University of PalestineFaculty of Applied Engineering

Department of Architecture

By : Islam Alassar Amaal Khawaja wala’ zaiter

Supervision by : shereen Abd Rahman

Origins of Recent Urban Design Theory

Urban Planning was introduce to place a growing body of theory and practice in suitably general geographical context .

Urban: was a description of what had become a culture and life style rather than a particular geographical territory.Urban Planning could comfortably accommodate city, town and suburb, no matter how these were administratively defined or physically constituted.

Urban Renewal Theory – Basics

Attempt to revitalize urban centers1930s – 1970s, Championed by Robert Moses

His view on urban planning: “Cities are for traffic”.Focused on economically depressed portions of cities, mainly in inner city slumsPromoted the building of bridges, housing projects on large campuses, sometimes with open green spacesSegregation was socially and legally sanctionedRacial deed restrictions on housing

Societal Theories of Urban Design

Formal Theories of Urban Design

Environmental Theories of Urban Design

Types of theories

Societal Theories of Urban Design:

1.The Garden City (Ebenezer Howard)2.The Contemporary City(Le Corbusier)

Formal Theories of Urban Design1.Camillo Sitte ( City Planning According to Artistic Principles)2.Aldo Rossi( Urban Artifacts (Architecture of the City))3.Colin Rowe & Fred Koetter (Collage)4.Christopher Alexander Wholeness (A New Theory of Urban Design)

Environmental Theories of Urban Design1.Allan Jacobs & Donald Appleyard Livable Streets (Towards an Urban Design Manifesto)2.Leon Krier ( Urban Quarters)3.Congress for the New Urbanism (Charter of the) New Urbanism

Theory of change

Provides an outcome-oriented framework for developing and assessing ideas.

Examples:‘We believe we can put 80% of suitable public land under

food cultivation within 10 years by marrying garden design with edible planting and validate a new urban aesthetic and land use’.

The ‘Black Hole’ Theory of Highway Investment

1.Traffic Management Options•Auto-restraint•Road-pricing

2. Mass Transit OptionsPara-transit OptionsNon-Transportation

Urban Transportation Problems & PolicyUrban Transportation Problems & Policy

1.1. Congestion Congestion 2.2. The ‘Black Hole’ The ‘Black Hole’ Theory of Highway InvestmentTheory of Highway Investment3.3. Traffic Management OptionsTraffic Management Options

Auto-restraintAuto-restraintRoad-pricingRoad-pricing

4.4. Mass Transit OptionsMass Transit OptionsPara-transit OptionsPara-transit Options

Non-Transportation Non-Transportation

1. 1. Congestion:Congestion:

Traffic Volumes (# of vehicles)

Travel Time over

a Link

“Free flow”

Volume

Carrying Capacity

What happens when one congested link backs up another?

Eventually we get… “GRIDLOCK”

2.2. The ‘Black Hole’ Theory of Highway InvestmentThe ‘Black Hole’ Theory of Highway Investment

Street networks must be Street networks must be built for peak period loadsbuilt for peak period loadsBut transportation/land But transportation/land use systems are dynamicuse systems are dynamicIf you make it easier to If you make it easier to travel, people will travel travel, people will travel longer distanceslonger distances

Congestion

Build MoreCapacity

3.3. Traffic Management OptionsTraffic Management Options

Low cost “solutions” to improve efficiency of existing Low cost “solutions” to improve efficiency of existing infrastructureinfrastructure

Suicide (Reversible) LanesSuicide (Reversible) Lanes Turn restrictions at intersectionsTurn restrictions at intersections One-way streetsOne-way streets Better signing, signalizationBetter signing, signalization Traffic-light pacing systemsTraffic-light pacing systems Stricter traffic enforcementStricter traffic enforcement Delivery and truck bansDelivery and truck bans Ramp metering on freewaysRamp metering on freeways Bus pulloutsBus pullouts

ISTEA: Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency ActISTEA: Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act Charges MPOs with developing Transportation System Charges MPOs with developing Transportation System

Management (TSM) plansManagement (TSM) plans

3.3. Traffic Management Options: Traffic Management Options: Auto Restraint PoliciesAuto Restraint Policies

Different approach: Make auto travel harder, not Different approach: Make auto travel harder, not easier easier → encourage use of alternative modes→ encourage use of alternative modesDowntown strategies:Downtown strategies:

Eliminate parkingEliminate parking Mandate paid parkingMandate paid parking Close off streetsClose off streets Pleasant Pleasant pedestrianpedestrian environment may environment may

actually increase retail salesactually increase retail sales

Göteborg, SwedenCBD Access Plan

Ring Road for bypassing traffic

3.3. Traffic Management Options: Traffic Management Options: Auto-Restraint PoliciesAuto-Restraint Policies

Neighborhood Neighborhood Strategies:Strategies:Traffic “Calming”Traffic “Calming”

Traffic islandsTraffic islands Frequent stop signsFrequent stop signs One-way streetsOne-way streets One-lane streetsOne-lane streets BollardsBollards

Arterial Street: Through Traffic

Arterial Street: Through Traffic

Berkeley, California: Bollard Slalom

4.4. Mass Transit OptionsMass Transit Options

Three main types:Three main types:a)a) BusesBusesb)b) Rapid Rail Transit (RRT)Rapid Rail Transit (RRT)c)c) Light Rail Transit (LRT)Light Rail Transit (LRT)

5.5. Para-transit OptionsPara-transit Options

Hybrid modes between personal and mass transitHybrid modes between personal and mass transitDoor-to-door, demand-responsiveDoor-to-door, demand-responsiveExamplesExamples TaxisTaxis CarpoolsCarpools Van servicesVan services Dial-a-busesDial-a-buses PRT: Personal Rapid Transit “People Movers”PRT: Personal Rapid Transit “People Movers”

A Philippines’ “Jeepney” (Wikipedia photo)

ULTRa, Heathrow Airport, London (Wikipedia Photo)

6.6. Non-Transportation Non-Transportation Transportation SolutionsTransportation Solutions

Alternative work schedulesAlternative work schedules

Telecommuting; e-shoppingTelecommuting; e-shopping

Better urban designBetter urban design

The space theoryThe space theory