ENBE Final Project Report on Better Livable Town

Content:
1. Introduction
2. A City
3. Investigation & Data Collection: Ancient and old cities
4. Investigation & Data Collection: The present cities
5. & Data Collection: The future and better township
6. The New “X” Town / Snowfly
7. The Conclusion
8. References list
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1.Introduction
The final project of elements of natural and built environment for this
course (FNBE) is all about elements of a city for the future and the situations
that will happen in few years later makes us to think about building new cities,
and different from the cities that we are living in currently.
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In this project students are required to imagine that the year is 2033
and they are the mayor of the “X” city (they are required to choose a name
for the city). They as mayors know a secret about the city and they know that
the city is no longer safe to live in, so they have to prepare a proposal for the
new city. First, students need to create a situation for their city which make it
not safe to live, and then find the best solution to build a new city depend on
the problem. They have five options, they can build city underground,
underwater, floating on water or enhance the city and after they choose the
option. They have to start research, sketches, etc to prepare the proposal of
the city and after that students must choose one city within their units and
make a model of it and present it to lecturers.
This project acquaints students with elements of natural and built
environment and they understand how to analyze different situation and
symbiotic relationships that they need to consider in natural and built
environment.
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2.The City
2.1 The City Definition
A city is a relatively large and permanent human settlement. Although there is
no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English
language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or
historical status based on local law.
Cities generally have complex systems for sanitation, utilities, land
usage, housing, and transportation. The concentration of development greatly
facilitates interaction between people and businesses, benefiting both parties in
the process, but it also presents challenges to managing urban growth. A big city
or metropolis usually has associated suburbs and exurbs. Such cities are usually
associated with metropolitan areas and urban areas, creating numerous
business commuters traveling to urban centers for employment. Once a city
expands far enough to reach another city, this region can be deemed
a conurbation or megalopolis. In terms of population, the largest city proper
is Shanghai, while the fastest growing is Dubai.
2.2 What is the brief history
Towns and cities have a long history, although opinions vary on whether any
particular ancient settlement can be considered a city. A city formed as central
places of trade for the benefit of the members living in close proximity to others
facilitates interaction of all kinds. These interactions generate both positive and
negative externalities between others' actions. Benefits include reduced
transport costs, exchange of ideas, sharing of natural resources, large local
markets, and later in their development, amenities such as running
water and sewage disposal. Possible costs would include higher rate of crime,
higher mortality rates, higher cost of living, worse pollution, traffic and high
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commuting times. Cities grow when the benefits of proximity between people
and firms are higher than the cost.
2.3 What makes a city / town
 Proper infrastructure such as sewage management and road
 Basic daily supply for the people such as electricity, water and food
 Public transportation
 Well organized city zoning
2.4 What makes a good town/ township (guidelines etc)
 Systematic and efficient urban planning in terms of zoning and designation of
places according to their functions and different usability.
 Smart integration and linkage throughout different parts / zones of the town.
 Strong and secure security and safety of the town which emphasizes on the
citizens of the town.
 Administrative departments which meet the needs and requirements of the
citizens of the town and ensure its convenience.
 Centralized business district to ensure job opportunities for the local
community and ensure the livability of the town.
 Efficient alternative transport such as commuter, trains, bikes, electric vehicles
to ease the movement of people from one location to another.
 Provide learning environments where the best in each individual is nurtured
for the benefit of the whole community
2.5 What is the future towns
The major point to take note into developing a new town is to ensure the town
stays on and to be independent and sustainable as long as possible. Henceforth,
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it is only fair to say that the most important thing of a future town is the
sustainability.
 Security and safety are the main priorities of the town, thus modern
technology to handle and curb with this issues are implemented. This is to
ensure that daily activities can still go on without crime interventions and
interferences.
 Facilities and spaces have to be balanced as well. Facilities have to be
implemented onto places with deep consideration of space utilizations. It
could not jeopardize the need of the local community to acquire
recreational spaces and pleasure.
 Greenery also plays a major role in a good town. Greenery serves a
recreational area and also healthy decorative spaces. It serves as green
lungs in a settlement for instance a town and hence ensures the comfort of
the local community. Recreational spaces can be implemented specifically
on outdoor purposes. It can serve as an alternative source of income for the
proposed town as well as a tourist attraction in the town. It can only serve as
a place around town to enhance the local community’s public relations.
 Transportation and connectivity have to be efficient and systematic. It have
to ensure it carry out the major role and functions to the local community,
which is to enhance transportation needs, provide cheap and convenient
transportation to the local community and also provide walkability in the
town. This will enhance and further it strengthens its point of ecofriendly
connectivity.
 Technology and fluidity will enable us to live efficient lives. Many people will
work from home, switching between business and leisure, the real and the
virtual. Our new lifestyle will allow neighbors to join together in vibrant,
dynamic communities.
 The lifeblood of urban existence – renewable energy – will flow along main
arteries to power the city. The smart grid will respond, communicating with all
producers and consumers. But residents will not just consume electricity; they
will generate and store it. They can use surplus energy to do things like charge
their electric cars. The city will make energy miners and energy traders of us
all.
 Buildings today account for the bulk of a city’s energy consumption and
greenhouse gas emissions. They represent enormous potential for energy
savings and are key to sustainable city development.
Eco friendly facilities and energy can be implemented and as an emphasis in
town. It can be implemented onto heavy duty facilities for instance
transportations, business and commercial area and also places where daily
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activities are always on the go. This energy used can be also transformed into
reusable energy for other useful purposes
3.Investigation & Data Collection:
Ancient Cities / towns
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3.1 History
In the study of the ancient world a city is generally defined as a large populated
urban center of commerce and administration with a system of laws and, usually,
regulated means of sanitation. This is only one definition, however, and the
designation `city' can be based on such factors as the:
 Population of the settlement
 Height of buildings
 Density of buildings/population
 Presence of some kind of sewer system
 Level of administrative government
 Presence of walls and/or fortifications
 Geographical area of the settlement
Or whether a `settlement' was called a `city' in antiquity and fits at least one of
the above qualifications.
In the ancient world, very often a `city' describes an urban center of dense
population and a certain pattern of buildings spreading out from a central
religious complex such as a temple (though, frustratingly, this could sometimes
apply equally well to a `village' or `settlement'). The word `city’ derives from the
latin civitas although urban development pre-dates rome by many centuries.
Professor m. E. Smith of arizona state university writes inthe sage encyclopedia of
urban studies, that, "the demographic definition, based on the concepts of louis
wirth, identifies cities as large, dense settlements with social heterogeneity" (26),
meaning that they are defined as large communities of people who have
decided to live together for a common purpose under laws observed by all. This
definition, however, could apply equally well to large villages as to cities.
Professor george modelski, of the university of washington, encourages a
definition based on the work of the historian tertius chandler (in his book four
thousand years of urban growth) which defines a city, as distinct from a village,
based upon population. Modelski writes:
Two elements go into a population estimate: the archaeologists’ site assessment
(be it the area of urban settlement in general, or an estimate, or actual count, of
houses), and a population density factor, be it `macro’ for the entire urban site,
or `micro’, per house ratio…the micro-estimate requires a reliable house count,
and that is not really available for most of the sites. On the other hand, a macro-
factor is liable to error, such as ignoring local conditions (3).
Despite the problems inherent in these estimates, modelski claims, they are still
the best way in which to differentiate a large settlement from an actual city
because population density is considered the most reliable factor in making such
a determination. Adopting chandler’s means of definition, then, settlements such
as tell brak in modern-day syria (first founded in c. 6000 bce) cannot be
considered cities. Professor smith writes:
The concept of the `urban revolution’, first identified by v. Gordon childe (1892-
1957 ce), describes a series of social changes that brought about the
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development of the earliest cities and states… These changes (such as the origin
of social classes and the production of an agricultural surplus) provided the social
context for the earliest cities. Once class-structured state societies took hold in a
region, individual cities rose and fell in response to a variety of forces (26).
