Principles of Urban Design LECTURE 2
Abhishek K. Venkitaraman Iyer Assistant Professor Faculty of Architecture, MIT
Contents Elements of urban design- user type, activities, culture and cities, growth of cities, elements of successful cities
URBAN GRAIN The balance of open space to built form, and the nature and extent of subdividing an area into smaller parcels or blocks. For example a ‘fine urban grain’ might constitute a network of small or detailed streetscapes.
It takes into consideration the hierarchy of street types, the physical linkages and movement between locations, and modes of transport
URBAN STRUCTURE The overall framework of a region, town or precinct, showing relationships between zones of built forms, land forms, natural environments, activities and open spaces. It encompasses broader systems including transport and infrastructure networks.
DENSITY + MIX The intensity of development and the range of different uses (such as residential, commercial, institutional or recreational uses). HEIGHT + MASSING The scale of buildings in relation to height and floor area, and how they relate to surrounding land forms, buildings and streets. It also incorporates building envelope, site coverage and solar orientation. Height and massing create the sense of openness or enclosure, and affect the amenity of streets, spaces and other buildings.
STREETSCAPE + LANDSCAPE The design of public spaces such as streets, open spaces and pathways, and includes landscaping, microclimate, shading and planting. FACADE + INTERFACE The relationship of buildings to the site, street and neighbouring buildings (alignment, setbacks, boundary treatment) and the architectural expression of their facades (projections, openings, patterns and materials). DETAILS + MATERIALS The close-up appearance of objects and surfaces and the selection of materials in terms of detail, craftsmanship, texture, colour, durability, sustainability and treatment. It includes street furniture, paving, lighting and signage. It contributes to human comfort, safety and enjoyment of the public domain.
Streetscape from Kalpathy,Kerala
PUBLIC REALM The public realm includes the natural and built environment used by the general public on a day-to-day basis such as streets, plazas, parks, and public infrastructure. Some aspects of privately owned space such as the bulk and scale of buildings, or gardens that are visible from the public realm, can also contribute to the overall result. TOPOGRAPHY, LANDSCAPE AND ENVIRONMENT The natural environment includes the topography of landforms, water courses, flora and fauna—whether natural or introduced. It may be in the form of rivers and creeks, lakes, bushland, parks and recreational facilities, streetscapes or private gardens, and is often referred to as ‘green infrastructure’.
SOCIAL + ECONOMIC FABRIC The non-physical aspects of the urban form which include social factors (culture, participation, health and well-being) as well as the productive capacity and economic prosperity of a community. It incorporates aspects such as demographics and life stages, social interaction and support networks.
Cities and Culture
London’s cultural landscape
SCALE The size, bulk and perception of a buildings and spaces. Bulk refers to the height, width and depth of a building in relation to other surrounding buildings, the street, setbacks and surrounding open space. For example, a large building set amongst other smaller buildings may seem ‘out of scale’.
URBAN FORM The arrangement of a built up area. This arrangement is made up of many components including how close buildings and uses are together; what uses are located where; and how much of the natural environment is a part of the built up area.
Elements of Urban Design
Buildings Buildings are the most pronounced elements of urban design - they shape and articulate space by forming the streetwalls of the city. Well designed buildings and groups of buildings work together to create a sense of place.
Public Space Great public spaces are the living room of the city - the place where people come together to enjoy the city and each other. Public spaces make high quality life in the city possible - they form the stage and backdrop to the drama of life. Public spaces range from grand central plazas and squares, to small, local neighbourhood parks.
Urban Square ?... •
An urban square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a city used for community gatherings.
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a forum for exchange, both social and economic ideas
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Their significance and intensity of meaning is expressed through “harder” intensively used landscaping.
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They tend to be formal and urban in nature in contrast to parks and open space, which are typically soft landscaped, larger and less intensively used.
Piazza Grande - Roman
Piazza del Campo,Siena, Italy
Classification of Urban Squares Ceremonial
Rossio ,Lisboa,Portugal court
elm court, london
Cathedral, Temple
St.Peter’s Rome street, shopping
Times square,new york
Traffic Circle
Xinghai Square - Dalian Social
Trafalgar square,UK
Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland 37000 m²
Access & linkages
Pioneer Courthouse Square has been successful mostly because of its central location downtown. The public art adds charm and helps define the space. The steps lend themselves perfectly to public performances but also to a spur of the moment decision to sit down .
Water body
Buildings as enclosure
Informal seating area
Columns creating Boundary
Public activities
Streets
Streets are the connections between spaces and places, as well as being spaces themselves. They are defined by their physical dimension and character as well as the size, scale, and character of the buildings that line them. Streets range from grand avenues to small, intimate pedestrian streets. The pattern of the street network is part of what defines a city and what makes each city unique.
Jaisalmer
Paris
STREETS
ESPLANADE
STREETS
alley
alley
STREETS
alley
Roorkee
McLeodganj Traditional Character of Indian Streets
Bodh Gaya,Bihar
McLeodganj
Transport Transport systems connect the parts of cities and help shape them, and enable movement throughout the city. They include road, rail, bicycle, and pedestrian networks, and together form the total movement system of a city. The balance of these various transport systems is what helps define the quality and character of cities, and makes them either friendly or hostile to pedestrians. The best cities are the ones that elevate the experience of the pedestrian while minimizing the dominance of the private automobile.
Landscape The landscape is the green part of the city that weaves throughout - in the form of urban parks, street trees, plants, flowers, and water in many forms. The landscape helps define the character and beauty of a city and creates soft, contrasting spaces and elements. Green spaces in cities range from grand parks such as Central Park in New York City and the Washington DC Mall, to small intimate pocket parks.
SUCCESSFUL CITIES ARE … vibrant, livable urban settings that continue to adapt to changing circumstances by incorporating and promoting balanced natural, cultural, economic, social and built environments and implement related actions that value community well-being as a whole, to provide a higher quality of life for their citizens
1. Connectivity: facilitating efficient internal and external movement of people and goods while minimizing detrimental environmental and social effects; 2. Culture of Collaboration: support for respectful and cooperative interdisciplinary processes and varied views to achieve common purpose; 3. Culture of Innovation: promotion of innovative ways of addressing emerging local and global economic, environmental and social challenges; 4. Distinctiveness: capturing the sense of place by celebrating geographic location in the planning and design of the city; 5. Entrepreneurial Governance: fostering creative and visionary leadership within administrative, elected and volunteer areas;
6. Master Planning and Community Design: advocacy for a clear vision and implementation of a high quality built environment; 7. Quality Education: creating synergies across educational delivery models and with local and regional governments; 8. Quality of Life: recognition that a high quality of life attracts investment, people and innovation; 9. Livability: promotion of high quality urbanism, urban spaces and places that create attractive urban living;
10. Social Conscience: recognition that healthy cities are socially and culturally diverse and require a supportive social network; 11. Sustainability: commitment to meaningful economic, environmental, and social sustainability in policy and action; and 12. Vibrant Economy: an economy that has resiliency, builds on local strengths and promotes community well‐being.
