enbe part 1 - the oasis


Content:

1. Introduction (describe the project brief, the things that you have to do etc)

2. A Town - Better Township or Town or City Guidelines and Issues 3. Investigation & Data Collection: Ancient and old cities/town 4. Investigation & Data Collection: The present towns/cities 5. Investigation & Data Collection: The future and better township 6. The Oasis7. The Conclusion8. References list



1. Introduction

During this second half of Semester 1, we go deeper into the built environment of this subject. As a mayor of a town, we are to plan a better town as the current town became too overcrowded.

In planning a town, we have to understand that a town is very much alive, exactly like the natural elements. In a town, different elements become a factor in its planning. Factors like the culture, the topography of the site, the resources needed by the people all play an important role in urban planning. These elements are what we have to take into consideration in planning the perfect town.

To plan for the future, looking at history is a good place to start. Learning from old mistakes is a way to prepare ourselves for any possible outcomes. Inspirations can also come from present cities and future cities. The current trend of today’s cities is to make it more eco-friendly and more sustainable.

All in all, this town-planning project will expose us to many new skills; from deeper understanding to presentation skills.



2. The City

2.1 The City Definition

The word ‘city’ originated from the Latin word ‘civitas’. This definition was first codified by sociologist Louis Wirth in his influential 1938 paper, “Urbanism as a way of life” (Wirth 1938). Cities, according to Wirth, are defined by four characteristics:

1. Permanence2. Large population size3. High population density4. Social heterogeneity

The UK has, for centuries, regulated which settlements can title themselves a city. Under Henry VIII, the presence of a diocesan cathedral was usually enough to guarantee the claim. Size didn’t matter so much as the exercise of power – spiritual or temporal.

2.2 What is the brief history

Early humans led a nomadic existence, relying on hunting and gathering for sustenance. Between 8,000 and 10,000 years ago, systematic cultivation of plants and the domestication of animals allowed for more permanent settlements. During the fourth millennium B.C., the requirements for the "urban revolution" were finally met: the production of a surplus of storable food, a system of writing, a more complex social organization, and technological advances such as the plough, potter's wheel, loom, and metallurgy.

Cities exist for many reasons, and the diversity of urban forms can be traced to the complex functions that cities perform. Cities serve as centres of storage, trade, and manufacture. The agricultural surplus from the surrounding countryside is processed and distributed in cities. Cities also grew up around marketplaces, where goods from distant places could be exchanged for local products. Throughout history, cities have been founded at the intersections of transportation routes, or at points where goods must shift from one mode of transportation to another, as at river and ocean ports



2.3 What makes a city / town

The economics, politics, society and cultures shape a city. Gordon Childe attempted to define a historic city with 10 general metrics. These are:

Size and density of the population should be above normal. Differentiation of the population. Not all residents grow their own food,

leading to specialists. Payment of taxes to a deity or king. Monumental public buildings. Those not producing their own food are supported by the king. Systems of recording and practical science. A system of writing. Development of symbolic art. Trade and import of raw materials. Specialist craftsmen from outside the kin-group.

2.4 What makes a good town/ township

The phenomenon of the ‘ideal city’ has haunted many civilizations in particular those that reached a certain stage of maturity. It can be said, as a statement, that cities represent in every civilization the hallmark of their success and are proof of its achievements. Once this assertion is realized on a collective scale – which is on a time-scale after cities have made their mark – thoughts can linger on the actual character of the city. The reality of the city-as-phenomenon can be subject to contemplation and questions can be asked regarding its being. The idea of an Ideal City is part of the total interactions of human togetherness.

For Plato, the ideal city was one which mirrored the kosmos, on the one hand, and the individual on the other. As he described in The Republic, the ideal city, or polis, was one based on justice and human virtue. It was a form of social and political organization that allowed individuals to maximize their potentialities, serve their fellow citizens, and live in accordance with universal laws and truthsAccording to Plato, the ideal city had to be an enlightened one, one based on the highest universal principles. He insisted that only individuals who were committed to these truths,



who could protect and preserve them for the sake of the common good, were fit to rule the city.