3.2 What ancient city are you concentrating on?
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is located in the Vilcanota mountain range of Peru, nestled in
the Andes Mountains of South America. Machu Picchu is located next to the
Urubamba river, which flows through the valley of Machu Picchu mountain.
Plants and animals are prevalent near Machy Picchu mountain, offering many
plant food sources, as well as alpacas for milk, wool and meat.
History of Machu Picchu
The Citadel of Machu Picchu is as we know today this fortress from the Inca
Empire whose ruins date from the 1300 DC. However, "Old Mountain," as its
translation indicates, comes from the indigenous language Quechua. This native
language is still being used in some villages in the southern part of the country,
where this city is well known as the greatest Machu Picchu. The Citadel contains
the remains of the ancient settlement formed by this village part of the Inca
civilization, located at the east side of the valley constituted by mountain
systems, Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, and the Central Andes in the South
of the country. This geographical location on the eastern slope of the Cordillera
de Vilcanota, just 80 kilometers from the city of Cuzco, still holds many of the
remains and ruins built on stone that are all over the slopes of these mountain
systems, presenting the different periods of the Inca civilization that left their
traces and treasures at the Citadel of Machu Picchu.
The construction of the Citadel of Machu Picchu is attributed to the
pronounced emperor, also known as one of the most intelligent statesmen Inca,
Pachacuti. During the empire of Pachacuti, empire that started in 1438 B.C. but
early ended in 1471 B.C., the Inca government planned the development of the
citadel to tackle the problem of the over-population, at the same time that the
exploitation of the land. The demographic situation forced Pachacuti to send a
series of exploration teams that established the first settlements and villages all
over the mountains. After a great victory in the battle of Machu Picchu, the rule
of Pachacuti began its expansion, reaching its highest culmination with the
creation of the great city of Cuzco.
Everything indicates that the main reason was not the over-population
problem as much as the intellectual demographic expansion because,
Pachacuti was well known as a spiritual leader and an extraordinary pioneer. This
is why explains that the Citadel was strictly reserved for the high Inca aristocracy.
Although it was strategically designed to take advantage of this unreachable
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location, the Citadel knew how to accommodate more than three generations
while avoiding access to anyone who was not part of the Inca aristocracy, and
that is basically one of the reasons that explains why there was only a single
entrance which was used in their favor to improve measures for the protection of
the city. The settlement is located between deep valleys surrounded by miles of
the dense jungle, so it could easily be defended in case of attack, but it was also
used to prevent access from the lower social classes plebeian. The fact of such
high levels of restriction to get access to it could lead to isolation and the
disappearance, following the abandonment of the city and its very important
legacy of the Inca civilization.
The Empire of Tahuantinsuyo is the only one that has these colossal
architectural wonders include the world-famous citadels of the Ollantaytambo
and Machu Picchu. Pachacuti chose the exact location of these settlements
based on both, the development of agronomic production and the extraction of
mineral deposits. These valleys have been well known for providing extraordinary
resources such as minerals or exceptional land but also because the area
has great weather conditions ideal for agriculture. All these resources made this
location perfect for Pachacuti to start the expansion of the Empire into these
unexplored territories that now show a large number of buildings and
infrastructures that formed this big city: quarries, fields for both crop and livestock
urban and religious centers and a network of communication constituted by
countless paths and passages through the mountains. The city of Machu Picchu
was created at the same time with the idea of accommodating only high
class nobility of the Inca Empire, which is why this citadel presents the most
precious works of architecture of the Empire. There is also an explanation of why
this settlement was only for the high social class and it has to do
with the geographical location. Machu Picchu was extremely important for the
civilization because the system of mountains had a high
spiritual meaning. Obviously, Machu Picchu was a holy sanctuary that held a
spiritual meaning; but this civilization religious faith was based on astronomy
studies where the stars were representing the Inca Civilization divinities what gives
Machu Picchu the status of planetarium.
The town was completely built in stone and stands at a very high altitude,
precisely 2,400 meters above sea level. There is no doubt that this was the
perfect place for meditation: the sanctuary for the high class of the Incan
society. However, such impressive urban focus needed of all the infrastructures
that all cities need. The slopes of the mountain range of the Vilcanota
still represents the supply of the citizens, where one can still find an large number
of highlands that were designed for the agriculture and livestock, as well as
hundreds of small-scale quarries.
Although it has scrapped the idea that the Machu Picchu came to form part
of a system of fortifications of a warlike nature, is recognized, on the other hand,
that the Machu Picchu was also designed with the idea of hosting a number of
buildings designed to provide defensive measures against possible attacks by
other neighboring civilizations with which the Inca Empire maintained several
territorial clashes. This superb architectural design was carried out thanks to the
perfect location and final location of the Citadel, which took advantage of the
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excellent conditions of camouflage, which gave this extreme spot surrounded by
deep valleys and thick jungle. History confirms that Huayna Picchu was the
surveillance of the city of Machu Picchu, which served you as a lookout to the
territorial threatened neighboring civilizations, and later of the Spanish
conquerors. In this way, the city could be prepared to receive the attack enemy,
if the enemy could get to the exact location of the city as well as the path to it.
Therefore, this sanctuary was allowed to retain its purpose as a center of leisure
and recreation as well as shelter for the high society because it was hidden in the
Andean jungle.
Discovery of Machu Picchu
In the summer of 1911 the American
archaeologist Hiram Bingham arrived in Peru
with a small team of explorers hoping to find
Vilcabamba, the last Inca stronghold to fall
to the Spanish. Traveling on foot and by
mule, Bingham and his team made their way
from Cuzco into the Urubamba Valley,
where a local farmer told them of some ruins
located at the top of a nearby mountain.
The farmer called the mountain Machu Picchu, which translates to “old peak” in
the native Quechua language. On July 24, after a tough climb to the mountain’s
ridge in cold and drizzly weather, Bingham met a small group of peasants who
showed him the rest of the way. Led by an 11-year-old boy, Bingham got his first
glimpse of the intricate network of stone terraces marking the entrance to
Machu Picchu.
The excited Bingham spread the word about his discovery in a best-selling
book, “The Lost City of the Incas,” sending hordes of eager tourists flocking to
Peru to follow in his footsteps up the formerly obscure Inca Trail. He also
excavated artifacts from Machu Picchu and took them to Yale University for
further inspection, igniting a custody dispute that lasted nearly 100 years. It was
not until the Peruvian government filed a lawsuit and lobbied President Barack
Obama for the return of the items that Yale agreed to complete their
repatriation.
Although he is credited with making Machu Picchu known to the world—
indeed, the highway tour buses use to reach it bears his name—it is not certain
that Bingham was the first outsider to visit it. There is evidence that missionaries
and other explorers reached the site during the 19th and early 20th centuries but
were simply less vocal about what they uncovered there.
3.3 What makes is a significant city and what are the details?
Sections of the city
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The Inca Empire was able to perform the
most extraordinary architecture works that still
can be appreciated from the large number of
ruins left, all over the mountain system that
surrounds the Citadel of Machu Picchu.
Indescribable designs and great architectural
organization were the main facts to make
possible such an incredible city that was
divided in a number of sections. Each one of
these areas was, at the same time, symbolizing and standing for the various
neighborhoods; therefore, the different social classes that ranked the Inca
citizens by granting them with a social status, was not only visible on the
classification of the society but also on the city itself, its organization on its
different neighborhoods that would prevent the access to the lower social
classes.
