Thursday, August 2, 2012

WEEK TWO READING: URBAN FORM AMD LOCALI



The reading aims to reorientation the strategic questions towards locality, and second, give due weight to non-transport issues.

Urban form is explored through a discussions of the character and location of neighbourhoods. A number of dimensions are discussed in relation to this:

Dimension One: The degree of dispersal or concentration

There are two extremes, the first is dispersal into hamlets and villages, and the other is concentration into dominant cities. Between these extremes are ‘dispersed concentration’

Dimension Two: The degree of segregation or intermixture of urban activities

The way which industry and commerce is situated within centers of the urban area as a whole. It is suggested that mixed use is desirable, but no definites exist as to what mixed-use means or how much is should occur within neighbourhoods.

Dimension Three: The settlement density… The question of low vs. high density

This focuses on the appropriate density of neighbourhoods, in regards to ‘net’ density (the housing area), and ‘gross’ density (housing and local facilities/ employment/ open space).

Dimension Four: Shape… The three basic types: stellar, grid and linear

There are nucleated and linear forms. Shape refers to whole towns and cities, and the neighbourhoods are the building blocks that create wider patterns.




No comments:

Post a Comment