Re-urbia Revitalising neighbourhoods A ResilientCity Entry 020709-03-0020
Re-urbia Revitalising neighbourhoods
A ResilientCity Entry
020709-03-0020
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Hi, I’m Tim and I’ve lived in Detroit all my life.
Over the years I’ve watched Detroit decline from a production powerhouse to a place where nobody wants to be anymore.
Re-Urbia is going to help turn things round by reviving our neighborhoods.
The diagrams
conceptually illustrate urban
restructuring at the city scale over a twenty
year period with some areas of failing industry
and predominantly residential areas reallocated for
food and energy production. The remaining suburbs will
undergo intensification to become as self sufficient as
possible.
The location of the selected neighborhood
is highlighted in red.
OverviewOur study is located in a suburban low density residential neighbourhood in Oak
Park, Detroit. We have chosen Detroit as it exemplifies the typical American city suffering from
declining fortunes of the car industry and empty abandoned streets caused by the sub prime mortgage
crisis. With large areas of Detroit abandoned and left to decay its time to re-evaluate the fundamental
structure of the city alongside recommendations for a new denser suburban grain to create a true resilient city.
As a starting point we have asked ourselves the simplest of questions; can we turn these abandoned parts
of the city to the advantage of all and instil a shift to localised urbanism and sustainable living post peak oil?
In answer we believe we can – by giving back swathes of land within the city to urban agriculture, bio fuel
crops and renewable energy resources such as solar farms. The subsequent reduced city area available for
residential use enables the opportunity for the intensification and restructuring of the remaining suburban areas
into local centres capable of supporting themselves from a social, environmental and economic standpoint. All
this must be in keeping with the American Dream of freedom of choice. Opportunity for every person to choose
how they want to live, whether to redevelop their plot of land on their own, or perhaps with a neighbor, or maybe
a developer, or to keep the big house and all the land. Broad choice of accommodation is at the heart of our
proposal to foster diverse social sustainability. It would be naïve to suggest successful regeneration by
forcing everyone into high density apartments.
We appreciate this brief submission is part of the starting point on a issue which
needs much more research, trial and error, before a workable solution is
found. Therefore this paper can only hint at a suggested direction in
relatively simplistic terms with some broad assumptions made.
The City is undertaking large scale regeneration. Many failing neighborhoods have been redesignated as eco corridors providing localized urban
agriculture and renewable energy.
2009
2029
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NeighbourhoodRecasting an urban fabric that challenges the
need for daily car usage is key to the success of
the sustainable city. Making the individuals daily world
smaller in distance by providing those things, such as work
and daily needs within a short walk we will create places that
people want to live.
The neighbourhood design ethos promotes the concept of
a traditional village, with a centre that will meet most daily
needs, set in a urban hierarchy that enables neighborhoods to
cumulatively combine their population in order to sustain higher
order centers capable of meeting most weekly needs without having
to transport long distances. An important part of this approach is the
understanding of economic sustainability and the appreciation of the local
population required to sustain business and public transport systems
(see upper right).
The majority of the neighbourhood is comprised
of residential single storey houses with little
community facilities, public open space and
public transport.
The current density of approx. 5.1
dwellings per acre is insufficient to
support local facilities.
Year 0 Year 10
The neighbourhood village promotes a walkable grid with
a local shop, primary school and local park within
a quarter of a mile/ 5 minute walk.
A target density of 12.2 dwellings per
acre, via a range of housing mix, is
required to sustain a viable local
centre within a 5 minute
walking distance.
Year 20+ Four neighbourhoods combine to create a population capable
of sustaining a post office, doctor and sheltered
accommodation within half a mile/10 minute
walk. A significant sub centre comprised
of 16 neighbourhoods with larger food
stores, secondary school, library etc
within 1 mile/20 minutes walk.
Argricultural
swathe and
energy
production
provide
Local centre
Neighborhood - 1/4 mile (5mins) walking circle
Open space
School
Local centre
Sub centre
Urban agriculture
Solar farm/large scale agriculture
Radial bus route
Rapid transit route
There aren’t enough facilities like shops and parks in our neighborhoods as there are too few people to support them.
Number of households supporting community facilities Source: Eco Towns Research, 2007, UK.
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The blockThe aerial photo (left) illustrates the
block selected for study.
