Zoe Coombes
@zoecoombes.bsky.social
Toronto, yo.
Tell me about single stair buildings, skylit mezzanines, on-street trash containerization, small elevators, life / safety review, windows in bathrooms, zero lot line buildings- all the things that feel seemingly perfectly impossible. 🙏
Tell me about single stair buildings, skylit mezzanines, on-street trash containerization, small elevators, life / safety review, windows in bathrooms, zero lot line buildings- all the things that feel seemingly perfectly impossible. 🙏
Reposted by Zoe Coombes
Still thinking about this article. It’s always been a sore spot in YIMBY circles that so many progressive foundations pour money into NIMBYism, and I’m glad it’s finally being aired in public. Keep talking about it. www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/philant...
Philanthropy Needs to Pick a Side on the Housing Construction Debate
Despite California’s severe housing shortage, foundations are still funding on the wrong side of the housing fight there, guest author Ned Resnikoff writes.
www.insidephilanthropy.com
November 27, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Still thinking about this article. It’s always been a sore spot in YIMBY circles that so many progressive foundations pour money into NIMBYism, and I’m glad it’s finally being aired in public. Keep talking about it. www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/philant...
Real take on Toronto planning, tbh…
Councillor Myers said at PHC yesterday something like I'm willing to go against strong opposition on housing but there's no pressing need for community retail that makes it worth pushing forward quickly. An interesting reminder that the coalition for housing is likely bigger than that for urbanism.
November 11, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Real take on Toronto planning, tbh…
Reposted by Zoe Coombes
If you walk into the plumbing section of a Canadian Tire, you’d think you were in the US. The allowable materials, products, and methods in the National Plumbing Code of Canada are nearly identical to what you’ll find in the IPC/UPC.
November 3, 2025 at 2:21 AM
If you walk into the plumbing section of a Canadian Tire, you’d think you were in the US. The allowable materials, products, and methods in the National Plumbing Code of Canada are nearly identical to what you’ll find in the IPC/UPC.
Reposted by Zoe Coombes
Imagine a city of great apartments where everyone knows their neighbours. The Neptis Foundation has a vision: www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/art-...
A dense, urban Canada? It’s possible
A specific, provocative proposal for how Toronto might evolve offers good ideas
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 25, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Imagine a city of great apartments where everyone knows their neighbours. The Neptis Foundation has a vision: www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/art-...
Reposted by Zoe Coombes
you know how i keep saying single stair buildings are workhorse of walkable urbanism the world over?
here are 174 homes on a 2.2 acre block in seattle.
(16) 4-5 story single stair buildings.
what do you think FAR is?
what about lot coverage?
unit distribution?
here are 174 homes on a 2.2 acre block in seattle.
(16) 4-5 story single stair buildings.
what do you think FAR is?
what about lot coverage?
unit distribution?
October 29, 2025 at 5:53 PM
you know how i keep saying single stair buildings are workhorse of walkable urbanism the world over?
here are 174 homes on a 2.2 acre block in seattle.
(16) 4-5 story single stair buildings.
what do you think FAR is?
what about lot coverage?
unit distribution?
here are 174 homes on a 2.2 acre block in seattle.
(16) 4-5 story single stair buildings.
what do you think FAR is?
what about lot coverage?
unit distribution?
Please actually teach this class though.
Fascinating.
Fascinating.
You could teach a whole class about how horribly wrong the building and zoning codes went there. The architect could’ve stuck another bedroom or two into here, but look how deep it still is on the right – it goes half-bath, large laundry room, full bath, walk-in closet, seating area, bed!
August 23, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Please actually teach this class though.
Fascinating.
Fascinating.
Zoning history. youtu.be/tIu9yPzC3o8?...
Samuel Hughes on The Great Downzoning
YouTube video by Works in Progress Podcasts
youtu.be
June 30, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Zoning history. youtu.be/tIu9yPzC3o8?...
This three day single stair conference is really interesting for those with niche interests—
March 19, 2025 at 5:06 PM
This three day single stair conference is really interesting for those with niche interests—
Current vibe w/ @stephenjacobsmith.com
March 19, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Current vibe w/ @stephenjacobsmith.com
Current vibe w/ @stephenjacobsmith.com
March 19, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Current vibe w/ @stephenjacobsmith.com
This guy… @stephenjacobsmith.com 🙏
'4 years later, ~11 states & 3 cities have passed laws to legalize some buildings to have just 1 staircase, & there are authoritative reports on subject from Pew and the Harvard JCHS that tackle questions about fire safety & costs...
Much of it is thanks to tireless work of @stephenjacobsmith.com'
Much of it is thanks to tireless work of @stephenjacobsmith.com'
March 18, 2025 at 3:49 AM
This guy… @stephenjacobsmith.com 🙏
Planning is detached from architecture in North America in ways that make it insensitive to the interior experience rather than the politics of construction and the street is maybe how I’d put it.
