Urban Elements Advanced Studies in Urban Design

Research Collection

Edited Volume

Author(s): Fun, Siew Leng; Christiaanse, Kees; Cairns, Stephen; Richthofen, Aurel von; Leyk, Dietmar; Knecht, Katja; Miao, Yufan; König, Reinhard

Publication Date: 2018

Permanent Link: https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000270354

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ETH Library URBAN ELEMENTS

EDITOR Aurel von Richthofen

Future Cities Laboratory Urban Redevelopment Authority URBAN ELEMENTS URBAN ELEMENTS ADVANCED STUDIES IN URBAN DESIGN

EDITOR Aurel von Richthofen

Future Urban Redevelopment Cities Laboratory Authority Content

Building Competencies 7 Siew Leng Fun

Rethinking Design Education 10 Kees Christiaanse

Element, System and Milieu 12 Stephen Cairns

Introduction to Advanced Studies in Urban Design 14 Stephen Cairns, Aurel von Richthofen, Dietmar Leyk

U R B A N A N A L Y S I S 19

Parametric Urban Design Tools 67 Aurel von Richthofen, Katja Knecht, Yufan Miao, Reinhard König

U R B A N E L E M E N T S 89

Test-Bedding Urban Design 147 Aurel von Richthofen

Course Programme 165 Stephen Cairns, Aurel von Richthofen, Dietmar Leyk

Lecture slides 183

Teaching Team 202

Contributors 205

5 Content Building Competencies

Siew Leng Fun

What is the role of architects in the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)? With their architectural training, they are in a good stead to carry out Urban Design work in the URA. We place a lot of emphasis on urban design to shape our city into a distinctive, dynamic and delightful place that is people-centric. In 2014, URA put in place a Competency Framework that sets out a 3-year training roadmap for our planners and architects to ensure that our professional staff have good theoretical foundation in urban planning and urban design and are competent in carrying out planning and urban design work. All young planners and architects would have attained foundational urban design skills and appreciation by the end of the 3-year programme which also includes on-the-job training.

The training roadmap also covers our more experienced professionals who have worked in URA for more than 3 years. Given the huge advancement in digital technology, it is also timely to develop a programme in urban design that would also build up the competency in developing appropriate digital tools and work processes using parametric

7 Foreword design. Urban design is an art as much as a science learn more digital tools such as Rhino and Grasshopper, that can only beneﬁt with new tools such data analytics which included scripting! This publication therefore also and parametric design to test different scenarios with celebrates the achievements of the pioneer graduates of the digital visualisation abilities. We also recognise that good Advanced Studies in Urban Design programme. However, urban design outcomes require the ability to integrate even as we learn to use more digital tools, it is our values diverse disciplinary skills, including social and environ- and attitude revalidated through constant discourse on what mental analysis, archi tectural and landscape design. makes the city a better place for its people that will ensure While we have built up institutional knowledge in urban the best urban design outcomes for our city. Through the design, it is not often that we have the opportunity programme, participants had to deliberate, challenge and to review and investigate if there are alternative metho- articulate their views on urbanism in their written assign- dological and evidence-based ways towards deploying ments and their studio project. urbandesign tools and applying urban design thinking.

With this in mind, we collaborated with the Future Cities “The great aim of education is Laboratory (FCL) at the Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC) to not knowledge but action.” develop an Advanced Studies in Urban Design (AS-UD) HERBERT SPENCER, programme for our more experienced architects. Custom- English philosopher, biologist, anthropologist, ised for our URA architects, the three-term programme is sociologist and theorist intended to develop more in-depth understanding of the (1820 – 1903) considerations and underpinnings that would better guide urban design decisions and formulate well-grounded views of urbanism. The programme tutors would also take a dual There is no better time than now for our architects to put approach to teach parametric urban design using various the new knowledge they have gained into their urban design software for rapid sketching of parametric ideas. Studio work and in so doing raise the level of urban design analysis, projects would be conducted with an emphasis to deﬁne the inquiry and response to create a liveable city that endears urban issues, develop a deeper understanding and appre- itself to its people. ciation of site, history, social context and climatic conditions, so as to develop evidence-based analytics and formulate Fun Siew Leng Chief Urban Designer appropriate urban design strategies and responses. I would Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) like to thank Prof. Dr. Stephen Cairns, FCL Programme Singapore Director, Prof. Kees Christiaanse, FCL Programme Coordinator, Zurich and Dietmar Leyk, Scenario Coordina- tor for High-Density Mixed Use Cities, for their enthusiastic support and visionary leadership in developing this programme, as well as Aurel von Richthofen, Education Pro- gramme Leader for providing valuable tutelage to our participants. Tremendous support from URA’s management from the CEO to the Directors have made this programme possible.

This publication documents the participants’ learning journey in developing urban design thinking and application. It has been a new learning journey for the participants and I applaud their tenacious efforts to apply themselves to

Foreword 8 9 Foreword Our activities at ETH, the Future Cities Laboratory and Rethinking design practices, have been working on the integration of both a design-led approach and a science and policy-based perspective. This is gradually leading to a re-conﬁguration Design Education of the profession of urban design. Urban design is the synthesizer of an interdisciplinary process, in which architectural design, landscape, environmental sciences, politics, Kees Christiaanse economics and sociology to name a few come together.

The digital era furthermore has on the one hand enabled us to create an amazing toolkit to design, simulate, model, visualize and validate or simply distill information from multiple data-sources; on the other hand, it has brought us an overkill of information, which requires new methods of information processing and ﬁltering.

Finally, since exactly this highly developed digital technology for measuring and sensing has unequivocally made us conscious of the fact that human life seriously endangers the future existence of the earth, and since this danger has a lot to do with the extreme degree of urbanization human life is causing, urban design is destined to be a key discipline in challenging this danger. The key to civilization is education. Education and the communication of knowledge, experience and values are Over the past 50 years Singapore’s URA has developed into the prime pillars of a civilized society. The city traditio- one of the most innovative and experienced government nally is the breeding ground of civilization, as the density planning agencies among the many cities in the world. The and interaction of individuals from different backgrounds URA therefore is the right platform to engage into advanced produce innovative thinking, tolerance and cultural research and education in order to co-develop the urgent values. The structure of the urban environment plays an need for responsible urban designers. important role in the establishment of this breeding ground. In contrast, societies without solid and open education Prof. Kees Christiaanse and communi cation systems often stagnate in their Institute for Urban Design ETH Zürich and Programme Coordinator development or even deteriorate. Future Cities Laboratory (FCL) Singapore The above has always been my motivation to practice education as a matter of course, next to my work as an urban designer and architect. Thus, as the need for a high-quality urban environment is evident, this is also speciﬁcally relevant for proper education, knowledge management in urban design. In the past, urban design has been treated rather step-motherly, either as a side-activity for architects, or as a planning activity form a geographical, political or engineering background.

Foreword 10 11 Foreword Urban elements, he wrote, are ‘capable of accelerating the Element, System process of urbanization in a city’ (Rossi 1982, 87, original emphasis). and Milieu The term ‘urbanization’ as Rossi uses it, is quite different to the way demographers use it. For demographers the term simply means the shifting ratio of populations who live in Stephen Cairns urban rather than rural areas. For Rossi, urbanisation is a qualitative term. It refers to urbanity, and the qualities and character of a city. Both meanings are important. In the context of Singapore, where demographic urbanisation is almost total, the matter of urbanity has become more and more signiﬁcant.

Teaching urban design in this context involves foregrounding the question of urbanity. The course which is summarised in this booklet, begins with this premise and focuses on the urban element. This involves understanding pre-existing urban elements – building types, block sizes, street and side walk widths – bequeathed from cities in Europe, the Americas and Asia, as well diagnosing elements which have emerged here in Singapore due to specific programmatic challenges or climatic demands of a hot and humid In urban design literature, the ‘urban element’ is a environment. well- established category. It typically refers to the physical building blocks of the city: the buildings, clusters of buildings The emergent aspects of urbanity in hot and humid Asia and the spaces between them that combine to make up a are especially important, and not well developed in existing city fabric. They can be defined as the simple units that can urban design precedents. To respond we have expanded be combined into the more complex whole of an urban upon the urban element, to consider the urban system as quarter or city. well as the urban milieu. The systemic aspects of contemporary cities have become increasingly important, and The urban element does not make sense in and of itself, help understand the flows – of traffic, people, water, energy but requires other urban elements and a wider context to and air – that interact with city forms. The urban milieu become useful and meaningful. In linguistics the urban refers to the (natural and anthropogenic) ecological systems element could be likened to a morpheme, requiring syntac- that both envelop and suffuse the city, and have become so tical rules of combination to make sense. As such, the inter- important for the health and comfort of city life. relationship of urban elements to each other and to the urban fabric, are typically governed by rules and principles. Prof. Dr. Stephen Cairns Director Future Cities Laboratory (FCL) For Aldo Rossi, how urban elements are combined and Singapore recombined over time, is not a matter of blindly following the rules, but involves special skill and judgement. This is fundamentally important, as the specific character and quality of a city emerges from these combinatory actions.

Element, System and Milieu 12 13 Element, System and Milieu The programme aims to impart advanced knowledge, Introduction to understanding and skills in urban design in a workplace-linked format, to develop the capacities Advanced Studies of participants to: in Urban Design • Describe city fabric and its material stocks (land, buildings, infrastructure) and ﬂows (people, information, capital) and Stephen Cairns, their interdependencies Aurel von Richthofen, Dietmar Leyk • Understand the drivers and catalysts for urban design, including social, economic, environmental, governmental and technical parameters

• Appreciate and evaluate the performance of city elements in time, including use in everyday life, liveability, place management, and physical maintenance

• Analyse complex and multi-scaled urban design problems

• Design proposals for planning, remodeling and developing a variety of contemporary and future urban conditions of varying scales and complexity As part of the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) ongoing efforts to strengthen the urban design competency • Formulate well-reasoned and well-rounded of their architects, URA collaborated with Future Cities criteria for assessment of urban design Laboratory (FCL) at the Singapore-ETH (SEC) to develop proposals. a 3 term programme for a class of URA architects and participants from the Housing Development Board (HDB) and the JTC Corporation (JTC). The programme assumes participants have an undergra duate background in architecture, landscape architecture or related ﬁeld, and at least three years practical experience in a relevant agency. The Advanced Studies in Urban Design (AS-UD) programme offers specialist urban design knowledge, skills and understanding as a means to integrate the diverse disciplinary skills that participants have, such as architectural design, landscape design, and social and environmental analysis.

Introduction 14 15 Introduction The programme content is anchored The AS-UD programme is structured by three general themes: around three terms:

Urban Analysis Theoretical Framework In term 1 participants engage with urban theory delivered The framework considers the city as a ‘metabolic’ system by FCL researchers. Relevant texts are read and discussed in which with the physical fabric of the city (material stocks, in class. Participants use the theoretical framework to form and technological systems) interacts with the various write a thesis and map urban phenomena in Singapore ﬂows (everyday life, trafﬁc, air, water, waste, capital) that through a set of self-developed analytical lenses. course through it.

Urban Elements Case Studies & Tools The aim of term 2 is to operationalise the theoretical This theoretical framework is anchored in a set of classic principles introduced in term 1. Participants develop a and contemporary case studies from all over the world. catalogue consisting of foundational urban ele- These case studies will offer participants to ground ments. The term ‘element’ relates to concepts of type the broader theoretical principles in practical situations. and genre in urban design, and heuristic approaches Here the wider metabolic themes are anchored in direct to knowledge formation (or rules of thumb). Elements are concerns for a people-centred approach to urban design typical features of good city form that can range in scale in which qualitative questions – such as liveability, from the texture of a pavement, a building entrance, to convenience, aspiration – are engaged. shopfront, to pocket park, to plaza and street, to neighbourhood and precinct. Elements – as ruled-based units – can be translated into digital parametric design elements, Design Skills which can, in turn, be readily combined, or knotted, together in larger sequences and systems. Participants join The programme ultimately focusses on design as a skill that a seminar trip to Shanghai or Barcelona to learn from has the capacity to integrate diverse, often competing international best practice examples. economic, social, environmental demands, in a harmonious, efﬁcient and satisfying way. Urban Design

In term 3 participants apply the foundational urban principles developed in term 2 and the theoretical inputs introduced in term 1 for the development of urban design proposals for Singapore. Starting with a focussed site analysis, participants mobilise the operational catalogue of urban elements and quickly deploy parametric design tools for urban design variations, iterative evaluation and improvement. The ﬁnal review demonstrates the acquisition of urban analytical and representational skills in comprehensive urban design proposals. While participants worked individually during term 1 and 2, they work in groups of four in term 3.

Introduction 16 17 Introduction URBAN ANALYSIS

The following section showcases the participants urban spatial reasoning and representation in the form of an urban analysis map and thesis. The texts are reproduced in their un-shortened and un-edited original form. The writing is based on input lectures and reading semi nars held in Term 1. The maps are the result of careful site observation and illustrate the thesis texts. These short essays let us observe the sites in Singapore through the eyes of the participants. Participants pay close attention to ephemeral, temporal and sensual phenomena that are otherwise absent in conventional urban maps. The graphical representation used in the maps have been edited and redrawn for this publication.

19 Urban Analysis Urban Analysis Essays

Tham Cheng-E 22 Inhabiting The Interstitial: The Ebbs And Flows Within Vague Spaces

Kimmy Cheung 27 Qualities of Attractive Public Spaces for the Elderly

Linda Lui 32 Movement & Spaces at Clementi – Distilling the Urban Qualities of Spaces

Regina Koo 39 Wall Street of Tampines Centre

Wang Wei 46 What does it mean to create vibrant public spaces?

Danette Zhuang 51 Distinctive and Pleasurable Transient Spaces

Chua Gong Yao 56 Adaptive Dynamism

Choo Li Jie 61 The Role of the Urban Grid in Generating Diversities of Interaction

21 Urban Analysis Tham Cheng-E

Inhabiting the Interstitial: the Ebbs and Flows Within Vague Spaces

Hypothesis: of urban space typology to the flow Vague Spaces dynamics of the people (actors) moving in and around them. This paper hypothesises that spaces that are vague and of undefined use, given It was observed that the movement the right location and qualities, would pattern of actors changes, either from 100 m = 14 mm attract uses of a varied and spontaneous one activity or another, or from the speed nature. of the movement flow (as in commuting). Conceptual map: These changes are influenced as much Inhabiting The Interstitial If this is proven so, then locating pockets by the structure of the space as by collat- of vagueness in appropriate locations eral influence from nodes or attractors could better invigorate an urban context around them such as the MRT station or than spaces of intent. But doing so isn’t the shopping mall. We often see that the Actors, Activities Designing a space as a plaza is an intent as simplistic as turning everything into spaces accommodating the changes in and Black & White Spaces because a plaza is defined by very blank, sterile spaces. This paper sets out actor movements to be un-programmed specific characteristics; size, locational to find out how. and usually located between defined A space that stimulates spontaneous significance, even purpose, i.e. events, spaces, such as buildings or a lift lobby and flexible uses is akin to a flexible festival. A vague space takes on many The context of the Boon Lay area is an and a playground. They could be consid- space. But it isn’t necessarily a plaza. forms because it is not defined by interesting one; polarised with residential ered as an interstice, an in-between, It is interesting to note that one of the standards or an imagery (in this instance, to the north and industries to the south. connecting space, or they could simply most successful public spaces at the a plaza). It is defined instead by the A node – a MRT station and a shopping be residual. In either types, they are Seagram Building in New York became activities that occurs inside them. mall, sits between them, on an island highly accessible and usable, and could as a plaza only when it demonstrated bounded by vehicular roads of heavy be known conceptually as interstitial or the potential of becoming one (Whyte, The wide range of activities observed on traffic. The purpose: to observe the effect vague spaces. 1980). site is distilled into two main actions:

Urban Analysis 22 23 Urban Analysis (1) commuting, and (2) lingering. in the history of built environments, structure but also on the MRT station as as housing blocks, pavilions, drop-off The actors involved are therefore mostly and are no longer capable of taking an attractor. points, etc). This makes them conducive commuters in the process of transit or on possibilities which a vague space can. both as a commuting and lingering spot, movement, and the loiterers (or ‘linger- Interestingly, a hypothetical shift of the as in Whyte’s observation of how the ers’) who make use of different qualities For instance, a vague space could cease attractor (i.e. the MRT station and/or street at East Harlem became a commu- of the urban space to slow down their to become one when a circus tent inhab- the shopping mall) effected a correspond- nity’s play area. movement or stop completely. its it (Wings of Desire, Wim Wenders, ing change in natural movement. Apart 1987). But a plaza is less likely to cease from noticing more significant changes of We observed that spaces inhabited being a plaza even as it is inhabited by movement at the more-porous residential Porosity and Flexibility by commuters are usually defined spaces a programme. In this regard, replicating areas, we also observed the strong influ- are not the only Attributes with a clear intent, i.e. for commuting. plazas all over the city would be akin ence that the attractor has on the natural of Vague Spaces Examples of such spaces include side- to institutionalising a city’s potential to movement of the site. This argues that walks, a transit axis in an MRT station change. Needless to mention that it the natural movement of an urban struc- In the case of commuters, vague spaces or within a shopping mall, covered is also impractical and inefficient from a ture cannot be fully established without become spaces of transit, of connection. walkways and linkways. These spaces spatial point of view. considering the presence of permanent Without the interconnectivity, vague convey a specific type of activity and attractors. spaces cannot be related to an adjoining have little room for others. In this regard, The challenge therefore is to first context (e.g. a residence, a kindergarten, it is difficult for new activities to spon- understand how vague spaces co-exist At the same time, having a very porous a shopping mall). Vague spaces that taneously take place within them. with spaces of intent, or even be part urban structure means that the natural exist on its own are meaningless. It is Conceptually, we define these spaces of it. Lingering and commuting forms movement could be constantly in flux. an excised part of the urban fabric that as ‘black’ spaces. the two broad categories of human This is due to the multiple route options connects and belongs to nowhere, and activities, just as one would either be along the way and the spontaneous in the absence of actors and their activi- One the other hand, there are spots that moving or at rest. These two activities occurrences of lingering activities, which ties, it is unable to form any identites allow one to rest and eat a quick meal are driven by spaces of intent (e.g. carry the potential to disrupt the move- for itself. along a busy mall and a hawker would do eating at a rest point, moving to and ment patterns. The next part of the better to set up his stall on a vague space from the subway). How can the vague- paper looks at how the porosity of the A closer inspection of the site provides just off the sidewalk instead of on the ness in spaces accommodate them both? site is actually constituted by a variety of evidence of the importance of connec- sidewalk itself. If left without an occupant, vague spaces. tions. From a conversation with the such spaces allow for transit, and are We will first examine this from the administration staff of a nearby kinder- transformed again when another actor movement point of view. garten, we learnt that an unidentified (lingerer) moves in to occupy it. Such Vague Spaces are Porous space located next to the kindergarten flexible use and transformation of space and Flexible Spaces often became an arena where telematches are permitted only by the vagueness Importance of Porosity took place and where the children of the space. They carry the potential to in the Urban Context An interesting feature of vague spaces rehearsed for their sports day games. carry multiple identities at once. We can is how the purpose of the user dictates Such uses were extended to the nearby define them as vague or ‘white’ spaces. By the concept of natural movement the function of the space. Goals or purpos- void decks where similar activities took (Hillier, 1996), flows are determined by es may drive the users’ selection of a place under shelter. proportion of movement within the strategy and dictate their experience in Why White or Vague Spaces urban structure (i.e. streets and buildings) the space (Shelton, Marchette, Holscher, aren’t Plazas instead of nodes or attractors (i.e. events, Nelligan, Shipley, Carlson – on Seattle Vague Spaces as programmes). Here we attempt to use Central Library, 2017). Whilst vague Lingering Spaces If spontaneous activities take place in this concept to first understand the spaces facilitate transit, they also facili- plazas, and white spaces carry also natural movement of the site and then tate other uses. The activity of lingering carries the larg- the attributes of a plaza, why don’t we how the vagueness of spaces affects it. est potential in delivering a huge spec- simply build more plazas in an urban Driveways without sidewalks end up trum of uses. It relates not only to the setting? It is important to understand In an analysis diagram, impermeable implicitly granting pedestrians an equal configuration of space, but also very inti- that whilst plazas contain attributes of spaces are represented by the solid areas right to use the space. Without demar- mately to the users’ personalities and vague spaces, it does not carry the and permeable ones are void. The cation it is no longer clear who gets the preferences. It allows the time to think, same expectancy that de Sola Morales diagram becomes an abstraction of site right of way. At the same time driveway to assess, and finally to inhabit. People described in his essay Terrain Vague. porosity. From site observation, we find spaces are like streets. They are easily are selective of the spaces for slow linger- This stems chiefly from the fact that plazas that the pattern of natural movement accessible and they connect different ing and the criteria varies even between have a very distinct role and identity is dependent not only upon the urban spaces together (i.e. spaces of intent such genders (Whyte, 1980). On a micro

Urban Analysis 24 25 Urban Analysis level, we examine the lingering dynamics the possibilities of uses. It is postulated Kimmy Cheung in the interstitial area between Jurong that if more urban spaces are designed Point shopping mall and the MRT station. for possibilities instead of intents, then the more varied and dynamic the habita- However, an interesting observation tion of an urban space would become. The consisted in that not only do ‘lingerers’ next challenge then, lies in developing stay away from high-transit or transit- a design palate that helps us achieve this. only spaces (i.e. spaces of intent), they also tend to linger less in regulated open spaces such as the landscaped plazas within the interstitial area.

An obvious evidence to the lingerers’ Qualities of Attractive preference for privacy reveals itself when a police patrol prowled the plaza and Public Spaces ended up questioning a ‘lingerer’ inhabiting the space. The police ofﬁcers released him after a few minutes but the for the Elderly intimation was clear. The number of ‘lingerers’ at the plaza fell signiﬁcantly after the incident, but the loading/ unloading area remained as popular with ‘lingerers’ as ever.

Conclusion: Designing for Possibilities Public spaces which are attractive for the Surrounding uses which encourage The analysis distils several principles elderly residents are characterised by formation of social interaction – that define a vague space. On a macro slow speed of movement, good visibility the programmes directly adjacent to level, a space cannot be defined as vague and surrounding uses which encourage the public space would have an influence or expectant if it is not porous and the formation of social interaction. on the users of public space and its flexible. A vague space is also meaning- character. Some programmes are able to less if it is not interconnected with each To me, finding people sitting in a public foster a sense of community more than other and/or located close to a space space is an indication of how attractive others by allowing the users to have a of intent or programme where it could the space is. The act of sitting suggests long-standing relationship. For example, ‘feed off’ its collateral activities. that people are spending a bit more time a barber which have been operating in the space rather than just walking for a long time and whose customers are Analysis at a micro level suggests that through it. This is when social interaction mainly the residents; a coffeeshop seclusion and some degree of privacy is happens and making the public spaces which allows for residents to have social required for vague spaces to become attractive. interaction. lingering spaces. Such qualities encourage lingering as much as qualities such as high-traffic and being regulated (as in the Definition Introduction of the site case of the landscaped plazas) discourage it. Other factors include availability of Slow speed of movement – The relative The site observations were taken from seating and shade, and minor factors such lower speed at which people move the two HDB estates located on the as environmental comfort and collateral through space. north and south side of North Bridge programming from nearby spaces of intent. Road, between Kallang River and In this regard, the understanding of an Visibility – The visibility of the space is Beach Road. While there are some key urban context is no longer limited to a how well the space is structured in terms destinations in the area, like ICA Build- perceived or intended use of a space but of seeing and to be seen. ing and Lavender MRT, Kampong

Urban Analysis 26 27 Urban Analysis ICA Building and Golden Mile Complex. uses in the ground ﬂoor of the adjacent In addition, there are some shops or buildings, I was able to trace some services at the fringe of the HDB estate relationship between them which forms serving them. the basis of my hypothesis.

There are a variety of public spaces present within the site, consisting Analysis of site of courtyard open spaces between the using theories HDB blocks, landscaped spaces along the edges of the estates, playground My thesis explores into the physical and multi-purpose covered space etc. qualities of the public space design for the elderly. I use the concepts by Gehl on movement speed for close encounters, Site Observations Whyte on people’s preference to be sitting in the mainstreams, as well as I had imaged that the public spaces Maki on group form being a system of within the HDB estate which are located generative elements to guide my map- closer to Lavendar MRT station with ping in the area (see map) and support better accessibility should be more my hypothesis. attractive and hence filled with more elderly sitting around. However, based on the site observations, the public spaces Speed of Movement within the estate that is located on the Firstly, Jan Gehl’s idea for close encoun- south of North Bridge Road which is ters which he talks about the speed of further away from the MRT station, movement being crucial in influencing have more elderly residents sitting around. the person’s experience. “While our Hence, the notion of accessibility of the perception of public space naturally site to and from with other key nodes or depends on viewpoint and distance, the destinations seems to have little influ- speed at which we move is crucial.” ence on the attractiveness of the public Gehl, Jan. 2006, pg 32. In his text, he spaces. This can be explained by the explains that in order to design attractive limited mobility of the elderly. In addition, cities which allows for close encounters the site observations also suggest that between the city and its inhabitants or 100 m = 27 mm the presence of well-landscaped public between the inhabitants, the city should spaces with amenities, like shelter and be designed to the level of detail that Conceptual map: seats, at prominent location does not nec- is experienced by people walking in- Attractive Public Spaces for the Elderly essary mean that the space is an attrac- stead of being in a motor vehicle. In the tive space for encounters for the elderly. context of the elderly residents of the Given the demographic, social-economic site, their speed of movement is slow Glam conservation area and Golden Mile there are good internal connections as aspects of the two estates being similar, due to their limited mobility, I suggest Complex, the two HDB estates are quite they are served by systems of walkways i.e. matured estates with lots of elderly of that it is the speed of movement disconnected from these places. The which are mostly below the HDB blocks lower income, the comparison between around the elderly that matters. Within presence of Kallang River, North Bridge along the void decks or the ground floor the two estates would shed some light on the site, it is evident that the elderly Road and Beach Road are barriers as shops. The two HDB estates are matured how public spaces can be designed to gather within / next to spaces with there are only one or two pedestrian estates with relatively high proportion serve the needs of the elderly resident. a slow movement speed, i.e. along the connections across each of these. Due to of elderly at approximately 32%1 of the pedestrian walkways. On the other hand, the MRT station, as well as Beach Road total population, as compared to the I have mapped out the locations where there are hardly any elderly sitting Food Centre/Golden Mile Complex generalised figure of other HDB towns the elderly sit within the two HDB along the road where the speed of move- situated on the north and south, there is of 10% to 15%. Nonetheless, there is estates near Lavender MRT. By over- ment is fast even though there are a strong pedestrian movement in the also a good proportion of foreigners laying a layer that shows these locations various landscaped spaces lining along north-south direction through the two moving through the estates in the north- with a layer showing the movement both sides of the roads with seating facili- HDB estates. Within these two estates, south direction due to the presence of of people and another layer showing the ties installed.