Due to the rapid population growth that the Inca Empire was experiencing all
over its territories, the Citadel was in need of a number of infrastructures
and networks to expand its limits and be capable of hold such a large
population. As a consequence, the city started developing a large number of
farms and all kinds of structures all of them designed exclusively for the city itself
to be able to supply such a vast population. This agricultural section of Machu
Picchu at the South side of the city was an extension of the main farming area in
the inner citybut, still, this was not an area large enough to supply an entire
civilization that was facing overpopulation.
This agricultural project has been one of the most extraordinary architecture
works because it was created to hold a large number of crop fields, well
organized in farming terraces, all over the entire length of the slopes of the
Valley. However, the challenging location was not a problem at all for the Inca
civilization because they were very competent, so talented that they were able
to create an amazing transportation network with more than eight different
paths or roads that allowed the city to keep communications with the other
regions of the Machu Picchu Mountains.
The agricultural section was separated apart from the main urban sectors
within the city. The construction of a wall as a protective measure was in
between both sections; the wall was about 400 meters long and had a fosse all
along the wall. Although the fosse was originally designed to be the main drain
system of the city, there were too many protective elements like the wall, the
moat and a main gate fortified, elements that are obviously designed to provide
the city with defensive measures. At the same time, the fosse is also part of the
geologic fault which separates both sectors, something that the architects took
advantage of for the city's design.
The inner city was split up into two main sections or districts. The one known as
Hanan was the upper district for the nobility while the lower social class was
confined in the area known as Hurin. Both metropolitan areas were separated
from each other through two dividing lines like axis. The first of them was
designed in several levels to adjust it to the mountainous slope, while the other
dividing line that runs the complex horizontally from East to West was designed to
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become the main avenue that was decorated with a number of fountains that
supplied water to the complex. The northern area had a high spiritual meaning
and contains the sacred buildings where the civilization practiced a set of sacred
rituals based on their astrological doctrines.
Architecture
Most of the construction in Machu Picchu uses the
classic Inca architectural style of polished dry-stone walls
of regular shape. The Incas were masters of this
technique, called ashlar, in which blocks of stone are cut
to fit together tightly without mortar. The Incas were
among the best stone masons the world has seen, and
many junctions in the central city are so perfect that not
even a knife fits between the stones.
Other Inca buildings have been built using mortar, but
by Inca standards that was quick, shoddy construction.
Peru is a highly seismic land, and mortar-free construction
was more earthquake-resistant than using mortar. Inca walls show numerous
subtle design details that would prevent them from collapsing in an earthquake.
Doors and windows are trapezoidal and tilt inward from bottom to top,
corners are usually rounded, inside corners often incline slightly into the rooms,
and "L" shaped blocks are often used to tie outside corners together. Walls do not
rise straight from top to bottom but are offset slightly from row to row. As a result,
Machu Picchu is a city that has stood up well to earthquakes over the years.
The Incas never used the wheel in any practical manner. How they moved
and placed enormous blocks of stones is a mystery, although the general belief
is that they used hundreds of men to push the stones up inclined planes. A few of
the stones still have knobs on them that could have been used to lever them
into position. After they were placed, the Incas would have sanded the knobs
away.
The space is composed of 140 constructions including temples, sanctuaries,
parks and residences (houses with thatched roofs). There are more than one
hundred flights of stone steps - often completely carved from a single block of
granite - and a great number of water fountains, interconnected by channels
and water-drainages perforated in the rock, designed for the original irrigation
system. Evidence has been found to suggest that the irrigation system was used
to carry water from a holy spring to each of the houses in turn.
According to archaeologists, the urban sector of Machu Picchu was divided
into three great districts: the Sacred District, the Popular District, to the south, and
the District of the Priests and the Nobility.
Machu Picchu contains about 10% of the fauna and 22% of the flora of Peru. It
stands out as one of the few mountain regions that have abundant available
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information about the local flora and fauna. They have recorded 401 species of
birds, 19 reptiles, 10 amphibians, 13 fishes, 300 diurnal butterflies and 400
nocturnal, also recorded 309 species of orchids of the total of 1,625 species in the
country, it is estimated that there are 200 additional species not recorded.
Temple of the Sun
Located in the first zone are the primary
archaeological treasures: the Intihuatana, the
Temple of the Sun and the Room of the Three
Windows. These were dedicated to Inti, their
sun god and greatest deity. The Popular
District, or Residential District, is the place
where the lower class people lived. It includes
storage buildings and simple houses to live in.
In the royalty area, a sector existed for the
nobility: a group of houses located in rows over a slope; the residence of the
Amautas (wise persons) was characterized by its reddish walls, and the zone of
the Nustas (princesses) had trapezoid-shaped rooms. The Monumental
Mausoleum is a carved statue with vaulted interior and carved drawings. It was
used for rites or sacrifices.
Inca Trail
As part of their road system, the Inca
built a road to Machu Picchu. Today, tens of
thousands of tourists walk the Inca Trail to
Machu Picchu each year, acclimatizing at
Cusco before starting on a two- to four-day
journey on foot from the Urubamba valley
up through the Andes mountain range.
Intihuatana Stone
Shamanic legends say that if you're a
sensitive person and you rub your forehead
against the stone you will see the spirit
world. The Intihuatana stone is one of the
many ritual stones in South America. They
are arranged so they point directly at the
sun during the winter solstice.
The Spanish did not find Machu Picchu
until the 20th century so the Intihuatana Stone was not destroyed like many other
ritual stones. It is also called "The Hitching Point of the Sun" because it was
supposed to hold the sun in its place.
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At midday on March 21st and September 21st the sun stands almost above
the pillar creating no shadow at all. It is (as they said before) believed to be an
astronomic clock built by the Incas.
The Intihuatana Stone was damaged in September 2000 when a 450 kg
(1,000-pound) crane fell onto it, breaking off a piece of stone the size of a
ballpoint pen.
In the 1980s, a large rock from Machu Picchu's central plaza was moved to a
different location in order to create a helicopter landing zone. Helicopter
landings were forbidden in the 1990s. Reports circulated in February 2008 that a
company, Helicusco, was able to make tourist flights over Machu Picchu, but the
situation is unclear.
3.4 Conclusion about the cities
In conclusion, Machu Picchu is considered as the most amazing urban
creation of the Inca Empire and one of the most important heritage sites in the
world. It sits on top of a mountain, 2.430 meters in the tropical forest, offering
spectacular scenery with significant endemic biodiversity of flora and fauna.
The Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu is full of cultural significance. Its
various sites, complexes, monuments and citadels are intertwined with each
other and with their environment. This is a unique artistic achievement and also a
masterpiece of architecture. Everything is sacred and cultural and is related to
each other, including the natural environment in which it is built.
The site is made up of precincts, plazas, temples, tombs, rooms for storing
food, stone canals and stairways and platforms, distributed on the topography of
the mountain in a unique worked in urban design. The terraces over 700
preserved lands, promoted agriculture, and served as part of an extensive
system of water distribution and limited retained water erosion on steep slopes.
3.5 What information or element that you can use to your new future city
 diversity of flora and fauna
 relationship between buildings and the environment
 the city is divided into different section
 cultural significance
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Present Towns / township
4.1 When did it start? History and all
Middle Ages
While David Kessler and Peter Temin consider ancient Rome the largest city
before the 19th century, London was the first to exceed a population of 1 million.
George Modelski considers medieval Baghdad, with an estimated population of
1.2 million at its peak, the largest city before 19th century London and the first
with a population of over one million. Others estimate that Baghdad's population
may have been as large as 2 million in the 9th century.
From the 9th through the end of the 12th century, the city of Constantinople,
capital of the Byzantine Empire, was the largest and wealthiest city in Europe,
with a population approaching 1 million.
