Urban Space Planning for Sustainable High Density

Environment
1 2 3
Nicolas Ladouce , Limin Hee , Patrick T. Janssen
1
Doctoral Candidate, Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore,
2,3
Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore
1 2 3
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract. In this paper we investigate the possibilities of new typologies

of urban public space for high density environments. The premise for the
project would be that with new high-density typologies, it would be necessary
to consider a difference in the nature of urban public spaces rather than a
difference in degree from the status quo. From observations of urban patterns
that drive collective, hybrid spaces around Asia, relationships between urban
attributes are drawn. For this paper we shall focus on the particular case of
Linked Hybrid, Beijing, China, as an elevated urban public space. A literature
review focuses on reviewing key theories to construct and adopt a rating system
to develop an empirical framework to evaluate the case studies and extract
the key attributes. These rated attributes are then abstracted in a real-time
model that enables user manipulation. The purpose is to create a tool to better
observe the effects and evolution of planning decisions for future urban spaces
in high density contexts. The preliminary results are consistent with the idea that
selected spatial parameters of a space may be embedded into a “barcode” and
referenced as a type. The combination of different types, hence their parameters
may be used for effective replication of their characteristics to improve the
decision-making process for urban designers. The research is not intended to
reproduce the successful urban public spaces but rather result in a catalogue
of typologies which can be referred to during the initial stages of planning to
provide an indication of spatial qualities.
Keywords. High density environments; collective urban space; hybrid
typologies; parametric urbanism.

Introduction made of possible new configurations of urban pub-

lic spaces integrative with high density typologies
The main impetus for this project is that high density that are environmentally considered, and have the
spaces would require qualitative re-orientation of potential to be socially adapted to become vibrant
the conception of urban public spaces, rather than public spaces. The premise for the project is that with
mere quantitative re-adjustments. Investigations are new high-density typologies, it would be necessary

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to consider a difference in the nature of these urban of these spaces in the development of typologies.
spaces rather than a difference in degree from the Squares, boulevards, public gardens and arcades
status quo. The research is supported by generative had not only made the city readable, but held mean-
and parametric tools to provide designers with a ings and uses that were understood by everyone.
system to investigate new typologies in high den- While previous research has focused on such typolo-
sity contexts. This paper documents the first experi- gies, we still know too little about the expanding
ments towards developing this system. typologies emerging today. The increasing cultural
diversity of cities is leading to a multiplicity of hybrid
Problem Statement space typologies.
It is necessary to examine the shifting mean-
ings and use of places over time, the deformations
Urban Public Space as “Collective Space” of typologies of spaces, as well as the importation of
Public space can be defined an accessible space for new typologies and their reconstitution in high den-
all urbanites regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sity contexts would be more relevant to the needs
age or socio-economic level with free circulation of of new high density environments than to review a
persons and goods Gehl (1936), Carmona (2003), history and taxonomy of types of public spaces. In
and Shaftoe (2008). Classical definitions of public selecting the case studies, we have therefore pri-
space also describe it as a space of debate, a symbol oritized emerging new uses in existing typologies of
of democracy and sociability. Finally, urban public public spaces in high density contexts and attempt-
space is as an open space to cater to public health ed to categorize them as follows:
and recreation purposes. • Multi-level, multi functional spaces (emergent
The notion of space as “collective space” presup- uses railway stations spaces as public space)
poses that groups occupy domains and co-exist on • New types of urban spaces in Intensified resi-
a competitive basis with other groups. Interactions dential developments
between groups may be spontaneous, but differ- • New types of urban spaces in urban districts and
ences exist and may at times lead to antagonism. integrated development
Collective space tends to be more social than politi- • Urban spaces in integrated waterfront districts
cal in nature, and may approximate the marketplace • Elevated urban spaces
more than the agora. The “experiential” rather than • Pedestrian friendly planning in cities
communication dimension of public space is fore • Urban green
grounded. This would be the definition adopted While the themes used to categorized the types
for this research as urban (public) space rather than of spaces above are not hybrid per se, our interest
the classical definitions, due to the emphasis on the lies in spaces that have been transformed in terms
physical nature of urban space and its applicability of new uses and activities over time. For this first ex-
in the Singapore context. The term “urban space” is periment, we shall use the example of an elevated
used instead in the research to take into account public space.
spaces that may not be public-owned but perform
like public spaces. Framework

Hybridized Typologies
Familiar models of urban space include those predi- Urban attributes and their relationships
cated on the relationship between the form of ur- Cities can be seen as a dynamic assembly of events
ban space and the use and socio-cultural meaning that functions together synergistically. Over time,

