Unpacking and Repackaging Regional Diversity: Office-Building Trajectories in Canada

Abstract

Office-building cycles have been subject to extensive research during the past decade. Researchers have contemplated various aspects of the most recent cycle (1980s to early 1990s), yet the multiple spatial dimensions have received only modest consideration. Taking a longer perspective than the typical building cycle, the author considers the extended trajectories of office development in Canadian cities and regions; these development avenues are shaped by components originating at various geographical scales. The major purpose is to demonstrate how these components come about in particular settings. The process of identifying and sorting components is quite complex because they are inherently interactive. Trajectories should be interpreted as packages of general and particular arrangements. These arrangements reflect the interactions between components of different geographical scales, interactions that customize place-specific patterns.