The building typologies are designed
to enable ease of regeneration by
either the landowner, developer or
regeneration agency. For example, one
existing plot may be subdivided into
two terraced properties, or two existing
plots may be subdivided into three
detached propoerties and so forth.
This enables the landowner freedom
of choice with regard to their own
plot. The owner may either choose to
maintain the status quo or redevelop,
live in one property and sell the other.
ExistingBlock illustrating the typical Detroit suburban
residential building typology. All figures given
are per acre.
5.7
7.7
ExtensionVertical extension
creates an apartment
above existing house.
Requires 1 plot minimum.
12.1
DetachedSub-division of two plots to
create three detached properties.
Requires 2 plots minimum. Option for
live/work.
The Block
Densification TypologiesA limited selection of building typologies have been investigated as examples
of suburban intensification. Combinations of the typologies shown here are
capable of meeting the identified population density required for a hierarchy of
viable centers.
LocationA typical suburban Detroit
block has been selected
for study.
Significant
further work
is required to
expand the range
of typologies in
order to create truly
diverse and viable
regeneration from a social
and economic perspective.
Blocks Stats Key
Dwellings per acre
It’s all about choice. Redevelop or stay the same. Government incentives encourage you to redevelop your plot alone or in partnership with your neighbors.
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Loca centre
Neighbourhood 400m walking circle
Open space
School
Local centre
Semi - DetachedSub-division of three plots to create four semi-
detached properties. Requires 3 plots
minimum. Option for live/work.
8.1
23.1
TerracedSub-division of
three plots to create
four semi-detached
properties. Requires 3 plots
minimum. Option for live/work.
12.1
Apartments/Mixed Use
Combination of four plots to create
mixed-use apartment block. Flexible
typology permits a range of uses from
residential to business and retail. The
density and population stats shown are
based on the non residential uses at ground floor
with apartment above.
The Block
Typology Units Unit% MixNon
Residential ft2
Existing 92 10% N/A
Extension 99 5% N/A
Detached 188 15% *
Semi-Detached
238 18% *
Terraced 634 32% *
Apartments/Mixed Use
752 20%398,262m2
approx.
Total 2003 100% Min 398,264
Target MixThe identified
neighbourhood target
density of 12.1dpa
equating to
approximately
2,000 homes
can be achieved
via numerous
combinations of
the densification
typologies shown here.
For demonstration, the
below table outlines one potential
combination.
* Opportunity for live/work
Blocks Stats Key
Dwellings per acre
The majority of the new houses are bigger and have more shared community facilities like allotments. It’s all about using land more efficiently.
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We’ve lived here for years and I’ve put a lot or work into the house so I don’t really want to move. I like the way this area has moved on though. You didn’t used be able to walk to the shops which are great because I don’t like drive too much anymore.
The houses are pretty big, bigger in fact than others round here as they’re over two floors. That was a major factor in us deciding to move here, along with the garden, garage and community
facilities in the courtyard. There’s a barbeque area, allotments and a safe place for the kids to play and mix it with others their own
age. It’s a great way of getting to know your neighbors!
We had a house on a huge plot which was far too much land for us to maintain. The new government policy and incentives to subdivide our property was perfect for us as our house was pretty old and in disrepair. We built two houses and we rent one out and live in the other which is great for our finances.
I love knowing that I’m helping the environment by living as
sustainably as possible. I grow a lot of my vegetables, I don’t
have to drive everywhere and we produce a lot of our own energy.
It’s our first time buying. We really wanted to get a place in the city center but couldn’t afford the prices. This is the next best thing though as there are shops, bars and cafes with everything we need. The transport is really good into the city so we don’t need to worry about saving for a car right away, if at all.
Living20 Years time
Example of future intensified bock illustrating potential mix of
building typologies.
Existing
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Agricultural and green walls are of using space that otherwise wouldn’t be used.
There is more than a 1 to 1 ratio of green area versus
building floor space.
We can grow a lot of our own vegetable in the communal allotments within the block. We set up a rota for day to day tasks.
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The new block is built around the idea of shared communal gardens where everyone can get to know each other in a safe environment.
There’s a barbeque area, space for kids to play, vegetable allotments and a sustainable urban drainage
system which we can use to water the landscape and vegetables. Those who have electric or hybrid cars can even
charge up from the solar array shading the parking spaces.
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Sustainable Urban Drainage System
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Mixed Use
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