Icsid Educational Member, Carleton University (Canada), has teamed with the village of Batawa to create a sustainable community that will act as a model for the world. Originally published in Exchange Magazine, this article takes a look at the progress of this collaborative project.

Carleton University and the Batawa Development Corporation have created a unique partnership that will help the Ontario village create a model sustainable community for the world.

Twenty-seven Architecture and Industrial Design students are spending the summer developing new designs and plans for the old shoe factory and the surrounding village.


Above: The industrial design team consisted of 10 students, ranging from first year to graduate students, and two advisers, Director of the school, Thomas Garvey and Stephen Field.

Four student groups have developed different visions for the factory, which has been vacant since 2004, ranging from a focus on urban agriculture to a place for recreation and events. The students have been interacting with the people of Batawa and incorporating their ideas into the designs. Other students are envisioning new plans for the existing Batawa ski hill and chalet, while additional students are working on plans to upgrade the many trails around the scenic site, situated on the Trent River just minutes from Belleville. Among their thoughts - a memorial trail for founders and heroes and a trail that will showcase student designs and act like a museum for future work.


Above: Exhibition to Communities. Families from all over the area visited the exhibit with their children and shared with the students their stories about the Bata Shoe Factory. Leaders of the community, such as the Mayor of Quinte West, and members of BDC also appreciated the students' efforts to produce implementable solutions. A ribbon of process work was created with sketches and inspirational images to illustrate the evolution of the student ideas.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for Carleton students from different programs to work together," points out Architecture Professor Stephen Fai. "Down the road, there will be even more opportunities for interdisciplinary partnerships."

Katherine Graham, Carleton co-ordinator of the Batawa Initiative, says the project has caught everyone's imagination. "There are so many different aspects to the Batawa Development Project that should keep Carleton students and faculty, from all kinds of disciplines, busy for a long time and allow them to engage in real-world opportunities."

Faculty are also involved in the project. In keeping with the "green" theme, Professor Patricia Ballamingie is planning to develop an urban agricultural strategy for Batawa. The goal is to turn Batawa into a vibrant, community-based food system and central marketplace for Quinte West produce. "There are already so many exciting local food initiatives that have occurred in such a short span of time," says Dr. Ballamingie.


Above: Observatory. The top of the Batawa Ski Hill is approximately the center of Quinte West County and the hill top structure is located at the hightest point, potentially giving it a landmark status. The observatory, placed just above the tree line, allows guests to enjoy the night sky. It is a unique educational element that will bring many visitors to Batawa and will allow guests to stargaze with minimal light pollution.

Carleton's involvement in the project grew out of a spontaneous discussion last fall between Sonja Bata and Carleton President Roseann O'Reilly Runte. Mrs. Bata says she is delighted at the input. "The students are providing innovative ideas, concepts and things we can't even imagine yet. Batawa is a living laboratory for the students."

The Carleton designs are part of Mrs. Bata's comprehensive vision. The wife of Batawa founder Thomas J. Bata, founded the Batawa Development Corporation to strategically develop some of the land in and around the village.


Above: Recreational Ponds and Reservoir. Early sketch models helped to evolve ideas. Refined scaled models were built for the chalet expansion, the new recreational area and the hill top structure.

Using sustainable development practices and partnering with the community, the idea is to create a village that is "beautiful by nature and design." All development will strive for a silver LEED rating under the United States Green Building Council's LEED for Neighbourhood Development program. An additional 500 residential units are planned for the first phase of redevelopment, expected to be completed within the next 10 years, bringing the total number of residents to 610. Long-term plans call for a further 500 residential units. This will be accompanied by commercial, industrial and recreation development and conservation activities. A new village centre will include a civic square, retail services and offices. The shoe factory will be brought back to life and the existing ski hill and chalet improved, while other recreational facilities will be built. The planned community will also offer residents cultural and intellectual pursuits.

"We're delighted Mrs. Bata is giving us this opportunity," says Thomas Garvey, director of the School of Industrial Design. "She loves students and that's our business, so we are a great fit. We're training the people she needs to make her dream come true and, in return, our students are getting a fantastic opportunity to apply their skills."

Find out more about the Batawa-Carleton Initiative.

This article originally appeared on the Exchange Magazine website, and has been republished with permission from the Editor. The above images are from the Batawa-Carleton initiative and have been included with permission.

About Carleton University School of Industrial Design

The School of Industrial Design at Carleton University opened its doors for the very first time in 1973 to a new class of future designers and visionaries. The Bachelor of Industrial Design at Carleton, founded by Wim Gilles, offered a four-year comprehensive industrial design curriculum that has since graduated well over 500 designers, many of whom now hold prestigious design positions in both Canada and around the world. The school now has a unique curriculum that blends design studies with applied sciences, such as math and physics, and social sciences like psychology and business. The focus is on process, from concept and design, through to manufacturing and the everyday use of the product. www.id.carleton.ca