Impossible Toronto01On the Courtyard Learning from
European Blocks
Our design proposal features large balconies that extend the living spaces outdoors, create an immersive connection to the courtyard, and provide shading to units.
In Toronto, a paradox persists: amidst a widely acknowledged housing crisis, construction has ground to a halt. As of mid-2025, home starts have plummeted, and predictably, families are departing the province for more affordable regions.
We badly need to change our approach to building—but building, by its nature, isn’t something that can change course quickly or easily. This needn’t mean that all creativity is stifled. Architects can still draw and urbanists can still write. Imagination persists. Challenges notwithstanding, we retain, for better and for worse, the power to shape our future.
On the Courtyard has been created in this spirit. The culmination of a year-long architectural study collaboratively conducted by Studio VAARO and Gabriel Fain Architects, it marks the first of a series of research projects exploring building designs that could be suitable for, but are currently unbuildable in, Toronto.
Funded by The Neptis Foundation, On the Courtyard examines European courtyard blocks and identifies opportunities for and challenges to their integration into Toronto’s urban landscape.
To explore the full architectural study, download the complete book
Imagining constructive alternatives to the current reality remains a cultural challenge. Impossible Toronto, through its inaugural project, On the Courtyard, counters this creative hurdle by exploring a design vision. The goal is not to offer definitive solutions: no one typology can be a silver bullet that “fixes” the city. But we can take steps toward reimagining Toronto’s future. On the Courtyard is one such step; further explorations will be needed as Toronto continues to learn about what built forms suit this city and the particularities of its future.
In this project, we propose to introduce a new built form to Toronto. It is one that has proven successful for centuries in Europe. One that is terrifically livable and engaging for both residents and passersby. One that Canadian tourists marvel over, wondering, Why can’t we have this back home? It’s a typology known as the courtyard block—and, for now, it’s impossible to build in Toronto for a variety of reasons, many of which are laid out in our research.
To explore the full architectural study, download the complete book