Urban Planning & Design

03
May

2012

The Spread of Humanity

Image contrasting and comparing Dubai's growth and development from 2000 (left) to 2010 (right). Image from CNN.

Urban populations and development in cities around the world have exploded over the past century and with the help of modern satellite imaging, we’re able to track the spread of humanity over time. The effects of this growth results in some incredibly stunning photographs. Check out this link or click the image above to see the full article.

The images are brought to you by CNN in collaboration with  NASA’s Landsat department and U.S. Geological Survey.  

Urban Planning & Design
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29
Mar

2012

Three Eye-Opening Papers On How We Build Transit

The other day I discussed how modal choice often has less to do with the intrinsic qualities of a technology and more to do with extrinsic factors. Those comments caused something of a stir with people coming out saying a variation of the following:

  • Light Rail is a scam.
  • Light Rail is awesome.
  • It depends. (Note: This is the camp I tend to fall in.)

Within the comments I disagreed with a commenter who referred to a “Light Rail Scam” but also admitted that “LRT has been foisted onto places that didn’t need it and probably shouldn’t have been built. But that’s not the case everywhere.”

Which prompted frequent commenter Matt the Engineer to question “What LRT lines weren’t needed and shouldn’t have been built?”

Very good question, Matt.

For readers interested in this issue, there are three essential articles they should look to (Note: clicking on the title of the article will allow you to download it):

The Pickrell piece is insanely readable for something as mundane as transit ridership forecasting. If you only have time to read one, this is the one you should look at. It gives a rather disturbing insight into how public transit is planned, funded and built in North America.

The Flyvbjerg piece, meanwhile, is a little more technical but nevertheless eye-opening. In fact, most of Flyvbjerg’s work is essential reading for anyone interested in how we (in)effectively conduct mega projects in the developed world, particularly in regards to public transit. If you take the time to work through his materials, you’ll come out the other end with a different mindset than when you entered.

The FTA piece, lastly, is boring beyond belief. But is great as a reference point to see how this all comes together. In it, you’ll find out which LRT systems in the US are the star performers (they’re not the ones you think), which are the true dogs (they probably are the ones you think), and which ones are middling at best (a few surprises).

If you’re a transit nerd, you need to read these.

Light Rail & Streetcars / Monorails / Public Transit / Research Issues / Urban Planning & Design
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01
Mar

2012

Transit Aesthetics – AutoTram / BusRail

Can the AutoTram revolutionize the way we think about transit planning? Image from fotogalerie.verkehrsgigant-portal.de.

When a city plan is planning a new transit infrastructure project, a lot of time is often spent deliberating over which technology should be implemented. This discussion generally floats back and for between bus and rail (and more recently, sometimes even CPT). For many cash-strapped cities looking for quick wins and cost-effective mass transit solutions, the debate often settles on the mid-tier options, namely bus (BRT) and lightrail/streetcar opportunities (HRT tends to be too expensive and time-consuming to construct.) Amongst the many debate points — capacity, aesthetics, speed, cost, etc. — proponents of both technologies claim their technology is superior.

From my personal experience (your experience may be different), based on conversations with transit planners, engineers, operators and average joes, one of the biggest arguments in favour of LRT is its aesthetics. You can go on and on about all the capabilities and characteristics of modern bus technology, but in the end, a bus is still a bus.

But what makes a bus, such a bus? Its shape? Size? Look? Smell? Other than rubber on road vs steel on rail, what if a bus could be completely remodeled and redesigned to look and feel like LRT? Would this make it as attractive as LRT, and therefore able to attract just as much new transit riders as the rail systems claim?

The Fraunhofer Institute decided to find out. In 2005 they introduced the AutoTram – essentially a road-based LRT. The makers of this technology describe it as:

“… [it] combines features of conventional buses (e.g. high flexibility, low infrastructure costs and moderate life cycle costs) with the advantages of trams like high transport capacity, driving comfort and the possibility of partial emission-free operation.”

Could the AutoTram succeed and if it does, what does this mean for the future of light rail and transit planning?

Infrastructure / Innovations / Other Transit Techs / Public Transit / Questions / Urban Planning & Design
12
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14
Feb

2012

Yurikamome AGT, Tokyo – Coordinated Urbanism

Yurikamome - 15km elevated AGT system - in Tokyo. Notice how the transit line blends into the surrounding urban fabric - almost making it appear invisible.

Elevated infrastructure can elicit different responses and reactions from cities and communities. Some find a gap in the underutilized spaces below a structure (such as with the boxing ring built under the Sao Paulo highway) while others enjoy the convenience of well-planned, multi-layered cities. For the latter let us turn to Japan.

The Yurikamome (aka Black Headed Seagull) is a 15km elevated AGT line built in the Odaiba and Shiodome districts of Tokyo, Japan. The districts are home to several important commercial, residential and touristed-oriented building and considered one of the most modern areas in the city. (In fact, Obaida was first redeveloped in the 1990s as part of a showcase of futuristic living.) Today, the districts have some of the most visually stunning mixtures of architecture, urban design and transit planning in the world. Check it out:

Obaida, Tokyo in Japan.

Shiodome, Tokyo in Japan

For more photos, click here and here. 