Urban Analysis 28 29 Urban Analysis Amongst the public spaces along the facilities provided. Due to the desire to form at the beginning, since there is a I have only examined three qualities, i.e. pedestrian walkways, there is also a clear sit at these specific locations, they even preconceived notion of how the blocks slow speed of movement, good visibility preference for the spaces within the appropriate their own seats. While it and the functions are to be put together. and surrounding uses which foster estate at the south. This can be explained is likely that at the junctions of move- However, over time, the uses and spaces social interaction, as I feel that there is by the design and layout of this estate ment with the activities around them within the estates have evolved. There a strong relationship / contrast of these which slow down speed of pedestrian which them an interesting space to be are many uses in the estate to support three factors between the two HDB movement. There is a system of walk- at, I would like to suggest that it is the the various functions of the estate, estates. Beyond these, there are many ways linking the various blocks and quality of good visibility at the junctions catering to both the residents and the other considerations for the quality of spaces within the estate; however, a of movement that attract the elderly. foreigners. This is when the group-form attractive public spaces for the elderly portion of the blocks are designed at an starts to manifest itself in the develop- such as barrier-free accessibility and angle with the others. This makes navi- At the junction of pedestrian movement, ment of the estates over time. Some provision of shade etc that are important gation within the estate not so straight- there is good visibility of the surrounding. spaces of the void decks for the HDB but not covered in this thesis. In addi- forward even though there is a direct It is the place of seeing and to be seen. estate on the south have been enclosed tion, the sense of legibility/orientation line of sight at most parts. People would By locating themselves at places with and converted as elderly day activities is also not discussed since the subject constantly need to look out and make good visibility, there is a higher probabi- centres to cater to the demographic is elderly resident and it is assumed that decisions on which path to take, slowing lity of chance encounters with fellow of the residents. Similarly the uses on they are familiar with the various public down the speed of movement. There residents whom they can exchange a the ground floor of the estate also spaces with the estate. are many more elderly sitting around chatter with and pass time. It is not only change over time. For example, it is within the public spaces of this estate, apparent within the south estate, it is evident that the part of the estate closest compared to the HDB estate on the also evident for the estate on the north to the ICA Building has many shops/ Conclusion north. On the other hand, the layout for as the only sitting activity was found the services, like photocopying and trans- the HDB estate on the north is direc- junction where two shopping corridors/ lation services, catering to the needs To conclude, the combination of the tional. In addition to the residents, this walkways meet. This idea of locating of the foreigners who visit the ICA Build- three factors, slow speed of movement, estate is also frequented by the foreign- themselves at a space with good visibility ing. This estate also has more “generic” good visibility and surrounding uses ers given there are many services also manifests itself at the far end of an shops which cater to non-specific people, which foster social interaction determines on ground floor shops catering for them, open basketball court where I observe like general clothing shops and hand- how attractive the urban spaces are increasing the volume of pedestrians. many elderly sitting along the parapet of phone shops etc. On the other hand, the for the elderly. With this insight, and an These two factors indirectly make the a multi-function covered space. This estate in the south has more uses that understanding of their role, we can speed of movement faster. While there space is not exactly at the junction of cater to the residents like barber and potentially design better spaces for the are landscaped open spaces with dedi- movement but it is able to see the junc- grocery shops etc. elderly as we move towards a more aging cated seating facilities along these walk- tion on the opposite end, and where population. ways of faster speed of movement, there people taking short cuts across the court. Based on my site observations, the are fewer elderly sitting at these spaces. spaces where the elderly likes to sit, are 1 Source: URA ePlanner, Mar 2017. usually next to programmes which can The calculation is based on the sub MTZ. Visibility Surrounding foster a sense of community and catering Secondly, William Whyte’s investigation uses to the needs of the residents. In a way, about where people sit at plazas and that there is a strong sense of why public “people also sit in the mainstream … Lastly, Fumihiko Maki’s concept about spaces are provided in front of these These are natural junction and transfer the group-form that “the element of programmes, i.e. for social interaction. points and there is usually a lot of activi- the group-form is often the essence of For example, elderly are seen sitting ty at them. They are also a favoured collectivity, a unifying force, functionally, in groups near the elderly day-activity place for sitting and picnicking” Whyte, socially and spatially. It is worth noting centre, as well as sitting near the coffee- William. 2010, pg 257. Although his that generally group-form evolves from shops and a grocery shop. On the north- investigation was primarily on office the people of a society, rather than ern side of the estate, there are fewer workers in North America, the finding from their powerful leadership”. Maki, elderly sitting around due to the more about people’s preference from his Fumihiko. 1964, pg 19. In his text, he generic shops and the faster movement research is applicable in my site study. explains about the different approaches in general due to the higher volume From my site observation, it is found to the collective form of buildings, i.e. of people moving through. Hence, it is that the elderly are mostly sitting at compositional form, mega-structure form important to have spaces planned in such the junctions of pedes trian movement. and group-form. The estates here were a way that they are flexible enough to This is despite that at some of these built over two decades. They could adapt themselves and cater to the needs locations, there are no dedicated seating have been designed as compositional of the people.

Urban Analysis 30 31 Urban Analysis Linda Lui

Movement & Spaces at Clementi – Distilling the Urban Qualities of Spaces

Abstract Town Centre and looks at how the building blocks and activities are arranged The quality of an urban space goes to influence how the spaces, whether beyond the physical environment and it is planned or unplanned, are used and extends into the realm of psychology how pedestrians weave through the spaces and how people perceive and interact to get to their destinations. Evidence- with the physical environment. Accord- based mapping for the site is done by 100 m = 48 mm ing to Jan Gehl, a good quality space combining the key activity nodes with the is also one that is legible, accessible, pedestrian paths onto a base map. This Conceptual map: permeable, but still having a sense of is overlapped with the movement paths Movement & Spaces at Clementi enclosure. It is typically one that is taken by pedestrians as they use the space. scaled to relate to human activities and This mapping is substan tiated with descrip- rich in experiences. In a typical Housing tions of these locations. Development Board (HDB) town centre Key Words activities around key nodes and the scale where the plans are homogenous and From the observations on site, in the and urban quality of that space within self-contained, with fairly uniform build- heart of the town centre, it appears that Pedestrian flows, intersection points of the Clementi Town Centre. In the inves- ing types and with one or two new big the intensities of activities and concen- movement, scale, sense of enclosure, tigation, examples will be drawn from box retail malls, how does a town centre tration of pedestrian flows are observed intensity of activities. the study site to illustrate that the key like Clementi Town Centre be legible to be the highest within the pedestrian nodes are located where the pedestrian with a built environment and spaces mall, and these spaces are typically more pathways / lines of movement intersect, that meet the needs and aspirations of intimate in scale and are flanked by Introduction and where pedestrian flows are most its residents and visitors to the area? active frontages. This thesis will sieve out concentrated and where movement econ- the urban qualities of this town centre The thesis investigates and establishes omies (activities) such as market / food This thesis reviews the quality of the and offers some suggestions to enhance the relationship between concentration centre, supermarket, bakeries, retail urban social spaces within Clementi the use of the spaces. of pedestrian flows, intensity of the stores are located and these businesses

Urban Analysis 32 33 Urban Analysis tend to thrive. This in turn helps to hawker centres and markets. It also has These big box developments, in contrast Site Observations & inform on the spatial character of this a number of primary and secondary to the smaller retail shops along the Analysis commercial centre and its legibility to schools, such as Clementi Town Second- pedestrian mall, bring about diversity in the actors who are likely residents, ary School, Clementi Town Primary the types of activities and land uses workers and students within the area, School and Pei Tong Primary School, found in the town centre, as suggested Observations in particular along the main movement within the vicinity. Some of these are by Michael Eggerbond in his study on During our visits to the town centre, line and its activity nodes. within walking distance to the residential Quantifying Diversity, “diversity in we noticed that the users of the mall precinct and others are easily accessible and itself is of relevance” (Quantifying (the actors) included mostly the elderly, via public transport. Diversity, Michael van Eggermond, working adults and students (primary, The Site and Alexander Erath). The shops along the secondary & tertiary), as well as some its Environment About the Town Centre pedestrian mall offer more of the tradi- (only a handful of) young children aged Unlike many neighbourhoods in Singapore, tional “mom & pop” shops, provision 6 years and below. Most people use The study area of around one hectare in Clementi did not have large shopping shops and local bakery catering to the the pedestrian malls between Blocks 442 size is within the Clementi New Town, centres within the town centre until needs of the elderly and residents, whilst – 449, and Clementi Mall – Block 443 located in the western part of the island. recently. However, there is a wide range the offerings in Clementi Mall include to get from the MRT Station, bus-stop It is bounded by Clementi Avenue 6 to of retail shops, hawker food stalls and the retail / F&B options, like Starbucks along Commonwealth Avenue West and the west, Ayer Rajah Expressway to the wet markets. In the town centre, other Coffee, to cater to the younger families. the Bus Interchange (at Clementi Mall) south, Clementi Avenue 2 to the east than cinemas which were inward-looking, These big box developments do not to the Clementi 448 Market & Food and Commonwealth Avenue West to the most of the activities are located at the contribute much to the street activities Centre (Food Centre). north. This area covers the town centre 1st storey of the 4-storey HDB flats as the uses are more internalised and and parts of the surrounding residential (Blocks 442 to 450) which allowed for seem to have taken pedestrian traffic Along the mall, these ‘actors’ walk beside enclaves, schools and the sports and social interaction. These low-rise flats are off the street. This validates the sugges- the more active edge where there are recreation centre. traditionally planned in such a way that tion by Jan Gehl that such homogeneous goods on display (e.g. fruit stall at the the active uses front onto the main pedes- facades and blank walls do not allow corner of Block 442), pausing to look at About Clementi trian mall with the car parks located for interaction at the 1st storey. In par- the merchandise or chat with friends Clementi is of the many public housing behind the 4-storey flats. These are also ticular, Clementi Mall has direct connec- that they met. At night, this is a better lit estates in Singapore developed between the servicing areas for these retail shops / tion to the MRT via the 3rd storey and route. The frontages with more functional 1975 and 1979 by the Housing and coffee shops where goods are delivered it allows commuters the convenience activities like the ATM, beauty parlours, Development Board (HDB). It is a from. The surface car parks also serve the of moving from MRT to bus interchange medical clinics etc. attracted less people. mature estate with a good mix of quality residents and visitors to the town centre. without going through the mall at the public housing (around the Common- street level. The design of Clementi Period Actors Observations wealth Avenue West and the Clementi Over the years, redevelopment took Mall, however, allows for pedestrians to Weekday (Late Morning, Early After- MRT Station) and private housing (landed place where newer and larger shopping still access the pedestrian mall at the start, noon) Mainly elderly folks, homemakers properties and private condominiums) malls cum mixed use developments via the through-block pedestrian link. and some workers in the mall. in the west of the area. There are about were built in the town centre. The two 25,480 dwelling units, taking up almost cinemas had been redeveloped into new During the earlier part of the day, the half of the total land area for this estate1. retail malls – the CityVibe and 321 Methods Used ‘actors’ are mainly the elderly going for Clementi. Completed in 2011, the new late morning breakfast or marketing. Clementi is located in the western part mixed-use Clementi Mall is Singapore’s The main research method was through Some would be chatting with each other of Singapore, together with major first integrated public housing, public site observations of how people (the and others sit at the seats provided, often educational institutions such as the transport and commercial development ‘actors’) used and interacted within the alone or with company. Slightly past NUS High School of Mathematics and built on the former bus interchange site. open spaces within the housing estate, 1 pm or so, some primary school children Science, the School of Science and This development includes a 5-storey with particular focus on how they moved are seen returning home from school, Technology, Singapore, the National retail podium, two basements, two and behaved within the town centre. using the pedes trian mall to get from the University of Singapore and Singapore 40-storey residential blocks (Clementi The site observations were focused on MRT or bus interchange to the food Polytechnic. It is also well-served by a Towers), the West Coast Town Council the town centre, where the hive of centre or home. In terms of movement, comprehensive road and rail network (Clementi Office), a public library activities and concentration of pedestrian these ‘actors’ would generally take a (8 stops from the Central Business and an air-conditioned bus interchange. flows are the highest within the precinct. more leisurely stroll from the bus-stop or District). The mall is linked directly to Clementi The site observations were carried out the MRT station through the Period MRT Station on the 3rd storey and during different times of the day and week Actors Observations through-block pedes- The residential precinct is well-served provides a direct connection to the bus so that we can better assess the way the trian link between Clementi Mall and by amenities such as shops, eateries, interchange at the 1st storey. space is used. Block 441A towards the pedestrian mall,

Urban Analysis 34 35 Urban Analysis stopping occasionally to browse at the Analysis be seen in the difference in intensity of trians to use. Even if these routes seem fruits stall, the bakery and some other activities between the part of the mall to be shorter and more direct, most tend stores before going to the food centre. Movement along between Blocks 442 & 449 and the part to use the pedestrian mall to get from Active Frontage & the Grid between Clementi Mall and Block 443 the transport node to their destinations, Weeknight (Early Evening, Around It is observed that whilst there is a lot of where the retail stores are more inward- be it home or to the supermarket located Dinner Time) Residents returning from pedestrian traffic moving along the fair- looking such as clinics, spas, internet cafes/ along Clementi Avenue 3. These obser- work, retail staff, office workers, students way of the mall from point to point (i.e. stores, etc. The reverse is observed here. vations remind us of the work of Jan as well as young families. straight line), there is an equally high Gehl’s study of the connection between volume of ‘actors’ who ‘pin-ball’ between The intensity of the activities decreases the content, transparency and design of During the earlier part of the evening, the left and right sides of the mall, as one moves away from the key nodes ground floors, and the extent and nature the pedestrian mall becomes livelier with moving from stall to stall because some along the mall. The walking pace of the of pedestrian activities and length of the residents coming back from work, of- key retail stores (e.g. market / food ‘actors’ also tend to pick up as they stays along the street. In his work on fice workers and students, and young centre, bakeries, local retail shops / hurry past the less interesting shopfronts ‘Close Encounters with Buildings”, Gehl families who are either on the way home boutiques or convenience stores) seem which typically have more mundane advocates that “people prefer to stay at or going into the town centre for meals or to attract more customers than others. and functional activities. From there on, the edges of a space” and these edges to pick up meals from the food centre or These stalls are also located along the the pedestrian activity starts to decrease provide a sense of enclosure and security. coffee shops. There is some through-put intersection of movement paths, where in intensity as one moves from the This can be seen along the 8m wide part pedestrian movement of the ‘actors’ get- the intensity of activities and concentra- commercial centre to the surrounding of the mall between Block 449 and the ting off the bus or train via the through- tion of pedestrian flows are higher. The residential blocks where the activities Food Centre where the concentration block pedestrian link between Clementi more ‘active’ frontages are also along are much less intense, and where pedes- of pedestrian flows and intensity of activ- Mall and Block 441A towards the pedes- the main pedestrian movement lines and trian pathways are more informal when ities are high and pedestrians tend to trian mall to get to the adjacent residen- less ‘active’ uses are located where the the ‘actors’ move from the dedicated stop and linger to look at the baskers or tial enclaves. Majority still took to the concentration of pedestrian flows is pedestrian footpaths to the void decks hawkers. That sense of enclosure and leisurely pace as they moved from node lower. These observations remind us of before getting home. edge effect allows for such intense activi- to node along the mall. Here, we noticed the work of Bill Hillier which describes ties to take place – people to stop next a lot of weaving movements as they tend the natural movement of people in urban The “More Attractive” Route to the buildings to linger, stand, sit or be to move from left to the right of the mall space and connects movement, land It is also observed that many people engaged in activities. as they stopped to chat or browse the use and street network structure. Hiller tend to use this route to get to their merchandise at the mall. These areas are argues that “natural movement is the destinations, even though it is seemingly Active Edge also more vibrant and better lit. proportion of movement on each line longer, because it is more attractive Gehl also suggests that there are differ- that is determined by the structure of and vibrant with activities. The scale of ences in activity patterns of pedestrians Weekend (Late Morning) Families, resi- the urban grid itself rather than the the mall is more intimate because it is between sidewalks fronting facades that dents, domestic workers (some living and presence of specific attractors or mag- flanked by activities on both sides. are active / interesting, such as those working in Clementi, others are not). nets.” He explained in his writings that The mall varies in width between 8m to with visual connections from within to these active uses are spatially distributed 14m, up to 22m and these are flanked the outside, or interactive displays or The pedestrian mall is vibrant with ac- along these lines of movement within the by 4-storey high buildings. In addition to wares / goods out on display, and those tivities such as baskers or hawkers selling grid, i.e. “shops were selectively located the active frontages, the low-rise HDB that are more passive / uniform with few their wares, domestic workers and fami- on integrating lines … which naturally blocks also provide the sense of enclo- or no functions, regardless of time of lies gathering and hanging out at the carry the most movement.” (Hillier, Bill, sure. The interstitial space between the day. The pace of movement slows down mall. Many groups are seen to take up 1996, Cities as Movement Economies). covered walkway and the pedestrian along the more active frontages. People the seats along the mall or fronting the mall is also used as extensions of the tend to stop where there are people. open space between Block 441A and Spatial Configuration & shop display areas without encroaching Along the mall, it is observed that people CityVibe Mall. Given the crowd and the Intensity of Activities onto the dedicated pedestrian footpath were more attracted to the bakery which ‘actors’ moved in a groups or pairs, the Hillier argues that the spatial configura- beneath the blocks. This space also was buzzing with customers and shop- pace of movement tend to be slower. Like tion is the basis of urban processes. The provides the setting for social interaction. pers looking at the bread on display. This the weekday evenings, they tend to way the space is configured, i.e. the urban This transition space allows activities demonstrated that activities which ap- weave through the mall. grid, can impact both movement and inside the shop and outside in the public pealed to the senses – sight, sound and land uses and that movement and land space to be visually connected and thus smell – attracted more people and vali- uses have a reciprocal connection, mean- enrich the experience for the people. dates his theory that activity can attract ing that movement may induce retail In comparison, the walkways along the more activity and that people attract development and that retail may in turn perimeter of this town centre fronting the more people to a place, i.e. urban life impact movement in its area. This can main roads are less attractive for pedes- flows to sectors with more activities (Gehl,

Urban Analysis 36 37 Urban Analysis Jan et al, 2006, Close Encounters with Conclusion Buildings). Regina Koo Clementi Town Centre appears to have Not All Planned Spaces all the qualities of a well-designed urban Are Good space with a variety of spaces and activi- Interestingly, the purpose-built open ties that cater to the needs of different space between Block 441A and the groups of people. Uses and movement CityVibe mall / Block 449 is not well- paths coincide to create active nodes that used at all because the space appeared attract people. Such nodes will allow Wall Street to be too “open” and the entry / exit people to stop and chat, shop and just to points are not clearly defined. This space people watch. Above all, the fusion of of Tampines Centre is around 22m wide and is flanked by the the built environment and the mix of 40- storey residential block on one side uses have created a sense of place which and the 4-storey HDB block on the other in turn is memorable and legible to user. side. The space also lacks proper lighting and activities around the perimeter to References enhance the pedestrian experience. • Eggermond, Michael van, and Alexander L. Hence, pedestrians tend to by-pass this Erath, 2016. “Quantifying Diversity: An Assessment of Diversity Indices and an space and instead choose to use the Application to Singapore.” FCL Magazine through-block between Clementi Mall Special Issue – Urban Breeding Grounds, May, and Block 441A to get to the bus stop 30–37. along Commonwealth Avenue West or • Gehl, Jan, Lotte Johansen Kaefer, and Solvejg the MRT. There is no sense of security, Reigstad, 2006. “Close Encounters with especially in the evenings, for one to use Buildings”, URBAN DESIGN International 11(1) 29–47.doi:10.1057/palgrave.udi.9000162. the space. Clearly in shade during the • Hillier, Bill. 1996 “Cities as Movement different times of the day, there is oppor- Economies.” URBAN DESIGN International tunity to introduce more active uses 1(1): 41 – 60.doi:10.1057/udi.1996.5. rather than the water feature, such as a • Whyte, William Hollingsworth, 2010, The playground which could help to provide Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, 7, print. more amenities for the residents staying New York, NY: Project for Public Spaces. there. This will also start to bring more kids to the area, enhancing the vibrancy 1 The residential area of around 2.03 sqkm out of the space. As William Whyte said of 4.12 sqkm of total land area for Clementi “What attracts people most, it would New Town. appear, is other people” in The Social Life of Small Living Spaces (Whyte, William, 2010, The Social Life of Small Living Spaces), a more active use would definitely attract more people to use the space, whether it is passing through to get to the bus-stop or MRT or just to spend time in the space. The existing planters could be converted into proper seats and that would encourage more people to use the space at any one time. In addition, the lower part of the 40 storey tower could be treated in a manner which gives the space a greater sense of enclosure, at least visually to match the HDB block from across the open space. 100 m = 16 mm

Conceptual map: Wall Street of Tampines Centre

Urban Analysis 38 39 Urban Analysis Summary map of 1828 as Sungei Tampenus. The space, passing each other or looking one to almost ‘circumambulate’ around Housing Development Board (HDB) at each other in connection with other the ring roads and the bus interchange William Whyte premises that “people began construction of the neighbourhoods activities.” (Gehl, Jan; Svarre, Birgitte. which ironically seems very much movements are one of the great specta- in 1983 and in a short span of 10 years, How to Study Public Life. Washington, the focal point with all paths converging cles of a plaza”. Surely it would be a successfully resettled 3,720 residents. Island Press, 2013, 10). Such environ- towards it. Even with much effort to marvel looking at the hive of activity that In recognition of its significant contribu- ment necessarily engages with one’s senses ‘circumambulate’, the similar-looking takes place in Tampines ‘Centre’ on any tion to human settlement and develop- as he experiences and interacts with the and ununiformed-sized ‘megastructures’ given day of a week. There is a constant ment, Tampines New Town was bestowed streets, the buildings and the people. seem only to decrease the integration buzz from the lively exchange of goods the United Nations World Habitat Award of the whole urban fabric; not to mention and services of all nature and sorts and by the Building and Social Housing The Problem the countless interruption in walking the rhythm of the throngs of crowds Foundation (BSHF). It was an interna- of Tampines ‘Centre’ caused by the wide at-grade roads, big moving through the chaos of the hustle tional feat as it acknowledged the trans- Hillier offers a definition of a centre (of a buses and fast traffic. To put in Maki’s and bustle of Tampines. Yet as one trying formation success of Tampines from settlement, whether city, town or village) words, Tampines Centre seems “visually to savour Tampines on foot, I found it its once rural wasteland to a world model as one that “usually means a concentra- and physically confused…(having) challenging not only to keep pace with which other developed and developing tion and mix of land uses and activities monotonous patterns of static elements… the infectious adrenaline of the hurried nations looked to emulate2. Fast-forward in a prominent location. It is usually lack(ing) visual and physical character… human traffic – thanks to the labyrinth of 25 years later, Tampines is not only clear where the centre is and what its elasticity and flexibility” (Maki, Fumihiko. circulatory paths and the non-interactive, the most populous residential area in the limits are but centres grow and shrink Investigations in Collective Form. St close, self-absorbed big box develop- east with 600,000 homes, but it is also and may even change in hierarchy…” Louis, School of Architecture: Washing- ments – but also to find a nice, safe spot the first and established Regional Centre (Hillier, Bill. Centrality As a Process. ton University Special Publication No. 2, where I could just sit back and soak in set up outside of the Central Region. Brasilia: Space Syntax Second Interna- 1964, 4). Perhaps, the illegibility of the sights. Tampines ‘Centre’ felt like It is hailed as the CBD of the east and tional Symposium Proceedings Volume Tampines Centre is a disorderly outcome Wall Street – a ‘financial market of trans- reputed for being a magnet to many big 1, 1999, 1) He adds that “Town Centres from a history of incremental changes actions’ in the precise geographical and small businesses that have taken are defined as complexes of interdepen- to the urban fabric which has accumulat- center of Tampines, accompanied by the lease in the area. With the sizeable dent facilities, so that if you come to use ed over time to produce patterns with long boring walls that one passes by. workforce, the presence of international one, it is easy to use others. Whether or neither geometrical nor functional simpli- The initial excitement brought on by the brands occupying the three shopping not interdepen dence is effective depends city. Instead of creating a place which crowds only quickly dissipated from the malls right in the heart of Tampines and on interaccessibility, it must be possible is greater than the sum of its individual lack of empathy the surrounding build- the populous live-in community, it is no to get from any facility to any other by parts and allowing an urban life and ings, the encircling traffic of cars and the wonder that Tampines has been touted a quick and easy route, which stays culture to evolve out of a collection of herd of people passing through offered. as a vibrant, exciting place to be. Against within the town centre and which itself buildings and spaces, the consequence If the presence and provision of retail this backdrop, it is interesting to study is lined with town centre facilities to as we observe on site is that there is an shops do not help to create a vibrant why the density and the diversity has maximize natural access to all facilities.” apparent imbalance of space use, as social life, then surely the formula for a not contributed positively to the urban To this, Whyte also chimes that “Basic reflected in the distinctively unequal quality public space goes beyond this experience of the Tampines ‘Centre’, elements such as high pedestrian vol- distribution of pedestrian volume that singular factor to also include other contrary to what Michael van Eggermond umes, and concentration and mixture of are localized only to certain areas, tangible qualities of an attractive public suggests and we begin this study by first activities characterize the city centre.” making the experience abysmal. realm. Through the borrowed lens of defining what is a good urban space. Hillier, Gehl & Whyte, this thesis seeks On a map, the extent of Tampines The Movement to examine the qualities that make a Definition Centre can be clearly defined by the Economy good urban space in Tampines Centre. of a Good Urban Space strong geometry of the ring road, even if As Whyte & Gehl both point to the Whyte and Gehl does not explicitly define there appears to be a shift in the nexus known observation of “people attract what is a good urban space, however, with the addition of Tampines Hub – people”, three locations with high pedes- Introduction many results from the Internet search a new lifestyle community centre offering trian volume were identified – Tampines would concur with what is undergirded every amenity i.e. dining, shopping and Bus Interchange, Tampines MRT & Tampines New Town was founded in in Whyte’s and Gehl’s writings, that is, sports housed in one. Yet as one walking Tampines Heart. The three locations 1978 from its early nondescript quarries, the presence of social life and activation on the ground, it was difficult to read present a common trait of having a high forests and swamps that dotted the area. of social activities in the public realm. and conjure a mental map of Tampines concentration of retail shops and as The name “Tampines” is derived from Social activities, as Gehl puts, are Centre. For one, the radial structure one takes a closer look at these locations, the abundant growth of the native “developed around necessary or optional of the ring roads and the bus inter- it is noticeable that the presence of the Tampines trees in the area1 and is first activities and are conditional on the change, which is further reinforced by retail shops in these locations exploits recorded in the Franklin and Jackson presence of others: people in the same the additional barriers of fence, forces well-integrated lines that naturally carry