During the European Middle Ages, a town was as much a political entity as a
collection of houses. City residence brought freedom from customary rural
obligations to lord and community: "Stadtluft macht frei"("City air makes you
free") was a saying in Germany. In Continental Europe cities with a legislature of
their own were not unheard of, the laws for towns as a rule other than for the
countryside, the lord of a town often being another than for surrounding land. In
the Holy Roman Empire, some cities had no other lord than the emperor. In
Italy medieval communes had quite a state like power. In exceptional cases
like Venice, Genoa or Lübeck, cities themselves became powerful states,
sometimes taking surrounding areas under their control or establishing extensive
maritime empires. Similar phenomena existed elsewhere, as in the case of Sakai,
which enjoyed a considerable autonomy in late medieval Japan.
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Early modern
While the city-states, or poleis, of
the Mediterranean and Baltic Sealanguished
from the 16th century, Europe's larger capitals
benefited from the growth of commerce
following the emergence of an Atlantic trade.
By the early 19th century, London had become
the largest city in the world with a population of
over a million, while Paris rivaled the well-developed regionally traditional capital
cities of Baghdad, Beijing, Istanbul and Kyoto. During the Spanish colonization of
the Americas the old Roman city concept was extensively used. Cities were
founded in the middle of the newly conquered territories, and were bound to
several laws about administration, finances and urbanism.
Most towns remained far smaller, so that in 1500 only some two dozen places
in the world contained more than 100,000 inhabitants. As late as 1700, there were
fewer than forty, a figure that rose to 300 in 1900.
Industrial age
The growth of modern industry from the late 18th
century onward led to massive urbanization and the rise
of new great cities, first in Europe and then in other
regions, as new opportunities brought huge numbers of
migrants from rural communities into urban areas. In the
United States from 1860 to 1910, the introduction of
railroads reduced transportation costs, and large
manufacturing centers began to emerge, thus allowing
migration from rural to city areas. Cities during this period were deadly places to
live in, due to health problems resulting from contaminated water and air, and
communicable diseases. In the Great Depression of the 1930s cities were hard hit
by unemployment, especially those with a base in heavy industry. In the U.S.
urbanization rate increased forty to eighty percent during 1900–1990. Today the
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world's population is slightly over half urban, with millions still streaming annually
into the growing cities of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
21st century
There is a debate about whether technology and instantaneous
communications are making cities obsolete, or reinforcing the importance of big
cities as centers of the knowledge economy. Knowledge-based development of
cities, globalization of innovation networks, and broadband services are driving
forces of a new city planning paradigm towards intelligent cities.
Intelligent / smart cities use technology and communication to create more
efficient agglomerations in terms of competitiveness, innovation, environment,
energy, utilities, governance, and delivery of services to the citizen. Some
companies are building brand new master planned cities from scratch
on greenfield sites.
4.2 What town are you concentrating on?
Paris
Paris (nicknamed the City of light) is the capital city of France, and the largest
city in that country. The area is 105 square km, and around 2.15 million people
live there. If suburbs are counted, the population of the Paris area rises to 12
million people. The Seine River runs through the oldest part of Paris, and divides it
into two parts, known as the Left Bank and the Right Bank. It is surrounded by
many forests. Paris is also the center of French economy, politics, traffic and
culture. Paris has many art museums and historical buildings. As a traffic center,
Paris has a very good underground subway system (called the Metro). It also has
two airports. The Metro was built in 1900, and its total length is more than 200 km.
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History
Paris is more than 2,000 years old. Gauls of the
Parisii tribe settled there between 250 and 200 BC
and founded a fishing village on an island in the
river that is the present-day Ile de la Cité -- the
center around which Paris developed.
Known as Lutetia (Lutece) in ancient times, Paris was conquered by Julius
Caesar in 52 BC, and existed as a regional center under the Romans and in the
early Middle Ages. In 987, HUGH CAPET, Count of Paris, became king of France,
and under his successors, the CAPETIANS, the city's position as the nation's capital
became established. Often characterized as spirited and rebellious, the people
of Paris first declared themselves an independent commune under the
leadership of Etienne Marcel in 1355-58. The storming of the Bastille in 1789 was
the first of a series of key actions by the Parisian people during the FRENCH
REVOLUTION. Paris also played a major role in the revolutions of 1830 and 1848. In
1871, during the FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR , the city was besieged for four months
until France surrendered. After German
troops withdrew, French radicals briefly
established the COMMUNE OF PARIS.
During World War I the Germans were
prevented from reaching Paris, but they
occupied the city during World War II
from 1940 to 1944. Paris was again the
scene of violence during the student riots
of 1968.
Paris today maintains its importance, character, and charm, though its
appearance is being transformed by structures such as the BEAUBOURG and by
the ambitious grands projets building program carried out under the presidency
of François Mitterrand. In addition to the La Défense arch and the Bastille Opéra,
Mitterrand's projects have included the renovation of the Louvre by architect I.
M. Pei, the La Villette complex on the northeastern edge of the city, and, in the
southeast, the Bibliothèque de France, a great computer-age library.
Planning for Paris and the Paris Basin region includes consideration of large
land areas in the Seine River valley all the way to the mouth of the river. New
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towns, parks, industrial locations, and expanded functions of existing towns are
contemplated for this corridor on both sides of the Seine.
4.3 What makes is a significant town and what are the details?
Architectural history
The architectural history of Paris can be divided into four time periods:
 Roman
 Medieval
 Renaissance
 Classical
The Roman period of architecture was symmetrical and organized. Most
Roman buildings were made of concrete, which simulated limestone. Roman
architecture almost always had columns that gave its buildings a majestic,
dominating feeling. The Medieval period of architecture was very different from
the Roman period. Buildings were erected haphazardly and streets were narrow
and unplanned. It was a period of regression that was followed by the
Renaissance. The Renaissance style in Paris was inspired by the Italian
Renaissance. The architecture of the Renaissance was symmetrical and
proportional, much like Roman architecture. During the Renaissance period Paris
imitated the architecture of others, rather than developing its own style. It was
an important period nonetheless because it started the path towards French
Classicism. French Classicism was based on the styles of Ancient and
Renaissance architecture. It used the traditional columns and proportions of
Roman architecture and the decorative elements of Renaissance architecture
but added a new element to the mixture that made it truly French. The French
Classical style, developed in the 1600s, made Paris famous for its architecture,
which has been emulated around the world, especially in American cities, such
as Washington D.C, Chicago and New York.
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Roman City
Paris began as a Roman city called Lutetia. It was established on what is now
known as the Ile de la Cité and eventually expanded to the Rîve Gauche, or Left
Bank, of the Seine river. It was the largest city in Europe, but when the Roman
Empire collapsed in the Fifth century A.D., so did Lutetia. All of its impressive
architecture was gone by the beginning of the Middle Ages. Many other
European cities, also founded by the Romans, underwent the same collapse.
Roman building utilized arches and vaults. Columns were no longer needed to
support the roofs of buildings but were still used to create a sense of strength and
grandeur. The Roman cities were grids with many public spaces.
Medieval City
During the medieval period Paris became cluttered, disorganized and
claustrophobic. This chaos was the result of "organic growth." There was no
layout plan for the city and people simply erected buildings where they wished.
Paris was maze-like, with narrow, curving, unplanned streets.
During the architectural period of the medieval city, two types of buildings
emerged: the gabled house and the hôtel. Most Parisians lived in gabled
houses. Their facades were built and designed by carpenters. Artisans of lesser
skill completed the work on the timber frame. The gabled houses were simple
but not devoid of ornamentation. The variety in the woodwork around the door
frames and the first-floor ceilings gave each house a unique quality, even though
they were practically identical in shape and layout. In the fourteenth century,
masons replaced carpenters as the producers of gabled houses. The frames of
the houses were made of stone and mortar rather than timber, which made
them sturdier and safer.
The other type of building that emerged during the Middle Ages was the
hotel where the aristocracy and royalty resided. The advent of the hôtel was a
turning point in Parisian architecture because it was when architects first became
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involved in the building and design of the city. Henceforth, architects would play
an expanding role in Parisian architecture and urban planning.
