Content:

• Get organised;

• Recap - elements of urban design: what to

consider in the site analysis;

• Define and introduce types of open spaces;

• Introduce the concept of landscape and its

components;

• Discuss design principles for achieving more

responsive landscapes.

Getting organised: • pairs (Everyone in a pair? all with ipods or similar device to capture video

and stills? Any imminent crisis to solve?)

• Start ‘watching’ the wiki space;

• Download the podcasts! You might need to create an account in iTunes

(independent learning area) to download the MLectures podcasts (you won’t

have wifi when walking around East Oxford);

• MLectures Reflective Exercises (individually): Download the podcasts of

the perimeter block lectures (1 and 2) and ‘walk around the route’ and

answer the questions at the end of both lectures by Friday week 2 and

Friday week 4 respectively;

• Fortnight Reflective Assignments (individually): start in week 5. on Monday

I’ll add the first question as a post to the ‘news’ area. Keep an eye on it.

Everyone, individually, has to answer to this;

• post your answers (can include text, images or videos) to your pair wiki;

Questions?

Elements of Urban Design quick review

Permeability Integrated network

Vitality Active interface

Perimeter block

Variety

The Admirable Types of

Responsive Environments

Mixed use area

What can you ask about these

conclusions during the site analysis? • Permeability: how well connected are the streets around the site? Is the site

too large for walking around? Would the area become more permeable if it

was subdivided into smaller blocks?

• Vitality: are there a good number of buildings on the site and surroundings

that indicates there will be enough people around at all times so the are

doesn’t feel ‘dead’ and unsafe? Are there enough buildings on site directly

opening to public spaces (people in and out)? are the buildings’ windows

facing public open spaces to provide surveillance?

• Variety: are there many people in the streets? Are there different uses that

would attract people in different hours of the day? Are there a variety of

buildings/built forms that make the environment feel rich, interesting and

varied? Are private and public spaces well defined?

• Is the site a perimeter block with active edges on all sides? Can you identify

perimeter blocks with active edges in the surroundings of the site? (watch

Mlectures – perimeter blocks interior and exterior)

Questions?

Childrens play ground, Cockle Bay, Sydney

Elements of Open Spaces

Open Space and Landscape buildings define the edge of open spaces

landscape occupies open spaces

Urban Design

Compendium

What is

missing?

What can be considered as forming the

the landscape of a place (cityscape, townscape)?

Remember...anything beyond the front door:

• ?

• ?

topography

water

vegetation

open spaces

Landscape

• topography

• blue and green

networks

• Open space network

(to pass and to stay)

• hard and soft surfaces

• Street furniture

• people

Design Principles & Qualities

for achieving more responsive open spaces

1. Treat everything as

landscape.

2. Buildings define the edge of

space;

3. Landscape occupies the

open space,

whether it is a park, a street, a

fence or a pavement.

remember…

Open space should be

designed positively, with clear

definition and enclosure.

There should be no ambiguity

and no left over space

avoid SLOAP Space Left Over After Planning

Building Lines and Set backs

• A common building line provides definition and

enclosure and can help integrate new

developments

• Buildings facing onto public open spaces create

an identity, a sense of ownership, care and can

create safer places

Boundaries

Open Spaces around

tower blocks are often

unused and unloved.

Part of the reason for this

is because of the lack of

definition over their

boundaries which often

means that they

generate no sense of

ownership. The lack of a

defined boundary also

makes it unclear as to

which neighbourhood

they belong. Successful

communal spaces are

those that are well

defined and landscaped.

Give consideration to the

primary function of space.

This depends on the

facilities it contains, the

character of the area and

surrounding uses, users

and circulation patterns

Between 10 and 11 am on a sunny

June Saturday morning, one bicyclist

was spotted on this waterfront park

(US).

Clarify how the open space

contributes to the town’s

variety and hierarchy of

spaces

Identify elements that can

add a distinctive character

Contours can

provide a

playground

An old tree can

provide identity.

Principles & Benefits

of a greener landscape

Bringing the Green in…

Benefits of allowing nature through the urban environment

Ecological services

Quality of Life

Economic value

Ecological

Services

• Carbon sink – 1 hectare of woodland can absorb

emissions equivalent to 100 family cars.

• Pollution control – Street trees can remove

sulphur dioxide and reduce particulates by up to

75%. Noise attenuation can be as much as 30 dB

per 100 metres. Wetland ecosystems are also

effective in filtering polluted run-off and sewage.

• Air conditioning – In urban areas the heat island

effect can increase temperatures relative to open

countryside by up to 5ºC. A single large tree can be

equivalent to five room air conditioners and will

supply enough oxygen for ten people.

• Microclimate control – Vegetation can provide

shade in summer. It can reduce wind effects

created by streets and wind loads on buildings,

potentially reducing heating requirements by up to

25%.

• Flood prevention – Vegetation can reduce

excessive run-off and increase rainfall capture. This

reduces the risk of flooding in low lying areas and

can also recharge soil moisture and groundwater.

Quality of

Life

• Health and wellbeing - Accessible green space creates opportunities for

recreation and exercise, increases children’s creative play, social skills and

concentration span. Natural green spaces reduce stress and encourage

relaxation, providing a sense of freedom and exhilaration.

• Social cohesion - Natural green spaces can encourage greater social

interaction. More active use of green spaces, including streets and communal

spaces, can contribute to a more lively public realm - a key urban design

objective;

• Participation in the design and stewardship of green space can help strengthen

communities. Nature reserves can create life-long learning about nature.

Positive experience of nature

• ‘biophilia’: our intrinsic

delight and need to spend

time in natural

surroundings.

• The urban environment

should therefore be

designed to provide

people with a positive day

to day experience of

nature.

Economic value • Street trees and views of natural landscapes and waterways can

increase property values by between 6% and 18%;

• Shoppers may also be willing to pay up to 10% more to shop in

tree-lined streets;

• Ecologically self-sustaining landscapes can significantly reduce

management costs;

• Green environment can help to promote physical activity having

an impact on health costs.

Site analysis should

seek to identify:

1. Positive and negative spaces (boundary

definition, intensity of used, types of use,

etc);

2. Map of primary functions of spaces

around and on the site; existing facilities,

circulation patterns;

3. Hierarchy of spaces and connection with

wider area;

4. Elements that can add a distinctive

character

5. Landform/topography;

6. Existing blue and green networks;

7. Landscape assets to preserve;

8. Potential for solar gain;

Useful questions for site analysis:

• 1: are open spaces well defined by building edges? Are they enclosed by

positive uses and active frontages? Are there any left over spaces

(SLOAP?) Could I map them? Are open spaces well taken care of? Or are

there signs of vandalism and careless behaviour?

• 2: Is the primary function of the space easily identifiable? Are the facilities in

the space well kept? Is the open space intensively/well used by the

residents? What are the key uses in the surroundings? Do they complement

the use of the open space and vice-versa? What are the circulation patterns

around and in the space?

• 3: Are the open spaces well integrate with the surroundings? Do they serve

a wider area as well as the local community? Are they linked to other

networks – green, blue, street, etc?

• 4: What are the elements in the site and surroundings that can add a

distinctive character to the space?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRD3l3rlMpo

Next week

• Site Visit

• Design Studio: pairs present results

of the analysis