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City Planning -- Home
Current Town Planning *Celebration Critique *The New Cultural Urbanism *Criteria: The Living City Project C: Coventry Park Project D: Alysseum
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Design Criteria for the Living CityImagine the Italian, Spanish or French hill town. The beginnings in a medieval past, evolving over time into a coherent community. Originally configured for defense. On the top a church spire from the cathedral, or perhaps a military fort. Nearby is the most public space, perhaps connected to the forecourt of the church. Under arched passageways, forming the core of the town, two to four story homes with shops underneath. A fountain plaza (read essay). Private houses and more shops line the streets radiating outwards. Narrow streets with interesting details, some opening to smaller plazas. There is a serendipity about walking around such places. Discovery makes the experience a delight. A public monument, a view down an alley, a detailed doorknob. Colors and textures, cobblestone streets, tile and stucco with stone carvings. A surprise vista with a small park overlooking the distant valley/ river. Shade and shadow. Awnings extended over market shops and quaint outdoor restaurants. A whiff of home-made bread, a musician on the street, groups of people walking, a cold drink from a vendor. This description has been replicated in this country only marginally. Two towns come to mind: Worth Ave. in Palm Beach and Santa Barbara. Neither are as interesting as the old world example, nor do they invoke all the imagery above, but the efforts made by the developers created extremely valuable real estate. Both towns function well not only for their inhabitants, but create income from tourism. They are alive, they are destination experiences. The old world example is dense, much more so than any US attempt to duplicate, due to the very narrow streets designed historically for animal and pedestrian use alone and the two to four story houses sharing common walls. These houses typically, but not in every case, incorporate a private courtyard. The hill town had no zoning; it grew organically. War, economics, culture, and the weathering of time bestow a unique charm, an authentic aura. New towns today, in order to create a ‘here’, involve a massive initial infrastructure outlay in order to create the core and preliminary background buildings. Parking needs are very difficult to accommodate. Zoning, property rights, communal upkeep, architectural control, etc. requires the most talented legal minds to create and preserve the dream. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ The essence for the Living City is simply: A gentle mix of human activities brought together at advantageous intersections without compromising the welfare of the inhabitants. We have compiled a list of New Town Design Criteria, 21 general points. These theorems not only underlie working models as used in Seaside, Florida or Newpoint, South Carolina, or Clackamas, Oregon for example, but additionally incorporate ideals that should be included in the design and planning of any true community, one in which the people have an individual and collective voice in planning and building together: a democratic way.
Community building in the form of New Towns should include: 1. The development of an ideological framework on which to base citizenship. 2. Provisions for care, aid, hospitalization, training for a suitable percentage of the young, sick, disabled, poor, elderly. 3. The containment and minimization of crime and pollution. 4. A healthy stimulating environment (natural and man-made) of human scale, free from traffic and congestion. 5. A profound sense of community, not isolation: no gender, age, race, or economic discrimination. 6. An integration of social, economic, ethnic groups that allow variety and cultural exchange. 7. A symbolic reflection of our culture; it should represent the efforts of individual and collective contribution. 8. Provisions to allow individual expression within context and without totalitarian control. 9. A forum, or public place for assembly, to be able to meet neighbor face to face and discuss feelings and facts, trade political views, exercise political, social, economic and ecological responsibility towards each other. 10. A better integration of work, play, house, public and private life and nature. 11. A fun, social and educational play and learning environment for children allowing interaction with all age groups. 12. The ability to walk to many primary activity centers for services and goods, jobs and recreation. 13. The feel of ‘place’, a sense of belonging: a magnetism or magic designed in, that people can absorb and respond to. 14. A layout that offers variety, surprise, serendipity, and other stimuli and settings that reflect, enhance or contain human emotion and activity. 15. Places for meditation and observation: to let the imagination soar, for dreams to be nurtured, to watch the flow of life... 16. The opportunity for chance encounter: to meet others we know, and others with whom we can exchange thoughts on living, enlarge our perspective, achieve a bond with our fellow man. 17. Natural beauty: trees, flowers, shrubbery, grass, and water for public enjoyment-- all landscaping should conserve, delight and invigorate. 18. A higher standard of craftsmanship and design of the built environment. A variety of materials, pattern, color, style. Kinesthetic, form, enclosure, vista, micro-ecology, etc. 19. The maintenance of Historic Continuity, assured by planning initiatives. The environmental arts must be re-introduced into the school system. 20. Limited Growth, a plan for expansion or colonization if the model is worthy. A Master Plan is essential. 21. Energy conservation measures, reduction of infrastructure costs, sustainability 22. An overall parti based on artistic and integrative principles of architecture, urban planning, and the fine arts.
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