Renaissance City
At the end of the fifteenth century Paris
began to be influenced by the architecture of
the Italian Renaissance. It was not until the
early sixteenth century, behind Italy by a
hundred years, that Paris began to adopt the
Renaissance style of architecture wholesale.
The Renaissance city had deliberate planning
and a predetermined layout. Following this
trend, Paris started to become more organized and coherent. Because of their
complexity, these plans required architects, who therefore became a larger part
of city construction.
One of the first important Renaissance projects was the reconstruction of the
Pont de Notre Dame, the bridge that connected the Ile de la Cité to the Left
Bank of the Seine. The new bridge embodied many of the cardinal
characteristics of the period: it was very wide, with orderly houses on either side,
and it created a feeling of space and regularity.
The Renaissance style of architecture was advanced primarily by the
patronage of François Ier (1515-1547). He commissioned Italian architects to aid
in the revival of Paris. The most important architect he hired was Sebastiano
Serlio (1475-1554), who designed the Grand Ferrare at Fontainbleau from 1544-
1546. The two most important aspects of Serlio’s buildings were symmetry and
proportion.
Parisian architecture didn’t just imitate Italian architecture during the
Renaissance period; it also began to develop its own style. Under the influence
of Henry IV (1589-1610), three piazzi were built: the Place Dauphine, the Place
Royale and the Place de France. Although influenced by Serlio, the three piazzi,
which were meant to embody modernity and France, were novel and
distinctively Parisian. They "transformed the city and gave Paris the pattern for
three centuries of urban design. Had he lived, Henry IV would be known today
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as the greatest early town planner. At last, the city had left the Middle Ages, and
the way to a French urban classicism was open."
The Renaissance was followed by a period of French classicism that
continued to fashion Paris until the twentieth century.
Classical City
In the early 1600s, Paris still had not developed its own style of architecture.
Parisian architecture still embodied the classical style of the Ancient world and of
the Italian Renaissance style. Parisian architecture began to evolve its own style
when uniqueness and grace were added to the regularity and proportion of the
Ancient and Renaissance styles.
This was the birth of French classicism, a balance between tradition and
novelty, that the country could call its own. As French classicism flourished,
interest in Italian architecture and architects declined. The Crown, especially
Louis XIV (1643-1715), was enthusiastic about the architectural innovations that
were taking place in Paris and used its patronage to encourage classicism.
Classical buildings were made with top quality materials, were symmetrical and
proportional, and had many of the same regal and imposing qualities as Roman
and Renaissance buildings.
The architecture of Paris maintained a
balance between continuity and variety.
Variety was provided by the unique visions
of architects and their patrons. Continuity
was achieved through adherence to
prescribed theories and concepts taught at
the Académie Royale d’Architecture. The
Académie Royale d’Architecture was founded in 1671. It helped with the
continuing expansion of the architectural profession by providing classes for
students interested in the field. As a result of the success of the Académie, all the
major buildings in Paris were now completely designed by architects.
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City In The Midst Of The Revolution
To the astonishment of many, the French
Revolution (1789-1793) had little impact on the
architecture of Paris. There was, of course, a
diminished rate of design and construction, but
classical architecture continued during and after
the Revolution. In 1830, Romanticism began to
influence Parisian architecture. However, French
classicism was so celebrated and so deeply rooted that Romanticism had only a
small impact on Paris. Classicism remained the dominant style of design right up
to the modern era.
Architecture
For centuries Paris has been the
laboratory where innovative architects
and artists have come to test their ideas.
This has created a city that has bit of
everything. Where the architecture of
some cities seems to undergo phases of
punctuated equilibrium, Paris’s
architectural fossil record gives an
impression of gradualism; all the missing links are there. This makes it easy to trace
the origins of the most contemporary ideas throughout history. Nothing seems to
come out of nowhere. If you look around you kind find the design’s inspiration
running through the city’s Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical,
Rocco, Neo-Classical, Empire, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Modern, Post-Modern,
and Contemporary Architecture.
Paris has long held the title of being the world’s ultimate romantic destination
and is an incredibly popular location to for couples to get engaged. The French
capital began life around three centuries before Christ when a group of Celtic
fishermen, named the Parisii, settled on the banks of the river Seine. The name
Parisii stems from the gallic word parisio, which means the working people or
craftsmen. Under Roman rule, a garrison known as Lutetia was founded on the
banks of the Seine. The garrison evolved into a town and later became known as
Civitas Parisiorum which meant City of the Parisii. This was later changed to simply
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Paris when Clovis I became the first King of the Franks in 481 AD and proclaimed
the city his capital.
Paris also holds the nickname La Ville-Lumiere, which translates as The City Of
Light. This nickname originates from Paris’ reputation as an important center for
education and enlightenment and also due to the fact that Paris was one of the
first European cities to have gas street lighting.
Paris is also called the most romantic city in the world and it has the beautiful
Champs-Élysées Boulevard that is perfect for strolling hand-in-hand. This lovely
city has many flowering public gardens and many consider it to be the most
beautiful city in the world because of its wonderful architecture. The city is filled
with historic associations and is home to one of the world’s most famous
museums, the Lourve. There are also many other museums and monuments to
see.
Paris is well-known for its culinary reputation and has many highly-rated
restaurants that visitors can enjoy during their trip. Two of the most popular sites to
visit are the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame Cathedral. Summer time in Paris is
warm and very pleasant which is why many people choose this time of the year
to visit this memorable city.
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is one of the most famous icons in
the world and is located on the banks of the Seine
River in Paris, France. This prominent structure is made
out of iron and is built on Champ de Mars. The tower
got its name from the engineer who built it and it is the
tallest building in the entire city. It is one of the few
places in the world that is visited by more than
200,000,000 tourists since its construction in 1889 and it
generates more revenue than any other monument in
the world.
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The tower was constructed in just three years and its initial purpose was to
broadcast radio signals. It stands 1,063 feet high with a 79-foot antenna and
weighs around 7,900 tons. During the time the Eifel Tower was made, many
people were surprised and shocked to see its daring and intrepid shape. The
engineers who were making an effort to create it were accused of trying to do
an experiment. But the engineers were sure and confident of what they had in
mind. They also understood the forces of the wind and knew that the structure
would support stand up to the gusts. Their persistence finally paid off in 1889
when the tower’s construction was completed and it stood tall as one of the
largest structures in all of Paris.
The tower has two restaurants located on the first floor. There is built-in lift that
can take visitors to the top floor to witness the marvelous view of Paris, France.
Arc De Triomphe
Arc De Triomphe, one of the world’s
largest triumph arc, is a great monument
located in Paris which stands in the centre of
“Charles De Gaulle”. The arc was built as the
honour for those who fought for France
especially during the Napoleonic wars. There
are names of the generals and the wars
fought engraved inside and at the top of the arch. Underneath the arch there is
tomb of a soldier of World War I who is still unknown.
This great arch has a height of 50 meters, a width of 45 meters and a depth of
22 meters which makes it as a second largest triumph arc in the world. It is
composed of three arcs, where two are small arcs and the other is a large arc.
The large arc is 9 feet wide and 21 feet height. The design of the arc was inspired
by the roman arch of Titus.
This great arc is compared as linchpin of the historic axis. It was commissioned
in the year 1806 after the victory at Austerlitz by Napoleon. Laying the foundation
of the arc took about 2 years. When Napoleon entered into Paris with his bride in
the year 1810, he had a wooden mock-up of the completed arch constructed.
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The architect, Jean Chalgrin, died in the year 1811 and the construction was
halted. Then it was succeeded by Jean Nicholas Huyot.
