Reimagining Gated Communities: Challenges and opportunities in incorporating sustainable mobility principles in private development projects

Sudeept Maiti, Associate, Urban Development and Accessibility, EMBARQ India

Townships and gated communities are increasingly the urban imagination of residential development of the city.

The promise of a better quality of life is being defined as

• the one where mobility is dependent on cars.

• safety is realized through complete segregation.

• spaces are more designed for cars than people.

2

2

Can we reimagine these developments as opportunities?

• Create a better quality of life for the people ?

• Security is realized through community ownership and participation?

• Create more people-oriented spaces?

3

Can we reimagine to create …

Connected communities?

4

Situation today: Disconnected from within!

Too many enclaves?

Source:www.andertoons.com  

5

Reimagine: Connected communities?

Connected spaces to create a

connected neighborhood?

6

The segregated ‘enclave’

planning

The hierarchical

vehicular network

Reimagine: A network

for pedestrians

Reimagine: Connected communities?7

Can a compromise between security and mobility be achieved?

Reimagine: Connected communities?8

Cycles: an alternative ?

Reimagine: Connected communities?9

Can we reimagine to create …

More spaces designed for people?

10

Situations like these make walking a tough choice !

Situation Today: A need for prioritization of people!

11

Need for more space!

Situation Today: A need for prioritization of people!

12

Maybe a little less for cars and lot more for people!

Situation Today: A need for prioritization of people!

13

Getting the walkway design right!

Source:www.mto.gov.on.ca

Reimagine: prioritizing people

14

Maybe Ill be more comfortable taking the car!People first!

Reimagine: prioritizing people through links

Create opportunities for social and economic interaction

Reimagine: prioritizing people by node creation

Converting leftover spaces as sit-outsConverting pickup points as people spaces

15

A safe place for everyone

Reimagine: prioritizing people through junction design

16

Can we reimagine to create …

Safety, through community involvement?

17

Is complete segregation the answer?

Today: Safety through segregation?

Source:www.seos-projecteu .com  

18

Safety through segregation?

Reimagine: Safety through live edges?

Wouldn’t you feel safer here?

19

Opportunity to create better neighborhoods?

Reimagine: A place to celebrate?

Artwork display Street furniture AmenitiesShading

20

How do we do it?

• Technical aspects

• Finance

• Value addition and

marketability

21

How do we do it?

• Capacity building amongst architects and planners for sustainable mobility

• Creating publications and manuals as a resource.

• Create information resource for developers

Technical aspects:

22

How do we do it?

Finance: managing parking demand?

Car ratio

1.25Paved area

55000sqmCar ratio

1.00Paved area

6% reduction

Rs 55 lakhSaved in construction

Rs 18 lakhYearly maintenance

23

How do we do it?

• SafetySafe spaces, for children women and elderly

• HealthHealthier environments

• Better quality of life

Value addition and marketability:

Effect of quality of life elements on competitive grading of projects by real estate analysts

Elements that effect the

quality of life effect the value of project by

30 to

45% Source: Product Viability study, Liasis Foras

24

What are the

Barriers and enablers?

25

Barriers and enablers

Barriers Enablers/ Recommendations1. Goal setting and aligning policies across and within levels of government Policies  Lack of infrastructure

provision Inter-agency

miscommunication Lack of information amongst

government agencies and officials

Absence of sustainable mobility principles as planning mandates in state township policies, state housing policies or national and state level transportation or climate change policies

Advocacy and awareness  Multi-stakeholder convening. Influence State Township planning

policies guidelines: for Greenfield developments for Brownfield developments and

redevelopment projects within old or inner city boundaries

In the long term, need for a new institutional set up

 

26

Barriers and enablers

2. Enabling policies and incentives for LCR investmentRegulations  Retrofitting housing

development is more difficult than planning upfront

Building bye-laws  Design progressive regulations that

would mandate the use of certain design elements and sustainable mobility standards

Progressive regulations can help redirect costs from auto-mobility and parking towards promoting alternate technologies for internal mobility such as electric shuttles, bicycle sharing systems, and other para-transit facilities

3. Financial policies and instrumentsFinance  Lack of incentives Lack of financial

instruments

Market value creation - Incentivize   Use financial incentives to add market

value and create demand Providing incentives to private

developers to integrate sustainable mobility principles while planning new residential townships

27

Barriers and enablers

Barriers Enablers/ Recommendations4. Harness resources and building capacity for an LCR economyInformation   Lack of information for

developer to plan for sustainable mobility

Advocacy and awareness/ Building information systems  Developers, real-estate professionals, town

planners, and architects—need to be made aware of the principles and benefits of sustainable mobility to plan for it.

Adequate information would inform developers to locate developments close to public transit nodes

Developing relevant measurable indicators would help in impact assessments to communicate to policy makers and therefore incentivize these developments

Developing a rating system that could add value to the property and increase awareness regarding sustainable mobility principles

 

28

Barriers and enablers

5. Promote green business conduct and consumer behaviourInformation  Lack of information for

potential consumers and settlers

Advocacy and awareness/ Building information systems   Instruments such trip-rate analysis and

trip-calculators would help consumers identify the benefits of such developments

Cost-benefit analyses and impact measurements for the individual fuel savings

29

Reimagine to create …

For what we really want.

30

What do we want?- your feedback

• Safe access

• Great walkways/pedestrian paths as a priority

• Be connected to everywhere and everyone

• Places to sit, hang around stroll without having to pay !

• More green spaces, less pollution, less commuting time.

• A bus stop with safe crossing!

• Active and safe public spaces

• Give space back to people and only public transport options

• Shaded spaces, better spaces.

31

Then why build for cars?

Source:www.falconevcom

32