Category Archives for "Architecture"

For large construction projects, I tend to organize them this way: -I hire a GC, general contractor, on a fixed price, GMP (Gross Maximum Price) contract so after we negotiate their fee, they “sit” on the same side of the table as the owner; ie, their interests are now aligned -I do the same with […]

[A version of this article first appeared in Ottawa Business Journal, https://www.obj.ca/article/op-ed-meet-steve-willis-city-halls-most-important-person] [Part 1, https://brucemfirestone.com/steve-willis-attempt-to-makeover-ottawa-part-1-of/] Interestingly,Mr. Willis recognizes that a one size fits all planning and infrastructure approach makes no sense. He promises that in the next OP (official plan) review (slated to be completed in 2021 or 2022), a more nuanced, fine-grained approach whereby […]

[A version of this article first appeared in Ottawa Business Journal, https://www.obj.ca/article/op-ed-meet-steve-willis-city-halls-most-important-person] [Read part 2 here, https://brucemfirestone.com/steve-willis-attempt-to-makeover-ottawa-part-2-of/] I meet with Steve Willis in his suite of offices at Ottawa city hall after everyone else’s workday seems to be over, except his. He’s the new general manager of planning, infrastructure & economic development, a crucial 700-person […]

Do we build cities for cars or people? I vote for people. Here’s what a woonerf (livable) road really looks like: Here’s a fabulous makeover of a roadway for pedestrians and bikes. In Stockholm? No. Berlin? No. LA? Nope. In Moscow, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-08-10/moscow-s-makeover-swaps-soviet-grit-for-urban-sparkle And how about an inexpensive makeover of a main street as a flower […]

[Here’s an article I wrote in 2009 for a local Ottawa newspaper that is worthwhile re-reading today amidst talk of the Sens possibly packing up and heading to greener pastures (possibly Quebec City) due to attendance woes in the 2016/17 regular season and playoffs as well as subsequent years. I think a better idea would […]

(This article first appeared in OBJ,  https://obj.ca/article/opinion-coach-houses-open-door-better-urban-planning-ottawa.) As OBJ readers may already know, the city of Ottawa recently changed its bylaws to permit construction of coach houses on many existing residential lots. This is part of a worldwide effort to densify and intensify existing urban areas to make them more interesting, more diverse, and more […]

[This article originally appeared on Spirepoint.ca] The number of mega wealthy people on this planet (a class that includes billionaires and millionaires, the latter, however, must have a net worth greater than $30 million USD to be included) is a tiny percentage of overall population—just 0.004% of adults qualify according to Wealth-X. This group controls […]

The NCC is asking citizens to submit their big ideas to make Ottawa a more inspiring G7 capital city. Here is Prof Bruce’s big idea for a national boardwalk, one that would be the longest in the world (surpassing current record-holder Atlantic City) and link the provinces of Ontario and Quebec as well as major […]

The Telfer School of Management’s professor Barbara Orser assisted by Luc Lalande has asked me to give one last lecture in 2016. I tried to make it both fun and informative. You can watch the video of the lecture below. It is also available on YouTube, https://youtu.be/GqqdLeT25us Here is the slidedeck I used, https://www.dropbox.com/s/jvo3187hnzr3397/firestone-legacy-lecture.pptx?dl=0 Here’s […]

old subdivision design v new conservation subdivision design When conservation subdivision design principles were first introduced, developers thought their properties would be devalued and sales would take longer. It turned out, however, buyers would pay more to live in a village that made preservation of natural areas a feature even if it meant smaller lots […]