Louvre Museum
The Louvre is the national museum of France. It is situated in the capital city of
Paris. The museum is considered by many to be the best in the world. The
museum covers a total area of 652,300 square feet and has more than 35,000
objects placed in it. Due to its size and vast collection of art and artifacts it is
impossible to see the entire museum in a couple of hours. The collection spans
from the 6th century BC till the 19th century AD.
This museum was actually built as a living space for Philip II and some remains of
its original form are still present. A lot of structural changes have been made to
give the Louvre its present look. The museum was inaugurated in 1739. However,
due to some infrastructural problems, it was
shut down for a period of almost five years.
Some of the most famous pieces of art that
are displayed include Antonio Canova’s
Psyche, the Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa,
as well as Egyptian, Greek, and Roman
antiques. The museum has a very rich
heritage that has made the French very
proud and kept visitors coming through its
doors.
Parks and Gardens
Paris is well endowed with parks and gardens because of France's kings and
queens, and also thanks to some more recent city planning. Parisians pride
themselves in making their city's parks and gardens places of elegance, artistic
detail, and symmetry-- even the romantic gardens have been carefully planned
to imitate nature. Even though Paris has a dense urban structure, the city boasts
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more than 400 parks. In addition to the large formal gardens, there are many
smaller public parks throughout the city.
Jardin du Luxembourg
The Jardin du Luxembourg is Paris'
favorite place to sun, stroll, picnic, and
play. The gardens and their striking palace
were occupied by the Italian monarch
Marie de Medicis during the Renaissance,
and the elegant formal gardens still bloom
each year in majestic fashion. This is a
wonderful place for a romantic stroll, and
the kids will have plenty to see and do here, too. Even in the winter, these
gardens are sure to inspire.
Bois de Vincennes
Just on Paris' east outskirts is an immense
stretch of green called the Bois de Vincennes,
also referred to, along with the Bois de
Boulogne to the east, as "Paris' Lungs".
The site of a 14th-century fortified chateau, the Chateau de Vincennes, the Bois
offers seemingly endless space to stroll, picnic, boat, and unwind. Even though
the wood is located at the city's borders, a day at the Bois de Vincennes is
enough of a getaway to count as a day trip from Paris.
Jardin des Tuileries
The Jardin des Tuileries is a formal Paris garden that is stamped with history-- often
of the bloody variety. The since-destroyed royal palace that once stood here
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was stormed and pillaged during the revolution of 1789 and was later occupied
by the last kings of France. In 1871, another revolution led to the arson of the
Tuileries. Today, the remaining gardens are a major source of fresh air and
greenery, and kids adore the carnival set up here each summer.
Much like the Luxembourg gardens, the Tuileries
is an Italian-style garden marked by the
influence of the Medicis family. The gardens are
filled with dramatic statuary and perfectly
symmetrical shrubbery, reflecting the
Renaissance preoccupation with bringing
rational design to nature.
Transportation
Local Transport
Métro
The Paris Métro system was built in 1900 by engineer Fulgence Bienvenüe and
architect Hector Guimard. The Métro covers over 124 miles with 300 stations and
16 lines. Servicing over 6 million residents and tourists every day, the Métro was
designed to be an efficient and reliable alternative to the congestion of traffic.
Every building in Paris is less than 500 meters from a train station, so accessibility is
never a problem. The 16 Métro lines are
identified by their final destinations. A rider
can simply select the appropriate line and
take it in the direction s/he wants. The
Métro stations are well marked, and there
are ticket booths at most entrances.
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Cycling
There are 440 km (270 mi) of cycle paths
and routes in Paris. These include piste
cyclable (bike lanes separated from other
traffic by physical barriers such as a kerb)
and bande cyclable (a bicycle lane
denoted by a painted path on the road).
Some 29 km (18 mi) of specially marked bus
lanes are free to be used by cyclists, with a protective barrier protecting against
encroachments from vehicles. Cyclists have also been given the right to ride in
both directions on certain one-way streets. Paris offers a bike sharing system
called Vélib' with more than 20,000 public bicycles distributed at 1,800 parking
stations, which can be rented for short and medium distances including one
way trips.
National and International Transport
Rail
Paris is a central hub of the
national rail network. The six major
railway stations—Gare du Nord, Gare
de l'Est,Gare de Lyon, Gare
d'Austerlitz, Gare
Montparnasse, Gare Saint-Lazare—
and a minor one—Gare de Bercy—
are connected to three networks:
The TGVserving four high-speed
rail lines, the normal
speed Corail trains, and the suburban
rails (Transilien).
By train, London is now just two hours and 15 minutes away.
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Air
Paris is a major international air transport hub with the5th busiest airport system
in the world. The city is served by three commercial international airports: Paris-
Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly and Beauvais-Tillé. Together these three airports
recorded a traffic of 94.1 million passengers in 2013. There is also one general
aviation airport, Paris-Le Bourget, historically the oldest Parisian airport and closest
to the city center, which is now used only for private business flights and air
shows.
Orly Airport, located in the southern suburbs of Paris, replaced Le Bourget as
the principal airport of Paris from the 1950s to the 1980s. Charles de Gaulle
Airport, located on the edge of the northern suburbs of Paris, opened to
commercial traffic in 1974 and became
the busiest Parisian airport in 1993. Today it
is the 4th busiest airport in the world by
international traffic, and is the hub for the
nation's flag carrier Air France. Beauvais-
Tillé Airport, located 69 km (43 mi) north of
Paris' city center, is used by charter airlines
and low-cost carriers such as Ryanair.
4.4 Conclusion about the towns
Paris is one of the most important centers of art all around the world and
many of famous artists came from there. This city is full of museums, art galleries,
and fantastic architectural designs.
Paris is known as the city of love as it has a favorite destination for couples
wishing to enjoy their honeymoon. It has historical, dramatic places and minutes
after you can watch the Seine River going by while quietly sitting on a bench.
Paris dazzles a person's eyes with the aforesaid reasons. The beauty of Paris and
its contrast from one's own city also bring a feeling of excitement and experience
that one has not felt before. Great place to relight romance and fall in love
again because it’s spontaneous rather than routine.
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Paris is famous with the green garden and parks. They created around 400
green garden and parks, which is open for public uses, especially on the tourism
place. Besides, the streetscapes of Paris, on the both side of the street are plant
with green plant or trees, and they focusing on more and wider side walk way.
Paris also known as a major rail, highway, and air transport hub by having
four airports which two of them are international, the city’s subway system which
called Paris Métro, it was opened in 1900 and it can carry nine millions
passengers daily an known as one of the most extensively used transport system
within the city, and also seven major railway stations which one of the is the
busiest station in Europe together with Paris is also the most important hub of
France's motorway network with over 2,000 km (1,243 mi) of highways and
motorways.
Much of contemporary Paris is the result of the vast mid-19th century urban
remodeling. For centuries, the city had been a labyrinth of narrow streets and
half-timber houses, but, beginning with Haussmann's advent; entire quarters were
leveled to make way for wide avenues lined with neo-classical stone buildings of
bourgeoisie standing. The building code has seen few changes since the 1850s,
and the Second Empire plans are in many cases still followed. The "alignement"
law is still in place, which regulates building façades of new constructions
according to a pre-defined street width. A building's height is limited according
to the width of the streets it borders, and under the regulation, it is almost
impossible to get an approval to build a taller building. Landmarks in this city are
easily recognizable which one of the special things about Paris is.
4.5 What information or element that you can use to your new town
 Landmarks
 Subway system
 Gardens and parks
 Cycle paths and routes
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The future of towns and Better Towns
5.1 Why choose city in the air/skyscraper?
We choose city in the air because the temperature of the earth is increasing,
Ice is melting worldwide. Sea level rise became faster over the last century. That
means our land is become smaller and someday it will all cover by the sea. To
avoid the city to disappear in the sea is better to build the city flying in the sky.
