Week #5

The Design of the City

Todays lecture discussed the design of cities, which can be broken down into three different categories consisting of utopia, view and power. The Utopian design of a city involves the idea of perfection in all of its elements such as its geometrical layout and style. The View design of a city concentrates on the perspective and visual experience of the city, such as curved streets to hinder the view of enemies or to make the city seem larger than it is. Finally the Power design of a city relies on the administrative, cultural and symbolic components to establish the idea of power, such as large open spaces decorated by government.  
The lecture also discussed how to recognise the origin of a city and whether or not it was of Roman, Spanish, American or British design. The image below shows some examples of these city layouts:

Roman - Follows a castrum layout that extends into the countryside, they also considered main environmental features such as mountains and rivers. 

Spaniard - The city grid in rotated 45 degrees in respect to North

American - They have subdivided the land into townships consisting of squares (6 miles long) and follow a grid that is north to south.

British - Have wide streets with land subdivided into one square mile sections. There is also a clear distinction between town and country by the use of a green belt or common land (parklands).

Project #2


Using the information from the lecture today, I would say that Kabul is a city that uses a combination of layouts similar to the British style. The streets of Kabul are wide and the distinction between the city and countryside are clearly defined, however the country follows the city template which is a design aspect of roman cities. 
In tutorials today our group discussed our site selection, which research components needed attention and how to arrange our maps for the poster. The below image shows our 3 preferred site choices for our model, each square contains part of the river as well as major intersections and variances in city style. 

Site selection options

For my part of the research, I've collected various maps of the Kabul city showing a variety of different data, from major tourist highlights to future development plans. The future development plans are the most interesting piece of information that I have researched so far, since in its current state Kabul is in ruin. Belows is a site plan for the new Kabul referred to as the city of light:

City of Light development plan

  
Reflections


This week has been productive in regards to the project #2 workload, I have done a lot of relevant research and considered how this would work into our poster and report. I have also thought about the weeks lecture and how cities are categorised into certain styles. I find that selecting which styles influenced which city layout to be a challenging task. A lot of the cities I have seen have been a complicated combination of the various types. For example, Brisbane's central area seems to follow the Spanish layout with the use of the 45 degree grid, however this grid is lost in the rest of the city which seems to follow a British layout. The purpose of learning these layouts is purely from an origination perspective, but it's clear that today most cities tend to use the parts they favor from previous designs.

Week #4

Analysis of the City

The lecture this week discussed how to analyse a city by looking at the following information:

Historical growth - Analysing various historical maps of the city

Mobility maps - Identifying railway, roads and paths used in the city

Functional aspects - Locating land types and buildings and discovering their function

Morpho- typological - Form determined by buildings and spaces

The above analysis methods show how a city works, you can discover simple and effective information such as desirable locations and the most effective method of transportation to reach them. These analysis techniques work well when combining the information into a single map, providing a deeper understanding to the positioning of certain city elements. 

City styles were also discussed in detail covering French, English and Italian urban planning techniques. And finally a discussion on the architectural elements of a city and how they might be described:

Type - Model =

- Stereotype (reproduction or a copy)

- Archetype (original model or first of its kind)

- Prototype (developing, original but not the 1st)

Urban Analysis Workshop

The tutorial today involved analysing the Brisbane, Howard Smith Wharves district and representing it in various mapping methods. These methods included a historical analysis, a mobility analysis, a functional analysis and a morphology analysis.

Historical Analysis:

The historical analysis was achieved by analysing information from various maps of Brisbane's development and combining it into a single historical representation. The above diagrams show (from darkest to lightest shades) the original Brisbane city layout before it gradually expended over the last 155 years. According to Whitehand (1987), a townscape, especially a well-established one, provides a strong visual experience of the history of an area as demonstrated in the city of Brisbane .

Mobility Analysis:

The mobility analysis was also achieved by combining information from various maps of the Brisbane City transport system. The above diagram shows the routes for roads, railways, ferry's and the inner city loop bus as well as the Brisbane River and parklands. This information shows us where the busier parts of the city are located and the transport access options that are available to us. 

Functional Analysis:

The functional analysis is a combined analysis of various Brisbane City maps that focus on the function of various structures and open spaces, such as a tourism map or land use map. The above diagram shows the functional aspects of the buildings and spaces located directly above the Howard Smith Wharves. From this functional analysis we can observe the connections between various structures and the streets. For example, the roads thin out towards the industrial area meaning less congestion in this part of the city. 

Morphology Analysis:

A detailed morphology analysis would require an accurate Nolli map to show sufficient information on Brisbane City, but for the purpose of this exercise analysing the areas structures through maps was sufficient enough. The above diagrams show both the scale of the structures and the age of the structures in specific areas. The first diagram represents the size of the buildings and suggests a rough timeline as to their production while the bottom diagram shows the age of the buildings and the growth of the city. 

Project #2

This week our group received our options for project #3 and we decided to go with Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan. Kabul is a war torn city with much destruction to its infrastructure and large areas of poverty and ruin.  This week we agreed to do a thorough research of the city of Kabul and reconvene next tutorial to begin site selection and delegation of tasks. 

