Investigating residential scale applications of landscape ecology principles: The case of the A.P.A.O. rehabilitation design competition

This thesis investigates how principles of landscape ecology can inform site-scale designs of greenspaces in a residential-area context. The winning submission from the Aggregate Producer's Association of Ontario annual rehabilitation competition was used as a test case. An extensive literature review was conducted, key principles were identified and following recommendations, evaluations of the competition design's patches, edges, corridors and matrices were made. These evaluations determined a list of strengths and weaknesses regarding the design and hints about how a new landscape ecology-informed version would differ. Thus, a new design was created to demonstrate how landscape elements could be better connected and habitat areas improved to achieve a more responsive nature-human interaction in residential developments.;This study demonstrates the significant relevance landscape ecology principles can have for built form in designed neighbourhoods. As key players in the facilitation and organization of such areas, landscape architects play a pivotal role in advancing current practice through similar applications. It also comments upon the merits of design competitions and the general knowledge held by stakeholders regarding the burgeoning field of landscape ecology.