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5.2 Comparison between Machu Picchu and Paris
Based on the case study of both ancient city and present city, both of the
city is famous of its architectural style. The ancient city, Machu Picchu use classic
Inca architectural style of polished dry-stone walls of regular shape. The Incas
were masters of this technique, called ashlar, in which blocks of stone are cut to
fit together tightly without mortar. In the present city, Paris, if you look around you
kind find the design’s inspiration running through the city’s Roman, Medieval,
Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Rocco, Neo-Classical, Empire, Art Nouveau, Art
Deco, Modern, Post-Modern, and Contemporary Architecture. The history of the
city has created a city that has bit of everything
The transportation of Machu Picchu is indefinable, but Machu Picchu is
locates at 2,400 meters above sea level and there is no car or even bicycle
during ancient time. So, I guess the only transportation in Machu Picchu is foot.
Paris is known as a major rail, highway, and air transport hub by having four
airports which two of them are international, the city’s subway system which
called Paris Métro and also seven major railway stations which one of the is the
busiest station in Europe together with Paris is also the most important hub of
France's motorway network with over 2,000 km (1,243 mi) of highways and
motorways.
In conclusion, I feel that the world is more advanced now comparing to
ancient time. The material use to build the city is different and there is more
architectural style now comparing to the ancient time. The transportation system
is more advanced and is easier to move from one place to another place. I
hope that our future city will become better and more sustainable.
5.3 About Future town
The components of liveability are:
I. protection of the environment
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II. maintenance of a diverse economy
III. provision of accessibility through land use
IV. delivery of services for residents and businesses
V. housing choices
VI. balanced city budget
VII. the involvement of citizens in planning and delivery
It has to be said that the aims of a liveability policy on communities are focused
on quality of life, rather than implicitly on sustainable development, but there are
inevitable improvements for sustainable development through reduced car
transportation, increases in green space and opportunities for social capital and
participative planning regimes.
Financial Costs and Funding Sources
The choice regarding the costs of infrastructure is twofold:
 increasing costs to provide services and infrastructure to increasingly
sprawling and lower density suburban residential communities with both
market forces and zoning policies restricting the degree to which services
can be located near people
 increasing density and multi-use zoning to allow for a more efficient use of
resources and the provision of services near the people that access them.
A liveable community is also an efficient community, and will cost less to
maintain in the long term. For example, green building programs in Vancouver
from the 1990s have shown that there are real economic and sustainability
benefits to such design. Unfortunately, residential developers are behind in
adopting such technologies
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Critical Success Factors
Critical success factors in the identification and implementation of liveability as
an integral part of sustainable communities are:
 the value of liveability as an overall theme, among others, in the
development of a community’s sustainability plan
 the overarching role of public engagement in the articulation of what is
meant by liveability
 an acceptance that liveability may differ significantly from community to
community
 a recognition that liveability extends to economic dynamism and career
opportunities as well as recreational, aesthetic, cross-generational and
cultural activities
 the ability to embed liveability concerns into the culture of the
municipality rather than politically motivated short-term initiatives
 the recognition that the provision of a diverse residential community with a
full complement of services, means that a system approach to both the
city region and the individual neighbourhood is required. This will ensure
that individual neighbourhoods do not become liveability ghettos, but
have a real and vibrant place within the whole city region context.
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5.4 Case study of the city in the air
Sky-Terra, San Francisco
A designer from San Francisco
Joanna Borek-Clement created this
project of cities in the sky inspired by
the neuron cells. Unlike the others
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which include great skyscrapers blocking the sun, these interconnected giant
building would keep the sunlight out. The towers should reduce the urban heat
island effect. Rainwater will be used for landscaping needs. The towers will be
built from modular parts to conserve resources and energy. The transportation
system consists of interconnected foot paths and also bike paths and electric car
paths. Getting to the city will be done by elevator. The Sky-Terra towers offer
many options from public parks, to greenbelts, playing fields, jogging paths,
amphitheaters, pools or bath houses – all with the aim of providing people with
access to open space.
Multiplicity
Multiplicity is a new vision of the future of Melbourne by John Wardle
Architects and Stefano Boscutti. It has been selected by the Australian Institute of
Architects for the 2010 Venice Architecture Biennale.
A city tells a story and there is now multiple cities, multiple stories within the
original street grid first set down by surveyor Robert Hoddle. Over this is a new
horizontal plane of agriculture, energy production, rainwater harvesting and air
transportation that serves the cities below.
Multiplicity answers the issues of climate change,
population growth, sustainable resources,
ecological systems and technological advances in
the built environment.
Multiplicity aims to make Melbourne a city of the
future.
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6.The New “X” City : Snowfly
6.1 About The “X” City
Malaysia is tropical country, so it is summer throughout the year. There is no
spring, autumn or winter in Malaysia. I really love the scenery of winter. All of the
building is in white colour. It makes me feel relax. I hope the people in Malaysia
get to see what a city look like in winter is. So, I came out with this concept.
The shape of the city is inspired by the shape of a snowflake. All of the building of
the city is in white or light blue colour to make the people feel like they are living
inside a snowing city. Besides, white colour is sustainable.
The name of the city is Snowfly. The city is named after “a snowflake flying in the
sky”.
The city is located at Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. The size of the city is
30km². The population of the city is between 150,000 and 300,000.
The city is design flying in the sky because the temperature of the earth is
increasing, Ice is melting worldwide. Sea level rise became faster over the last
century. That means our land is become smaller and someday it will all cover by
the sea. To avoid the city to disappear in the sea is better to build the city flying in
the sky.
40

6.2 Master plan of Snowfly city
41

6.3 Zoning of Snowfly city
42

Government buildings
The role of the government is to sustain the city well-being. Their responsibilities
include :
 The provision of local infrastructure, including water, sewerage, storm-water
drains, and roads
 Environmental safety and health, district emergency management and civil
defense preparedness, building control,
public health inspections and other
environmental health matters
 Controlling the effects of land use (including
hazardous substances, natural hazards and
indigenous biodiversity), noise, and the
effects of activities on the surface of lakes
and rivers
Business area
The business area is divided in to 2 zones, the
office zone and the shop lots zone. The office zone
consist a lot of office building. The office building will
be divided into sections for different companies or
may be dedicated to one company. Besides, the
office buildings provide a workplace and working environment primarily for
administrative and managerial workers. There is also a park in the middle of the
office building. The workers can get to relax at the park after hectic working
hours and enjoy the scenery of the park. The shop lots zone consists of normal
shop lots and restaurant. These various kinds of facilities and buildings will ensure
and enhance the job opportunity of the local community and thus increasing the
local income of the town.
Commercial areas
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The commercial area consists of a
big shopping mall. The shopping mall
consists of various kind of shops and
movie theaters. In front of the
shopping mall is a park. The park has
a lake fountain with LED light. The
lake Comprised of 3 fountains
programmed with magical and
dramatic animations
The commercial area is built around the airport and hotel. It is convenient for
tourist to shop in the city.
Recreational areas
The recreational area is created to
enhance recreational lifestyle of the local
community and also the tourists.
A multipurpose stadium is built near to
the residential area. The stadium consists
of badminton courts, tennis court, football fields, basketball courts and swimming
pool. The local community can spend their time do some activities in the
stadium, thus keep their body healthy.
There is also a theme park beside the shopping mall. The park provides a lot
of winter activities such as ice skating, skiing and boarding. The purpose of the
park is to let the people experience the winter activities.
Education areas
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The education area consists of university, high
school and primary school. Education is very
important to the country because Education is
the key to unlocking a country's potential for
economic growth. A field is located in front of
the university, high school and primary school for
school activities. The field consists of football
field, baseball field, tennis court and badminton court for the students to relax to
release stress.
Services area
A hospital is built near to the residential area.