Urban Analysis 40 41 Urban Analysis the most movement (in the direction that the space is not truly urban or pub- long, without the interruption of roads and thereafter the group of 5 moved on. of the transport nodes), as predicated by lic. My group would recount how we had and cars. Its offers a rich mix of local Hillier’s theory of ‘movement economy’. much trouble finding ‘free’ seats within retail services, markets, minimarts, The five foot way was just wide enough In fact, charting the developing of the malls for a quick discussion after grocery shops, coffeeshops, garment and to accommodate 3 in a row with their Tampines Centre from between 1995 some effort, only to be chased by ‘own- shoe shops, telecommunications shops, shopping bags and the 2 formed another to 2007, one can clearly correlate the ers’ of the chairs who demanded that the pawn shops, bakeries, massage parlours, row walking at the back. The group movement economy and its multiplier seats warrant the buying of their services. hair and beauty salons, provision and chatted infrequently, and walked at even effect with how the Bus Interchange The limited crowd profile and internal convenience shops, money changers, slower pace than before. They paused has ‘adapted’ and intensified its retail vibrancy will remain concentrated in clinics etc. As a first-time user of this every now and then at shops that inter- shops along its grid through the addition the enclosed ‘private’ pedestrian system, space, it felt inviting, safe and casual. est them, money changers, sundries and of East Link Mall and the extension of much to the delight of the malls, and More importantly, the presence of chil- at the bakery, perhaps drawn by the a belt of local retail shops along Blk 513. social life in the true public realm is dren freely playing and running about, aroma of the freshly baked bread that Tampines Heart on the other hand is consequently diminished. which is not seen elsewhere in Tampines permeated the small volume of the five aligned to the axis of the Bus Interchange Centre can only testify to the positivity foot way and exchanged greetings with and lends itself as a natural movement Where of such an urban space. one of the stallowners of the coffeeshop. integrator and ‘gateway’ to/from the are the seats? As they approached a local betting shop, transport node from/to the masses of One of my most ‘lasting impression’ of On the very first site visit, I had the they detoured around the queue that HDBs located further away. It is no Tampines Centre, jogged on by the opportunity of shadowing a group of had swelled around the shop, stepping wonder that HDB has chosen to locate above incident, would be the lack of elderly female shoppers3 as I was stand- out of the shade towards the busy local a string of local retail services within. seats. It is almost astonishing to realize ing at the entrance of Tampines MRT market at the end of the pedestrian that nowhere in Tampines Centre facing Tampines Mall. The elderly pair mall. While 3 of the group were busy The Antithesis (with the exception of Tampines Heart) looked to be in their late 60s / early 70s, selecting the vegetables, 2 instantly of the Movement Economy offers a seat for the old, the weary, or petite in size, and were each carrying a struck up a conversation with the cashier But the last of the three locations at the even for anyone to soak in the sights and shopping bag recognizable from one of and helper/shopowner. As I loitered Tampines MRT presents an antithesis as pleasure of people-watching. Every seat the department stores from the shopping around the covered linkway that con- shopping malls also take advantage of that passed me by was always for an malls. Amidst the herd of younger faces nected the market with the five foot way, the movement economies as seen from exchange of some service. It was inter- crossing the signalized road junction waiting for their next move, it struck how anchors terminate important axis esting to note that staff of the malls who which separated the shopping malls and me how the adjacent playground and the i.e. the entrances of the Tampines MRT were out for a breather or smoke break, the MRT station, the pair was walking seats in the shade were active and well- and boutiques within the malls support resorted to sitting on raised road kerbs slowly and gingerly and caught my atten- used and many others like me were also each other by intercepting movement. within the malls drive way. Whyte, tion. After crossing the road, the pair just loitering/leaning on the columns of If seen with enough abstraction, even proponent of social life of small urban walked along the path flanking the side the covered linkway, making calls, waiting the shopping malls look the form of an spaces, advocates plenty of free, movable of the MRT Station in the direction of or perhaps just to soak in the sights. integrated movement economy! (see how seating, in exchange for a vibrant social the Bus Interchange. As I observed from It struck me that such undefined edges the internal circulation of the shopping life. He devotes a great deal of his book 10metres behind, the pair seemed to be and transition zones between buildings malls somewhat mirrors the outdoor to even investigating the ergonomics attracted to the bakery at the Bus Inter- and the pedestrian mall become the Tampines Heart albeit whatever space if of seating. Even if both Whyte & Gehl change area, their heads tilted in the natural place for the wide variety of not used for more display for sale of the asserts that people attract people, both direction of it. They did not stop though potential activities. merchandize would be miserably left for would also concur with the lack of seating and continued moving through slowly, circulation). as an impediment to such phenomena. covering the approximate 100m stretch In addition to pedestrians, cyclists were And this is true of Tampines Bus Inter- of shops in 5min with occasional chats, also observed moving through this area This is not a bad thing if one considers change where the hive of activity can before turning around the corner of the but the width of the pedestrian mall the shopping mall a public space. Yet for best be seen, with people transacting for Tampines Branch Office to head in the made it comfortable to accommodate all familiar, the glitzy shopping malls with both goods and services (transport) direction of Tampines Heart. After they both the cyclists and the pedestrians with the type of amenities, merchandise lines but simply with no seats to appreciate. crossed the road into Tampines Heart, neither of each feeling compromised. and the level of entertainment offered the pair instantly gravitated to the shade After a good 15min, the group picked up indiscriminately filters, as shown from Site of the HDB blocks towards the corner their groceries, bade their farewell to the the cross-section of people who uses such Observations grocer and was greeted by 3 other elder- shopowner, reformed the group and start- amenity. As Whyte laments, the shop- By process of elimination, the only space ly women who seemed to have already ed their walk again. The fruit shop was ping mall is an enclave and very much that still holds up would be the Tampines been browsing through the rows of dis- their last stop for the area. As the group exclusionary by design. The limited Heart, a local linear outdoor pedestrian played groceries. A considerable amount walked out of Tampines Heart in the cross-section of its users will demonstrate mall extending seamlessly over xxxm of time was spent selecting the vegetables direction of their homes, the group’s

Urban Analysis 42 43 Urban Analysis chatting increased in intensity. Reigstad, Solvejg. Close Encounters Conclusion many amenities including a stadium and with Buildings. Denmark, Copenhagen, variety of sports facilities, a hawker centre The observations for the same area taken Centre for Public Space Research, A good urban space in Tampines Centre that offers cheap and good local food, on a weekday evening yielded similar School of Architecture, Royal Danish = movement economy + seats + active but instead of the typical enclosed con- results. Tampines residents bypassed the Academy of Fine Arts: Urban Design facades centrated shopping mall, it is a covered, big malls in a quicker manner but slowed International 11 (Pg 29–47), 2006, 34). open sided, non-air-conditioned mall down as they passed through Tampines And site obser vations corroborate with Both theory and evidence-based map- with plenty of public space and seating. Heart on their way home. Whether Gehl’s theory. ping support the hypothesis. Certainly, At no point does one feel compelled to this arose out of rational and necessary there are other factors e.g. the legibility purchase any service for a seat. In fact, actions of buying groceries, food, it was A mapping of the facades in terms of the of the place, the perception of safety, right in the heart of the Hub is a covered clear that visually, the smaller local retail uses and door openings shows that and even other intangible qualities e.g. plaza for the public to freely sit and enjoy units were more interesting. Residents almost all the megastructures – the shop- the intricate interplay of sun, wind, trees the free music played as well as sights also embraced the outdoor shopping ping malls and offices had a large pro- and water which Whyte talks about of people movement. Suppose the suc- street in the cool evening and only went portion of facades that were closed. or the latest buzz word ‘Identity’, that cess of this Hub when fully opened may ‘indoors’ into the five foot way when Even some of the sides fronting import- would further enhance an urban space rival or outstrip the current nexus of they needed to grab what was necessary. ant paths were bland walls. Moreover, but the basic formula as established Tampines Centre. The many occupied seats along the characteristic of their bigness is also would be to locate shops where there is street and the frequent laughters and the tendency to use big glassy modern most movement (movement economy), When Tampines New Town won the UN shouts from the playground that accom- facades to complement the big functional provide ample free (moveable seating) World Habitat Award, it was a functional panied the scene only added more out- units and then complete with 60km/h and activate facades. housing model to resettle people quickly, door life and vibrancy to the area. The scale advertisements and signages that with the provision of some functional variety of the local retail units were by ironically blocks off most internal and It is acknowledged that given the space public spaces e.g. green connectors or far more interesting and generated more external views which the glass facade constraints in Singapore, it is no longer walkways that linked precincts to neigh- social interaction with the surroundings, was originally intended to achieve. feasible to design every building to be in bourhood centres, transport network, the buildings and even incidental conver- In terms of the uses, most were primarily human scale but this does not predispose parks and open spaces. With the progres- sations between the people they meet. ubiquitous, big fashion enclaves that Architects and Planners in mitigating sion of society, demographic changes, Tampines Heart seems surely a endear- occupied the first floor. In comparison, the scale to work with the grain of the city, new aspirations of quality living arising ing place to be! And this is supplemented blk 513 and Tampines Heart had more the small human statures and to estab- from affluence, Tampines Town especially by a notional map of the activities diversity of amenities, offering a rich mix lish relationship with the sidewalks or its Centre must also meet new liveability recorded on both site visits (see map). of local retail services. Many of these surrounding buildings as what Gehl sug- standards and provide quality urban functions were housed in small units at a gests and advocates for active facades. spaces. It is hoped that the above findings Active Ground Floor scale congruent with the humans, their In Whyte’s words, “it is far easier, can guide future redevelopment plans Facades wares invitingly on display (with some simplier to create spaces that work for for the area, or even improve existing Beyond the capitalization of movement even encroaching into the walkways) and people than those that do not.” Wall Street condition and promote active economy and the presence of seats, open to the public to look, listen, smell social life right in the heart of Tampines one of the reason as to why Tampines and even touch. The rhythm of opportu- Applicability in Rejuvenating Centre. This will move Tampines into Heart is quite a successful urban space nities offered e.g. the number of doors, Tampines Centre a true model of a liveable and endearing would be attributed to what Gehl terms shop windows, display details, enhanced Interestingly, Tampines Town was the town. as active ground floor facades. Gehl the richness of the pedestrian experience. first to be developed on a precinct concept positions that ground floor facades pro- It is no wonder that Tampines Heart in 1979 by having neighbourhoods and vide an important link to mitigate be- fares better in terms of being a socially precincts for the promotion of neighbour- 1 http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tampines tween the scales of large buildings which vibrant public space. liness4. Perhaps this stopped short of 2 http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/ be0e78cb-98e6-4682-9d9e-bfa9efbf294d has become a common-thing in cities extending into the Tampines Centre as it 3 For all site visits, the elderly was the focused and towns, with the small human stature was earmarked a Regional Centre in user group in view of Tampines being an of people and slow pace they had hun- 1991 and we observe a far cry in its cur- aged mature town with a high proportion of dreds of years ago. For Gehl, “the urban rent wall streets from what one would the elderly. Shopping was also chosen as the environment is inviting and enriching”, term neighbourly. activity type given the generous spread of if “the ground floors are interesting retail options that the area boast of. 4 http://www.tampines.org.sg/OurTown/ and varied”; and correspondingly, “flat Still, there is much hope as we look to Introduction and impersonal” where “the ground the recently and partially-opened floors are closed or lacking in detail”. Tampines Hub, which is a one-stop com- (Gehl, Jan; Kaefer, Lotte Johansen & munity centre cum mall. It boasts of

Urban Analysis 44 45 Urban Analysis movement. Hillier (1996, p.43) argues the heart of the urban experience, an Wang Wei that “movement largely dictates the important factor in generating life and configuring of space in the city [and] activity”. That said, what is clear to note has already been a powerful force in is that in many modern cities, pedestrians shaping our historically evolved cities, now have to walk in urban spaces that by its effect on land use patterns, build- have been designed to support the fast ing densities, the mixing of uses in movement of cars, that is, spaces that urban areas and the part-whole struc- are intended purely as an efficient con- ture of the city”. Even if we are to zoom duit of pedestrian flows (or what Gehl et into public spaces, Carmona et al (2003, al terms as 60km/h urban landscapes), p.169) reiterates that “[pedestrian] rather than spaces that support public What Does it Mean movement through public space is at life (Gehl et al, 2006). to Create Vibrant Public Spaces?

Introduction internal public spaces (like libraries and museums), and quasi-public space (like What does it take to make vibrant public universities or shopping malls, which are spaces? Why is it that some public spaces typically privately-owned but support seemingly have succeeded in attracting the development of public life) (Carmona people to use them while others have not? et al, 2003, p.111). I will investigate To answer this question, I have investi- all three types of public spaces for the gated public spaces across Jurong West. purposes of this thesis.

If public life is quintessential to the The hypothesis making of public spaces, we could define vibrant public spaces as spaces where As a start, we have to define what we observe high volumes and diversity vibrant and public spaces are. Let’s start of public life taking place (Whyte, with the latter. Matthew Carmona and 1980; Gehl et al, 2006). Specifically, his colleagues define public spaces are we could distil public life into “passive” “sites and settings of public life”; essen- forms of activities, like people-watching, tially, spaces that allow access to all sitting around and appearing to do people groups to interact, intermingle, nothing, or more “active” activities, like communicate, learn, exchange and talking to people, huddling in groups, undertake political action and represen- or watching a concert or event (Carmona tation (Carmona et al, 2003, p.109). et al, 2003). 100 m = 58 mm One could then classify public spaces into three categories, namely, external To further understand these concepts, Conceptual map: public spaces (like squares and streets), we will need to look into pedestrian Searching vibrant public spaces

Urban Analysis 46 47 Urban Analysis As such, I attempt to distinguish between Mall are predominantly movement Another lingering space, albeit not as tude of uses. I would argue that perhaps spaces of movement (that is, spaces spaces that cater predominantly to effi- pronounced as the smoking corner, is the its informality (as opposed to the more where people walk through) and spaces cient flows of people through walking, 3G fitness park located just next to the formal designs of the mall in front of of activity (that is, spaces where people cycling or PMDs; essentially they func- smoking corner. A bar has been installed Jurong Point) helps gives a sense of com- gather and undertake activities – I term tion as spaces that channel people from along one edge of the park while hedges fort and relaxation that makes people them as “lingering spaces”). I argue one point to another point. There is and a building are located on the oppo- want to stay and linger onsite. that if spaces that promote high levels of no activity injected to provide a reason site edge, which seemingly segregates the pedestrian movement intersect with for people to linger and remain; instead, park from the adjoining spaces. Here An example of a planned hot spot is the spaces that support high levels of passive Jurong Point Mall as well as the hoarding there are people either solo or in groups main entrance into Jurong Point Shop- and active activities, we create a type along the former Boon Lay Bus Inter- sitting under a tree on the planter, engag- ping Mall. It is a relatively large flat of space that encourages vibrancy (what change created a very blank façade along ing in conversations with one another space with little street furniture, yet I call “hot spots”). which people walked, which seemingly or on mobile phones. There are a few there is a steady stream of people merely served to encourage people to only tran- people using the fitness equipment waiting around toying with their phones. Beyond these three spaces, I have also sit through this space. We had a chance for seating rather than exercise. All in all, It is also appropriated by insurance observed two other types of spaces onsite, encounter with a colleague walking her the place is characterised by a level of agents who are looking to sell their prod- which will not be the focus of this thesis baby along the street while undertaking static activity. ucts to passerbys. However, it is clear but have been identified to provide a the site observations, which was the only that this space is an important “in-be- more comprehensive inventory of urban public life activity that took place during Hot spots tween” space between the MRT station spaces. They are the abandoned spaces, our walk along the edge of the site. All Finally one can observe a myriad of hot and the shopping mall and bus inter- which are spaces which can be publicly in all, these spaces support Jan Gehl spots in and around Boon Lay MRT change, thereby ensuring that there is a accessible to people but are rarely appro- et al’s (2006, p.34) argument that closed Station, be it to the west of the station large multitude of people walking priated for one reason or another, as well ground floor spaces create rather “flat where the bicycle parking racks are through the space at any one time. How- as hostile spaces, which are spaces that and impersonal” experiences of the located, along the northern edge where ever, I would argue that if we wanted are push away people from using them, street, thereby reducing the attractive- ATMs and other amenity-based retailing to strengthen this space as an activity for instance, a public road with many ness of such spaces for public life. are found, within Jurong Point on the space, it would be necessary to provide vehicles, or a piece of private land which ground floor, or to the east of the MRT the supporting infrastructure such as is inaccessible. Lingering spaces station. What these spaces have in street furniture or small push carts sell- A clear example of a pure lingering space common is a mixture of both movement ing amenities to anchor people more to is the smoking corner serving Jurong as well as lingering activities taking the space. Observations Point. Here, we observed that people place, which in turn creates a space that in Jurong West came into this space specifically to smoke supports a diversity of activities and – and through doing so, to socialise with people groups, and hence public life. Conclusion and I attempted to identify these three other smokers. But due to the nature I would further argue that it is the learning points categories of spaces in the areas in and of smoking as well as the design of the constant movement of people through around Boon Lay MRT Station. To do corner, which resembled entering a dead- the space that imbues it with a certain In conclusion, I return to my original so, I observed and noted the number and end garden maze, this area – though dynamism that is lacking in the pure question posed, which is to ask how we type of activities that people engaged in publicly accessible – did not see a wide lingering spaces. This supports Whyte’s can create vibrant public spaces. What as they used and moved through an diversity of people (for instance, we did (1980, p.256) assertions that “people I have proposed, and have observed at approximately 10m by 10m space over not see children or parents with kids in most [attract] other people”. Jurong West, suggests that vibrant public an average time of 10 minutes. I also the area), activities or movement in and spaces should be able to cater to both supplemented this with a qualitative re- through the space. In this regard, while These spaces could be planned or movement spaces (that is, spaces that cording of the quality of their behaviours, there was some level of public life within unplanned. An example of an unplanned cater predominantly for the efficient for instance, did people seem to walk this defined space, it is rather limited hot spot is the bicycle parking area. movement of people) as well as lingering quickly, did they look relaxed, etc. The in its diversity of activities and in fact It is a space where people bring their spaces (that is, spaces that support public fieldwork was conducted during the could be seen as somewhat anti- social in own chairs and lounge under the MRT life that takes place within the defined afternoon peak period. that the activities within are ‘hidden’ from viaducts to have conversations with one space). I have termed such spaces view from those on the out side. What another, while the throngs of workers, ‘hot spots’. Movement spaces we can also note is that the turnover of students and army personnel walk briskly Specifically I have observed that the people within this space is relatively fast along the periphery of the space. The One take-home lesson urban designers edges of the subject site, that is, spaces – people generally stay for a short period space is designed as seemingly leftover could take away from this is the need along Jurong West Street 64, Boon Lay of 5 to 10 minutes, with the sole purpose space located below the MRT viaduct, but for spaces to cater to a multiplicity Way and north of Jurong Point Shopping of smoking, before leaving the space. now appropriated by people for a multi- of public life, including movement, as

Urban Analysis 48 49 Urban Analysis argued by Hillier (1996), Marshall (2005) and Carmona et al (2003). Danette Zhuang A common issue I have encountered in the design of public spaces is a focus on designing spaces for seating, encounters, etc, while paying less attention to movement and how we can get people to enter into the said space. Would it not then be far-fetched to imagine then if such spaces end up being static and disused? As such, we have to site such spaces on key pedestrian routes between destinations so that they are simultane- Distinctive and ously both places of gathering and thoroughfares by which people get to Pleasurable Transient other places. Spaces References • Carmona M, Heath T, Oc T and Tiesdell S., 2003, Public Places – Urban Spaces: the Dimensions of Urban Design, Oxford: Architectural Press. • Gehl J, Kaefer L. J. and Reigstad S., 2006, “Close encounters with buildings”, in Urban Design International, Vol 11, pp. 29–47. • Hillier B., 1996, “Cities as movement economies”, in Urban Design International, Vol 1(1), p.41–60. Transient spaces are generally thought (or actors), and heavily comprises • Marshall, S., 2005, Streets & Patterns, 1st Ed., to be characterless and dull places in a commercial uses such as eateries, several London: Spon, p1–23 city, as these spaces intended for passing retail stores for household lighting and • Whyte, W., 2010, The Social Life of Small through or temporary stays, not for lin- sanitary wares, and hotels. A steady flow Urban Spaces, 7. Print., New York: Project for gering or residing in major public spaces. of actors with different purposes and Public Spaces Typical examples of transient spaces activities make special trips here at include major thoroughfares, e.g. com- different times of the day. For example, mercial streets, and major transit nodes, goods purchase by homeowners or con- e.g. airports and train interchange tractors, lunch-time and supper crowds, stations. However, transient spaces can shop assistants and deliverymen doing be important activity nodes with dis- the stock-taking and delivery of goods tinctive and pleasurable qualities to along narrow five-foot ways and kerbside their users. These qualities are shaped during weekdays, and sight-seeing tour- through the interaction between physical ists at all times of the day. Despite its static environment, intended functions temporal nature, Balestier Road is a and spaces may be appropriated for distinctive and pleasurable area in many unintended uses. people’s mind. While it is commonly remembered for its fine-grain historical shophouses, the physical face of Balestier Site, General Observations, Road is also transforming at the same and Thesis Statement time with large-scale standalone mixed- use buildings. Balestier Road is a major road in Singapore. It is highly characterised by Using Balestier Road as the study site, transient uses (or activities) and users this thesis explores how transient spaces

Urban Analysis 50 51 Urban Analysis can be important activity nodes with makes maximum economy of the distinctive and pleasurable qualities, and movement that passes through it, and the impact to the activities and users is exploited to as an opportunity to when they redevelop. The hypothesis is generate contact and pleasure. This is that if there is a constant flow of people, traditionally done through dense but vehicles and activities, and there is a variable encounter zones2. From a larger distinctive image association of the same context, Balestier Road lies along a key area, then such transient spaces are as circulation route and a high volume of important as other areas planned with vehicle, people and goods naturally pass- specially designed major public spaces es through it. It is a connector road for and gathering spots. In Balestier, this major expressways and road in Singa- space is bounded by the buildings flank- pore, namely CTE3 (north-south), PIE4 ing both sides of the main road. The (east-west) and Thomson Road radiating distinctive and pleasurable qualities are from the city centre. It is also an effec- defined by (i) the congregation of multi- tive collector of users from surrounding ple commercial uses, (ii) constant pres- residential and institutional areas, due to ence of moving elements and temporary the grid structure of the secondary roads activities, and (iii) narrow transition branching off from Balestier Road. For zones with varied activities and speeds, instance, during the working hours of physical or building scales and textures. weekdays, office workers from surround- The thesis is shown through evidence- ing institutional uses can easily walk or mapping of Balestier Road, and substan- drive to Balestier Road. The pattern is tiated using three key concepts through repeated with residents during non-work Bill Hillier’s “Cities as Movement Econo- hours and weekends. Balestier Road mies”, Kevin Lynch’s “Image of the thus is a natural congregator of different City” and Jan Gehl’s “Close Encounters users and activities operating at different with Buildings”. times of the day and week.

2. Conditions or Qualities Movement and Surprises forming of Successful “Image of the City” Transient Spaces The second concept is that moving elements, in particularly people and 1. activities, are as important as the physi- 100 m = 29 mm Maximisation of cal buildings in a city. Our perception Movement Economy or image of a city is a composite from Conceptual map: 5 Firstly, the larger urban circulation nearly all of our senses . These points Transient Spaces pattern is the pre-condition that makes were argued by Kevin Lynch, and can Balestier Road as a successful commer- be observed in Balestier Road with cial street, despite it being a transient its constant ﬂow of people, vehicles and space. As argued by Bill Hillier1, activities generated from different uses. environment to create a distinctive and There is a strong linear orientation to all circulation in a city is determined The actors and activities are temporal in memorable image of the city. However, Balestier Road, as the commercial and by the conﬁguration of lines into a global nature and only occur for a short while, this can only happen under the following movement activities are lined along hierarchy of depth, which he calls inte- i.e. typically just 1–2 hrs for eating and two conditions6: the road. One can access all activities as gration. Activities then adapt to take shopping, the loading / unloading and one travels down the road. As there is maximum advantage of this movement, stock-taking of goods when delivery a) No loss of form or orientation – a slight bend of to Balestier Road, one a pheno menon which he termed “move- vehicles arrive. This adds an interesting The confusion must be contained does not have a view of all of the activi- ment economy”. Hillier further argues time dimension to the site, beyond just small regions in a visible whole. ties at one go. Instead, the surprises that most of the urban space use is move- the static physical buildings. b) A physical or visual surprise – are slowly unveiled as one travels down ment, and most informal space use is also The “surprise” must have some form the road. movement-related. Therefore, a good Furthermore, as argued by Lynch, there that can be explored and in time be urban space is one which is useful, i.e. is some value in having surprises in the apprehended.