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elements of the city function as dynamic organisms, tools have been welcomed in urban design .
changing in response to how people interact with As Patrick Schumacher explains in his manifesto
them. Through the case studies, the research de- on ‘parametricism’, parametric modeling techniques
constructs the selected typologies of urban public have pushed the barriers of designers for the past
spaces to explore the relationships between sets of decade enabling a certain style that very much gov-
attributes to identify and understand the nature of erns form finding today, be it in design or architec-
their formation, functions and feel. Urban spaces are ture. While Schumacher’s call revolves around the
described often by broad intangible qualities such beginning of a new aesthetic to replace modernism,
as comfort, aesthetics, etc. These qualities can be it is undeniable that parametric and generative tools
further broken down into measurable aspects that can achieve more than form making or aestheticism.
define space, or by their defining attributes. Many at- They have the potential to provide a framework for
tributes may be involved in defining an urban space. an integrative design process.
Drawing from research by Gehl (1936), Carmona The use of recursive algorithms (Cellular Au-
(2003), and Shaftoe (2008), attributes defining urban tomaton, Voronoi, L-systems) have made it possible
spaces include connectivity, accessibility, privacy, to adapt modeling techniques at a bigger scale: that
user density, active frontages, demography, and in- of the city. These algorithms are capable to articulate
tensity of activities etc, many of which have linked the inherent programmatic complexities of city sys-
relationships with other attributes. It is expected tems such as transport, zoning regulations & design
that these relationships may be asymmetric & varied guidelines. The integration of generative and para-
- e.g. better connectivity of a particular space may be metric tools in Urban Design has been welcomed by
one of the factors that account for an increase in user two major changes in theory and thinking of urban
density and an increase in the intensity of activities. designers. Firstly, planning ideals in the last few de-
Through the collection of data from our case study, cades have shifted from the idea of master planning
we examine the relationships between attributes as to strategic planning, where the process consist of
well as the typologies of spaces defined by specific the implementation of the planning concepts itself
sets of attributes. These relationships are later recon- rather than the drawing of the master plan. This calls
structed in a parametric model. upon frequent interventions to adapt to the chang-
ing patterns of the urban environment. There is a
Research Background & Methodology need for planners to be able to keep ahead of chang-
es and to constantly evaluate the consequences of
Advances in digital tools and processes have radical- their action. Simulations and parametric modeling
ly revolutionized the design, practice and construc- offers that kind of flexibility. Furthermore, they have
tion of architecture in the past decade. Generative allowed designers to extrapolate the simulations to
and parametric techniques have demonstrated their assess the implications of their ideas without having
versatility in architecture through their ability to in- to wait decades for them to be fully implemented.
tegrate variable aspects such as time, sun exposure, Secondly, these tools have allowed designers
wind patterns and spatial trajectories into a digital to unleashed new design processes and new forms
design process. However, in the past few years, there that are more integrated, especially as we begin to
has been a slight shift in the usage of such tools and understand cities as environments that function in
processes to explore their potential at the urban real-time, where entities are dependent and self-
scale. The ability to simulate and evaluate the im- organizing with emergent potential. The objective
plications of design strategies over time is a key at- of this research is to look into these algorithms as
tribute for which the use generative and parametric tools to synthesize, analyze, combine and evaluate

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 Figure 1
Urban attributes adapted
from PPS (2008), Gehl
(1936), Carmona (2003), and
Shaftoe (2008)

attributes of existing and new typologies of spaces. describing most urban spaces.
Linked parameters define specific urban spaces,
Methodology such that these parameters can be used to identify
The research is carried out in two parts: the first part particular types of spaces. These linked chains of pa-
is a case study based design survey of selected typol- rameters may be described analogically as spatial
ogies of urban spaces in high density contexts such “barcodes,” since they derive the signature of a par-
as New York, Beijing and Tokyo. This study includes ticular typology of space. A barcode will encompass
documentation of typologies, uses, intensity of ac- the relevant parameters as well as their inter-rela-
tivities, with a comprehensive documentation of the tionships that are instrumental in shaping the type
design parameters and planning policies, including of urban space. The stringed spatial barcode, with
measures to enhance sustainability capabilities of their quantified parameters can be used in an evalu-
the larger urban environment. The aim is to highlight ative framework in comparison with other spatial
and define the key attributes that has contributed to typologies defined also by these barcodes [FIGURE
the use of this space as a “collective space”. The fol- 2]. The results are evaluated and recommendations
lowing illustration [Figure 1] shows the relationship made on the parameters for new urban space in lo-
of some qualities of space with the expansion into cal conditions based on the implications of design-
measurable attributes. However, the study captures ing within the new high-density context.
only key attributes that would form the basis for