The hospital use advanced technology to
provide their patients the best service. Moreover,
High technology makes hospital treatment faster,
safer.
Industrial area
The industrial area is located very near
to the port. This is because the strategic
position allows the factories to send the
products to the port for exportation and it is
easier to get raw materials from the port.
This area consists of factories and
warehouses
Residential
The residential area is divided into 2 zones, that is low cost residential zone
and high cost residential zone. The land area for the low cost residential zone is
45

the largest among all zones. This is to ensure that there will be sufficient
affordable houses for the local community. The low cost residential zone also
consists of low cost condominium. The residential is located opposite to the
industrial area to avoid the pollution that caused by the factories. Moreover, the
low cost residential zone also features police station and fire station or 911. If
there is any emergency, the police or fire fighter can arrive in a short time.
The high cost residential zone consist of high
cost condominium that have a nice view of the
city.
There is a park located in the middle of the
high cost residential zone. The residence can
relax and do some activities such as cycling and jogging at the park.
Religious and cultures areas
The religious and cultures area consist of Mosques, Chinese Temples, Hindu
temples and Churches to fulfill the needs of the people of Malaysia that is multi-
ethnic and multi-cultural
Hospitality and tourism
The hotel is located at the high cost residential zone. The hotel is a 7 stars
hotel that provide the best service for the tourist. The hotel has a nice view of the
city.
Port area
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The port areas have 2 zones, that is airport and helicopter. The airport is an
international airport that connected worldwide. The airport is using technology to
enhance baggage and check-in. The airport will be passenger-focused, so the
security technology that enables the smooth screening of as many travelers as
possible per hour is essential. Another zone is helicopter. The helicopters use as
transportation of people and cargo.
Agriculture area
For the agriculture in the town, the town will be highlighting vertical farming
rather than traditional farming method which is planting on the ground. This is
because by using vertical farming this method, the precious land can be kept for
other use. The high vertical farming building can increase the number of crops
planted compared to the same size of land used to plant the crops.
Windmill
Windmill is located near to the agriculture area. It is located at high ground
because there is strong airflow at high land. The windmill supply energy to the
city.
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Green area
Snowfly Park
It is located in the middle of
the city. The park is in a cycle
shape. There is a circle shape river
in the middle of the park to
separate the outer park and inner
park. The park boardwalk, cycling
trails jogging trails is at the outer
park along the river. Moreover, there is also a fishing quay beside the river. The
fishing quay is a smaller sized area distribution and it serves to let the local
community to enhance their hobby of fishing while relaxing in the park at the
same time.
The main focus of the city is located in the center of
the inner part. The main focus of the city is a sculpture.
The deisgn sculpture is inspired by the shape of the
snowflake. The sculpture is the same name as the city,
Snowfly. The sculpture is made from crystal. The Snowfly
sculpture is the identity of this city. Furthermore, the
sculpture will light up during night time and it looks like a
shining crystal.
6.4 Transportation
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This city will provide a very wide range of transportation with great
accessibility. First there will be basic road way. Second is the public transport, bus
and train. Another major change of my road is I added a special bus track and
bicycle track on both side of the road. Both of it are connected throughout the
whole town.
Road way
Footpath
 To ensure the safety of pedestrians along the road.
 To enhance and encourage walkability around the town.
 Connected throughout the town along all roads and expressways.
 Fitted with rest places, recreational kiosks and tree pits.
 To enhance the pleasure of walking
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Cycle lane
 To ensure the safety of the cyclist.
 To enhance the pleasure of cycling in the local community.
 Built on both sides on the expressways.
Bus lane
 A public transportation which is connected throughout the town.
 Circulates the town to enhance the usability of public transportation.
 Specific lane for public buses to avoid road congestion and traffic
congestion.
Car lane
 Two lane car lane.
 To reduce the usage of private automobiles.
 Connected from roads to expressways in the town.
 Separated with another car lane.
 To reduce the speed of car to ensure the safety of pedestrians.
Vehicles
Car
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Bus
Trucks
Aeroplane
51

Helicopter
Underground Subway System
Fast speed rapid monorail which is operating beneath the town. It is a linkage
of fast speed rapid monorail which transport citizens form zones to zones of the
52

town underground to reach their destinations without having to face the fear of
traffic congestions.
Subway Station
Subway Station Subway train
6.5 Sustainable initiative
53

Solar panels
These panels will be locate everywhere in the city and every building will use
them in their exterior structure which move during days to face sunshine, so
during days people may see that some buildings exterior is changing. The aim of
solar panel is to implement the solar panels onto houses is to ensure that the local
community utilize energy wisely and do not waste heat energy and electricity in
household area for domestic uses. Besides, solar panels also use at solar lighting
for all walkways and public transport routes.
54

Windmills
In the city, some of the power comes from renewable sources by installing
windmills at the high ground. The strong airflows at the high ground will turn the
windmill turbines and convert into electricity and supply to all the residents on the
island.
RAINWATER HARVESTING
55

The purpose of
rainwater harvesting
is to reuse water
which has been
retreated and hence
saves resources. It
provides an
independent water
supply during
regional water
restrictions and in
developed countries
is often used to
supplement the main
supply. It provides
water when there is a
drought, can help
mitigate flooding of low-lying areas and enable ground water levels to be sustained.
It also helps in the availability of potable water as rainwater is substantially free of
salinity and other salts. Rainwater harvesting should be implemented onto every
houses in order to save water supply and in preparation of emergencies like water
restriction and water crisis.
6.6 Waste handling
Mobile Recycling Station
Mobile recycling station is serves to encourage the local community to
recycle instead of just dumping useful and reusable wastes into the garbage. It is
mobile so it can be placed anywhere throughout the town and thus allowing the
citizens to recycle wastes wherever and whenever they are.
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6.7 Conclusion about the new x city
In my opinion, a future town does not mean that it should be full of futuristic
buildings and high-tech but not environmentally friendly technologies, but it
should be sustainable and liveable to the people. The Snowfly city might not be
appealing city but with the green technologies implemented in the town, it will
be a simple yet eco-friendly and sustainable city.
7. Conclusion
From this project, I truly understand planning a town is not an easy task.
From the shape of the town, grid system and the facilities provided in the
town all the stages are essential and require many researches to produce a
better future town to meet the people’s needs.
From the researches about the ancient, present and future or better city, I
have learnt that what people need and what they need in the future and also
what the environments need is just the lower pollution rate in all aspects.
57

The earth is dying slowly due to the pollution and it will eventually affect us. So
it is very important to implement the green technologies in the town as there are
already many cities in the world had implemented green technologies in their
cities in order to maintain the mutualism between the environments and the
humans.
In my opinion, a future town does not mean that it should be full of futuristic
buildings and high-tech but not environmentally friendly technologies, but it
should be sustainable and liveable to the people. The Snowfly city might not be
appealing city but with the green technologies implemented in the town, it will
be a simple yet eco-friendly and sustainable city.
8.Reference Links
http://www.enjoy-machu-picchu.org/history/history.php
http://www.enjoy-machu-picchu.org/architecture.php
http://www.crystalinks.com/machu.html
http://www.ehow.com/about_5035654_machu-picchu-peru-wonder.html
http://www.history.com/topics/machu-picchu
58

http://www.machupicchu.org/why_is_machu_picchu_important.htm
http://projects.ecfs.org/bome/cities/paris/hband/architecture_prehist.html
http://famouswonders.com/paris/
http://famouswonders.com/eiffel-tower-in-paris/
http://famouswonders.com/arc-de-triomphe-in-paris/
http://famouswonders.com/louvre-museum-in-paris/
http://vimeo.com/20858524
http://www.cheapsolarpanelssale.com/
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ENBE Final Project Report on Better Livable Town

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ENBE Final Project Report on Better Livable Town