Urban Analysis 52 53 Urban Analysis 3. shopfront design, merchandises displayed Close Encounters with Buildings – and spilled over into the five-foot way, open and active. Due to the close dis- creating short stretches of dark and Transition Zones goods stock-taking along the five-foot tance between pedestrians and different inactive building facades. It can be Last but not least, despite the presence ways, people waiting for their buses or building functions and activities, this considered to allow the transformation of a six-lane road and the lack of any taxis, diners’ chatter and the food aroma transition space becomes intense and of day-time retail use to into night major public or gathering spaces, Balestier wafting out of the eateries etc. Pedestrians’ inviting. time eatery or other uses. The wide Road possesses an intimate quality. This walking pace is slowed down due to the service roads and planting strips can is mostly due to the fine-grain party- conflict of uses happening in the narrow be temporary venues for flea markets wall shophouses and continuous five-foot space. At the same time, road traffic is Conclusion and or community game areas during the ways. The five-foot ways and narrow also slower at times due illegal vehicular Potential Improvements night time or weekends, to liven up or road kerbs form narrow transition zones stopping and parking, as taxis drop off activate the north side of the road. that generates close-up interactions passengers or drivers stop to buy food. In conclusion, transient spaces are For future redevelopments, ground and allows different potential activities Despite their relative fast speed, drivers important activity and distinctive nodes level retail shops with continuous five- between users and ground level building also get a more interesting perspective, in a city. Transition zones between foot ways directly abutting the road functions. As argued by Jan Gehl, the due to the finer grain shophouse façade buildings and the city are particularly reserve lines can be considered, while ground level is where buildings and town details, i.e. ornamental carvings and important elements, as they can create still maintaining the required setback meet, where there are more potential modern neon signboards, as compared more intimate and close pedestrian for residential blocks. This helps to activities and varied details in transition to the large buildings set far away from encounters for temporary activities. The retain the attractiveness of Balestier’s zones between building functions and the road. city becomes more intense and pleasur- ground level. the city, the more inviting and interesting able when there is a short distance is the street life to pedestrians7. An irreg- The space bounded by the five-foot way between experiences and great function- This study hopes to provide some ular and varied building façade (at the space and last road lane is of particular al variety. Three qualities are of partic- guidance to designers in their site selec- ground level) is conducive to create this interest as it serves as the transition ular importance to create a pleasurable tion for transient uses, and the shaping active transition zone where people move space between building functions and transient space, namely (i) the congre- of the physical environment for an slower8, i.e. walk alongside, sit, stand road space, and support temporary gation of commercial uses, (ii) presence interesting wealth of sensory experience or engage in activities. This argument is activities through the following ways: of constant moving elements and tempo- in such transient spaces. evident along Balestier Road. rary activities, and (iii) narrow transition a) Five-foot way and Road Kerb zones with varied activities and speeds, The north of Balestier Road comprises Pedestrian circulation, Goods delivery physical or building scales and textures. 1 Hillier, Bill. 1996. “Cities as Movement several redeveloped large-scale stand- and stock take, Outdoor Refreshment It is especially important to take note Economies.” URBAN DESIGN International 1 (1): 41–60. doi:10.1057/ alone buildings, with commercial uses Areas (ORAs), Bus stop waiting of these qualities in new developments udi.1996.5. lifted above from road level, and dissect- areas, window-shopping, General in Balestier, as the current design 2 Hillier, 54–56. ed from Balestier Road by wide planting standing, sitting or engagement in guidelines to create a more comfortable 3 Abbreviation for Central Expressway. strips and service roads. As compared activities. environment for building inhabitants 4 Abbreviation for Pan Island Expressway. to the south, the north has the presence may disrupt the very essence of what has 5 Lynch, Kevin. 1960. “The Image of the Environment” in The Image of the City, of large shady trees, more open spaces b) Last Road lane worked for the street level (and life). 2. Publication of the Joint Center for and as many retail shops and eateries. Vehicular pick-up / drop-off, i.e. taxi Urban Studies. Cambridge, Mass.: However, the experience along the north passengers, goods delivery, people Whilst Balestier Road is a successful MIT PRESS. side is less interesting, more impersonal buying food; Pedestrian spill-over commercial street, it can further maxi- 6 Lynch, 5–6. and intimidating as pedestrians and when the five-foot way or road kerb mise the economy of space through the 7 Gehl, Jan, Lotte Johansen Kaefer, and drivers can neither view nor interact with is too narrow. injection of multiple uses over different Solvejg Reigstad. 2006. “Close Encounters with Buildings”. URBAN DESIGN the building uses or activities. Without times of the day (within the same space). International 11 (1): 29–30. doi:10.1057/ any distractions, pedestrians appear to The experience as one navigates down For instance, the lighting and sanitary palgrave.udi.9000162. be intent to get to their destinations only. this street is interesting and enjoyable wares shops are closed during the night, 8 Gehl, 38. due to the very conflict and juxtaposition In contrast, most of the shophouses is in the very same space of different still retained along the south of Balestier actors (residents, workers vs tourists), Road. Pedestrians can only use the activities, different speeds (walking vs narrow five-foot ways or road kerbs, and driving), physical scales (small vs large) are “forced” or “encouraged” to view and time (historical vs new buildings). and interact with the open and transpar- The building uses on the shophouse ant ground storey in detail, i.e. different ground level are mostly transparent,

Urban Analysis 54 55 Urban Analysis Chua Gong Yao

Adaptive Dynamism

The thesis is centered on uncovering sidewalks; five foot ways; storefronts; the reasons underlying the unexpected back of house. These transitional ‘void success in the re-adaptive nature of spaces’ which may and may not be the shophouses for other uses. negative product of activities. Despite its ability to allow morphological con- As such, my hypothesis is that if the tinuity within our urbanscape, they cre- rehabilitation of vernacular shophouses ate barriers for one to discover ‘hidden 100 m = 6 mm can bring about an extent of adaptive layers’ within the fabric of the city. dynamism and transitional or ‘in-betwee- Conceptual map: ness’ of space, then there is the possibility Therefore I posit, on the platform of Adaptive Dynamism of a multi-dimensional urban landscape such localised entity, in order to create a that continually transforms to account for greater assortment of sensory contrasts, ever-evolving contexts and needs. the spatial component should not be nature of “come and go” spaces that do singularly showcased. The ‘informal studied individually. Only through the not promote lingering and permanency, space’ occurs at the back of the stores A single plane analysis in relation to the eyes of its actors and activities, these Balestier Road displays a spectrum and comprises of activities typically urbanscape would not fully quantify series of layered spaces which is un- of small enterprises decorating existing hidden from the public eye e.g. storage, the spatial logic in Balestier. Arguably, it planned, informal, improvised become networks and adding colours to the kitchen, toilet, etc. should be looked at from multiple planes meaningful. landscape. Walking along sidewalks/ i.e. both horizontal and vertical layered five- footways, there is a heightened sense In prominent planning doctrine, city spaces versus its activities/uses. Evidence- While the façade of conserved shophouses of segregation, in terms of the activities / planning has been approached through based mapping for Balestier shows a along Balestier Road may seem dull and uses. Where ‘formal spaces’ are consti- the creation of separate zones for each diverse range of urban qualities which its functions limited to a confined spec- tuted by the open and public activities of the four functions of dwelling, work, consist of conservation boundary, differ- trum of uses, the place is surprisingly that take place along the ‘decorated void’ recreation and transportation. As an ent types of uses coupled with urban famous for eateries and lighting arcades shopfronts. It merely serves as an empty urban component, Balestier Road has elements such as arterial roads; streets; buzzing with life. With such peculiar space where light fixtures/products are separated human interaction from the

Urban Analysis 56 57 Urban Analysis streetscape and façade elevation. Never- interior is often emptied and often like the “white elephant in the room” homogenous planning consists of objects theless, it has also promoted a multiplicity revamped to make way for new and that is rarely verbalized. Read in totality, or spaces that compose, occupy, and of levels where certain activities are more robust functions. Anyway, ‘conser- the singularity is therefore essential to propagate diversity, which thereby helmed into the inner realm and the ac- vation’ here mainly requires that the the stimulation of spatial diversification questioning the fundamental validity tors partake in a conscious effort of inter- key aesthetic of the building remain and increases chances to thrive in the of an ideal city cast in a pure form. Such nal ‘adjustment’. As a result, the user frozen in time. Thus, the controversy midst of complexity and constraints, in- aggregated transformation had given may then, at any time, choose to custom- between body is kept pristine but the stead of a wholly homogenize singularity. form to an urban landscape consistently ise the space according to their needs soul had already been long lost. Having in flux over time; as Rem Koolhaas coins and requirements. Thereby, affecting a said the above, such rehabilitation My proposed hypothesis will be sub- it “a theater of progress”. The podium / certain dimension of change towards the is often associated with the new urban stantiated by three theoretical concepts. ‘void’ illustrated by Rem Koolhass in overall creation of the urban fabric atmo- economy. The first concept is built landscape the diagram of “The City of the Captive sphere – an internalised drama indeed. typomorphology postulated by Caniggia. Globe”, had granted diversification to Housed within the conserved building It describes the human environment encounter on its isolated contingency As Jeremy Till propounds, “all architec- form, the lighting arcades are observed as made of “built objects,” all related platform. It rejects the function acting as ture is but waste in transit”.1 I feel to impose its own requirements and one to the other. He identifies built an agent leaching on the ‘void’ which that this is an evident observation to forcing its function into the spatial con- objects at four different scales: the build- prevented the formulation of a physically the context of conserved shophouses in text of a shophouse along Balestier Road. ing (edificio), the group of buildings rendered “representation spaces”. This Singapore. Once regarded as a part of The flow of goods is seemingly invisible. (tessuto or building fabric), the city ‘void’, has been replicated with decreas- everyday life in the 1930s became waste It is fascinating that we human manage (città), and the region (territorio). Each ing concern to the city and increasing to be demolished in the 1960s, then to come out with such system that is object is described as a complex entity concern with servicing the needs that with its status resurrected as heritage constantly floating. Goods /products are made of elements, structures, systems, surround such voids. On one end of symbols to be conserved in the late kept in the air and need not require and organisms. Thus the built environ- the spectrum, such progress would be a 1980s. This reframing of social percep- the support of a ‘physical space’. In a ment is an organism made of components great success in propagating the idea tion has converted the previously per- way, the idea of storage space paradigm that are themselves organism.2 Beyond of diversification. At the other end of the ceived ‘obslete’ shophouse through the changes as the existing shophouses space the physical structure of the built object, spectrum, homogenous environments inscription of new value and perma- functioning as ‘prepared’ or ‘made’. the quote in relation to Balestier high- would result in a non-liberation/confine- nence. Promulgate in such a short time Such movement has allowed more things lights the physicality innate within each ment from spatial vertigo. Such mani- frame compared to its century-long to be pushed into the urban system and object – akin to the soul that inspires pulation causes physiological effect and existence, I believe that even the shop- ‘they aren’t paying for it’ which could life in the body. In uncovering the granu- connotation of space to dwellers. Despite house itself would be quite disorientated result in an overloading to the urban larity of the built objects at 4 related the above, we can also understand that about its own being. structure. This optimization process had scales along a linear hierarchy, the quote this void is not one of nothingness, but targeted the weakness of formal nature relates to the overall text wherein object one that is already ‘filled’. The meaning Taking a closer look at the nature of of the spatial being. However, as much at different scale is understood as one of space cannot and should not be physi- conservation in Singapore, it has very as there is perceived freedom in these embedded with ideas, processes, context cally defined. Otherwise, the ephemeral much been about preserving ‘the hard- spaces, there is also perceived restrain. and directionality in its development. quality of meanings will become lost, ware’. More often than not, conserved One would inch and wind about the maze Particularly, the quote implies that built closing the avenue to multiplicity. As the buildings are preserved with additives. of goods until he / she suddenly realise objects and form in a broader sense city undergoes its transformation, one This resembles the process of mummi- that they are at the back of the shop. should not be read super ficially on the would experience the platform differently, fication where only the exterior façade is One has just experienced the pushed surface, but in conjunction with its many where each individual can have own preserved without due consideration of and pulled within and without different parts that make up the whole. “room” for diversification to encounter. the ‘genius loci’ and the social dimension scales of perceivable spaces. of the place. It is commonly believed that The second concept is the idea of The Lastly, in the concept of storage flows only through this preservation process The concept of city development could Grid – “Cities within Cities” as put forth as argued by Lyster, many logistical that the soul of the deceased is kept. be seen as the dynamic behaviour of by Koolhaas. The more each “island” networks hijack familiar forms of urban With the aim of conserving older devel- social flows that results in manifestations celebrates different values, the more the infrastructure to further conquer the opments adaptively reused with new within the physical realm. Particularly, unity of the archipelago as a system is spatiotemporal gap between supply and functions, the developer who is autho- the overlap of anomalies (outlier) merges reinforced. Because “change” is contained demand. Riding on other systems to rised to inject and fill the body with with the normalities (locus) in the city on the component “islands,” such system optimize flow by collapsing supply and any (legitimate) new functions – retail, that ultimately give rise to our unique will never to be revised.3 The city in distribution into one seamless system eateries, office, institutions, residential, urban fabric. The urban multiplicities of its present state is inevitably a ‘compro- has caused many implications for the hotels, etc. Thus, while its body is forces including intersections, adjacent, mised and imperfect realization’ of city, changing how distribution typologies preserved in the best of intentions, its and integration are always present; yet a homogenous plan. The essence of a appear in the urban landscape and

Urban Analysis 58 59 Urban Analysis correspondingly the landscape itself.4 be a sanitisation of anomalies or Choo Li Jie The diverse range of urban complexes incongruities where one might lose the in Balestier’s landscape is a reflection of opportunity to celebrate the ‘other-ness’ the constant cycle of changes; of both – possibly even perversities. In light amalgamations and differentiations of the shophouse along Balestier Road which alter the landscape. Historically which we had used as a basis for refer- well known as a shopping belt comprising ence, hopefully, to point towards a rows of rustic shophouses, Balestier sustainable solution for Singapore’s Road’s form as a curvilinear streetscape vernacular shophouses in the face of an where its functions that radiate outwards ever-transforming urban landscape. becomes amplified. These shophouses are analogous to spatial terms in that it 1 Jeremy Till, „Time of Waste,“ in Architecture The Role is concurrently positive and negative, Depends (Cambridge: MIT Press, 2009), p. 67. private and public, inside yet outside, 2 Moudon, Anne Vernez. 1994. “Getting to of the Urban Grid unincorporated but complicit. Its effect Know the Built Landscape: Typomorphology.” relieves the tension of non-residential In Ordering Space: Types in Architecture uses infiltrating to the residential area and Design, edited by K A Franck and L H in Generating Diversities within the larger eco-system. Originating Schneekloth, 289–311. New York: Van as a singularity structure, Urban Stocks Nostrand Reinhold. 3 Koolhaas, Rem. 1978. “City of the Captive of Interaction evolution through times appears to be Globe.” In Delirious New York: A Retroactive in line with spatial diversification where Manifesto for Manhattan, 294–96. New York. planning took into account the inherent 4 Lyster, Clare. 2016. “Storage Flows: Logistics form and accommodate functional neces- as Urban Choreography.” Harvard Design sities in a loose calibration to function. Magazine. The functions of these shophouses alone are not homogenous. It is very much varied comprising of retail, eateries, office, institutions, residential, hotels, Introduction elements for diversity. As shared in van etc., and could be view as a linear town Eggermond and Erath (2016), most centre that accentuates a sphere of For many contemporary urban planning conventional indicators of urban diversity influence in Balestier Estate. writers, the street or urban grid is one deal with simply measuring the number of the keys to city diversity. Jacobs of different land use functions within the While we oscillate between familiarity (1961:66), for instance writes of the role area, with the assumption that people and unfamiliarity, public and private of sidewalks in providing the platform will inevitably mix and interact with each boundaries are also almost always trans- for public contact. For Hillier (1996:53), other. However, referring to Hillier’s case gressed. One is being pushed and pulled the urban grid of the city is one of the study on South Bank Cultural Centre, through space, verging on the changing ‘mechanisms for generating contact’. London, different users including tourists, spatial perceptions of old and new, big- Hillier defines the city’s urban grid as the workers, residents or concert goers use ness and smallness, along with flatness spatial structure through which “natural separate routes, hindering opportunities and depth. Such diversification could movement” takes place. The passage for “by-products”. manifest in the form of messiness /chaos, through space during this process creates programmatically absent or in some opportunities for contact, or ‘by-products’. As such, I would argue that merely cases functionally alterable. Neverthe- Areas with higher densities tend to have planning for a good mix of land uses and less, the phenomenon is still subject more of such by-products. The diversity density is not sufficient. It is also crucial to the immutable presence of space as of such interactions generated through to pay attention to the design of the a platform for life/events to occur. movement along the urban grid is what urban grid that shapes natural move- In bridging the complex relationship he coins the movement economy – the ment, in order to generate a diversity of between built and ‘to build’, it is typical- “fundamental source of the multifunction- interaction between different user ly a result of fusions between anomalies ality that gives life to cities” (p.54). groups. While Hillier’s text is useful in and normalities that tend to be forgotten, understanding and analyzing the urban discarded or erased. By accepting the Other writers, however, emphasize more grid, it does not distill the characteristics existing urban built form, it might just on mixed uses and density as the basic that make the urban grid successful.

Urban Analysis 60 61 Urban Analysis and a high population density. Notwith- Such fragments of disurbanization can be standing, it is observed that the diversity observed at Lavender, towards the west- of interactions is not as high as expected, ern and eastern fringes. On the western and concentrated in certain locations. end, the pathways dissipate into the few The following examines why this is so, publicly accessible routes between the focusing on the HDB estates bounded by developments along Jalan Sultan. On the Rochor Canal, Jalan Sultan, Beach eastern end, similarly, the edge of the Road and Crawford Street, that forms a HDB estate, a vacant plot of land and a significant area of the district. private development effectively constrict permeability. These fringes are not The conceptual map shows the urban well-connected to its neighbouring dis- grid in the HDB estates, consisting of tricts. Correspondingly, the number of both informal and formal pathways, people using the pathways is low, with a with the thickness of each line represent- clear lack of activity within the spaces. ing the intensity of footfall. These obser- In contrast, the grid in the centre of the vations were made on a weekday evening site is a more fine-meshed network, peak hour, where the key user groups where multiple pathways are better- include local residents and office workers. integrated with each other. This provides more possibilities for people to enter the The following will use the conceptual site, and use different pathways to get map to investigate the three qualities of from one end to another. Hence, there is the urban grid at the site, and its conse- significantly more pedestrian traffic and quent impact on the types and intensity activity, for instance residents that use of interactions generated within the site. some of the spaces along these pathways to gather or linger, people purchasing goods or food along these pathways, and Permeability office workers travelling from bus stops to the MRT station. Firstly, it is observed that fragments of the urban grid at the site that are not What this means for such large develop- permeable or well-integrated with ment complexes like HDB estates, or the rest of the grid tend to have lesser even large shopping centres or mixed-use traffic, and the functions are more complexes, particularly those located 100 m = 20 mm isolated and segregated from the rest of in high density central areas with high the surroundings. As such, the oppor- potential to benefit from the “movement Conceptual map: tunities for “by-products”, or interaction economy”, is the need for spaces be- Generating Diversities of Interaction between different user groups, are low. tween buildings and the buildings itself to be permeable, for instance through This echoes Christaanse (2009)’s article the creation of corridors or through-block The subsequent analysis will use the study movement can also occur through build- on the Open City, on the need for linkages, to allow possibility for people site at Lavender, to investigate what ings and in-between spaces, especially “a finely-meshed and multi-directional to use these spaces as pathways and constitutes a poorly-designed urban grid within large development complexes street network”. In Hillier’s model, per- potentially generate interaction. and a well-designed one, using three like at Lavender, where it becomes even meability is referred to via the concept qualities of the urban grid – permeability, more challenging (and crucial) to have of integration. A highly integrated street, legibility and the resultant configuration awell-designed grid. such as Oxford Street, London, tends Legibility of the public spaces. to see high volumes of pedestrian traffic Lavender is a located in one of the and interaction. An ill-integrated one, That said, it is not sufficient for the central districts of Singapore, with most such as the housing estates near King’s urban grid just to be permeable, but also Site Introduction developments constructed in the 1970– Cross, tends to be “disurbanized” areas legible. It is observed that where 1980’s. There is a diverse mix of uses, where segregation and isolation is more pathways are illegible and difficult to While the street traditionally forms the from residential, shops, commercial, apparent. navigate, people are hindered from par- urban grid (Marshall, 2005), natural offices, religious and historical sites, etc., ticipating in the activities around them.

Urban Analysis 62 63 Urban Analysis Legibility refers to the ease with which and interact with other residents. For The following further illustrates these groups. This is particularly so for central one can understand and navigate the the office workers, in having to focus on principles using three public spaces areas with inherently more potential urban environment, related to experience navigating through the grid without a along the main pathway spine at the for a strong “movement economy” that of space (e.g. safety, excitement) (Lynch, pleasant experience of his environment, site, where although footfall is high, can generate the sorts of interactions 1960). For Hillier, legibility can be they seem to focus more on getting to their weak interface between the urban grid and exchange that gives life to the city. analyzed through the urban grid. For in- destination as fast as possible, tending and the public space limits its success stance, the “two-line logic” of the street not to stop and participate in the activi- in generating interaction. The pathways network of City of London proves to be ties in the area (e.g. shopping, lingering). skirt along the edge of the space, with Bibliography highly intelligible, in that “wherever you poor visual field or invitation to the • Christiaanse, Kees. 2009. “The Open City go, it is usually a point from which you As such, besides permeability, it is also space. Hence, it was observed that the and Its Enemies.” In Open City: Designing Coexistence, edited by Tim Rieniets, Jennifer can see where you have come from and important to ensure that urban grids users of the space are mostly local neigh- Sigler, and Kees Christiaanse, 25–36. where your next point of aim might be”. particularly within such large develop- bours chatting with each other, rather Amsterdam: SUN. ment complexes are legible, and can than visitors choosing to linger, or people- • Eggermond, Michael van, and Alexander L. The spatial logic of the urban grid at facilitate an environment where people watch. The HDB void deck forms a Erath. 2016. “Quantifying Diversity: Lavender is limited in this respect. do not just seek to get from one place to sort of “in-between” space hanging in An Assessment of Diversity Indices and an Referring to the main pathway spine another, but also participate in various between the pathways. These spaces Application to Singapore.” FCL Magazine Special Issue – Urban Breeding Grounds, used by the office workers, starting from interaction with the uses and users around are not well-defined and do not provide May, 30–37. the south towards the north, there is them – the sort of “mixed use encoun- good enclosure. Hence, though footfall • Jacobs, J., 2016. The death and life of great firstly no clear entrance into the site. ters” which Hillier (p.41) espouses. is high along these pathways, almost no American cities. Vintage. Most people have to maneuver across activities take place along these void • Hillier, Bill. 1996. “Cities as Movement the carpark and enter the estate via the decks. A different type of problem is Economies.” URBAN DESIGN International 1 (1): 41–60. doi:10.1057/udi.1996.5. nearest path from the bus stop, which Resultant configuration observed. The space is a narrow corridor • Lynch, Kevin. 1960. “The Image of the in this case, is a discreet narrow corridor of public space bounded by shop frontages on one side, Environment.” In The Image of the City, 1–13. at the edge of the HDB block. People and benches and tables on the other side. Publication of the Joint Center for Urban have to navigate through maze-like The urban grid also needs to consider the The space is shared between multiple Studies. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT PRESS internal corridors, with several 90° turns. resultant configuration of public spaces, users, including people shopping, sitting, • Marshall, Stephen. 2005. “Introduction.” One does not have any line of sight or where people can linger, gather and or passing by. In this case, the space is In Streets & Patterns, 1st ed, 1–23. London ; New York: Spon. clue as to what destination lies ahead, interact. It is observed that where there well-defined, but not appropriately scaled, • Whyte, William Hollingsworth. 2010. and instead sees a dead-end or building are poor or weak interface between the given that it is not wide enough yet lies The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces. 7. print. frontage that suggests the end of a short urban grid and the public space, the re- right along the main line of movement. New York, NY: Project for Public Spaces. path. Once one exits the HDB block, he sultant public space tends to be limited As a result, conflicts between passing and is faced with making the choice between in attracting people to use the space and static movement can limit the space in one of the linear paths that lie ahead. hence generating interaction. generating “positive” interactions within Without any hierarchy between these the space. Hence, the design of the urban pathways, it is difficult to make an intel- In Hillier’s analysis, he explores how grid also needs to pay attention to the ligent guess. the geometries of open spaces are shaped resultant configuration of public spaces, by the strategic visual fields when one in order to shape spaces which can be With this lack of spatial clues (i.e. clear travels along the pathways – what he successful in inviting people to stop, take entrance, line of sight, hierarchy), it is terms as “convex isovists”. The more pleasure, and watch people pass by. challenging for visitors, like these office well-integrated these pathways are and workers, to navigate, much less participate hence higher footfall, the more reason Conclusion in interaction. Whilst most seem to be for people to stop and people-watch familiar with this main route as their along these main pathways. This seems The analysis of the urban grid at daily commuting walk, this issue of illegi- to corroborate Whyte’s observations Lavender shows that besides having a bility can also lead to segregation effects. (1980, p.256), that “what attracts peo- good mix of land uses and density, urban Movement of the office workers tend to ple most […] is other people”. Hillier’s planners also need to pay attention to be fast-paced and transient, concentrated analysis also highlights the following the design of the urban grid, in terms of along the key pathways connecting bus three principles: Good public spaces its permeability, legibility, and the resul- stops to the MRT station; whereas have pathways that provide a clear line tant public spaces formed, in order to movement of local residents tend to be of sight, provide a good sense of enclo- maximize the potential of the site in slower-paced and more permanent, in sure, and have proportionate scale in generating “by-products” or diversity of that some would stop to gather, linger relation to the visibility field. interactions between different user

Urban Analysis 64 65 Urban Analysis Aurel von Richthofen, Katja Knecht, Yufan Miao, Reinhard König