Not everything comes together at once. The planning profession in the U.S. is more detached from architecture than in many other countries. In Europe it’s a subfield of architecture; here it’s almost more a part of economics. This has positives (the benefits of supply seem less well appreciated…
Advocates have done a wonderful job pushing single-stair reform in Austin. But have I missed the zoning reform that must accompany this?
March 1, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Planning is detached from architecture in North America in ways that make it insensitive to the interior experience rather than the politics of construction and the street is maybe how I’d put it.
Reposted by Zoe Coombes
I'm still upset. The next time that someone asks you why Toronto can't "be like Paris, 6-8 storeys everywhere," remind them that we had a proposal for mid-rises on a pretty small amount of land and councillors lost their heads and started ranting about 50-storey towers. That's why.
"We are the loneliest city in Canada. Why is that? Well, what kind of city will it be when most of our development in our major corridors is 50-storey towers where people don't know their neighbours?" says Councillor Lily Cheng.
February 6, 2025 at 12:28 PM
I'm still upset. The next time that someone asks you why Toronto can't "be like Paris, 6-8 storeys everywhere," remind them that we had a proposal for mid-rises on a pretty small amount of land and councillors lost their heads and started ranting about 50-storey towers. That's why.
Reposted by Zoe Coombes
I don’t like the “people are voting with their feet” line about California and NYC’s population loss/decline. People aren’t voting with their feet, they’re losing the game of musical chairs. To the extent population is falling, it’s due to shrinking household sizes, not vacancy. Demand remains high.
January 18, 2025 at 2:39 AM
I don’t like the “people are voting with their feet” line about California and NYC’s population loss/decline. People aren’t voting with their feet, they’re losing the game of musical chairs. To the extent population is falling, it’s due to shrinking household sizes, not vacancy. Demand remains high.
Reposted by Zoe Coombes
Cities like to brag about how many kilometres (or miles) of bike paths they have, but the number doesn’t tell you anything about quality, connectivity, or usefulness.
They should instead be judged on actual bike volumes (like from bike counters) or overall cycling mode share.
They should instead be judged on actual bike volumes (like from bike counters) or overall cycling mode share.
January 4, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Cities like to brag about how many kilometres (or miles) of bike paths they have, but the number doesn’t tell you anything about quality, connectivity, or usefulness.
They should instead be judged on actual bike volumes (like from bike counters) or overall cycling mode share.
They should instead be judged on actual bike volumes (like from bike counters) or overall cycling mode share.
Jesus Christ. Contemporary Toronto’s psycho/social molten core, right here:
In 1592, following on Elizabeth I’s 1589 proclamation, parliament creates a 3 mile London greenbelt, prohibits conversion of houses into apartments and institutes 4 acre minimum lot size, but all could be waived for impact fees paid to the crown (“Fyve Poundes in Goodes or The Pounde in Land”).
January 4, 2025 at 2:16 AM
Jesus Christ. Contemporary Toronto’s psycho/social molten core, right here:
“Punkthus”. Haha, perfect.🤘
Sweden's 10-story, single-stair Timmergränd apartments remind me of American apartments turned vertically.
Instead of a long, wide American-style massing, the tall 88-unit structure is oriented vertically to create flexible floor plan, increase green space and create access to daylight
Instead of a long, wide American-style massing, the tall 88-unit structure is oriented vertically to create flexible floor plan, increase green space and create access to daylight
December 14, 2024 at 3:05 AM
“Punkthus”. Haha, perfect.🤘
The only applications that should be *rejected* are those that fit the context of another era.
We need more and better in 2024. If you are stuck in 1910 typology you should be building in Owen Sound, or suburbia not in a city.
We need more and better in 2024. If you are stuck in 1910 typology you should be building in Owen Sound, or suburbia not in a city.
I have just skimmed 107 pages of mid-rise design guidelines and I no longer respect anyone's neighbourhood context. It's nothing personal but something has broken inside of me.
December 5, 2024 at 6:59 PM
The only applications that should be *rejected* are those that fit the context of another era.
We need more and better in 2024. If you are stuck in 1910 typology you should be building in Owen Sound, or suburbia not in a city.
We need more and better in 2024. If you are stuck in 1910 typology you should be building in Owen Sound, or suburbia not in a city.
We’ve focused on massively subsidizing EV battery manufacturing while suppressing the obvious- unleashing construction of homes that are not supertowers at some suburban transit node, where the HVAC maintenance team needs a PhD in humidity.
Revive the low tech physical world, for starters Ontario.
Revive the low tech physical world, for starters Ontario.