Reflections

This week has glued together a lot of the concepts discussed over the previous few weeks, finally completing our palette of city analysis tools. The various city analysis techniques have taught me how to analyse the most important features of a city such as time, travel, style and function. Using the historical analysis, you can learn how the city developed in the past and consider how it will continue to develop in the future. For example in Brisbane we have developed so quickly and consumed so much land we are starting to continue development within already densely developed areas.

The mobility analysis shows clearly how people travel across the urban environment, and where the main areas of interest are located. For example in Brisbane, the main railway lines and major roads aren't in the center of the city, they circle around the edges, however the loop bus accesses all the important sites in the heart of Brisbane. A transport system can show a cities dedication to sustainable living. 

The morphology analysis shows the various architecture styles within a city, in Brisbane an analysis of scale will show you that the highest structures are located in the central area and the smaller residential areas are located on the outskirts of the city. 

And lastly the functional analysis, which shows how a city comes together, what elements are important and how they are connected. Brisbane's central area is thick with congestion as all the office blocks and shopping areas are located here while the outer industrial area is generally only populated by workers and not the general public. 

Week #3

Elements of the City 


The lecture this week focused on the elements of a city and how they define a place. These elements included the streets, squares, the most recurrent building typology, parks, canals, urban facilities and mobility facilities. When we look at streets and squares there are numerous types that are used across a broad range of cities depending entirely on the city layout, history and typography. Doing a thorough analysis of these elements can reveal a lot of information on how the city works, how people get from one destination to another and how they interact within various spaces. These are all important considerations to make about our city in project 2. 


Describing the City Workshop


The topic of the tutorials today focused on representations of a city through various diagramming techniques such as the Figureground Plan, Nolli Map, Forma Urbis, City Pattern and the Street Section. Below is the image of Brisbane City (Howard Smith Wharves) that we were required to represent in the follow methods of diagramming:

Conceptual Representation:

The above diagram represents the Brisbane City in a conceptual sketch, this technique is useful in representing the structure of the urban environment or to highlight relationships between the main elements of the city (Guaralda, 2011). From the sketch we can see that the Brisbane River is at the centre of the urban structure, with all major streets in close proximity.


City Pattern:

The above diagram represents the Brisbane City as a pattern, the shaded areas are the locations of the city structures while the white areas represent the open spaces such as roads, rivers, parks and so forth. From this sketch it is clear that the centre of Brisbane City is rather dense in urban infrastructure, with the majority of open spaces close to the riverside. It is also clear that Brisbane City follows a grid layout, with the infrastructure and streets neatly aligned. 


Figureground Map:

The above diagram represents Brisbane City in a figureground map, this sketch is drawn as a section 2 metres above ground level and shows the city structures in black and the open spaces white with minimal plain details. From this sketch you can see the relationships between the structures and the open spaces and how they connect with each other in the urban template. 


Nolli Map:

The above diagram represents Brisbane City in a Nolli map which shows a much more personal relationship between the infrastructure of the city and the surrounding open spaces. Once again the structures are black while the open spaces are in white, showing more detail of how the buildings access the streets and where the public areas are located. 


Urban Section:

The above diagram represents an urban section of the Howard Smith Wharves showing the typography of the land and the various levels of the Brisbane City. From this sketch the relationship between the river, Story Bridge and the land is clear. We can see that the infrastructure is higher in respect to the river, which is a common urban design template for cities that are susceptible to floods.


Street Section:

The above diagram represents a street section of Brisbane City showing the relationship between the buildings and the streets in this particular area. From this sketch we can see the general height of the buildings and how they scale next to one another, also the vehicular traffic and pedestrian movement can be seen demonstrating the use of the open spaces. 


Reflections


After this weeks exercises and discussions I've learnt how a population occupies a city, how they interact with the spaces they have been provided or how they create new spaces. It is clear that popular urban facilities such as shopping centers and churches are always in close proximity to motorways and local transport. It is also interesting that depending on the type of street in certain areas, you will also see different types of traffic, people on foot my dominant one area over another, or faster vehicular routes may not always be the main roads. It is also clear that there are a variety of different squares in most cities, all performing different tasks depending on their location to public services. In summary I believe the public movement within a city creates thick places and these places are connected by important destinations within the urban fabric. 

Week #2

Perception of the City

This weeks lecture topic covered various techniques used to identify certain elements within an urban environment. These elements are:

Edges - Boundary between two separate situations, for example a river and a walkway

Districts - Medium to large sections of the city that have common features

Nodes - A feature or meeting point, for example an intersection of pathways

Landmarks - Outstanding element that can be used as a location marker

Boundaries - State or city border, for example a city wall

Limits - A physical element that separates areas

Memorials - A history of a place, for example Anzac Square 

Monuments - An element that gives form to the city around it

There are also thick and thin places within a city, areas that are either enriched with an experience of place or void of this experience. All these elements are what makes a city memorable and influence ones perception of the urban fabric.  

Brisbane City Walkshop

This week a group of us went on a walkshop around the Brisbane city centre analysing the elements of the urban environment that were discussed during the lecture. Below is a series of sketches on sticky notes that I recorded during my city walk on Monday. The journey starts in the top left of the square and goes down and up through the middle and finally ending down the right side of the square. 