Parametric Urban Design Tools

67 Parametric Urban Design Tools 1. Introduction 2. State of the art parametric urban design can be used to software ‘CityEngine’ released in 2008 model alternative scenarios, visualisa- solves generic urban problems by means Building sustainable, resilient and Parametric design tools, which originated tions and quantification all in one – a of the shape grammar logic. livable environments requires taking from CAD systems, were first proposed key advantage over conventional design increasingly complex design decisions by Hillyard and Braid (1978). They methods. A parametric urban design The software used in our class is the and integrating knowledge from various allowed the specification of geometric is thus agile to changing input constraints parametric modelling system Grasshopper areas of expertise (Batty and Longley constraints with the possibilities of varia- and offers flexible solutions that can (Rutton 2017) for Rhino 3D. Within 2016). The course introduced a novel tions within a given range. Based on this, be re-computed depending on stakeholder the expanding field of parametric urban method to teach urban design concepts a more mature tool was later proposed perspective (Hernandes, 2006; Holland, design, several attempts have been made and translate these into parametric by Light et al. (1981), which is generally 2012). However, since many parametric to use these tools in education (George urban design definitions: the ‘Urban regarded as the primary reference for definitions are ‘tailored’ to specific tasks, 1997, Schnabel 2008, Dennemark et al. Elements’ method. The course was the ancestry of parametric design tools. require input data in specific formats 2017). evaluated at two stages, first around the While the term implies the use of para- or are ‘locked’ into proprietary software, middle of the course when the ‘Urban meters to define forms, what is actually the agile integration of urban design con- Elements’ method had been introduced at play is the use of relations between cepts has to date been lacking. Despite The advantage of parametric and parametric definitions explored and these parameters (Monedero 2000). advances in research and availability urban design is that it a second time at the end of the course Defining clearly defined relations makes of tools, parametric urban design has not when the ‘Urban Elements’ method it possible to tackle the challenge of yet been widely adopted in practice. trains students to develop was used to produce a complete urban modifying the models built by designers A useful contribution to improving the ranges of potential solutions design proposal. to visualize their ideas interactively and situation would be to conceptualise instead of focussing on also in 3D (Jabi, 2013). parametric ‘Urban Elements’. This is one supposedly optimized proposed in this article. solution. The results show that the Parametric design tools accept variable participants’ abilities input data, establish mathematical The translation of rule-based principles relationships and produce further data, into geometric form originates in so- to analyse urban design including geometric information (Steinø called ‘shape grammars’ (Stiny and Gips To develop a rule set, however, one must problems, to abstract them, and Veirum 2010). With advances in 1971; Stiny 2006). The implementation describe the design process and prioritize to translate them into computing power and the growing avail- of generic urban design models with input parameters. As such, training parametric definitions and to ability of data, parametric systems can shaper grammars has been explored by goes beyond merely gaining proficiency use them for innovative now be employed to deal with complex Beirão, Mendes, and Stouffs (2010) in using parametric urban design tools to urban phenomena on a multi-scalar and by Karakiewicz and Kvan (2010). focus on developing parametric urban urban design proposals and multi-dimensional level. In compari- Beirão, Duarte, and Stouffs (2011) also design thinking, which is more about significantly improved son to conventional design methods, indentified specific shape grammars acquiring “an understanding of paramet- using the ‘Urban Elements’ parametric urban design uses rule sets as necessary for urban design. Multiple ric structures of design knowledge that method. the basis for the configuration of 3D technical challenges in identifying and can be formulated and represented in urban models (Abdelsalam, 2009). The solving particular urban design aspects a generic parametric schema” (Oxman, advantage of this is that it enables the have been addressed by Koltsova, 2014). This generic parametric schema The main research questions can be exploration of a wide range of alternative Tunçer, and Schmitt (2013), as well as can be further interpreted as design pat- summarised as follows: Can we develop a solutions by changing the parameters of by Bielik et al. (2012). Architectural terns which have been observed in both novel urban design pedagogy combining the logical relationship (Karle & Kelly, building information models (BIM) have traditional architectural design (Alexander interdisciplinary research insights on the 2011), whereas for traditional methods, been expanded to cater for urban design et al, 1977) and parametric design city in the form of a conceptual frame- designers usually only consider a rela- tasks (Kim, Clayton, and Yan 2013) (Woodbury et al., 2007). As parametric work for urban analysis and parametric tively limited number of alternative and some approaches offer systematic design thinking is often not intuitive thinking? If so, what kind of insights can solutions (Woodbury and Burrow, 2006). collection, enabling urban designers to to urban design students who have little we gain from student learning while Another advantage is that designers work with urban design tools (J. N. D. C. training in programming and struggle using such a method and can we validate can change and modify their own rule- Beirão 2011). These also accommodate with the additional level of abstraction the ‘Urban Elements’ method as peda- based models in any stages of the design the scalar dimensions of urban design required, we introduced the concept of gogical instrument for urban design? process so that the whole design process by ‘nesting’ smaller scalar units (houses ‘Urban Elements’ as a link between the Is it possible to evaluate urban design can be kept open and flexible, because or neighbourhoods) into larger ones design patterns described and parametric results for specific design tasks in com- all procedures, activities, and relations (districts or regions) (Zünd 2016). Some rule sets. In combination with parametric parison to conventional, less explicit and in parametric design are clearly defined software packages now also offer ‘shape design tools, this translation facilitates non-parametric, urban design methods? (Oxman and Gu, 2015). In short, grammars’, for example the commercial rapid prototyping and design exploration.

Parametric Urban Design Tools 68 69 Parametric Urban Design Tools An ‘Urban Element’ combines different input lectures given by FCL researchers Figure 1: Examples of generic urban components taught prior to the beginning of the aspects of related theoretical principles. each week and is formulated as a short term in the boot camp (chart with grids, plots, massing, functions) Elements are typical features of good thesis statement. The ‘Urban Element’ city form that can range in scale from acknowledges reference examples to the texture of a pavement, to a building declare its intellectual origin and invites entrance, shop front, pocket park, plaza the participants to draw a visual sketch and street, or neighbourhood and precinct, or illustration diagram in a projective recalling Christopher Alexander’s work mode. Since the formulation of a thesis on ‘Pattern Language’ (Alexander, emerges from a specific urban analysis, Ishikawa, and Silverstein 1977). ‘Urban a qualitative index grid indicates the Elements’ as proposed in the scope of intended application context. This index the AS-UD course are digital, parametric grid captures the main domains of con- representations of urban units at various ventional urban design as found in urban scales, which can be combined together theory literature: Building, Street & in larger sequences and systems. Thus Armature, Block & Plaza, Quarter & the ‘Urban Element’ translates the clas- District, Fabric & Network. The thesis is sical patterns into a digital, parametric then formulated as prototypical script. urban design approach that makes it pos- This script should declare possible input a) sible to model alternative scenarios, visu- parameters, transformation rules and Basic Volume Generation: Box alisations and quantification all at once. expected outcome values. The script serves as a guide to developing the parametric definition.

3. Pedagogical To translate this prototypical ‘Urban Methodology and Element’ script, one needs to acquire Course Structure technical skills in parametric design, which are part of the curriculum of term A major challenge in urban design is 2. Teaching employed the popular visual to conceptualise a design problem while programming software Grasshopper integrating theoretical and contextual (GH) in Rhino 3D and comprised three information. Framing the open-ended parts: a boot camp to teach the basics solution space this way is a challenge for of Grasshopper, in-class tutorials on the both conventional analogue urban design development of basic urban elements teaching as well as for digital and para- corresponding to the weekly theory input metric approaches. In addition, address- and tutoring of students to support b) ing the challenges arising out of the them in the translation of their ‘Urban Objects on a Grid complexity of urban design tasks and Elements’ into Grasshopper definitions. the need to create environments that are sustainable, resilient as well as We held two days of GH boot camp livable require an increased awareness to introduce and build up capacities in and better integration of expertise from parametric urban design prior to the various areas. The curriculum of the start of the term 2. Since the participants AS-UD aimed to reflect and address had not yet begun to develop their own these changing needs over the course of ‘Urban Element’ we needed to anticipate three thematic terms – Urban Theory, a set of generic urban design patterns. Urban Tools, and Urban Design – through These included urban ‘infrastructure’ which participants can develop an elements such as urban grids and net- advanced understanding of urban design. works, formation of blocks and building plots, creation of built volumes, distribu- The ‘Urban Element’ method identifies, tion of massing and functions. This menu formalises and develops a central urban of generic urban design patterns provides concept. This concept relates to the the key components for solving basic c) Objects in Context

Parametric Urban Design Tools 70 71 Parametric Urban Design Tools urban design problems. The parametric and street profiles (figure 1b), function logic of the GH definitions provided distribution (figure 1c), reworking topo- introduced corresponding basic concepts graphy (figure 1d) and topography of parametric thinking (Figure 1). evaluation (figure 1e), shortest path (figure 1f), energy calculations with the plug-in Further parametric example definitions Ladybug (figure 1g) and designing for were introduced throughout the term change using the Elefront plug-in (figure addressing related concepts that corre- 1h). The sample definitions and basic sponded to the topic of the weekly lec- parametric and urban concepts covered tures. Concepts covered aspects of urban by the tutorials were intended to provide form, such as plot porosity (figure 1a) a starting point for the participants to

Figure 2: d) Examples of urban concepts taught during the term and City Grid translated into Grasshopper tutorials

e) a) Variable Plot Alignment Plot Porosity

f) b) Singapore Condominium High-rise Street Section

Parametric Urban Design Tools 72 73 Parametric Urban Design Tools c) f) Function Distribution Shortest Path

d) g) Reworking Topography Energy Evaluation, Solar Exposure

e) h) Evaluating Topography, Watersheds Design for Change

Parametric Urban Design Tools 74 75 Parametric Urban Design Tools aid them in the development of their tion can be seen in figure 3. Participants Each topic is explored at three urban Element Title: parametric translations. In analogy to were asked to describe the different steps scales: Small, Medium and Large. Each Iceberg City Christopher Alexander’s ‘Pattern involved in creating plot setbacks first combination thereof (e.g. Urban Form Language’ these parametric urban con- and then naming the components they + Small) is explored in at least three The element is called “Iceberg City”. cepts formed a basic vocabulary for the would be using. In a last step, we assem- variations. This catalogue grid was used The index grid indicates that the element participants to recombine and expand. bled the definition together with the as framework throughout the course and is applicable mostly to the building scale. participants in GH. gradually filled with content. It is not The thesis statement reads: A second GH boot camp was held in the meant to form a complete set, but rather third week of the third term as a forum a taxonomy of possible solutions. Since “Urban density is experienced above ground for addressing the challenges and prob- 4. Course Results the population of this matrix with content where space is limited. While many urban lems reported by participants in the arose from the participant’s direct input, uses [U] require a connection to the outside course feedback. The boot camp provid- The course resulted in a catalogue of it also accurately reflects their subjective and should be placed above ground (a), ed exercises to further support the devel- ‘Urban Elements’ and their parametric focus on questions of urban design. some urban uses can be allocated below ground (b). Placing more city mass under- opment of the necessary parametric definitions The 20 participants of the ground whenever we can – infrastructure design thinking participants had been course eventually produced 55 individual The following examines two examples and uses such as services, retail spaces – struggling with. In particular, we ad- ‘Urban Elements’ that are compiled in of ‘Urban Elements’ developed by presents an opportunity to make room for dressed the challenge students face when the catalogue. The catalogue is organised participants in detail: new functions in urban areas without adding breaking down a design idea and trans- by topical sections (rows) that follow the massing to the cityscape. This also frees lating it into steps and rules as well as input theory topics: Urban Form, Typo- Element Title: up existing space above ground for greenery, how to get started with a GH definition. logy and Density, Function and Use, Sectional Porosity open spaces and livable spaces such as An example exercise including its solu- Ecosystem Services, Mobility and Energy. residential and community spaces. Future The element is called “Sectional Porosity urban design could allocate Gross Floor Area (GFA) above and below ground, i.e. car park to Enhance Urban Environments”. The and services, retail, theatre – below ground; index grid indicates that the element is residential, classrooms, hotel rooms – above EXAMPLE #1 applicable mostly to both building scales ground.” The prototypical script specifies: Creating a setback for the plots and fabrics and networks. The thesis “Input parameters Visualization statement reads: Uses [U], desired Gross Plot Ratio (GPR) “Although architects and planner often and Gross Floor Areas (GFA) based on examine the porosity of buildings and uses, classification of uses suitable above blocks in plan, the porosity of buildings in [a] and below [b] ground, datum level [D] section is also important in establishing the experience of urban voids i.e. atriums, Rule through-block links, etc. at ground level. M = U (a,b) This element explores how voids in build- Description ings / structures can be directly propor- Output – Draw a line – Find distances – Define one distance Massing distribution [M] including GFA for each segment for all segments tionate to the depth of building while also to move to move addresses solar comfort and ventila tion and GPR showing sections of the city – Use similar direction below & above datum level [D]” (vector) to move at street level.” The prototypical script all segments again specifies:

“Input parameters As can be seen from these examples, depth of building [D], students formulated a well-deﬁned predetermined ratio [x] Components aspect of urban design: The proportional – Line / Curve – Move – Vector relationship of void and built structure – Divide curve – Vector – Extrude Rule H = x D (student 1) and the allocation of built space above or below ground according Output to its suggested functional use (student height of void [H]” 2). The prototypical scripts express these relationships with relevant input para- Figure 3: meters, rules and expected outcomes, and Parametric exercise for creating both examples also show a strong degree a setback for plots of abstraction. However, contextual

Parametric Urban Design Tools 76 77 Parametric Urban Design Tools The ‘Urban Element’ is therefore little UF S22 #10 LRHD #27 UF M11 #41 more than a rudimentary tool, albeit

#02 #02 #22 #28 with aspirations of causal transparency #16 #16 #24 #36 #19 #18 #39 and parametric applicability. Balancing Privacy & #21 Inside-Outside Green Replacement

Density The Courtyard The participants translated 15 out of HDB Simulation Guide Enclosed on 4 sides Enclosed on 3 sides the 55 collected ‘Urban Elements’ into

The fully enclosed courtyard (resultant public space) can feel uncomfortable on a small site if the building depth expands inwards. parametric deﬁnitions. Figure 4 shows The Slab Block three examples of how the participants

Treelodge Punggol (16stv) The slab block on a long site may look wall-like and daunting to the pedestrian but the resultant public space within the site will feel more “open”. interpreted ‘Urban Elements’ as they 10 Storey 25 Storey 36 Storey The Point Block matured in prototypical scripts and

The point block is the inverse of the courtyard and depending on the placement of the point block within the site, the resultant W = 45 m public space may not be very usable. parametric translation. Figure 4 a) shows 45 m 45 m a direct proportional relationship be- ~ 20 m ~ 28 m X = ~ 35 m Sky-rise greenery through the provision Low-rise buildings make for a more Prototype Script of sky terraces and vertical greenery pedestrian friendly environment that tween the spacing of residential buildings can foster better community living which Input contributes to a liveable city. As cities Site area, Gross Plot Ratio (GPR), in relation to building heights. This has How close is close? Prototype Script around the world struggle with housing building setback In a dense tropical city like Singapore, Prototype Script Relationships amongst distance between a burgeoning population on scarce city sky-rise greenery is important to provide buildings (front/rear elevations), building Input land, can low-rise high-density develop- Rule urban respite and contribute to a sustain- Input been translated into a basic parametric height and elevation overlaps. H = Height of Building ments be a solution to this challenge Size of courtyard shall always able built environment. The 100 % Land- Building from a fixed number of floors W = Width of Building Elevation Overlap without compromising the quality of life? be a percentage of the building footprint. scape Replacement Area (LRA) policy is a sub-divided into equal units that will High-density buildings that are spaced too We examine 3 building typologies – circular that encourages the provision of represent a sky terrace. definition and explored in three varia- closely, especially in residential develop- Rule the courtyard, slab block and point block Output sky-rise greenery through an exemption of ments, can make people feel a lack of priva- A wider distance (X) between buildings is to – to see how these can achieve the Resultant Gross Plot Ratio (GPR), Gross Floor Area which is then displaced to Rule tions. Figure 4 b) explores variable build- cy in their own homes be provided when: desired densities while providing quality site coverage, building from (no. of storeys) another part of the development within the The randomised provision of each unit • the buildings get higher; public space. and resultant “public space“ bulding envelope. of sky terrace will result in the displacement • the longer the building elevations overlap of the unit to the top of the building. ing typologies with constant Floor Area

Output References Output Ratio (FAR) towards ‘low-rise high- X = Distance between Buildings • Google images A building form with randomised provision BUILDING BUILDING BUILDING of sky terraces (of 1 per floor) until the + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + maximum height of the building is achieved. density’ typologies applicable in urban STREET STREET STREET ARMATURE References ARMATURE ARMATURE + + + + · • http://roomwithaircon.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/ + + + · · + · · · · settings based on plot sizes. The para- BLOCK • treelodge_Punggol_main-680x455_HDBflatsSingapore3. BLOCK BLOCK PLAZA jpg PLAZA PLAZA References + + + + · • HDB simulation guide + + + + · + + + + · • “Circulars.” Landscaping for Urban Spaces and High-Rises QUARTER QUARTER QUARTER (LUSH) 2.0 Programme: Landscape Replacement Policy metric definition makes it possible to DISTRICT DISTRICT + · · · · + + · · · DISTRICT for Strategic Areas. Urban Developement Authority, + · · · · 12 May 2014. Web. FABRIC FABRIC FABRIC NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK • http://www.archdaily.com800878/oasia-hotel- explore the solution space and visualises + · · · · + + · · · + · · · · downtown-woha/ the results of the constraint ‘density’ 4a) b) c) on the site. Figure 4 c) shows a system for the vertical redistribution of inserted void spaces in residential buildings (Jenga Tower) that has implications for Singapore’s ‘Green Replacement Policy’. The examples shown here are chosen Figure 4: information about the sites for the for their systematic translation from Examples of parametric ‘Urban Elements’ ‘Urban Elements’ is lacking. The range theory to script to parametric variation developed by the participants of application is also not declared. Finally, and immediate geometric output. Other no information is given as to how to a) examples that examined the organisa- Student 3: Spacing of residential buildings resolve conflicting problems, such as tion and distribution of programme, in relation to building heights. spatial-geometrical problems arising from sectional relations of street edges, or the contradicting input: connection between ecosystem, transport b) or energy were also explored, but their Student 4: Variable building typologies “Input parameters parametric translation was less geometric with constant Floor Area Ratio (FAR) towards depth of building [D], ‘low-rise high-density’ typologies in the ‘Urban Elements’ stage. predetermined ratio [x] c) These definitions were based on the Student 5: Vertical redistribution of inserted Rule generic Grasshopper scripts introduced H = x D void spaces for residential buildings in the course boot camp. Students (Jenga Tower) Output developed specific approaches to urban height of void [H]” design problems using the ‘Urban Element’ methods. Participants identified, translated and developed specific ‘Urban Elements’ into a catalogue of topics they were most interested in.

Parametric Urban Design Tools 78 79 Parametric Urban Design Tools Please evaluate the boot camps here:

5 4,55 4,36 4,45 4,27 4,00 4 Rating of Parametric Design Tutorials

3 5

Week 2 Week 5 Boot Camp 1 1 Street Profile Boot Camp 1 Evaluating Week 5 Objects 4 3.77 Objects Topography Evaluating on a Grid The lecturers The lecturers clarified The lecturers The lecturers The materials made on a Grid 3.69 Topography 3.77 explained what I should be made the motivated me available (e.g. lecture Week 2 3.62 3.62 the subject learning in this course signifiance of this to take and active notes, exercises, Street Profile understandably unit (learning goals) lecture clear. part in the course. sample scripts, etc.) 3.31 and clearly. and returned to this helped me to point regularly, understand and address the course content. 3 Week 5 Figure 5: Reworking Week 5 Topography Week 8 Week 8 Reworking Rating of the quality of different aspects 3.00 Week 5 Design for Design for Topography of the boot camps on a rating Reworking Change Change 2.85 Week 5 Topography 2.77 2.77 scale from “disagree” (1) to “agree” (5) Reworking 2.62 Topography 2 2.46

5. Course Evaluation Parametric Design and Feedback of Participants Tutorials 1 A total of 17 definitions were produced The shown example I feel confident I find the concept This concept is This concept The concept conveys the to use, expand easy to learn. useful for is relevant to is applicable to other for the boot camp session and weekly generative design and combine this urban design my work. scales, cases or topics idea accurately. concept. in Singapore. beyond the ones shown Boot Camp tutorials. Participants were asked to rate in class. The parametric boot camps held at the these definitions with respect to their Boot Camp 1: Objects on a Grid Boot Camp 1: Objects in Space Boot Camp 1: Objects in Context beginning of term 2 were evaluated in generative design idea, transferability, Boot Camp 2: Singapore Buildings Boot Camp 2: Variable Plot Alignment Week 2: Plot Occupation the second evaluation questionnaire after easiness to learn, usefulness and applica- Week 2: Plot Porosity Week 2: Street Profile Week 3: Urban Zones term 3. Respondents were asked to give bility in the context of urban design in Week 4: Function Master Week 4: Multi-Functional Building Week 5: Evaluating Topography feedback on the quality of the lecture, Singapore and relevance to the partici- Week 5: Reworking Topograpjy Week 5: GIS Integration Week 6: Shortest Path Week 7: Energy Evaluation Week 7: Design for Change materials and lecturing by indicating pants’ work by stating how much they their agreement with respective state- agreed with the respective statements on ments on a rating scale from disagree (1) a 5-point Likert scale from “strongly Figure 6: to agree (5). Respondents indicated that disagree” (1) to “strongly agree” (5) Rating of Parametric Design Tutorials the lecturing, the learning goals and (Figure 6). the significance was understandable and clear, and that the available boot camp According to the feedback given, partici- materials supported the understanding of pants found concepts that related to the course content, with mean agreement the generation of urban form, such as the rates ranging between 4.27 and 4.55. parametric definition of street profiles The statement “The lecturers motivated (figure 3b), objects on a grid (figure 2b) me to take an active part in the course” and Singapore buildings (figure 2f) devel- was rated lowest at 4.0 with answers oped for the boot camp and for week 2 showing a standard deviation of 1.0. of the course easier to learn than more

Parametric Urban Design Tools 80 81 Parametric Urban Design Tools abstract concepts such as, for example, Urban Elements Please rate how you perceived the following aspects those related to energy evaluation (figure In the course review questionnaire at the of the didactic preparation of the course 3g), design for change (figure 3h) or end of term 3, participants were asked on a scale from poor to excellent: reworking topography (figure 3d, which to rate the usefulness of ‘Urban Elements’ 6 received a lower agreement rating. They in understanding the relationship be- also reported feeling slightly more confi- tween urban design theory, operational dent in using, expanding and combining principles and possible design applications, 5 the first three concepts. However, defi- in developing operational knowledge, 4,31 nitions of concepts such as “evaluating 4,08 4,08 4,08 3,92 in contributing to a catalogue of best 4 topography” (figure 3e), which received practice, in enhancing urban analytical relatively low ratings with respect to how and representational skills, as well as easy they were to learn and confidence 3 in developing skills in parametric urban of use were rated high in terms of their design. The rating scale ranged from usefulness for urban design in Singapore “agree” (1) to “disagree” (5). Overall, 2 as well as their relevance to the respon- the respondents rated the usefulness of dents’ work. The definition of Singapore ‘Urban Elements’ in respect to all men- 1 buildings, which addressed the particu- tioned aspects positively with means Preparation Demonstration Tutorial Feedback Support larities of local building typologies, as ranging from 3.91 to 4.25. However, the of grasshopper in class in class on submitted outside of class well as plot porosity (figure 3a) were also definitions definitions usefulness of ‘Urban Elements’ for devel- perceived as being highly relevant and oping skills in parametric urban design useful. was rated slightly lower in comparison Figure 7: to other aspects. A standard deviation of Rating of the didactic preparation The didactic preparation of Grasshopper 1.0 furthermore indicates that the con- of the parametric design classes definitions, as well as the demonstrations cept of ‘Urban Elements’ as a means and tutorials in class were all rated at of learn parametric design was perceived an average of 4.08 on a five-point rating more controversially by participants. scale from “poor” (1) to “excellent” (5) The results can be seen in figure 8. Term 2 “Elements” helpe me to: (Figure 7). Only the feedback provided 6 on submitted definitions was rated lower at 3.92 and support outside the class Self-Reported 5 higher at 4.31. Qualitative feedback from 4,25 respondents revealed a need to make the Challenges 4,25 4,17 4,08 3,91 course contents easier for everybody to and Suggestions 4 understand, to allocate more time to the for Improvement teaching of the parametric part of the 3 course, to proceed slowly, to manage ex- In addition to rating the parametric pectations towards participants’ learning course and its contents, we asked partici-

2 capacities and to provide more specific, pants to describe the challenges they relevant examples. Respondents named faced in learning parametric design with the generation of the existing site, the Grasshopper and in translating the urban 1 triangulation of point cloud data in urban elements they developed during the course Understand Appreciate Actively contribute Enhance Develop the relationship of the role of urban to the building urban analytic and skills in parametric layouts, addressing walkability, connec- into a parametric definition. Participants urban design elements in of an operational representational urban design theory, operational developing an catalogue from skills tivity, and vibrancy, as well as social cited a lack of basic understanding of principles and operational international, regional the software and the basic principles of possible design knowledge and Singapore best and demographic influences on urban applications practices through design as additional concepts they would parametric modelling, a lack of familiari- presentation and discussion like to learn or develop. In addition, ty with, understanding and knowledge respondents expressed a wish to examine of the existence of components but also a Figure 8: positive and negative case studies. lack of basics in math and logic as chal- Rating of the usefulness of the concept lenges in learning parametric design and of ‘Urban Elements’ on a rating scale from “disagree” (1) to “agree” (5). in working with Grasshopper. With respect to the translation of elements into parametric definitions, the problem of

