The majority of people in North America have lost not only the knowledge of how to successfully sustain themselves from the land but, even more troubling, the basic knowledge of where the food comes from, what real food is, or even what to do with it. It is not only basic knowledge of food that is being lost in the consumer culture; many of the private and public spaces that were central to the social fabric of the city, street, and family are changing and losing their significance. The mass marketing of the consumer lifestyle has led to the disappearance of home gardens, local restaurants, neighbourhood coffee shops, and farmers’ markets. It has altered the fine grain of our city, streets, and homes, thereby reducing the social interactions that once created lively streets in the past. This thesis examines both the historical and current relationship and influence of food in cities, streets and homes in relation to the growing issues of access to fresh whole food and the dispersed city form. In addition, it will investigate how food orientated developments such as Community Food Centres can act as a catalyst for urban revitalization in failing urban cores and provide a resiliency to the economies of the city. The analysis of the influence of food, challenges that midsized cites are facing, and a series of precedents will provide a set guidelines for architects and planners developing urban projects. Three main themes are explored as a means to revitalization of urban neighbourhood through food: reuse of under used or abandoned land, our cultural connection to food, and the activities and culture that the two create together. These themes will explore the use and cultural significance of kitchens, markets, and restaurants and public space as architectural spaces that create community as a means to better understand what mechanisms of these aspects are the keys to the building of vibrant communities. This concept will be explored through the design of a community food centre in St. Patrick’s Ward in Guelph, Ontario.

The majority of people in North America have lost not only the knowledge of how to successfully sustain themselves from the land but, even more troubling, the basic knowledge of where the food comes from, what real food is, or even what to do with it. It is not only basic knowledge of food that is being lost in the consumer culture; many of the private and public spaces that were central to the social fabric of the city, street, and family are changing and losing their significance. The mass marketing of the consumer lifestyle has led to the disappearance of home gardens, local restaurants, neighbourhood coffee shops, and farmers’ markets. It has altered the fine grain of our city, streets, and homes, thereby reducing the social interactions that once created lively streets in the past. This thesis examines both the historical and current relationship and influence of food in cities, streets and homes in relation to the growing issues of access to fresh whole food and the dispersed city form. In addition, it will investigate how food orientated developments such as Community Food Centres can act as a catalyst for urban revitalization in failing urban cores and provide a resiliency to the economies of the city. The analysis of the influence of food, challenges that midsized cites are facing, and a series of precedents will provide a set guidelines for architects and planners developing urban projects. Three main themes are explored as a means to revitalization of urban neighbourhood through food: reuse of under used or abandoned land, our cultural connection to food, and the activities and culture that the two create together. These themes will explore the use and cultural significance of kitchens, markets, and restaurants and public space as architectural spaces that create community as a means to better understand what mechanisms of these aspects are the keys to the building of vibrant communities. This concept will be explored through the design of a community food centre in St. Patrick’s Ward in Guelph, Ontario.

This thesis investigates the possible development of a new urban form around space launching sites. A city form that is built with the influence of job opportunities offered at the spaceport and its surrounding local conditions-a futuristic company town. The design approach is derived from a multitude of learnings from the past and later it is curated to envision a futuristic aspect providing solutions for better livelihood of people while also advocating for the surrounding environment. The thesis intensively focuses on developing a set of frameworks that could be tailored for building cities around spaceports identifying various obstructions existing around them. And it is later tested with one of its kind – a potential growth site with its very own local contextual conditions. The distinctive design decisions and solutions provided consider the presence of the spaceport as a constant; with changing population and landscapes as variables. The determined frameworks can be applied to any other such potential site. The notion of the new urban fabric is to create a valuable settlement that supports and embraces the co-existence of technological innovation, environmental consciousness, and better liveability, creating resistance against fatal damages and complications. This science-driven city will be an identity for the future urban fabric around space science exploration zones. It aims in achieving its purpose and contributes to cultivating the good quality of life that people would need for healthy well-being while working towards innovative inventions for mankind to sustain on earth and beyond. / Master of Science / Some may criticize that cities were built after people decided to settle there. I would like to advocate, people came first and the cities followed, expanded constantly with growing needs. Most cities began as small settlements that flourished over time. Some of the world's well-known cities started as small ports or even as fishing villages, and then grew as their economies started linking to regional and international trade. As we are in the space and technological innovations age currently, we might not think about their importance very often, but the world's spaceports play an important role in our day-to-day life. Orbital sensors track weather patterns to help one to start the day, they also offer geospatial data to navigate without getting lost, they connect everyone across the globe, and many other benefits. All of this starts with a rocket launch, and spaceports provide the basic infrastructure to send these satellites above. Even though they have enormous benefits, this thesis focuses on the drawbacks associated with their impacts on the urban form around them. It also outlines a set of frameworks to improve the typical existing conditions by providing thoughtful strategic design solutions for their better existence and futuristic growth.

The concept of peacebuilding holds enormous importance for international relations, particularly in regions facing impending violent conflict and those recovering from such conflict. However, in order for peacebuilding to be a viable alternative to traditional peace operations, scholars and practitioners need to have a shared understanding of what peacebuilding is and what goals it hopes to achieve, in addition to fluid strategies for implementation. This dissertation seeks to identify strategies for building sustainable peace through sustainable community development and democratization. Using a qualitative metasynthesis of five ethnographies conducted in Chiapas Mexico, this dissertation develops mid-range theories, or strategies, for building peace in Chiapas and in regions experiencing low-intensity conflict more generally. These strategies are based upon the development of Pluriethnic collective governance at the local level in regions that are experiencing low-intensity conflict related to indigenous communities. / Ph. D.