both directions. To this end, the proposed
LRT stop on 152nd Street will improve pub-
lic transit and enhance interaction with the floating population, whose
size is projected to increase. Since creating a realm for seniors is also
imperative, many of the attributes of the proposal have been designed
to accommodate senior citizens.
Allotted densities of the proposed land-use plan are indicated on the
master layout. The buildings are clustered to create volumetric spaces
while a civic plaza is located at the center to the enclave.
- -Traffi
c Corr
idors-
-
No
gh
throu N
ss
acce
Fig 1.: Existing site of 40 acres in its current form Fig 2.: Landuse plan
Fig 3.: Proposed multiway boulevard for the King George Blvd. Fig 4.: Streetscape that is envisioned following the introduction of LRT on 152nd Street
142
Development Plan 10
Team member: Manali Yadav
Green corridor Concepts

Promote walkability
& human oriented
6 streetscape
--
10
15
2
nd
Str
9 Promote affordable housing, and

ee
t-
live-and-work spaces
-
-
ue-
ven
Green space used 24th A Employ smart buildings with
8 -- photovoltaic systems, green
as a refuge and
shade area 7 roofs, urban tree canopies
Compact lifestyle activates so-

cial, cultural and business realm
Fig 5.: Proposed block model 1
6
Fig 6.: Paley Park, New York Fig 1.0:
10 Church Street Marketplace
Fig 7.:7 Gothenburg tramline, Fig. 8 River Park, Brooklyn4. Fig 9.:9 Lonesdale Street,
City2. Pocket parks function Sweden3 . The tram system Rooftop garden and urban Melbourne5 . Activated pathway District, Burlington,Vermont. The street
as places for gathering and and its transit corridor creates farming. This can employ local with interesting patterns and acts as a civic corridor. Outdoor activi-
social exchange acting as a a vibrant yet smooth transition talent and also contribute towards elevations. Limited to pedestrian ties such as street entertainment and
breathing space. for its travellers across the busy reducing GHG emissions. walk only can promote car free marketplaces frequently convene.
street. zones.
Design Strategies:
The goal of 60 dwelling units per acre is achieved by emphasizing a walkable block size of 320 ft x 620 ft. In the new design, 5- to 9-storey high
mixed-used buildings are located at the periphery of the plot, whereas exclusively residential 3- to 5 storey townhouses are positioned in the core.
A proposed green corridor/tree canopy also provides comfortable walking avenues through the neighborhood, thereby acting as the organizational
spine of the site6. The green corridor and main civic plaza are flanked by small retail shops, a community center, cafes and galleries, which creates
a strong social realm within the neighborhood. Additionally, a green grid allows for continuous habitat and storm water management. Pocket parks
are incorporated into the plan by breaking and opening the interior blocks, which then act as breathing areas (Fig 6). Efforts to transform this Mobility
City into an Exchange City will be supported by the introduction of roof-top gardens for urban farming, spill-out areas, and multi-way boulevards.
These activities will encourage people to adopt sustainable living practices and subsequently reduce their carbon emissions by diminishing their
reliance on private vehicles.
References:
1) Ronald Kellett and Cynthia Girling. “Element db cases”. http://elementsdb.sala.ubc.ca/ 2008-2010. 28 Oct 2014.
2) Price Tag. “An Architect in New York”. http://pricetags.wordpress.com/2012/06/06/an-architect-in-new-york/. 2012. 29 Oct 2014
3) Postcard from Gothenburg, Hanover, and Hamburg. http://transportblog.co.nz/tag/trams/. 2014. 29 Oct 2014
4) Food Republic. “Urban Agriculture is On the Move“. http://www.foodrepublic.com/2011/10/18/urban-agriculture-move. 2013. 29 Oct 2014
5) ArchDaily. “Lonsdale Street Dandenong / TCL/BKK partnership“. http://www.archdaily.com/412359/lonsdale-street-dandenong-bkk-architects/. 2014. 29 Oct 2014
6) A Convinence Truth- A Sustainable Vancouver By 2050. “4 concepts and their synthesis”. 25 Oct 2014
143
10 DEvELOPMENT PLAN
SEMIAHMOO COMMUNITY CENTER ILLUSTRATED MASTER PLAN