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Figure 2
Research process

Linked Hybrid as a Case Study floor features cafes, bookshops, interior décor of-
fices, hotels, shops, cinema and a gymnasium.
For reference in this paper we shall be using the
Linked Hybrid residential development by Steven Elevated urban space - Sky Bridges
Holl, as an elevated urban space. The Linked Hybrid The sky bridge is a unique ring of bridges and urban
is an integrated residential development, situated to spaces that links all the 8 residential towers together
the north-east side of Beijing on the fringe of Dong from ranging from the 12-18th floor. 3 dedicated
Cheng District. It is particularly acclaimed for its inte- lobbies provide access to the sky bridges via express
gration of sustainable features such as geothermal lifts. The sky lounge programs include bar, restau-
energy for cooling or heating. rant, gallery, bookstore, lounge, swimming pool,
The design aimed to promote interaction sauna, gym, spa, and shops. While the conceptual
through its porous and generous urban space idea is refreshing, its implementation is not success-
around and above in the development. Through a ful and begs the question whether the location is
mix of commercial, educational, residential and rec- adequate.
reational uses at different levels, it aimed to bring in
people from the surrounding to generate a micro-
urbanism that would be in contrast with the current
privatized urban developments in China. The first

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Analysis of Linked Hybrid employed to generate the typology of Linked Hy- Figure 3
Key attributes of Linked
Highlighted below [Figure 3] is a rating table for the brid; however for now this will be restricted so as to Hybrid urban spaces
key attributes of Linked Hybrid urban spaces. As generate the main physical and spatial attributes.
expected, the Nodal Value for the development is Below is a list of the variants identified to generate
deficient. If the sky bridges presupposes the failure the elevated sky bridges of Linked Hybrid:
of elevated urban spaces, the development’s loca- 1. Building Plots
tion and its gated typology plays a major role in its 2. Existing Building Footprint
eventual demise. We shall thus consider the poten- 3. Height of Buildings
tial positive aspects that sky bridges, as a new type, 4. Distance between buildings
can generate in a high density setting; mainly linking 5. Height of Bridges v/s height of buildings
developments, creating a continuity of the street up 6. Bridge inclination less than 1:20
in the sky and capitalizing on views/vantage points 7. Bridge width & depth
offered in a high rise context. 8. Points of connection
There are a number of variables that may be

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Figure 4
Diagrammatic spatial bar-
codes representing the par-
ticular typology of a space

Tools & Techniques This initial phase has been developed using
Rhinoceros 3D and the graphical algorithm editor,
Grasshopper. A relationship model is set up between
Modeling of Urban systems through relation- the design variants identified above. These are re-
ship of attributes lated by one or several mathematical and probabi-
Linked parameters define specific urban spaces, listic relationships to continuously generate multiple
such that these parameters can be used to iden- design variants.
tify particular types of spaces. These linked chains For this first experiment, a hierarchy is estab-
of parameters may be described analogically as lished among the variants from user-defined plots to
spatial “barcodes,” since they derive the signature generate the number of floors for a particular build-
of a particular typology of space. A barcode encom- ing according to manually configured entries for
passes the relevant parameters as well as their inter- plot ratio and site coverage. A test is implemented
relationships that are instrumental in shaping the to locate the most efficient connecting points based
type of urban space [ FIGURE 4]. The parameters of a on the shortest distance between building facades.
barcode are extracted from the key attributes of the This results in a number of possibilities than can be
particular space. optimized by manually changing certain values such

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as the height at which the bridge occurs, bridge in- create variations of this elevated space barcode ty-
clination, width, depth and changing the points of pology as well as other types discussed above. The
connection. Using this simple setup, an array of vari- purpose is to create a catalogue of barcodes from
ant can be generated and evaluated as previously which designers may then cross-breed to generate
shown in Figure 3. This rating system is currently new hybrid types.
done manually based on a set of criteria based on
literature reviews. It is our aim to automate this eval- Conclusion and Further Work
uation process through the use of evaluating tools
such as space syntax for instance.
Modeling new typologies
Results The preliminary results above are consistent with the
idea that selected spatial parameters of a space may
Figure 5 below shows some of the first variances cre- be embedded into a “barcode” and referenced as a
ated with the parametric model. type. The combination of different types, hence their
The string of relationship obtained above, while parameters may be used for effective replication of
still in its crude form becomes a barcode for the gen- their characteristics to improve the decision-making
eration of elevated spaces types. The objective is to process for urban designers.

Figure 5
Variances generated from the
particular sky bridge typology

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 The next step in our work will be to develop a
coherent and well-defined framework to guide our
modeling process in terms of functionalities and
techniques used to move from simplistic to more
complex relationships between urban attributes.
The stringed spatial barcode, with their quantified
parameters can be used in an evaluative framework
which will have to be integrated to validate the vari-
ants generated and automate the rating system for
attributes as privacy, connectivity, visibility through
the use of agent-based simulations. The cross-eval-
uation enables us to place different typologies of
spaces within a ranking system. Simulations of spa-
tial typologies enable the parameters within the bar-
code string to be varied, engendering yet other new
spatial typologies in the process.

References

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