It is interesting how attempts to revive the industrial economy revolve entirely around manufacturing and basically ignore construction. Sure, construction is more cyclical, but it also is very difficult to outsource.
To help create jobs for blue collar men, I would simply legalize infill housing construction in places where demand is high.
December 5, 2024 at 4:16 PM
We’ve focused on massively subsidizing EV battery manufacturing while suppressing the obvious- unleashing construction of homes that are not supertowers at some suburban transit node, where the HVAC maintenance team needs a PhD in humidity.
Revive the low tech physical world, for starters Ontario.
Revive the low tech physical world, for starters Ontario.
I keep hearing people say that America is ‘deglobalizing’ in the era of AI- but I dunno, google translate and computationally enabled investigations of obscure codes seem to be emerging- and it seems to me to be a good thing.
My curiosity started with comparisons of the two US plumbing codes after working on both coasts. Then my interest spilled across the border into Canada and then the UK. My small library of international codes and plumbing engineering design books grew as well and I managed to get a few hardcopies
December 5, 2024 at 3:51 PM
I keep hearing people say that America is ‘deglobalizing’ in the era of AI- but I dunno, google translate and computationally enabled investigations of obscure codes seem to be emerging- and it seems to me to be a good thing.
“…floor plan efficiency (habitable space – stuff near windows – relative to gross area) has fallen a lot.”
Isn’t it more accurate to say- “floor plan *quality* in 2 and 3 bedroom apartments in north America is, really bad?
Efficiency? Or Quality?
Isn’t it more accurate to say- “floor plan *quality* in 2 and 3 bedroom apartments in north America is, really bad?
Efficiency? Or Quality?
Household sizes are down while new house sizes are up, so multifam has become more popular (evidenced by rents). Unfortunately floor plan efficiency (habitable space – stuff near windows – relative to gross area) has fallen a lot, and US hard costs, unusually in global context, rise with density!
December 5, 2024 at 3:48 PM
“…floor plan efficiency (habitable space – stuff near windows – relative to gross area) has fallen a lot.”
Isn’t it more accurate to say- “floor plan *quality* in 2 and 3 bedroom apartments in north America is, really bad?
Efficiency? Or Quality?
Isn’t it more accurate to say- “floor plan *quality* in 2 and 3 bedroom apartments in north America is, really bad?
Efficiency? Or Quality?
Such a good way to have this conversation. Great question.This is exactly how people experience life choices:
Imagine a 2-couple family in the GTA, earning 100K pre-tax, with a 9 yo daughter and 5 yo old son. 2 questions:
- What would you consider appropriate housing for them?
- Given their income and family size, what's the most that home should cost?
- What would you consider appropriate housing for them?
- Given their income and family size, what's the most that home should cost?
December 2, 2024 at 5:10 PM
Such a good way to have this conversation. Great question.This is exactly how people experience life choices:
Reposted by Zoe Coombes
Interesting to learn how much Bergen, home to one of the world’s largest Envac systems (underground vacuum tubes for waste collection), was motivated to install the system by the threat of fires in waste bins that could burn its wood buildings www.envacgroup.com/project/berg...
Bergen
By opting for pipe-based automated waste collection instead of traditional bin-based collection, Bergen has become a global trailblazer.
www.envacgroup.com
November 25, 2024 at 4:04 AM
Interesting to learn how much Bergen, home to one of the world’s largest Envac systems (underground vacuum tubes for waste collection), was motivated to install the system by the threat of fires in waste bins that could burn its wood buildings www.envacgroup.com/project/berg...
Reposted by Zoe Coombes
had a last minute interview yesterday with a journalist about US multifamily housing, how our codes induce apartments that are far less family-friendly or livable than other countries, and we ended up down the building code rabbit hole.
that's where it got interesting.
that's where it got interesting.
November 29, 2023 at 6:51 PM
had a last minute interview yesterday with a journalist about US multifamily housing, how our codes induce apartments that are far less family-friendly or livable than other countries, and we ended up down the building code rabbit hole.
that's where it got interesting.
that's where it got interesting.
Is there a corner of Bluesky dedicated to containerization / urban garbage yimbyism? Is a starter pack even buildable?
Common on-street containers are not only in the roadbed rather than on the sidewalk, but since collection is more efficient (mechanized and consolidated), it can happen more often, leading to lower volumes sitting out. Barcelona collects 2x a day in places, vs. 3x a week in the densest parts of NYC
Small scale containerizing is "good" but this leads to sidewalks full of trash cans. Yes it's better than seeing a pile of bags, but the space for people on already crowded sidewalks gets so narrow. I guess we won't see large on-street containers anytime soon except in the pilot areas
October 31, 2024 at 1:46 AM
Is there a corner of Bluesky dedicated to containerization / urban garbage yimbyism? Is a starter pack even buildable?