During our walk we discovered that the Brisbane city had a series of paths, edges, districts, nodes and landmarks. Some of the structures were even at one stage monuments, landmarks or pathways that over time have become edges in the urban landscape.

The first stop point in the Botanical Gardens was located near the centre of the gardens between a cross section of pathways, under a small rotunda. As observed by Jacobs (2003), people observe the gardens while moving through it, and along these paths the other environmental elements are arranged and related. The above diagram shows how the plants and trees act as edges along the pathways and the directions these pathways can be taken.

The second stop was at a cross section of pathways in the shopping district of Brisbane, also referred to as a node. As shown in the diagram above, the surrounding structures act as edges around the node creating a clear junction. As Jacobs (2003) observed, pedestrians had a tendency to stop and observe because decisions must be made at junctions, people heighten their attention at such places and perceive nearby elements with more than normal clarity. This shopping district is also on an axis to the Botanical Gardens, enforcing the idea of the path as a tool to reach a destination.

The third stop was at King George Square, a large open area directly in front of the Brisbane City Hall. The Brisbane City Hall acts as a landmark within the city, it is easily identifiable, has a clear form in contrast with the cityscape background and has access to a significant spatial location according to Jacobs (2003). However over time this landmark has slowly developed into a edge, as construction work and privacy closes it off from the public.

The fourth stop was at Anzac Square where the old Central Railway Station is located in axis to the Post Office. Much like the Brisbane City Hall, the Central Railway Station was once a landmark within the city but it has over time been replaced and is now an edge in the cities urban fabric. The Anzac Square is a memorial site that reveals part of Brisbane history, it is bounded by surrounding buildings that act as edges around the Square creating a distinct path to the old Post Office. 

The fifth stop was at the Cathedral Square, a small park that acts as a buffer zone within the city, there are no edges enclosing the park, only open access to the cityscape around it. The Cathedral Square is a park that is rarely used except on weekends for church services this is unusual as there are numerous office blocks surrounding the park. Only the homeless find shelter in this part of the city, perhaps its too far from the city center? 

The sixth and final stop was along the Brisbane riverside, an area with a wide open footpath that travels the length of the river. The Brisbane River and the various hotels, restaurants and apartments along the pathway all act as edges directing pedestrians along the footpath. This path is a popular jogging spot for locals, providing a scenic route as they do their daily exercise. 


Reflections


After doing the Brisbane City Walkshop and learning the value of the elements within a city, I have adopted an entirely new perception of Brisbane and possibly cities in general. Todays exercise has given me a new way to understand the finer points of the urban fabric allowing me to challenge the question of why, who, where, when and how when I look at any city element. I can understand now why people move through Brisbane city the way they do, why they take certain paths over others, and how this constant traffic in certain areas has shaped the way the architectural elements have been designed. 

Week #1

History of the City

This week we were given a mysterious location as shown in Image #1 which turns out to be a series of photographs of Casinò Municipale in Campione d'Italia, Italy. After attending the first lecture, History of the City, it is clear that this small city is organic with no reoccurring pattern or grid in its urban design. The city is built along the surrounding typography, allowing each structure the advantage of having waterfront and hillside views while at the same time restricting further development. 

Image #1

In the immediate centre of the city lies the Casinò Municipale, this modernised structure is twice the height of the surrounding buildings and can be seen from any point along the lake. The casino acts as a landmark in the city template, it is both central and has full access to the waterfront. In conclusion Campione d'Italia appears to be a small city, possibly detached from other components, that is driven by tourism and structured around the scenic value of the land. 


Reflections


Looking closely at this city a few thoughts come to mind about its function when thinking about its size and location. It could be assumed that this casino is a prime revenue for the local area, attracting tourism and providing locals with employment as there doesn't appear to be any industrial estate in the area. The city might cater for tourists and few residents as more of a luxurious living estate rather then a working city; relying almost entirely on delivered goods from other local areas. 

References

Agraphia (2009). Howards Garden City [Image]. Retrieved from http://agraphiablog.blogspot.com/2009/08/p15-garden-city.html

Graf, G. (2008). Hidden Towns [Images]. Retrieved from http://newsfeed.kosmograd.com/kosmograd/2008/03/city-of-signs-5.html

Guaralda, M. (2011). Handbook for the Workshop on Describing the City [Lecture Notes]. Retrieved from http://blackboard.qut.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=/webapps/blackboard/execute/launcher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_74288_1%26url%3D

Hisham, N. (2004). Project area map, City of Light [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.cityoflight-kabul.com/

Jacobs, J. (2003). The City Reader. pp.424 - 428. Retrieved from Queensland University of Technology Course Materials Database.

Langdon, J. (2010). Sustainability Diagram [Image]. Retrieved from http://jedlangdon.com/2010/07/why-is-customer-experience-vital-for-long-term-sustainability/

Tour Europe (2011). The Coliseum [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.tour-europe.org/italy/rome/the-coliseum.php

Whitehand, J. (1987). The changing face of cities. pp.2. Retrieved from Queensland University of Technology Course Materials Database.