Parametric Urban Design Tools 82 83 Parametric Urban Design Tools proceeding with the definition from a tations of all stakeholders concerning later. This does not mean that these duties and course load at the same time. first step or one of the examples provided possible urban design outcomes. It ‘Urban Elements’ were not relevant or All these aspects contribute to the success was described as a challenge. increases the gain in knowledge on urban intelligent, but rather that they were of the method. design and also assures its applicability more complex than initially anticipated. Feedback also included the following to other settings. In addition, it makes it Moreover, the application of the para- suggestions to address the challenges possible to incorporate and communicate metric definition to the site is tricky. 7. Conclusion encountered and improve the course and urban design processes to other disci- Here many constraints hindered the ide- parametric learning process: to create plines and machines. It takes advantages al deployment of the definition and many In this research, ‘Urban Elements’ has periodic boot camps which would allow of platforms that can integrate interdisci- more rules and exceptions needed to been developed and validated as a novel attendance with less interference, to plinary models for urban analysis as a be included for good results. The second urban design pedagogy, incorporating the upload closed-loop video tutorials, to whole. The parametric implementation limitation lies in the fact that significant students’ domain knowledge and insights limit the workload and adjust expecta- also tests the capacity of existing visual choices are still made outside the para- into the design tasks. As a conceptual tions to fit a part-time course, and to programming platforms like Grasshopper metric design system by the user, but urban design framework with an inherent ensure system compatibility. for urban design. also by other stakeholders completely rule-based logic, it is a novel approach foreign to the project. Thirdly, underlying because it can combine interdisciplinary The proposed method of ‘Urban models of urban design are not really insights on the city for urban analysis 6. Discussion Elements’ also revealed limitations, called into question by the parametric while facilitating the learning of paramet- evident in the feedback from students: method itself since this method replicates ric urban design thinking. It also provides The learning effects can be evaluated parametric urban design still has inher- and optimises the urban design model an avenue for explicitly evaluating urban against the declared learning goals of the ent limitations due to the fact that urban in the first place. Finally, users need design results against the design tasks curriculum. The course focus was on design processes need to be formulated to develop both urban design skills and compared with conventional urban design the operational knowledge to be gained in a linear and causal way. This pre- parametric skills in parallel. This is a methods. This is highlighted by the clearly from the development of urban design cludes the solution of complex, contradic- crucial aspect for future urban design shown potential and limitations of the methods (the ‘Urban Element’) and not tory and dynamic systems or makes education. Successful students managed proposed teaching method. on urban theory or urban design per se. these solutions extremely complex. The to navigate the conceptual effort to In the scope of the presented course, set of parameters to take into a para- create ‘Urban Elements’, the challenges The method of ‘Urban Elements’ proved we introduced the concept of ‘Urban metric urban process need to be limited associated with parametric urban de- to be a useful pedagogical tool. It allowed Elements’ as the basis of a novel urban in the first place. This process of abstrac- sign thinking and skill acquisition and the students to develop targeted tools design pedagogy, which couples urban tion is also applied to the rule set. A finally the application to a specific urban for solutions they deem important and design knowledge and urban analysis parametric definition is never a mirror- design site. In the course discussed here, relevant. They contributed to an open- and facilitates parametric design thinking image of a conventional design process not all students achieved this equally ended collection of ‘Urban Elements’ with its inherent rule-based logic. but an abstracted set, acting as a model. well due to limited time resources. that can classified in various taxonomies: Although, the course results show the This reduction, which is at the same time catalogue, tables, clusters, etc. A future potential of the method, it also revealed the main strength of parametric design, Although, the teaching aims were met, iteration of the course will take these some limitations. implies a first set of limitations, namely namely to contribute to a better under- as points of departure for an expanded the impossibility to reflect all aspects of a standing of the potential and limits of catalogue. The ‘Urban Elements’ also The potential of the method is that conventional design process. Elements parametric support tools, the question offer a basis for the semantic critique of ‘Urban Elements’ lead the way to explic- that were overdetermined and too specif- of how to better facilitate the learning isolated urban design aspects in turn it, logical and replicable urban design ic yielded little space for parametric process and improve the learning curve fostering critical discussion and theoretical approaches. The explicit nature of para- variation. In some cases, the resulting has been identified as one of the major investigation. A fundamental urban metric definitions the urban design pro- solutions were narrowed down to a bina- areas for further research in the teach- design challenge remains: The conceptual cess transparent. This leads to a better ry ‘either, or’ solution that could have ing of parametric design. These results framework of the ‘Urban Elements’ understanding of the design process been reached more easily without para- clearly show that participants with a method requires systematically identified and provides insight into the student’s metric design. At the opposite end of the background in architecture and not urban design questions. Such an urban approach to the design tasks as a method scale, ‘Urban Elements’ that were too necessarily mathematics, programming design thesis is usually open-ended and that makes both the design concepts vague were difficult to approach para- and descriptive geometry were able to complex, however the parametric design and the parametric approach explicit. metrically as input parameters were not develop parametric design thinking platform Grasshopper demands explicitly It further increases the accountability of tangible and transformation rules unclear. quickly during the course with the help formulated rules that can be translated designers or design-decision makers. Some ‘Urban Elements’ turned out to of the ‘Urban Elements’ method. The into parametric definitions. Both open- It increases control by identify processes be nested elements of different complexi- method had the additional benefit of ended thesis and explicit rules can only and parameters that influence the design ties and scales. Those could then be addressing the needs of those participants be developed iteratively through a constant process and it helps manage the expec- unpacked into sets of relational elements that struggled to balance their work process of testing and feedback. Despite

Parametric Urban Design Tools 84 85 Parametric Urban Design Tools the immediate results visualised by the • Dennemark, Martin, Sven Schneider, • Rutton, D. (2017). Grasshopper: Algorithmic Reinhard Koenig, Abdulmalik Abdulmawla, and modeling for Rhino. Retrieved from computer, this process is still very time- Dirk Donath. 2017. “Towards a Modular http://www.grasshopper3d.com/ consuming and intellectually challenging. Design Strategy for Urban Masterplanning – • Schnabel, Marc Aurel. 2008. “Parametric The ‘Urban Elements’ are a method Experiences from a Parametric Urban Design Design in Urban Design.” Tsinghua University to explicate and expedite urban design Studio on Emerging Cities in Ethiopia.” Press & Springer. teaching for advanced and pro fes sional Pp. 485–94 in 35th eCAADe Conference, • Steinø, Nicolai. 2010. “Parametric Thinking in vol. 1. Retrieved (http://files/20380/ Urban Design.” http://cumincad.architexturez. students. The method opens up inter- ecaade2017_048.pdf). net/system/files/pdf/ascaad2010_261.content.pdf. faces to interdisciplinary research input • George, R. Varkki. 1997. “A Procedural • Steinø, Nicolai, and Niels Veirum Veirum. 2010. and can thus support evidence- based or Explanation for Contemporary Urban Design.” “A Parametric Approach to Urban Design – at least evidence-informed urban design. Journal of Urban Design 2 (2): 143–61. Tentative Formulations of a Methodology.” doi:10.1080/13574809708724401. Digital Design Methods – ECAADe 23, 679. This text is a shortened version of the • Hernandez, C.R.B., 2006. Thinking parametric • Stiny, George. 2006. Shape: Talking about design: introducing parametric Gaudi. Design Seeing and Doing. Cambridge, Mass.: forthcoming article: Studies, 27(3), pp.309–324. MIT Press. • Hillyard, R.C. and Braid, I.C., 1978. 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Some patterns for parametric modelling. “Diagrams as Parametric Systems in In 27th Annual Conference of the Association Urban Design – Parametric Systems Applied for Computer Aided Design in Architecture • Abdelsalam, M. 2009. The use of the smart to Conceptual Design.” New Frontiers: (pp. 222–229). Halifax: Dalhousie University. geometry through various design processes. In Digitizing Architecture: Formalization and Proceedings of the 15th International • Zünd, Daniel. 2016. “A Meso-Scale Framework Content, 4th International Conference Conference on Computer-Aided Architectural to Support Urban Planning.” ETH Zürich. Proceedings of the Arab Society for Computer Design Research in Asia CAADRIA 2010, Aided Architectural Design, Manama (Kingdom 337–346. of Bahrain) (pp. 297–304). • Karle, D and Kelly, B. 2011. “No title given’, • Alexander, Christopher, Sara Ishikawa, and Proceedings of ACADIA 2011. Murray Silverstein. 1977. A Pattern Language: • Kim, Jong Bum, Mark J. 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Parametric Urban Design Tools 86 87 Parametric Urban Design Tools URBAN ELEMENTS

The following section compiles the Urban Elements catalogue developed by participants during Term 2. These elements follow the thematic sections of Term 1 and their acronyms reflect where they belong to: UF Urban Form TD Typology & Density FU Function & Use ES Eco-Systems Service EM Engaging Mobility SE Sustainable Energy These domains are marked with pastel colors. The second letter refers to the scale of their application: S / M / L. The final numbers indicate their position in these sets. All Urban Elements feature a title, a short description, a diagram or sketch, a rule set and references. This allows them to be translated into parametric definitions at a later stage. The catalogue is result of the participants work. It is not intended to be complete, but rather an open collection that can be expanded at will.

89 Urban Elements List of Toh Juay Hai Urban Elements UF S11 Group 4, Anna Gasco #01

#03 #11 #05 #20 Optimising Building #07 Setback For Walkability #01 Optimising Building #29 Re-Purposed Rail Setback For Walkability Infrastructure #02 Balanced City #30 Urban Density / #03 Lane City (Section) Spatial Diversity #04 1 : 1+ Street #31 Multi-Prog Street #05 Tropical Walkway #32 Entranceways #06 Sectional Porosity #33 Intricate Setback to Enhance #34 Multi-Level Public Spaces Urban Environment #35 Synergistic Uses & #07 Large Public Spaces Urban Space in CBD #08 Active Plazas #36 Tetris City #09 Distinctive Skyline #37 Function, Urban #10 Balancing Privacy & Activity & Density Building Diversity #11 Active Pedestrian Streets #38 Death Ray Skyscraper Buffer Planting strip Sidewalk Drive lane #12 Urban Edge – Enclosure #39 Topographic Roof #13 Pedestrian-friendly #40 Greenery & Biodiversity Waterfront Developments #41 Green Replacement Relationship between setback and walk- Prototype Script ability is explored. Walkablllty may or may #14 Avoid Wall-Like Facades #42 Well-Vent City not be improved if there is no building Input #15 Iceberg City #43 Climate Canopy setback. The building programme or use Building use type & Road Category #16 Grain City #44 Linear Parks plays a vital role In the walkablllty. Apart #17 Curb(side) Matters #45 Weaved Multi-Scalar from the appropriate pedestrian footpath Rule and shade, different building types require Commercial at 1storey do not require setback; #18 Plot Porosity & Density Eco-Corridor different setback to improve walkability. Residential development require setback #19 Lane City (Plan) #46 Rooftop Ecology #20 Iceberg Tower #47 Multi-Modal Streets Output Planting strip position to be repositioned #21 Seal Holes in Podium #48 Breathing Streets appropriately #22 Building Typology Redux #49 Urban Accessibility #23 Anti-Form City for a #50 Continous Sidewalk BUILDING References More Human-Scale City #51 AV Streets + · · · · STREET • Moudon, Anne Vernez, Chanam Lee, Alien O. Cheadle, #24 Pixelated N’hood #52 The Travel Adaptor ARMATURE + + + + · Cheza Garvin, Donna Johnson, Thomas L. Schmid, #25 Facade Aperture #53 Cycling Network BLOCK Robert D. Weathers, and Lin Lin. “Operational Definitions PLAZA of Walkable Neighborhood: Theoretical and Empirical #26 Car-Lite Superillas #54 Max Reach + · · · · Insights.” Journal of Physical Activity & Health 3 (2006). QUARTER • “Walkability: How Can We Plan for It? – Future Cities #27 Inside-Outside by Public Transport DISTRICT Laboratory.” Accessed March 31, 2015. + + + + · • LTA “The Code of Practice on Street Work Proposal #28 Jenga City #55 Easy Breezy FABRIC NETWORK + + + + · Relating to Development Works” V.1.

Urban Elements 90 91 Urban Elements Tham Cheng-E Choo Li Jie UF S13 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #02 UF M11 Group 1, Naomi Hanakata #03

#10 #05 #16 #19 #19 #32 Balanced City #23 Lane City (Section)

Commercial GPR: 3.5 Commercial GPR: 3.5 Residential GPR: 14.6 (56-sty) Residential GPR: 8.4 (32-sty) Building

Y₁ Y

Y₂ Indoor Pedestrian lane pedestrian lane

X where X:Y = 1:1

The city should have a network of pedestrian Prototype Script lanes and thoroughfares designed at comfortable scale, so as to allow for intimate Input street activity. The streets of the city is often x, x2, y, y1, y2 (street width, building height) Housing a self-sufcient community with Prototype Script what gives it its character and generates equal numbers of jobs to workers and urban life. One such typology is the pedes- Rule with live-work distances kept to 400m Input trian lane, which can provide comfortable, x = 6m – 14.6m (see Annex, 2a and 2b); is possible by an inversion of floor ratio Commercial, residential floor area, worker intimate environments between buildings. y = 6m – 21.9m (see Annex, 2c and 2d); intensities between commercial and space standards (land use & per dwelling This can be observed in cities like Melbourne, x:y must be at least 1:1, up to 1:2 (see Annex, 1) residential developments. The idea bases unit, floor heights, road dimensions London, & Tokyo. Particularly in the context y2 = 3 – 6m, which should be well-articulated upon a superblock of about 450m by of Singapore, laneways can allow for the and activated (see Annex, 3) 450m and road network is minimised Rule creation of human-scale developments, in by maximising buildable space, commu- number of workers must equate place of large urban blocks. Output nal and park spaces. The replicable number of jobs Street cross-section of a laneway cell achieves a theoretical equilibrium between living and working. Output form and density of mosaics References

BUILDING BUILDING • Alexander, Christopher, Sara Ishikawa, and Murray + · · · · References + + + · · Silverstein. A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, STREET STREET Construction. Oxford University Press, 1977. ARMATURE ARMATURE • Dawes, Michael J., and Michael J. Ostwald. + · · · · • Oliveira, Vítor. “The Elements of Urban Form.” + + + + · “Christopher Alexander’s A Pattern Language: BLOCK BLOCK In Urban Morphology. The Urban Book Series. Analysing, Mapping and Classifying the Critical PLAZA PLAZA Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2016. Response.” City, Territory and Architecture 4, no. 1 + · · · · • Maki, Fuhimiko. Investigations in Collective Form. + + · · · QUARTER QUARTER (December 2017). DISTRICT Special Publication 2. St. Louis: The School DISTRICT • Newman, Peter, and Jeﬀrey Kenworthy. + + + · · of Architecture, Washington University, 1972. + + · · · “Urban Design to Reduce Automobile Dependence.” FABRIC FABRIC Opolis 2, no. 1 (2006). NETWORK + + + + + NETWORK + + · · ·

Urban Elements 92 93 Urban Elements Regina Koo Wang Wei UF M13 Group 3, Panos Mavros #04 UF M12 Group 1, Naomi Hanakata #05

#01 #12 #03 #03 #53 #11 #11 #12 1 : 1+ Street Tropical Walkway #19

Sidewalk Carriageway Centre median for Carriageway Sidewalk (incl. train) leisure & commuting (incl. train)

X where X:Y = 1:1 - 1:1.1

Wide streets can be pedestrian-friendly too. Prototype Script Many urban design manuals cite the rule for designing streets using a 1:1 height-to-width Input enclosure ratio for a comfortable pedestrian width of streets (from building to building), scale. While this generally holds true for height of buildings, width of elements that The Tropical Walkway seeks to provide Prototype Script small-width streets, Barcelona has shown form the street (e.g. median, road carriage shelter and shade from Singapore’s inclement that their 50-metre wide streets are just as way, sidewalk), height of trees, crown width weather and tropical climate, while creating Input enjoyable as the use of trees help to spatially a pedestrian-friendly experience walking Anticipated rainfall or direction of sunlight, define the street by providing a sense of Rule along the street. To do this, I propose that expected pedestrian volume enclosure and breaks down the scale. The height of trees = width of street of we treat the walkway as a “micro-street” use of street planting helps to define differ- (part thereof) set along the building, in which walkable Rule ent ‘components’ of the street and break urban design principles relating to frontage, All pedestrians to be sheltered from rain. down the scale of a wide street. Different- Output proportion of width versus height, a sense Achieve walkway proportion of 1:1 to 1:1.2 sized trees are selected based on the break down streets into units of 1:1 of intimacy, and activity generating uses are dimen sion of the sidewalk to create a sense applied. Output of enclosure and a acceptable h–w ratio. Width and height of walkway References

BUILDING • Eggermond, Michael van, and Alexander L. Erath. BUILDING References + + + · · “Quantifying Diversity: An Assessment of Diversity Indices + + + · · STREET FCL Magazine STREET and an Application to Singapore.” • Marshall, Stephen. “Introduction.” In Streets & Patterns, ARMATURE Special Issue – Urban Breeding Grounds, ARMATURE May 2016, 30–37. 1st ed., 1–23. London ; New York: Spon, 2005. + + + + · • Hillier, Bill. “Cities as Movement Economies.” + + + + + BLOCK BLOCK • Alexander, Christopher. A City Is Not a Tree. PLAZA URBAN DESIGN International 1, no. 1 (March 1996): 41–60. PLAZA Edited by Michael W Mehaﬀy, 2015. + · · · · https://doi.org/10.1057/udi.1996.5. + · · · · • Alexander, Christopher, Sara Ishikawa, and Murray QUARTER • Marshall, Stephen. “Introduction.” In Streets & Patterns, QUARTER Silverstein. A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, DISTRICT DISTRICT + · · · · 1st ed., 1–23. London ; New York: Spon, 2005. + · · · · Construction. Oxford University Press, 1977. FABRIC FABRIC NETWORK + · · · · NETWORK + · · · ·

Urban Elements 94 95 Urban Elements Toh Juay Hal Ya Ou Zhang UF L11 Group 4, Anna Gasco #06 UF L12 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #07

#05 #18 #09 #10 #22 #19 Sectional Porosity to #15 #27 Large Public Spaces #37 Enhance Urban Environment

Relationship between building depth and Prototype Script Open space adjacent to pedes trian flow is Prototype Script height of the ground floor voids. Although important to provide room for social & recre- architects and planners often examine Input ational activities. The size of the open space Input the porosity of buildings and blocks in plan, Depth of Building = D should be related to the number of users No.of users derived from GFA / the porosity of buildings in section is also which can be derived from the building GFA Site outline / Grid equally important in establishing the experi- Rule of the area. It could be in the big scale of ence of the urban voids i.e. atriums, through- H = xD, where “x” = Pre-determined Ratio a neighbourhood to derive the size of the key Rule block links, etc. at the ground floor. This open spaces such as town plaza along the Each user should have atleast _ sqm principle explores how voids in buildings / Output main pedes trian thoroughfare. It could also of open space structures can be directly proportionate to Height of Void = H be in the smaller scale of informal spaces the depth of building which also addresses such as providing pocket open spaces for Output solar comfort and ventilation at the long pedestrian street at regular intervals. Locations & sizes of open space street-level. References in re lalion to pedestrian street and buildings

BUILDING • Busquets, Joan. “Deﬁning the Urbanistic Project: BUILDING + + + + + Ten Contemporary Approaches.” In Urban Design, + · · · · References STREET edited by Alex Krieger and William S. Saunders, 131–34. STREET ARMATURE Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2009. ARMATURE + · · · · • Lynch, Kevin. “The Image of the Environment.” + + + · · • Marshall, Stephen. “Introduction.” In Streets & Patterns, BLOCK BLOCK In The Image of the City, 1–13. Publication of the Joint Center 1st ed., 1–23. London ; New York: Spon, 2005. PLAZA PLAZA for Urban Studies. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT PRESS, 1960. • Whyte, William Hollingsworth. The Social Life of Small + + + · · + + + + + Urban Spaces. 7. print. New York, NY: Project QUARTER • Moudon, Anne Vernez. “Getting to Know the Built QUARTER DISTRICT Landscape: Typomorphology.” In Ordering Space: DISTRICT for Public Spaces, 1980. + + + · · Types in Architecture and Design, edited by K A Franck + + + · · FABRIC and L H Schneekloth, 289–311. New York: Van Nostrand FABRIC NETWORK + + + + + Reinhold, 1994. NETWORK + + · · ·

Urban Elements 96 97 Urban Elements Wang Wei Ya Ou Zhang UF L12 Group 1, Naomi Hanakata #08 UF L13 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #09

#03 #01 #06 #08 #11 #37 Active Plazas #31 Distinctive Skyline #15

Public plaza

Although research suggests that public Prototype Script plazas perform important social and community gathering places, it is not uncommon Input to find poorly utilised spaces that are Anticipated number of persons. ill- defined or unwanted deemed as plazas or Building form and design. A distinctive skyline is an important way to Prototype Script squares (Alexander, 1977). As such, this create unique identity for a district or city. element seeks to define the key ingredients Rule The building height can step up as it gets Input that support the development of active Minimally, 1 person to 27m² of plaza space. closer to the centre of an area or vice versa. Total GFA / Sita outline / Grid plazas. Length and breadth of plaza to be no more This creates hierarchy and visual interest than 135m. At least 70% of building edge line compared to having a uniform building height Rule the perimeter of the plaza. Width to building for the entire district. However, a distinctive The tallest building should be _ m taller height at 6:1. skyline should not lead to the race to create than the median building height of an area the tallest skyscraper which may result Output in negative environmental and economic Output Size and shape of plaza consequences. Locations & building height differences in relation to a centre

References BUILDING BUILDING References + + · · · • Pollalis, Spiro N., ed. “Challenges in Infrastructure + + + + + STREET Planning and Implementation.” In Planning Sustainable STREET ARMATURE ARMATURE • Oliveira, Vítor. “The Elements of Urban Form.” + + · · · Cities: An Infrastructure-Based Approach. New York: In Urban Morphology. The Urban Book Series. Routledge, 2016. + · · · · BLOCK BLOCK Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2016. PLAZA • Khanna, Parag. Connectography: Mapping the PLAZA • Rowe, Colin, and Fred Koetter. “Crisis of the Object: + + + + + Future of Global Civilization. Random House, 2016. + + · · · The Predicament of Texture.” In Collage City, 50–84. QUARTER • Alexander, Christopher, Sara Ishikawa, and Murray QUARTER Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1998. DISTRICT Silverstein. A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, DISTRICT + · · · · Construction. Oxford University Press, 1977. + + + + · FABRIC FABRIC NETWORK + · · · · NETWORK + + · · ·

Urban Elements 98 99 Urban Elements Toh Juay Hai Linda Lui UF S22 Group 4, Anna Gasco #10 UF S23 Group 1, Naomi Hanakata #11

#02 #03 #17 #16 #06 #20 #19 #07 #21 Balancing Privacy #21 Active Pedestrian & Density Streets

10 Storey 25 Storey 36 Storey

20m 28m 35m

Increase pedestrian area Allow higher buildings

In line with the drive towards a more car-lite Prototype Script How close is dose? Prototype Script society & the use of sustainable transport The relation between building height and systems, there are less vehicles on the roads, Input distance between buildings inﬂuences the Input thereby reducing the area required for cars. Street section, number of lanes, privacy in residential buildings when the H = Height of Building More of the street space can now be given height of buildings building elevations overlaps. This can W = Width of Building Elevation Overlap up to pedestrians by reclaiming the road lanes be achieved by incrementally increasing the along existing streets for pedestrian related Rule distance between buildings as the building Rule amenities, e.g. trees for shade, wider side- Increase pedestrian area for each additional height increases. A wider distance (X) between buildings walks with seats and outdoor refreshment level of adjacent buildings to be provided when: areas (ORAs). This allows for the creation of • the buildings get higher, or active and well-shaded pedestrian streets. Output • the larger W value This also enhances the sense of enclosure Increased pedestrian area and denser and pedestrian’s experience of the city. buildings Output X = Distance between Buildings BUILDING + + + + · BUILDING + + + · · References STREET STREET ARMATURE References ARMATURE • Gehl, Jan, Lotte Johansen Kaefer, and Solvejg Reigstad. + + · · · + + + + · “Close Encounters with Buildings.” URBAN DESIGN BLOCK BLOCK International 11, no. 1 (April 2006): 29–47. • Koolhaas, Rem. “City of the Captive Globe.” In Delirious PLAZA PLAZA • Gehl, Jan, and Birgitte Svarre. How to Study Public Life. New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan, + + + + · + + + · · Washington: Island Press, 2013. 294–96. New York, 1978. QUARTER QUARTER • Hölscher, C, and R C Dalton. Interdisciplinary Approaches • Maki, Fuhimiko. Investigations in Collective Form. DISTRICT DISTRICT to Architectural Research: Case Study of the Seattle + · · · · Special Publication 2. St. Louis: The School of Architecture, + · · · · Central Library. Farnham, UK: Ashgate Publishers, 2017. FABRIC Washington University, 1972. FABRIC NETWORK NETWORK • Hillier, Bill. “Cities as Movement Economies.” URBAN + · · · · + · · · · DESIGN International 1, no. 1 (March 1996): 41–60.