2.5 What is the future towns

The future towns should be working towards a sustainable township. Future towns should use the green cities concept, which is:

Respect of natural environment Optimization of key resources Infusement of technology with purpose Power itself with renewable resources Lowest quantity of pollution Efficiency use land Preservation of heritage



3. Investigation & Data Collection:Ancient Cities / towns

3.1 What ancient city are you concentrating on?

Grammichele, Italy, is a town and commune in the province of Catania in Sicily, southern Italy. It is located at the feet of the Hyblaean Mountains, some 13 kilometers from Caltagirone. It was built in 1693, after the destruction by an earthquake of the old town of Occhialà.

3.2 What makes is a significant city and what are the details?

The city of Gammichele was designed on a strict hexagonal grid by Nicola Branciforte. The centre of the city is a hexagonal plaza which pans out into 6 different sections. These sections have theire own rectangular agoras at the end. Grammichele has a certain geometrical beauty of its city.



3.3 Conclusion about the cities

The hexagonal grid makes it easier for the city to divide itself into different zones. It also helps in the numbering of the streets, thus making the street system more organized.

4. Investigation & Data Collection:Present Towns / township

Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen is the capital and most populated city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,246,611 and a metropolitan population of 1,969,941.

The Finger Plan



The Finger Plan concentrates new urban development along suburban train lines. The urban development would be like fingers to the palm. In between these fingers are green spaces. This is to minimize the dependence on cars, promote mobility and create a mix of dense urban areas in an environment.

Current Plans of Copenhagen

In working towards becoming a green city, Copenhagen has a few guidelines. Such as;

Preserving valuable buildings Preserving coastlines Preventing pollution Involving the public in the planning process



City Of Cyclist

Cycling has always been a Danish tradition. 1 out 3 of its citizens use bicycles as their primary mode of transportation. This is made possible by the fact that the city of Copenhagen is covered with 300km of bicycle lanes that are built over a century. The lanes span out nicely across Copenhagen, increasing their accessibility. As the world advances in technology, Copenhagen implements the Cycle Lane Messages along the roads that provide real time data.

Conclusion



Copenhagen is a sustainable city to live in. This is due to the fact that their main mode of transportation is bicycles and that they have sustainable urban planning. My future town should be based on these two elements as well for it to thrive as a green city.

5. Investigation & Data Collection:The future of towns and Better Towns

Icon Ciity, Petaling Jaya.



Icon City marvels with its extraordinary architecture and contemporary living work and play concept within a sustainable green environment. Icon City works towards an integrated green environment by having:

Sustainable sites Efficient water and energy systems Environment protection Renewable materials and resources

Icon City is a world within a world. A completely intergrated community with everything you need to work, play, live; lifestyle shops, luxurious offices, retailed residences and more all within the city.

6. The Oasis

The former town became to overcrowded. Thus, as the mayor of the town, the solution was to look for a whole new area to call our own.



The new town would be located south-west of Kota Samarahan, Sarawak. There is a huge undeveloped land there, a space for us to rebuild and start over.


The Oasis is build on a hexagonal grid, just like the one from Grammichele, Italy.

Every section has it’s own park. The park serves as a meeting point for each section.

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1. Corporate Park - All in one area for better accessibility. Contains many pocket parks.

2. Galleries - Galleries that explain the history, culture and art of the town. Only bicycles and pedestrians are allowed in this zone.

3. Commercial Area - Nearby hotels for better accessibility for tourists

4. Lake Resort - The resort exploits the lake as a recreational area. Among the activities done there are canoeing and diving.

5. Hotels - Nearby the galleries and commercial areas for better accessibility. A big park connects the hotels with the commercial area.

6. Residential Area -Contains a park that stretches from the top of the zone to the bottom. It connects all the housing areas together. Buses are not allowed in this area.

7. Educational Hub - Primary to tertiary education are all placed in one area for easier access. Only bicycles and pedestrians are allowed in this area to ensure the safety of the students.

8. Sports Centre - Nearby the schools and residential areas as these are the people that use this facility the most.

9. Religious Centres - Separated to avoid complaints.

10. Wind Energy Generator - Placed near the lake as the area near the lake is usually windy

11. Special Forces - Fire brigade, police station and the hospital are placed together for easier access

12. Government Offices - Nearby the services for better management.

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Bigger roads have 7 lanes;• Pedestrian lane• 2 Bicycles lanes • 4 Vehicle lanes

Smaller roads have 5 lanes;Pedestrian lane2 bicycle lanes2 vehicle lanesBlue spaces are the open car parks.