SITE CONDITIONS & DESIGN FOCUSES
The site is located beside the terminal station of future LRT South Sur-
rey line, bordering White Rock to the north. A high density mixed-use
community center has been proposed to replace the existing suburban
shopping center with a huge parking lot. Tower residential buildings and
large-scale commercial facilities are suggested to be built. According to
the research in Section 8.2, this development will serve the increasing
population and aging residents in South Surrey and White Rock.
Existing Pattern Designed Pattern
152 St.
Site Area: 175,860m2 (43.5Acer)
Site FAR: 2.3
Commercial Space: 136,200m2
Residential Space: 268,00m2
Proposed Proposed Proposed Proposed Landscaped Unit Count: 2,050 (47 Unit/Acer)
Roads Green Boulevard Pedestrian Corridor
As described in Section 6.3 and 6.4, the interconnected road network
and out-of-scale street space in the sites are neither pedestrian friendly Small units in apartment towers and town-houses are the major housing
nor energy efficient. In addition, major green spaces in the surrounding types proposed on this site. As mentioned in Chapter 8 and 9, these
area are discrete and hard to be perceived from the main street (152 more affordable units augment the neighbourhood diverse, accommo-
St.). In view of these issues, the scheme focuses on improving road date the needs of aging in place and provide affordable dwellings with
networks, creating active pedestrian-oriented spaces, and a forming seaview for young generation and new immigrants.
coherent green corridor system.
144
DEvELOPMENT PLAN 10
TeAm membeR: LILIAn zHAnG
3D MODEL VIEWS
Birdview from North-west Birdview from south-West
Residential
Commercial
Apartment/Small Office
Public Service
DESIGN STRATEGY center visitors and residents living in the apartments and towers can en-
ROAD neTWORK - by upgrading road network density and adding joy the view of the “green heart”. Roofs of the podiums are suggested to
additional roads through blocks, the original pattern will be shifted to a became semi-private gardens and private courtyards of the townhouses
more grid-like pattern and will provide more travel routes for both cars on top.
and pedestrians. The arterial roads and the new access roads running mASSInG - The massing on the site is designed to be relatively lower,
behind the mix-used belt of the east parcels are converted to boulevards so as to keep the traditional town feeling of South Surrey. Towers are
or landscaped community-life road. located only along the major roads. building layout is encouraged to be
GReen InFRASTRUCTURe - The nearby open spaces are connected enclosed to leave the center for green courtyard for both landscape and
together with the green fingers stretching from the central green park runoff infiltrate use. massing along the edges with retail frontages can
in the high density commercial-residential mixed-use block. Community activate the streets and inspire walking travels.
STREET SECTION
Conceptual Street Section of 152 St.
The segment of 152 St. in the site is directly con-
nected to Johnston Rd. in White Rock—one of
the most energetic streets in Surrey. Narrower car
lanes and multiple street-side green belts are sug-
gested to be introduced. Green median between
tram trails, landscaped buffers along bike lanes and
wide linear green spaces along sidewalks help to
extend the pedestrian-oriented section design of
Johnston Rd. LRT platforms can be integrated into
the green median; some segments of the green
buffers with pervious paving can be used for drop-
off or temporary parking. more penetrable surface
allow percolation or infiltration of storm water, mak-
SEMIAHMOO COMMUNITY CENTER
ing the street an element in of green infrastructure
system (as discussed in Section 6.4).
145
10 Development Plan
WHITE ROCK
Project site:
The site, located along Johnston Road in White Rock (Fig 1), is very
unique because of its land use, demographic structure, and topography.
Both sides along the Johnston Road are retail stores, and at the south
end is White Rock beach which is an attraction for tourists. The area
near the beach is dominated by residential detached houses, and the
demographic composition differs from other communities, as there is
a high proportion of older residents (31% of people over 65). Another
interesting element is the steepness of the southern part of Johnston
road which has approximately 60m level difference in 200m distance. Fig 1 :Site Location
Design Strategies: Plan Concept:

The proposed project aims to design a healthy and convenient commer- The commercial along Johnston Road and the beach at the end of
cial corridor as well as a view corridor for the next 50 years. Johnston Road are the opportunity for White Rock to create a view com-
1. Create a high density commercial and residential corridor. Most of mercial corridor (Fig 3). The proposed form consists of Johnston Road
buildings along Johnston Road consist of 4-6 story mix-use housing changing from one storey street-front retail, to four upper floors mixed
which can meet the increasing density and job needs and improve pe- use building along both sides of the Road. By doing so, a wider side-
destrian convenient. Mix-use housing combined with the existing high- walk must be built. Along this new sidewalk will be an outdoor space for
rise buildings and the detached houses near the beach will attract a other commercial use, such as café seating (Fig 4). The buildings near
variety of residents of different ages, income levels, and lifestyles. North Bluff Road are, and will be, high-rise buildings. South of Johnston
2. Make a view corridor. Add mid-rise buildings to make a smooth transi- Road is a declining slope. Along with the declining slope are declining
tion between existing high-rise buildings and detached houses. Make a building heights that lead to the seaside (Fig 5). There will be escalators
height trend from high to low along Johnston Road to the beach. Ex- that connect Johnston Road to the seaside, which is helpful due to the
pand the sidewalk and create more space for Landscape Boulevard. extremely steep slope that hinders walking ability. The area around the
Connect the small community park, which is interconnected with green escalators are proposed to build hotels, restaurants, visitor centres and
ways into a green network. more retail stores with the goal of providing convenience to locals and
tourists (Fig 6).
3. Build a walkable steep street with escalators. Since the transit stops
at Buena Vista Ave and Marine Drive, it is expected to serve as main
pedestrian streets in the site. Residents and tourist will have easy ac- Central-Mid-Level Escalator in Hong-
cess to the beach with the proposed escalators. kong is built on steep and hilly terrain.
Much like these escalators in Hong
Kong, the purpose of building escala-
tors on Johnston Road is to achieve
convenience while l allowing tourists
and locals to view the beautiful sea-
Fig 2: Central-Mid-Levels Escalator in side while descending the escalators.
Hongkong
146
Development Plan 10
TEAM MEMBER: SIYUAN ZHAO
Fig 4 :Johnston Road Section

Source:City of White Rock Town Centre Plan
Fig 5 :Birdview from South-east
Fig 3: Master Plan LEGEND

Site Area:243,692sqm Proposed Commercial
Fig 6 :Escalator Streetview
Total Units:2590 Proposed Residential
Gross Density:43.1u/a Existing Housing Reference:
Green Space City of White Rock, Town Centre UD Plan Report, Aug 22 2011
City of White Rock, Strategic Transportation Plan, Oct 2006
147

The Future Lives Here: Surrey As A 21st Century Transit City

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The Future Lives Here: Surrey as a 21st Century Transit City

A Visioning by the Class of 2015 UBC Master of Urban Design

Published by the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture

Contributions by Nastaran E. Beigi, Manali Yadav, Simone Levy, Amal

Includes bibliographical references

We want to acknowledge the many people who jointly participated in

The class was organized and taught by Professor Patrick Condon,

1 The Growth of Surrey from Forest, to Farm, to Homes, to

2 Transportation from Foot to Horse to Rail to Car .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

3 The Physical Morphology of the City:

4 The Hydrological History of the City: Watersheds, Water

5 City Landuse and Building Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

6 City Form and Energy Use .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

7 City Form and Sense of Place. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

8 City Form and Demographic Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

9 City Form and Market Value .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

10 Surrey Regional Transit Oriented Development Plan . . . . . . 100

Early 19th Century (Before 1870)

Rail Road Bridge

figure 1.3:Transit lines

The city of Surrey developed its agricultural character at a slow and

Mid-20th Century (1920-1960)

Regional summary and new emerging projects :

Surrey City Center

Guildford Town Center

Figure1.9. Surrey Six Regional Centers

1861 1872 1884

1889 1904 1910 1920 1936 1964 1994 Future...

Fig 2: First nation Canoer

Fig 3: G. Vancouver’s Ships

Fig 5: Semi Nomadic Migration in the Lower mainland area

Advent of Wagon Roads

The Railway Era (late 1800s to early 1900s)

Figure 3. 1904, the new Westminster Bridge

Figure 5. 1910, BC Electric Railway

Figure 6. Railway system in 1910 and two strategic intersections

Trans-Canada Highway, Fraser River Bridge,BC,1936

Rivers and wetlands

The graph shows the steep

Nicomekl and Serpentine rivers with the creeks (7)

Maps showing the first human settlement in relation to topogra-

First Human Settlement: The first settlers were attracted to the

References: britanica.com/EBchecked/topic/79964/British-Columbia. 2014.

Four Soil Types of Surrey

Podzol Soils Gleysol Soils Luvisol Soils Organic Soils

Three layers of ground profile in Surrey (Fig 1)

Poultry Dairy Berry Vegetable Production

The agricultural land reserve (alr) – a provincial zone in which ag-

consists of 9,290 ha. 93% of the alr was surveyed, consisting of a

Land Use and Farm Use

Livestock: Equines (horses) are the most common type of livestock

Map relating Sur-

The vegetative cover of Surrey can be mapped into four categories:

The most common deciduous and evergreen

Water and Settlement

Figure 2: Surrey’s Early Settlement Centers before 1900

Watershed and Urban Development Lowland Watershed and Agriculture

Sepentine & Nicomekl Watershed

The central lowland of Surrey is among of the richest growing areas