Urban Elements 100 101 Urban Elements Linda Lui Danette Zhuang UF M21 Group 1, Naomi Hanakata #12 UF M23 Group 4, Anna Gasco #13

#03 #13 #03 #12 #06 #34 #06 #26 Urban Edge – #11 Pedestrian-friendly #11 #34 Enclosure Waterfront Developments

2.5H or 5H W H

Streets that are intimate in scale are Indicative section showing the relationship of waterfront and more conducive for street activities. height of low-rise podium and buildings at the back

help frame the space for pedestrians. Building edges when planned carefully will Streets that are intimate in scale are more The interface between the urban fabric and Prototype Script influence how pedestrians and drivers enjoy conducive for street activities as pedestrians its waterfront is one of the crucial elements the city. Streets that are conducive for street feel the sense of enclosure from the build- in forming the pedestrian-friendly experi- Input activities are “intimate” in scale with a street ings that flank the streets. Wider streets ence of the waterfront. This is especially W = Width of Waterfront; D = W+20 width to building height ratio of 1:1 to 1:1.5, provide a clear structure to the city and sensitive for waterbodies which have devel- whereby 20m = 10m + 10m promenade with a building height of about 20 meters a sense of orientation for drivers. As these opments living on both sides of the bank, along both sides of river or canal (4 to 5 storeys). Wider streets provide a streets tend to be wider and buildings such as along the Singapore River and clear structure to the city and a sense of are taller, pedestrians typically also feel canal within Havelock study site. To form a Rule orien tation for drivers but tend to overwhelm overwhelmed within that space. human scale-sectional relationship between H = xD pedestrians. This can be overcome, for the waterway and urban fabric along it, the whereby “x” = pre-determinded ratio example by introducing a central landscape height of buildings and the height of podi- spine with the appropriate landscape design References ums along the waterfront should be directly Output to reduce the scale of the wide street and proportionate to the waterway width. H = Height of Podium • Gehl, Jan, and Birgitte Svarre. How to Study Public Life. Washington: Island Press, 2013. BUILDING • Boontharam, Davisi. “The Idea of Creative Reuse Urbanism BUILDING – The Roles of Local Creativities in Culturally Sustainable References + + + · · Place-Making: Tokyo, Bangkok, Singapore.” In Future + + + + · STREET STREET Asian Space: Projecting the Urban Space of New East Asia, ARMATURE ARMATURE • Busquets, Joan. “Defining the Urbanistic Project: + + + + · edited by Limin Hee, Davisi Boontharm, and Erwin Viray, + · · · · Ten Contemporary Approaches.” In Urban Design, BLOCK 73–87. Singapore: NUS Press for Centre for Advanced BLOCK edited by Alex Krieger and William S. Saunders, 131–34. PLAZA Studies in Architecture (CASA), Dept. of Architecture, PLAZA Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2009. + + + + + National University of Singapore, 2012. + · · · · • Christiaanse, Kees. “The Open City and Its Enemies.” QUARTER QUARTER In Open City: Designing Coexistence, edited by Tim DISTRICT DISTRICT + · · · · + + + · · Rieniets, Jennifer Sigler, and Kees Christiaanse, 25–36. FABRIC FABRIC Amsterdam: SUN, 2009. NETWORK + · · · · NETWORK + + + + +

Urban Elements 102 103 Urban Elements Ouyang Zhuorui Lee Swee Wei UF L22 Group 4, Anna Gasco #14 UF L23 Group 1, Naomi Hanakata #15

#09 #23 #06 #30 #18 #25 #10 #34 Avoid Wall-Like #20 Iceberg City #18 #36 Facades

Main datum

Wall-like building Collection of towers with sectional porosity

– above ground. This can be provide guide Wall-like facades can be prevented by intro- Prototype Script Urban density is often formed by our feeling for simulation to determine skyline and ducing porosity between buildings based of the skyline above ground. As such, placing underground extent. on the height-to-width ratio of the buildings. Input more city mass underground whenever we As cities become denser and more develop- H= Height of the building can – infrastructure and uses such as services, ments are being built taller and closer, some retail spaces, presents an opportunity for Prototype Script buildings become so close that they form a Rule realising new functions in urban areas with- wall-like effect that undermines the quality of 3750/H = W(max), where if H > 75m, out adding massing to the cityscape. This Input urban form. To prevent wall-like effect, a gap then W(max) is 50m. also frees up existing space above ground Gross Plot Ratio (GPR)/ is introduced into the building elevation H/5 = G(min), where if H > 100m, for greenery, open spaces and liveable spac- Gross Floor Areas (GFA) based on use, Uses when its width reaches a maximum, relative then G(min) is 20m. es such as residential and community spaces. to its height. The Punggol Waterway Terrace A data set is to be created for each user Rule is a negative example of wall-like development. Output group to determine the norm for the different Based on data set as a guide, As the building height increases, the maxi- W(max) = Maximum width of the building detailed uses, before categorising each to % of GFA above ground and % GFA mum width of the building elevation should tower before a gap need to be introduced ether above and below ground GFA, ie car- below ground are designated decrease, and the minimum gap between the park and services, retail, theatre – below towers should increase to enhance porosity. ground; residential, classrooms, hotel rooms Output References Massing showing sections of the city below & above ground; and common datum below BUILDING • Busquets, Joan. “Defining the Urbanistic Project: BUILDING ground for UPN (Underground Network) + + + + · Ten Contemporary Approaches.” In Urban Design, + + + + + STREET edited by Alex Krieger and William S. Saunders, 131–34. STREET ARMATURE Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2009. ARMATURE + + · · · • Koolhaas, Rem. “City of the Captive Globe.” In Delirious + · · · · References BLOCK BLOCK New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan, • Lyster, Clare. “Storage Flows: Logistics as Urban PLAZA PLAZA + · · · · 294–96. New York, 1978. + + · · · Choreography.” Harvard Design Magazine, 2016. QUARTER • Whyte, William Hollingsworth. The Social Life of Small QUARTER • Richthofen, Aurel von, Katja Knecht, Yufan Miao, and König DISTRICT Urban Spaces. 7. print. New York, NY: Project for DISTRICT Reinhard. “The ‘Urban Elements’ Method for Teaching + + + + · Public Spaces, 1980. + · · · · Parametric Urban Design to Professionals.” Frontiers of FABRIC FABRIC Architectural Research, 2018. NETWORK + · · · · NETWORK + · · · ·

Urban Elements 104 105 Urban Elements Tham Cheng-E Jacob Tan TD S12 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #16 TD S13 Group 4, Anna Gasco #17

#03 #19 #04 #12 #06 #22 #05 #13 Grain City #18 Curb(side) Matters #11

Commercial Road Park Residential

Porosity of a cell superblock can be increased Prototype Script Curb design can make our intersec tions Prototype Script by reducing park space and breaking up more pedestrian-friendly and safer to use. residential parcels into finer “city-grains” and Input By reducing the turning radius of the Input interspersing them with greenery and em- road area, part area, sidewalk area, intersection corners of a trafc Junction, Rb = turning radius or baseline curb ployment nodes of similar density. Whilst this development densities, perimeter we can achieve a number of good outcomes Rr = turning radius of revised curb is at the expense of parkland, the proportion (as proxy for streetblock porosity) for the pedestrian. First. we can reclaim space dedicated to roads remains largely more space for the pedestrian for waiting, Rule unchanged. This is a significant benefit as Rule lingering, and even for the street kiosk. Rb > Rr the porosity achieved not only caters for number of jobs, workers and development Second, pedestrians need to transverse pedestrians, but holds vehicular trafc also. density must remain the same for both shorter distances at road crossings. Lastly, Output scenarios it improves safety as vehicles will slow D = crossing distance at Intersection down even more to make their turns at the A = area gained by smaller turning radius Output intersections. maximise perimeter and sidewalk spaces as measure of block permeability References

• Carlson, Laura A., Christoph Hölscher, Thomas F. References Shipley, and Ruth Conroy Dalton. “Getting Lost in BUILDING BUILDING Buildings.” Current Directions in Psychological Science 19, no. 5 (October 2010): 284–89. + · · · · • Alexander, Christopher. A City Is Not a Tree. + · · · · • Eggermond, Michael van, and Alexander L. Erath. STREET Edited by Michael W Mehaﬀy, 2015. STREET ARMATURE ARMATURE “Quantifying Diversity: An Assessment of Diversity • Christiaanse, Kees. “The Open City and Its Enemies.” Indices and an Application to Singapore.” + + · · · Open City: Designing Coexistence, + + + + + BLOCK In edited by BLOCK FCL Magazine Special Issue – Urban Breeding PLAZA Tim Rieniets, Jennifer Sigler, and Kees Christiaanse, PLAZA Grounds, May 2016, 30–37. + + + + · 25–36. Amsterdam: SUN, 2009. + · · · · • Marshall, Stephen. “Introduction.” In Streets & QUARTER • Richthofen, Aurel von, Ludovica Tomarchio, and QUARTER Patterns, 1st ed., 1–23. London ; New York: Spon, DISTRICT DISTRICT Goethe Institute Singapore. “Smart / Cultural Cities 2005. + + + + · Knowledge Map.” Report. Singapore: Singapore + · · · · FABRIC FABRIC NETWORK + + + + + ETH Centre, June 2018. NETWORK + · · · ·

Urban Elements 106 107 Urban Elements Ya Ou Zhang Wang Wei TD M11 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #18 TD M12 Group 1, Naomi Hanakata #19

#02 #02 #07 #08 #03 #15 #09 #05 Plot Porosity & Density #36 Lane City (Plan)

Plot ratio can be used to mea sure the Prototype Script Pedestrian life is a key part of the city, and Prototype Script density of an area. The resultant aver age it is important that planning for walkability building height has a greater impact on Input provides a foundation in the urban structure Input the perception of density, and it can Plot ratio I Site outline / Grid of the city. However, the advent of the large Length of street, location of junctions, be derived from the total GFA and average urban block has created highly un-porous location of destinations, pedestrian volumes building site coverage per plot. An area Rule walking environments, and results in long, can achieve the same plot ratio with Each plot should have on average _ % of roundabout walking routes to get to destina- Rule different building heights. However, there building site coverage tions. As such, the Lane City (Plan) seeks At least 1 thoroughfare laneway with every is a limit to horizontal density, which beyond to create a dense network of laneways and 200m of street frontage. Laneways to connect a certain point having high rise develop- Output through-block links that supports walkability. junctions and destinations in a direct line ments in inevitabe to achieve the extra high Average building height plot ratio. Output Network of laneways References BUILDING BUILDING + + + · · • Baccini, Peter, and Franz Oswald. “Designing the Urban: + + + · · References STREET Linking Physiology and Morphology.” In Handbook of STREET ARMATURE Transdisciplinary Research, edited by Gertrude Hirsch ARMATURE + + + · · + + · · · • Alexander, Christopher. A City Is Not a Tree. Hadorn, Holger Hoffmann-Riem, Susette Biber-Klemm, BLOCK BLOCK Edited by Michael W Mehaffy, 2015. Walter Grossenbacher-Mansuy, Dominique Joye, Christian PLAZA PLAZA • Alexander, Christopher, Sara Ishikawa, and Murray Pohl, Urs Wiesmann, and Elisabeth Zemp. Dordrecht; + · · · · + + + + · Silverstein. A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, QUARTER London: Springer, 2008. QUARTER Construction. Oxford University Press, 1977. DISTRICT • Baccini, Peter, Franz Oswald, and Mark Michaeli, eds. DISTRICT • Richthofen, Aurel von, Katja Knecht, Yufan Miao, + + + + + “The Synoikos Method.” In Netzstadt: Designing the Urban, + + + + · FABRIC FABRIC and König Reinhard. “The ‘Urban Elements’ Method for 251–83. Basel: Birkhauser, 2003. NETWORK NETWORK Teaching Parametric Urban Design to Professionals.” + + · · · + + + + + Frontiers of Architectural Research, 2018.

Urban Elements 108 109 Urban Elements Lee Swee Wei Lee Swee Wei TD M13 Group 1, Naomi Hanakata #20 TD M13 Group 1, Naomi Hanakata #21

#03 #02 #04 #06 #05 #34 Iceberg Tower #15 Seal Holes in Podium #37

element can then be used to guide the approach can be taken especially for large Perception of openness relates to how much extent of podium to be built out into the Continuing from the iceberg city concept, parcels (>1ha) to encourage porosity one is open to sky. This applies to building streets instead. the freed space above ground is prioritised while still maintaining the street edges. edge, or massing including trees. One of the to the ground datum, returning the ground reference taken in this study is the streets space to people again for breathing space/ in the older part of Barcelona where buildings Prototype Script escape and connectivity. Learning from Prototype Script are capped at max 22m, but the streetscape Barcelona where they are taking back the still feel comfortable as a walking and ‘open’ Input central space in the block for green open Input space even in narrow laneways. This study Podium ht (max 22m), Tower height, space, the proposal simulates the possibility Plot size, GFA suggest that to maintain that comfortable reference point of view of redistribute this open space to other view of openness, any part of a building urban open spaces such as city rooms, Rule beyond 22m high, is to be setback beyond Rule link-ways etc, doubling up as connections, Land coverage, max street-block depth the sky view cone. With the current road diet View cone angle (to be determined breaking down the scale of the city for move in Singapore, it is proposed that road pedestrians.In Singapore, land coverage is Output reserve is reduced accordingly to allow for Output not applied to the city blocks so as to Porous and connected podium, redevelopment and creation of more inti- Extent of buildable tower zone maintain the urban edges. However, similar while still maintaining urban building edges mate, low scale street edge in the city. This while still maintaining the sense of openness on the street level References BUILDING BUILDING + + + + + References + + · · · • Hart, Sara, Ken Yeang, and David Littleﬁeld, eds. “Essay.” STREET STREET In Ecoarchitecture: The Work of Ken Yeang, 258–63. ARMATURE ARMATURE Chichester: Wiley, 2011. + + + · · • Koolhaas, Rem, Stefano Boeri, Sanford Kwinter, Nadia Tazi, + + · · · The • Lynch, Kevin. “The Image of the Environment.” In BLOCK Hans Ulrich Obrist, Harvard Project on the City, and Arc BLOCK Image of the City, 1–13. Publication of the Joint Center PLAZA en rêve centre d’architecture. Mutations: Rem Koolhaas, PLAZA for Urban Studies. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT PRESS, 1960. · · · · · Harvard Project on the City, Stefano Boeri, Multiplicity, + + · · · QUARTER QUARTER • Whyte, William Hollingsworth. The Social Life of Small Sanford Kwinter, Nadia Tazi, Hans Ulrich Obrist. DISTRICT DISTRICT Urban Spaces. 7. print. New York, NY: Project for Public Barcelona; Bordeaux, France: ACTAR ; Arc en rêve centre · · · · · + + · · · Spaces, 1980. FABRIC d’architecture, 2000. FABRIC NETWORK + + + · · NETWORK + + + + +

Urban Elements 110 111 Urban Elements Jacob Tan Jacob Tan TD L11 Group 4, Anna Gasco #22 TD L12 Group 4, Anna Gasco #23

#02 #22 #18 #24 #23 #27 Building Typology Redux #24 Anti-Form City for a More Human-Scale City Pavilion

Street

Court

It can be argued that historic, recent even Prototype Script A city with shorter buildings and more open Prototype Script future building typologies can be distilled / communal spaces will be perceived as into archetypes of the pavilion, the street Input being more human-scale. Tho achieve this, Input and the court. The pavilion is a singular Ap = total floor area of pavilion form we take a city grid made up of tower blocks A1 = total floor < area of tower array point. The street typology builds upon this As = total floor area of street form (“form”), and reverse it (“anti-form”). The Ac = total floor area of court array by extending the pavilion along an axis. Ac = total floor area of court form spaces occupied by the tower blocks would The court is derived by extending It along be turned into open/communal spaces, Rule two sides. When the built form plotted Rule and courtyard buildings would then just A1 = A0 against the number and of storeys for each Constant angle to be maintained surround these open/communal spaces. As one of the three built forms, assuming a for all forms. courtyard buildings are more efcient in the Output constant angle between buildings, it can where S (= no. of storeys) is increased dispersion of floor area compared to tower H1 = height or tower array be shown that after a certain height the blocks, the Anti-form City would result in = height or court array pavilion ceases to use land with increasing Output shorter building with are more human-scale, efciency. Built potential of respective forms with open/communal spaces for public life. References

References • Alexander, Christopher. A City Is Not a Tree. Edited by Michael W Mehaffy, 2015. • Berghauser Pont, Meta, and Per Haupt. Spacematrix: BUILDING • Christiaanse, Kees. “The Open City and Its Enemies.” BUILDING Space, Density and Urban Form. NAI, 2010. In Open City: Designing Coexistence, edited by + · · · · + · · · · • Christiaanse, Kees. “The Open City and Its Enemies.” STREET Tim Rieniets, Jennifer Sigler, and Kees Christiaanse, STREET In Open City: Designing Coexistence, edited by ARMATURE 25–36. Amsterdam: SUN, 2009. ARMATURE Tim Rieniets, Jennifer Sigler, and Kees Christiaanse, + · · · · • Hart, Sara, Ken Yeang, and David Littlefield, eds. + · · · · BLOCK BLOCK 25–36. Amsterdam: SUN, 2009. “Essay.” In Ecoarchitecture: The Work of Ken Yeang, PLAZA PLAZA + · · · · 258–63. Chichester: Wiley, 2011. + · · · · QUARTER • LeCavalier, Jesse, ed. “Bodies: Coping with QUARTER DISTRICT Data-Rich Environments.” In The Rule of Logistics, DISTRICT + + + · · 151–78. Walmart and the Architecture of Fulfillment. + + + · · FABRIC University of Minnesota Press, 2016. FABRIC NETWORK + + + + + NETWORK + + + + +

Urban Elements 112 113 Urban Elements Chua Gong Ya Nguyen TD L13 Group 3, Panos Mavros #24 TD S22 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #25

#14 #03 #16 #05 #36 #08 Pixelated N’hood #41 Facade Aperture

unfolding, pushes panels outward and forms A dense environment can be configured in a Prototype Script The openess of the facade should respond a three dimensional kinetic system providing way that small-scale yet tightly grouped to the width of the road i.e. the narrower shading & reduces glares. volumes can achieve unity as well as hybridity. Input the road is, the more open the facade aper- In a dense environment where common form Site area / Circulation cores / Network of ture should be. This will allow the interior predominates, the unique single unit identity public spaces / Live & work units. of the buidling in the narrow street get Prototype Script is lost amongst a larger layout. Pixelation sufcient diffuse sunlight and natural ven- itself is hinting at more robust spatial config- Rule tilation through the facade aperture if it Input urations between the categories of interior To permute live & work units along the hori- is over-shadowed or blocked by the other Width of the road (y) and exterior. It redefines our understanding zontal or vertical axis that is govern by circu- building on the other side of the road. A of figure and ground as well as field and object. lation cores and network of public spaces. momotary screen is a kinematic translation Rule On the one end, the undefined form can of a Momotani fold that is adaptable to sun The openess of the facade will increase when be viewed as uniformity – visually lost. On Output paths and sun angles. The below facade the width of the road decrease. x/y = Constant the other, the maximisation of private spaces Horizontal and vertical neighbourhoods prototype is a movable structure that forms has resulted in the display of desire for indivi- system with terraced building form coupled an external shading device for existing Output duality by identifiable ‘Units’ – Units that are with open spaces. social housing in Singapore. The design is Facade opening (x) spontaneous and different from the order. based on Momotani folding pattern that by

References References BUILDING BUILDING + + + + + • Busquets, Joan. “Deﬁning the Urbanistic Project: + + + + + • Gehl, Jan, and Birgitte Svarre. How to Study Public Life. STREET Ten Contemporary Approaches.” In Urban Design, STREET Washington: Island Press, 2013. ARMATURE edited by Alex Krieger and William S. Saunders, 131–34. ARMATURE • Khanna, Parag. Connectography: Mapping the Future of + + + · · + + + + · Global Civilization. BLOCK Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2009. BLOCK Random House, 2016. PLAZA • Richthofen, Aurel von, Katja Knecht, Yufan Miao, PLAZA + + · · · and König Reinhard. “The ‘Urban Elements’ Method + · · · · QUARTER for Teaching Parametric Urban Design to Professionals.” QUARTER DISTRICT Frontiers of Architectural Research, 2018. DISTRICT + + + · · • Schröpfer, Thomas. “The Dense and Green Paradigm.” + + + · · FABRIC FABRIC Dense + Green: Innovative Building Types for Sustainable NETWORK In NETWORK + + + + · Urban Architecture, 12–37. Basel: Birkhäuser, 2016. + + · · ·

Urban Elements 114 115 Urban Elements Lim Wei Qi Eugene Lau TD S23 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #26 TD M21 Group 3, Panos Mavros #27

#07 #16 #02 #22 #11 #18 #16 #24 Car-Lite Superillas #13 Inside-Outside #18

ROADS

SHARED STREETS + PUBLIC SPACE

superilla, a result of bottom up intervention Barcelona superillas area top-down initiative with top-down guidelines. Low-rise buildings make for a more pedes- Prototype Script Intended to improve the public realm by trian friendly environment that can foster restricting vehicular entry and creating better community living which contributes Input shared streets for activities. In reality, the Prototype Script to a liveable city. As cities around the Site area, Gross Plot Ratio (GPR), ad-hoc street furniture placed on the streets world struggle with housing a burgeoning building setback are underused and few activities take place, Input popu lation on scarce city land, can low-rise which means shared streets are not effective existing land parcels, access points high-density developments be a good Rule nor popular public spaces. There is oppor- solution to this challenges without compro- Size of courtyard shall always be tunity to amalgamate and consolidate Rule mising the quality of life? The script aims a percentage of the building footprint. vehicular accesses when various small land to restrict vehicular access off certain to examine the relationship between the parcels within the same urban block rede- frontages yet achieving a workable one-way inside (semi-private courtyard) versus out- Output velop. This frees up certain frontages for trafc flow side (streetscape through building setback) Resultant Gross Plot Ratio (GPR), public activities without having to share with to achieve a balance for both residents site coverage, building form (no. of storeys) vehicular trafc. Incrementally, over time, Output and pedestrians. and resultant “public space” more usable public spaces unique to the incremental consolidation of access points pace of redevelopment will result in each (I.e. fewer roads) and resultant larger area of public space References BUILDING BUILDING + · · · · References + + + + + • Baccini, Peter, Franz Oswald, and Mark Michaeli, eds. STREET STREET “The Synoikos Method.” In Netzstadt: Designing the ARMATURE ARMATURE Urban, 251–83. Basel: Birkhauser, 2003. + + + + + • Pollalis, Spiro N., ed. “Challenges in Infrastructure Planning + + + · · • Townsend, Anthony M. “New Civics for a Smart Century.” BLOCK and Implementation.” In Planning Sustainable Cities: An BLOCK In Smart Cities: Big Data, Civic Hackers, and the PLAZA Infrastructure-Based Approach. New York: Routledge, 2016. PLAZA Quest for a New Utopia, First edition. New York: + + + + · • https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/may/17/ + + + + · QUARTER QUARTER W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. DISTRICT superblocks-rescue-barcelona-spain-plan-give-streets- DISTRICT + + + · · back-residents + + · · · FABRIC FABRIC NETWORK + + + · · NETWORK + + · · ·

Urban Elements 116 117 Urban Elements Eugene Lau Lim Wei Qi TD M23 Group 3, Panos Mavros #28 TD L21 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #29

#02 #25 #05 #39 #16 #30 #11 #40 #18 #41 #34 Jenga City #20 #52 Re-Purposed Rail Infrastructure

context and is meant to remain “perpetually In a dense tropical city like Singapore, Prototype Script After the last train ran in 1980, the Highline unfinished” to sustain emergent growth and sky-rise greenery is important to provide was reclaimed by nature, with self-seeded change over time. urban respite and contribute to a sustainable Input landscape growing along the tracks during built environment. The 100% Landscape Building form with fixed number of floors the 25 years after trains stopped running. Replacement Area (LRA) policy is a circular subdivided into equal units that will represent Prototype Script that encourages the provision of sky-rise a sky terrace. The winning entry for the preservation of greenery through an exemption of Gross Highline and conversion into a public open Input Floor Area which is then displaced to another Rule space played up on the relationship be tween Width of each strip, part of the development within the building The randomised provision of each unit of nature and the built environment, and the surrounding land uses envelope. This is simulated with the script sky terrace will result in the displacement strategy of “Agri-Tecture” combining organic which calculates the maximum achievable of the unit to the top of the building. and building materials into gradients of Rule green replacement through the substitution changing proportions to accommodate the 1. Character of part to take cue of displaced units with new blocks on the Output wild, the cultivated, the intimate, the hyper- from surrounding land uses roof of the building form. A building form with randomised provision of social. These linear permutations provide 2. Define min / max soft / sky terraces (of 1 per floor) until the maximum flexibility and responsiveness to the changing hardscape proportions height of the building is achieved. needs, opportunities, desires of the dynamic Output Flexible permutation of different proportions BUILDING + + + + + References BUILDING + · · · · of softscape vs hardscape STREET STREET Investigations in Collective Form. ARMATURE • Maki, Fuhimiko. ARMATURE + · · · · Special Publication 2. St. Louis: The School of Architecture, + + + · · References BLOCK Washington University, 1972. BLOCK PLAZA • Richthofen, Aurel von, and Naomi Hanakata. “Conversation PLAZA + + + + · on Designing Future Cities with Measures for a New Urban + · · · · • http://www.thehighline.org QUARTER Agenda with Richard Hassell.” In Future Cities Laboratory: QUARTER • Grêt-Regamey, Adrienne, Enrico Celio, Thomas M. Klein, DISTRICT DISTRICT Indicia 01, edited by Stephen Cairns and Devisari Tunas, and Ulrike Wissen Hayek. “Understanding Ecosystem + · · · · + + + · · Services Trade-Offs with Interactive Procedural Modeling FABRIC 82–85. Singapore ETH Centre: Lars Muller Publishers, 2017. FABRIC Landscape and NETWORK NETWORK for Sustainable Urban Planning.” + · · · · + + + + + Urban Planning 109, no. 1 (January 2013): 107–16.