7. Conclusion

Throughout these few weeks of research, planning and lastly presenting there were a lot of thing I learnt. The process was not as easy as I thought as there were a lot of factors to take into consideration and a lot of guidelines to follow.


Bus LIne

Pink Line – Connects the Residential to Educational, Sports, Services, Corporate Park and the Lake Resort. Mainly for the locals.

Blue line – Connects Government to Wind Energy Generator and Services. Mainly for the government servants.

Orange Line – Connects Government to Wind Energy Generator, Galleries and Hotels. For tourism.

Blue line – Connects Government to Wind Energy Generator and Services. Mainly for the government servants.

Green line – Connects the residential to the services, corporate parks and commercial area. Central line for the town.


I learned that each city is unique and each of them has something to offer. But what makes them uniformed is the desire to allow the citizens to live harmoniously and in unity. They provide a better life fro those who inhabit them.

8. Reference Links

1. http://www.planetizen.com/node/63248 2. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://

quadralectics.wordpress.com/4-representation/4-1-form/4-1-4-cities-in-the-mind/4-1-4-1-the-ideal-city/


http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://quadralectics.wordpress.com/4-representation/4-1-form/4-1-4-cities-in-the-mind/4-1-4-1-the-ideal-city/



http://www.planetizen.com/node/63248


3. http://www.crystalinks.com/ancientcitygrids.html 4. http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/may/08/what-makes-city-

tech-garden-smart-redefine5. http://subsite.kk.dk/sitecore/content/Subsites/CityOfCopenhagen/

SubsiteFrontpage/Business/~/media/9E5C396089DA478D906A77C16C52F3AF.ashx

6. http://kk.sites.itera.dk/apps/kk_pub2/pdf/823_Bg65v7UH2t.pdf 7. http://wideurbanworld.blogspot.com/2011/02/what-is-city-

definitions-of-urban.html8. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://

urbanplanning.library.cornell.edu/DOCS/gerard.htm9. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20130617-moving-around-in-the-

megacity10.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammichele 11.http://www.icon-city.com.my/ 12.http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7m7TAlWOUgs/TiTipbl5seI/

AAAAAAAAAHE/61YJ7Z-0d4E/s1600/Image%2B1.png13.http://www.thecoolist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/

copenhagen-green-path-map.jpg14.http://chrisbence.com/geometrics/fractal_city/ 15.http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/republic/summary.html


http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/republic/summary.html

http://chrisbence.com/geometrics/fractal_city/

http://www.thecoolist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/copenhagen-green-path-map.jpg

http://www.thecoolist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/copenhagen-green-path-map.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7m7TAlWOUgs/TiTipbl5seI/AAAAAAAAAHE/61YJ7Z-0d4E/s1600/Image%2B1.png

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7m7TAlWOUgs/TiTipbl5seI/AAAAAAAAAHE/61YJ7Z-0d4E/s1600/Image%2B1.png

http://www.icon-city.com.my/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammichele

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20130617-moving-around-in-the-megacity

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20130617-moving-around-in-the-megacity

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://urbanplanning.library.cornell.edu/DOCS/gerard.htm

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://urbanplanning.library.cornell.edu/DOCS/gerard.htm

http://wideurbanworld.blogspot.com/2011/02/what-is-city-definitions-of-urban.html

http://wideurbanworld.blogspot.com/2011/02/what-is-city-definitions-of-urban.html

http://kk.sites.itera.dk/apps/kk_pub2/pdf/823_Bg65v7UH2t.pdf

http://subsite.kk.dk/sitecore/content/Subsites/CityOfCopenhagen/SubsiteFrontpage/Business/~/media/9E5C396089DA478D906A77C16C52F3AF.ashx



http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/may/08/what-makes-city-tech-garden-smart-redefine

http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/may/08/what-makes-city-tech-garden-smart-redefine

http://www.crystalinks.com/ancientcitygrids.html