The built form is immaculate and in some ways, rather surreal — as though it was plucked straight out of a science fiction film. The Yurikamome’s design is no different and in my opinion, the elevated transit infrastructure and stations are some of the most beautiful examples of above grade transport in the world.

Elevated station, tracks and train. Notice how the different layers of transport connections are all melded together making multi-modalism simple and easy.

The Yurikamome is a vital piece of rapid transit in Shiodome and Obaida.

Station interior within Yurikamome. Bright lighting and platform doors ensure safety for passengers.

It is incredible how the stations and tracks all appear to be seamlessly integrated and blend into the existing urban fabric. This serves as solid evidence for elevated infrastructure, that if planned and designed properly, can be built to enhance the cityscape. As with the case of gondolas, successful elevated system designs can provide strategies and best practices that will guide future city-builders as they continue to create and construct urban transit solutions.

Infrastructure / Thoughts / Urban Planning & Design
1
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13
Feb

2012

Boxing and Highway Viaducts – Ad-Hoc Urbanism

An underground boxing ring in Sao Paulo, Brazil. A unique human layer that brings into perspective the beauty (and tragedy) that sometimes exist in many developing cities. Image by Nacho Doce.

In the past, we’ve discussed the implications of creating aesthetically-pleasing elevated infrastructure (recall the Ranstadrail and Most Beautiful Elevated Transport Infrastructure). While these examples exemplify the capabilities of planned transit infrastructure, I believe informal uses (and their spinoff effects) may deserve a little more attention.

One of the most inspiring case studies that I’ve come across is Sao Paulo’s underground boxing gym, located beneath the Alcantara Machado viaduct. This training academy was started by a former boxer, Nilson Garrido, as an attempt to help disadvantaged youth. Although Garrido’s pupils train with rudimentary equipment (tires, rocks, plastic containers), their dedication to the sport and their tenacity appears relentless.

Training facility located adjacent to highway overpass in Sao Paulo. Image by Nacho Doce.

I think this type of ad-hoc urbanism is a testament to human ingenuity and adaptability — one that is often unaccounted for and ignored by modern North American city-building principles. In other words, it begs the question: How many unique uses of urban space are lost when planners and decision-makers are confined to stagnant and outdated zoning laws?

For more photos, click here.

Infrastructure / Urban Planning & Design
3
Comments
12
Sep

2011

What Does Your Report Say? Like, Really Say?

So a study out of the University of Miami discovers this:

“Better-looking documents produce increased pride of ownership for a company, and this pride increases valuation.”

Should this surprise us? Not at all. But consider how much of an impact aesthetics had in this study:

When students were given the first three pages of two annual reports with the exact same financial information, those students priced the stock shares of the firm with the “more attractive” annual report almost 70% higher than the other firm.

But what do they know? Those are just students, right?

Wrong.

The study also experimented with “experienced investors” and the findings showed that the mere inclusion of one additional colour in a firm’s annual report has roughly the same impact on an investor’s evaluation of the firm as a 20 percent improvement in revenue from the previous year.

Maybe your planning reports aren’t saying what you think they’re saying. Put a different way: Maybe they aren’t saying everything they could be saying.

Urban Planning & Design
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11
Aug

2011

TOD’s, urban gondolas and what to do about privacy concerns (Part 3 of 3)

Part 1 and Part 2 of this series discussed many of the pros to combining CPT with Transit Oriented Development (TOD). Today we’ll consider one of the major arguments against cable transit — security concerns, and how smart design and planning can help mitigate these issues.

  • Gondolas may pass alongside private property, even when traveling along a public corridor. Generally retail and commercial space are not impacted to the same extent as residential properties, therefore residential properties require special consideration. This is vastly avoided in a TOD arrangement where retail and commercial buildings typically occupy the land closest to transit.
  • Critical heights for CPT are located around the 2nd and 3rd stories of building. This critical area should receive further design considerations.
  • Windows can be tinted on residential properties, particularly those in bedrooms and bathrooms.
  • Proper residential property setbacks, orientation and internal room layouts are some of the ways residential design can help minimise the perception of privacy issues in relation to CPT infrastructure.
  • Vegetative screening – strategically utilising trees or foliage to block or obstruct the view of CPT passengers.
  • Land in direct proximity to the CPT infrastructure can be utilised as green or pedestrian spaces, maximising setbacks to residential buildings. Surveillance by riders could also increase safety in those areas.

There are many strategies that can help reduce safety concerns. Some of these strategies are more easily incorporated into the design of a master planned neighbourhood, as opposed to redevelopment projects. The other approaches can be implemented to the transport system directly.

In summary, CPT does not present a physical barrier in neighbourhoods, nor does it  compromise pedestrian safety. The technology, in fact, maximises land for open space for development while vastly eliminating noise and vibration nuisance, as compared to other modes of transport. With appropriate design components privacy concerns can also be dramatically reduced. In the end this means that the most valuable land in proximity to the transit infrastructure with in TOD can be utilised to its full potential.

What are your thoughts? Does CPT really offer impressive credentials for TOD and urban design in general?

This post was written by Ryan O’Connor, a planning and transportation professional based in Wellington, New Zealand. Ryan has been involved with Creative Urban Projects since March 2010.

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Design Considerations / Urban Planning & Design
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