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.

Author: Studio VAARO, Gabriel Fain Architects

Publisher: The Neptis Foundation

ISBN: 9781988077031