Early snow doesn't dampen spirits on student field trip

Students and faculty from HGP310/PLAN510 Planning & Design courses were joined by visiting students from Ryerson University on a nippy autumn day in October. They were guided by local developers Brookfield Residential and Beaverbrook Developments to experience the variety of housing typologies and residential densities being built in new local neighbourhoods. Students toured the community of Greenbury, in Spruce Grove, with its brownstone architectural styles, as well as Edmonton's suburban Upper Windermere, Hills of Charlesworth and Summerside. This practical study allowed them to understand a developer's perspective on land development processes, the linkage to neighbhouhood and area structure plans and how the industry is addressing sustainability, lifestyle and density choices desired by homeowners.