Urban Elements 118 119 Urban Elements Eugene Lau Kimmy Cheung TD L23 Group 3, Panos Mavros #30 FU S11 Group 3, Panos Mavros #31

#06 #04 #08 #11 #05 #37 #20 #06 Urban Density / #25 Multi-Prog Street Spatial Diversity

To have active street-life, there needs to be Prototype Script activity-generating uses lined along the street, such as shops or F&B uses. However, Input a street lined with a single type of use would Length of the street, number of shops, A key prerequisite of urbanisation is density; Prototype Script not be interesting and attractive. There at least 2 different types of uses complemented by other factors such as smart should be different types of programmes, technologies and mixed- use planning, high Input so that there is opportunity for various type Rule density ensures that a city is sufciently District structure plan and assigned gross of interaction. For example, experiencing 25% of the shops along one side of compact to encourage an organic evolution plot ratios. the shops, people watch, alfresco dinning etc. the street has to be of a different use into a self-sustaining metropolis. For a In addition, such approach would also ensure (non-predator use) tropical city like Singapore, what is the best Rule that the street is active throughout the day. form of urban density that will result in a Streets create the structure of the district with Output variety of urban spaces for a sense of respite a variety of land parcel sizes. Determinant min- Non-predator use are randomised amongst the density? What kind of spatial imum parcel size to guide typology assignment. along the street diversity is required that will best cater for a climate in Singapore? Output Parcels bigger than the stipulated control size References will result in LRHD building form with court- BUILDING yards while those smaller will result in a HRHD BUILDING • Gehl, Jan, Lotte Johansen Kaefer, and Solvejg Reigstad. + + + · · podium-tower typology with external plaza + + + + · “Close Encounters with Buildings.” URBAN DESIGN STREET STREET International 11, no. 1 (April 2006): 29–47. ARMATURE space. ARMATURE • Gehl, Jan, and Birgitte Svarre. How to Study Public Life. + · · · · + + + + + Washington: Island Press, 2013. BLOCK BLOCK • Whyte, William Hollingsworth. The Social Life of Small PLAZA PLAZA + + · · · References + + + + · Urban Spaces. 7. print. New York, NY: Project for Public QUARTER QUARTER Spaces, 1980. DISTRICT DISTRICT + + + + · • Carlow, Vanessa. “Limits – Urban Density and Mobility + + + · · FABRIC Networks in West Berlin during the Period of Containment.” FABRIC NETWORK + + + + + Sustainability 6, no. 10 (October 23, 2014): 7452–65. NETWORK + · · · ·

Urban Elements 120 121 Urban Elements Choo Li Jie Choo Li Jie FU S11 Group 1, Naomi Hanakata #32 FU S12 Group 1, Naomi Hanakata #33

#03 #12 #12 #08 #13 #16 #11 #17 Entranceways Intricate Setback #23

Buildings along pedestrian lanes should have Prototype Script For single-user plots with continuous plot Prototype Script frequent entranceways leading directly to lengths of more than 50m in downtown areas the ground street level. This is to create Input (where buildings are usually built to line), Input opportunities for chance interaction between Edge of the pedestrian lane and facing large parks, open spaces or main Building edge along main frontage, building users and passers-by along the lane, streets, it is important to ensure that develop- ground floor coverage and also ensure that large single-user devel- Rule ments do not create a wall-like effect on opments provide frequent entranceways Frequent entrances at every 4m along the ground-floor, and can instead contribute to Rule to the street. Where laneways meet to form lane. Where the lanes form a courtyard, a fine-grained urban fabric and pedestrian 100% of building length along main frontage a courtyard or public space, and where the and the building function is retail/F&B/civic activity along the street. Hence, along the to be set back, such that at least 25% building function is retail, F&B, civic or other or other public uses, entrances should be main front-age(s), the building should have of the ground floor area is open to public. public uses, these entrances should be arranged so that they are visible together & intricate set-backs on ground floor to create Setbacks should vary at every 50m or lesser. arranged such that they are visible together each is visible from others. places along the building edge that can be For building lengths >100m, each setback area and from each other. activated. should not form >50% of the ground floor Output public space area. (see Annex for more details) Location of entrances along the pedestrian lane Output Ground floor building edge along main frontage

BUILDING References BUILDING + + + + · + + + + · References STREET STREET ARMATURE • Alexander, Christopher. A City Is Not a Tree. Edited by ARMATURE + + + · · Michael W Mehaﬀy, 2015. + + + · · • Alexander, Christopher, Sara Ishikawa, and Murray BLOCK • Haupt, Per, Meta Berghauser Pont, and Anne Vernez BLOCK Silverstein. A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, PLAZA Moudon. Spacemate: The Spatial Logic of Urban Density. PLAZA Construction. Oxford University Press, 1977. + + · · · Delft University Press, 2005. + + · · · • De Monchaux, Nicholas. Local Code: 3,659 Proposals QUARTER QUARTER DISTRICT DISTRICT about Data, Design & the Nature of Cities. First edition. + + · · · + + · · · New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2016. FABRIC FABRIC NETWORK + + · · · NETWORK + + · · ·

Urban Elements 122 123 Urban Elements Linda Lim Wei QI FU S13 Group 1, Naomi Hanakata #34 FU M11 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #35

#06 #32 #31 #09 #37 #32 #11 #36 Multi-Level Synergistic Uses & #37 Public Spaces Urban Space in CBD

Roof garden

Sky terrace

This is particularly important as one goes space that can support twice the program- As Singapore becomes more densely higher or deeper into the building. Intended for creating more public space ming compared to clusters of standalone developed, public spaces become even more for human interaction on the ground plane, structures (I.e. typical CBD skyscraper). important in maintaining a good quality of Rem Koolhaas presented a theoretical life. Public spaces can be large scale or Prototype Script concept / patent proposal to either reduce intimate, both on a precinct level or develop- density and building footprint (i.e.spread Prototype Script ment level. Within a development, public Input building density further) so that there is spaces are encouraged to be multi-level as X is the extent of development frontage space for activities to inﬁltrate, or to com- Input these can be in the form of landscaped onto key open space, Y is the height of pact and consolidate uses into a high Size of land parcel, GFA, size of vertical areas at the 1st storey, sky terraces within the public space in relation to the key open intensity mega core for activities. Designing circulation cores the intermediate ﬂoors or as roof gardens. space at 1st storey the grain of the urban fabric based on these These spaces are to be designed to be two typologies that promote interdependence Rule physically or visually connected to the key Rule can potentially result in synergistic public 1. enlarge and overlap land parcels nodes to maintain a sense of orientation. Where the public space is at 1st storey, to form shared spaces the extent of frontage is 1X, the frontage 2. pull apart and shrink land parcels increases as the public space is located to form ‘leftover’ spaces BUILDING at the upper level. BUILDING + + + + · + + + + + Output STREET STREET ARMATURE ARMATURE more meaningful, spill-over, synergistic spaces + + + · · References + · · · · BLOCK BLOCK PLAZA PLAZA + + · · · • Christiaanse, Kees. “The Open City and Its Enemies.” + + + · · References QUARTER In Open City: Designing Coexistence, edited by QUARTER DISTRICT Tim Rieniets, Jennifer Sigler, and Kees Christiaanse, 25–36. DISTRICT • Koolhaas, Rem. “City of the Captive Globe.” In Delirious + + · · · Amsterdam: SUN, 2009. + + + · · FABRIC FABRIC New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan, 294–96. NETWORK + + · · · NETWORK + + + · · New York, 1978.

Urban Elements 124 125 Urban Elements Chua Gong Yao Ya Ou Zhang FU M12 Group 3, Panos Mavros #36 FU M13 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #37

#14 #19 #09 #15 #28 #19 #16 #49 #31 Tetris City Function, Urban Activity #32 #41: FU-M12 TETRIS CITY & Building Diversity

architectural codes i.e. “the typology of The spatial configuration of a monolithic space” while creating a dialogue and structure can be re-configured to bring dynamic tension between volume and flat- about variation and complexity within the ness to derive new spatial possibilities. internal landscape, and thereby achieve flexibility and adaptability which contributes to Providing activity generating uses along a Prototype Script the resilience of spaces. On the outside, the Prototype Script pedestrian spine and around key public form is a monolithic rubrics cube – a perfect spaces is important for creating vibrant and Input platonic solid, yet the function within it is Input interesting pedestrian experience. The Distance from the pedestrian spine / akin to interlocking modules that can be A rigid and homogeneous Form (i.e. platonic loca tion and size of the retail provision can Site outline / Grid shaped and re-shaped – almost Tetris-like. solid, linear & vertical) / Programmes or be derived from the distance of the building Such addition and subtraction are a contrast Function (i.e. Commercial, Residential, Public from the pedestrian spine / open space. Rule between “the built versus un-built.” Through Spaces, Facilities). The function of the public space can also Retail uses should be located around open the synthesis and mix of programmatic and determine the size of the retail use: more space & within _ m from the pedestrian spine functional aspects within the built form, while Rule should be provided at public plaza nearer to form on the outside remains rigid. Such To mix programmatic and functional uses transport node compared to a neighbour- Output designs lead to a destabilisation of normative in a compact, linear or vertical manner. hood park for recreational activities. Locations & sizes of retail provision in relation to pedestrian street and buildings Output BUILDING Range of diverse typologies the monolithic BUILDING + + + + + form could accommodate. + + + · · References STREET STREET ARMATURE ARMATURE + + + · · + + + · · • Batty, M. “Urban Modeling.” In International Encyclopedia BLOCK BLOCK References of Human Geography, 51–58. Elsevier, 2009. https://doi. PLAZA PLAZA org/10.1016/B978-008044910-4.01092-0. + + + · · + + + + + • Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. QUARTER • Gil, Jorge, José Nuno Beirão, Nuno Montenegro, and QUARTER DISTRICT DISTRICT Vintage Books ed edition. New York: Vintage Books, 1993. + + + + · José Pinto Duarte. “On the Discovery of Urban Typologies: + + + · · • https://www.ura.gov.sg/Corporate/Planning/Master-Plan FABRIC Data Mining the Many Dimensions of Urban Form.” FABRIC NETWORK + + · · · Urban Morphology 16, no. 1 (2012): 27. NETWORK + + · · ·

Urban Elements 126 127 Urban Elements Chua Gong Yao Nguyen Duy ES S11 Group 3, Panos Mavros #38 ES S11 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #39

#03 #14 #34 #10 #15 #43 Death Ray Skyscraper Topographic Roof #29 #46

#46: ES-S11

In clustered and dynamic urban settings, Prototype Script Topographic roof would be designed to Prototype Script failure to address local issues of Urban Heat reflect the undulating nature of the original Island Effect (UHIE) at the building level Input topography of the site. The concept of a Input would have an effect on the street and city Height & Distance delta between buildings / dynamic and sweeping roof carpet integrates H: Platform level of the original topography level. The circulation of air and heat are Solar heat gain analysis for location 12 the roof form of various buildings and of the land plot con stantly trapped within these high / low months at least. creates an identity at a large urban scale. h: Allowable height of the site vertical and horizontal spaces – causing solar It also aims to introduce an additional layer glare and wind tunnel effect. By dispersing Rule of communal spaces. The topographic roof Rule radiation through self-shading devices – To optimised or minimised site coverage and make use of the rooftop spaces to create Height of roof top = H+h brise-soleil, the ‘SKIN’ not only reduces heat subtract building elevation. visual relationships between roof activities gain passively but also cuts down energy and allow opportunities for diverse programs Output consumption within the interior of buildings. Output to occur. Height of roof top Identify potential areas for solar glare and wind tunnel effect. BUILDING + + + + + BUILDING + + + · · References STREET STREET ARMATURE References ARMATURE • Saleh, Mohamed Mostafa Ibrahim Mohamed. “Using the + + + + · • Koolhaas, Rem. “City of the Captive Globe.” + · · · · Tools of Parametric Urbanism – Toward a More Responsive BLOCK In Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto BLOCK Environmental Urban Morphology.” Accessed May 8, 2014. PLAZA for Manhattan, 294–96. New York, 1978. PLAZA • Wang, Tao, Iris Belle, and Uta Hassler. “Modelling of + + + · · • Maki, Fuhimiko. Investigations in Collective Form. + + · · · Singapore’s Topographic Transformation Based on DEMs.” QUARTER QUARTER Geomorphology 231 (February 2015): 367–75. DISTRICT Special Publication 2. St. Louis: The School of Architecture, DISTRICT + + + + · Washington University, 1972. + + + + · • Lilley, K.D. “Urban Morphology.” In International FABRIC FABRIC Encyclopedia of Human Geography, 66–69. Elsevier, 2009. NETWORK + + + · · NETWORK + + + + +

Urban Elements 128 129 Urban Elements Linda Lui Nguyen Duy ES S13 Group 1, Naomi Hanakata #40 ES S13 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #41

#12 #44 #28 #40 #39 #52 #36 #49 Greenery & Biodiversity #41 Green Replacement #39

Under the LRA requirements, buildings are Prototype Script to provide at least 40% of softscape areas. 20% of this softscape is to include plant Input species to create the habitat for insects & Out of 100% LRA, 40% softscape, birds to flourish in the city. Furthermore, 20% of softscape areas for plant species The green replacement is to further Prototype Script an introduction of green pockets within that will attract insects & birds strengthen efforts in greening the city and 400m radius of each other – can be either to encourage more pervasive greenery Input landscaped areas within a large plot of Rule within Singapore- high-rise urban environ- A: Area of a parcel, P: Percentage of land (1 ha) or provided at the corners of 4 Within 400m radius, landscaped areas are ment. The development will replace the green replacement over area of the site adjacent plots. This will help to further soften to be provided within plots of land which greenery lost from the site due to develop- building edges & reduce UHI effect. Planting are 1ha or larger or formed at the corners of ment with greenery in other areas within Rule verges & centre medians are to include 4 adjoining plots the development. The development will have Greenery areas will be randomly assigned plants to extend & connect these habitats & the greenery replacement areas on ground, to ground floor, rooftop, facade and sky allow for biodiversity to thrive. rooftops, facades and sky gardens. gardens so that the total greenery area of References the development is equal to AxP

• Orﬀ, Kate. Toward an Urban Ecology. New York, Output New York: The Monacelli Press, 2016. Area of greenery on rooftop (R), facade (F) BUILDING • Salvesen, Britt. New Topographics. Auﬂage: 2. BUILDING + · · · · Göttingen: Steidl Göttingen, n.d. + + + + + and sky garden (S) STREET STREET ARMATURE ARMATURE + + · · · + + · · · References BLOCK BLOCK PLAZA PLAZA + + · · · + + · · · • Schröpfer, Thomas. “The Dense and Green Paradigm.” QUARTER QUARTER In Dense + Green: Innovative Building Types for Sustainable DISTRICT DISTRICT Urban Architecture, 12–37. Basel: Birkhäuser, 2016. + + + + · + · · · · • Waldheim, Charles. Landscape as Urbanism: FABRIC FABRIC A General Theory, NETWORK + + + + · NETWORK + · · · · 2016.

Urban Elements 130 131 Urban Elements Kim Myunghoon Tham Cheng-E ES M11 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #42 ES M12 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #43

#15 #36 #05 #12 #25 #55 #06 #16 Well-Vent City #28 Climate Canopy #10

Under the tropical climate, the cooling by Prototype Script The tropical climate effects built structures Prototype Script wind in one of the important urban design through different weather elements, e.g. consideration. Especially highly dense city Input sun, rain, wind. A tree canopy therefore, Input like Singapore needs capture prevailing wind Building height H1 & H2 / Building Spacing provides effective shelter only if its extent is Canopy dimensions, height, wind speed, and bring down the wind to the pedestrian W / Prevailing Wind Speed designed relative to a reasonable range of rainfall intensity level in order to enhance the comfort level fluctuation of these weather elements. on street/public area and blow out the Rule This study attempts to integrate key ele- Rule stagnant air which could be contaminated. i) One directional prevailing wind only ii) major ments such as rainfall intensity, wind speed, Retain a 3m-wide ‘dry zone’ whilst alternating Well-Vent City addresses the optimal build- wind corridors (roads) are planned to parallel deflection of wind-driven rain and canopy between variations of height and acceptable ing spacing and relative building height to the prevailing wind direction (NNE & S) height, with the design of a street canopy. windspeed or rainfall intensities difference to increase the ventilation and The purpose is to ensure a ‘dry zone’ along comfort level of wind speed (e.g. around Output the sheltered walkway within a reasonable Output 2.0 m/s) the ground level using Downwash & Building Canyon Ratio = (H1- H2) : W with range of weather fluctuation. Recommended canopy extent or climatic Canyon Effect in the condition of having wind speed of around 2.0 m/s at 2m height performance for canopy 2 different major prevailing wind direction.

References References BUILDING • Banham, Reyner. The Architecture of the BUILDING + + + + · Well-Tempered Environment. 2nd ed. Chicago: + + + + + • Atta-ur-Rahman, Gulsan Ara Parvin, Rajib Shaw, STREET University of Chicago Press, 1984. STREET and Akhilesh Surjan. “Cities, Vulnerability, and Climate ARMATURE • Philippe Rahm architectes. Architectural Climates. ARMATURE Change.” In Urban Disasters and Resilience in Asia, + + · · · S.l.: Lars Muller Publishers, 2018. + + + + · BLOCK BLOCK 35–47. Elsevier, 2016. PLAZA PLAZA • Philippe Rahm architectes. Architectural Climates. + + + + · + + · · · S.l.: Lars Muller Publishers, 2018. QUARTER QUARTER • UN-HABITAT. Sustainable Building Design for DISTRICT + + + · · DISTRICT + · · · · Tropical Climates, 2015. FABRIC FABRIC NETWORK + · · · · NETWORK + · · · ·

Urban Elements 132 133 Urban Elements Kimmy Cheung Danette Zhuang ES M13 Group 3, Panos Mavros #44 ES L12 Group 4, Anna Gasco #45

#13 #41 #18 #19 #45 #29 #40 #46 #40 Linear Parks Weaved Multi-Scalar #44 Eco-Corridor

Weaves

Width of canal

Linear parks are important for ecology and Prototype Script Use an existing open drainage canal which can Prototype Script good for accessibility for people’s enjoyment. be redesigned with more lush landscaping When connecting two wildlife habitats, they Input to create an eco-corridor. If integrated within Input serve as eco-corridors. The width would Length of the park (i.e. connection the finer grain of the urban fabric, such in W+12, whereby: depend on the target species to be attracted, between two places / habitats) the upfront design of surrounding buildings, W = width or drain canal (varies) with the optimal width being 30m to 60m for roadside drains, and smaller streets, this brings 12m = 6+6m linear part flanking general species. The width and length should Rule the ecosystem closer to source with the main each side of canal be proportionally size, although it is unclear To offset base on the width required eco-corridor. The eco-corridor is ‘weaved’ what the ratio is. Having a funnel shape at either for desired species and intertwined within the different scales of Rule ends will also help to maximise the “contact the neighbour hood, enhancing environmental Min width of “weave” to provide along surface”. Urban linear parks can be more mod- Output sustainability, recreational opportunities each street Is dependent on W(min) and “x” erate in width depending on the desired uses. To see if there are any ‘conflict’ and aesthetics of the surroundings. with the plots for development Output (W+12)/x Min. Street “weave”, whereby: BUILDING BUILDING x = no. of parcels under consideration · · · · · References + · · · · STREET STREET ARMATURE ARMATURE + · · · · • Hart, Sara, Ken Yeang, and David Littlefield, eds. “Essay.” + + + + · References BLOCK In Ecoarchitecture: The Work of Ken Yeang, 258–63. BLOCK PLAZA Chichester: Wiley, 2011. PLAZA • McDonnell, Mark J. “Linking and Promoting Research + + · · · • McHarg, Ian L. “Nature in the Metropolis.” In Design with + + · · · QUARTER QUARTER and Practice in the Evolving Discipline of Urban Ecology.” Nature, 25th anniversary ed., 55–77. New York: Wiley, 1992. DISTRICT DISTRICT Journal of Urban Ecology 1, no. 1 (2015): juv003. • Steiner, Frederick. “Frontiers in Urban Ecological Design + + + + · + + + + · • Public Utilities Board (PUB). 'Active, Beautiful and Clean’ FABRIC and Planning Research.” Landscape and Urban Planning FABRIC Design Guidelines NETWORK + + + + + 125 (May 2014): 304–11. NETWORK + + + + +

Urban Elements 134 135 Urban Elements Nguyen Duy Regina Koo ES L13 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #46 EM S11 Group 3, Panos Mavros #47

#39 #05 #26 #40 #11 #31 #44 #17 #50 Rooftop Ecology #45 Multi-Modal Streets

Streets

Park

Roof garden Motorists Pedestrians

Roof gardens can act as stepping stones to Prototype Script Street is wider resulting in a wider Prototype Script link pocket parks, community parks, regional carriageway and the sense of ‘openness’ parks and natural reserves. This allows a Input which encourages speeding in this area. Input high connectivity and circuitry, species (a) Optimal sized of a roof garden patch width of streets of varying sizes and variety and durability. The roof gardens also (d) Optimal distance between greenery widths of diﬀerent components act as buﬀer landscapes to protect natural patches e.g. cycling path, centre median landscapes from human landscapes. As such, identifying the location and sizes of roof Rule Rule garden clusters is critical for landscape Randomly assigned roof garden patches at 50–50 mode share between ecology of a city. negative spaces (without greenery) so as the pedestrians and motorists distance between greenery patches can satisfy the optimal distance of stepping stones. Output width allocated to motorists to be Output equal to or lesser than half of the overall BUILDING + + + · · (N) number of roof garden patches BUILDING + · · · · width of streets, of all types (and sizes). STREET STREET ARMATURE ARMATURE + · · · · References + + + + + References BLOCK BLOCK PLAZA PLAZA + + · · · • Latour, Bruno. “To Modernize or to Ecologise? That Is the + · · · · • Van Eggermond, Michael A.B., Kay W. Axhausen, and QUARTER Question.” The Politics of Interventions 249 (2007). QUARTER Alexander Erath. “Residential Search and Location Choice DISTRICT • Schröpfer, Thomas. “The Dense and Green Paradigm.” DISTRICT in Singapore,” 2018. + + + + · In Dense + Green: Innovative Building Types for Sustainable + · · · · • Byrd, Andrew, Mathew W. Conway, and Michael A.B. FABRIC FABRIC Urban Architecture, NETWORK 12–37. Basel: Birkhäuser, 2016. NETWORK Van Eggermond. “A Statistical Approach to Comparing + + + + + + + + · · Public Transport Accessibility Results,” 2017.

Urban Elements 136 137 Urban Elements Regina Koo Kim Myunghoon EM S13 Group 3, Panos Mavros #48 EM M11 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #49

#02 #19 #28 #03 #30 #36 #14 #39 Breathing Streets Urban Accessibility #40

Roads Pedestrian

Superblocks create ‘breathing streets’ as it Prototype Script What if the city is correlated to an average Prototype Script re-claims the space used by cars for citizens. walking travel time between a dwelling / A superblock consists of 9 existing blocks Input ofce unit to the major transport, node i.e Input of the grid measuring approximately local road network grid, number of ingress MRT Station? Reliance on the public trans- Average walking speed / Average lift speed / 400-metre. By revising the hierarchy of the & egress into the area port mode could be increase as we plan waiting time at the trafc signal & lift lobby / roads to redirect cars, buses and commercial to manage walking time (including vertical MRT station Entrance / Access points vehicles to roads along the perimeter of Rule circulation & waiting time) to the MRT the superblocks (only private residential cars study area of 400 – 500 metres, minimum station/Bus interchange. This means that Rule pass through the superblock), this frees up of 1 ingress & egress on each side (4 sides), the nearer habitable spaces are to the Every dwelling / ofce unit in the city almost 60% of the street and reduces trafc keep speed to 10km/h MRT station, the higher and denser these should be well-served by MRT service within by 21%. habitable space will be. maxi- mum10 minute walking distance Output ensure 20% decrease in trafc and Output compute area of roads reclaimed Resultant height (density) of the buildings BUILDING + · · · · for people’s use BUILDING + + + · · STREET STREET ARMATURE ARMATURE References + + + + + References + + · · · BLOCK BLOCK • Eggermond, Michael van, and Alexander L. Erath. PLAZA PLAZA + + + · · • Marshall, Stephen. “Introduction.” In Streets & Patterns, + · · · · “Quantifying Diversity: An Assessment of Diversity Indices QUARTER 1st ed., 1–23. London ; New York: Spon, 2005. QUARTER and an Application to Singapore.” FCL Magazine Special DISTRICT • https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/may/17/ DISTRICT Issue – Urban Breeding Grounds, May 2016, 30–37. + + · · · superblocks-rescue-barcelona-spain-plan-give-streets- + + · · · • Hillier, Bill. “Cities as Movement Economies.” URBAN FABRIC FABRIC DESIGN International 1, no. 1 (March 1996): 41–60. NETWORK back-residents NETWORK • https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/02/nyregion/what- • Marshall, Stephen. “Introduction.” In Streets & Patterns, + + + · · + + + + + 1st ed., 1–23. London ; New York: Spon, 2005. new-york-can-learn-from-barcelonas-superblocks.html Urban Elements 138 139 Urban Elements Kimmy Cheung Huang Junjie EM M12 Group 3, Panos Mavros #50 EM M13 Group 1, Naomi Hanakata #51

#05 #26 #11 #31 #11 #31 #17 #52 Continous Sidewalk #17 #48 AV Streets #26 #59: EM-M12 CONTINUOUS SIDEWALK

Carpark access ramp k l a w e d i S

Sidewalks are essential spaces where people Prototype Script To allow a consistent typology to be applied Prototype Script experience the city. A continuous sidewalk across Singapore, a set of standards have makes a more pedestrian friendly environ- Input been developed to work with minimal Input ment and provide opportunity for a vibrant Location and numbers widening of the existing Road Reserves Cycling (Active Mobility) network, street-life. To do so, there will be need to of vehicular access to accommodate a 2m cycling path and cycling guidelines, standard road reserve remove the pedestrian and trafc conflicts 1.5m footpath. It is expected that autono- along the sidewalks. The following are some Rule mous vehicles will reduce the amount of Rule examples in Barcelona which allow for Vehicular access does not land- take required for carriageways due to Cycling (Active Mobility) network determines uninterrupted pedestrian experience: disrupt sidewalk increased efciency. With the freeing up the relationship with other users; assume of road space, more land will be able to be one lane can be reclaimed along AV streets 1) A centralised carpark for developments Output put to active mobility use, including more to reduce the number of vehicular access Continuous sidewalk generous provisions for cycling and parking Output & kerb cuts; of bicycles (particularly with the trend of Possible active mobility street design 2) O ff-street drop offs to reduce kerb cuts. shared bikes). References References • Lynch, Kevin. “The Image of the Environment.” In The Image of the City, 1–13. Publication of the • Axhausen, Kay W., Stephen Cairns, Sergio A. Ordoñez BUILDING Joint Center for Urban Studies. Cambridge, Mass.: BUILDING Medina, Alexander Erath, Tanvi Maheshwari, Pieter J. MIT PRESS, 1960. Fourie, and Biyu Wang. “Urban Planning for Autonomous + · · · · • Alexander, Christopher. A City Is Not a Tree. + · · · · STREET STREET Vehicles,” 2018. ARMATURE Edited by Michael W Mehaffy, 2015. ARMATURE • Maheshwari, Tanvi. “Urban Form and Automated Flows,” + · · · · + + + + + 2017. BLOCK BLOCK PLAZA + · · · · PLAZA + · · · · QUARTER QUARTER DISTRICT + + + · · DISTRICT + + · · · FABRIC FABRIC NETWORK + + + + + NETWORK + + + · ·

Urban Elements 140 141 Urban Elements Regina Koo Huang Junjie EM L11 Group 3, Panos Mavros #52 EM L12 Group 1, Naomi Hanakata #53

#11 #31 #26 #17 #51 #31 #26 #51 The Travel Adaptor Cycling Network #52

P P P

Multi-modal streets are vibrant streets as Prototype Script In the planning of cycling network, there are Prototype Script they move, hold and serve more people points of conflict at bus stops. In Singapore, within the same space. Input the design principle adopted is to divert the Input Street profile, number of AVs, segregated cycling path to the back of bus Bus coverage, road category, block size The streets of Barcelona embraces multiple drop off zones stop, and create a pedestrian-priority zone modes of transportation. Every boulevard, for commuters crossing the cycling path Rule avenue and street sees at least 4 types Rule from the bus stop. Ideally, the cycling path Bus coverage determines bus corridor grid, of transportation … walking, cycling, taking For every section of the road length should be fully separated from the bus stop. block size determines cycling corridors a bus and driving. The % of space allocated determine a number of drop off For example, cycling paths can be planned to pedestrians is approximately 50% and zones required on alternate streets from bus corridors or Output can be flexibly adapted to the local condi- cycling paths can be placed on the opposite Network of bus & cycling tions of the urban fabric. This is observed Output side of a one-way street if the networks are from the changing street-sections along the Number of drop off zones required not possible to separate. Avinguda Diagonal. per street References

• Department of Transport and Main Roads. 2014. “Bus Stop References Treatments & Pedestrian Access.” In Separated Cycleways Guideline, 53–54. Publication of State of Queensland. • Urban Movement & Phil Jones Associates (Transport BUILDING BUILDING • Anda, Cuauhtémoc. “The Travel Demand Generation Planning Consultants). 2014. “Interaction with Other Users.” + · · · · Machine,” 2017. + · · · · In International Cycling Infrastructure best practice study, STREET • Eggermond, Michael van, and Alexander L. Erath. STREET 83–86. Report for Transport for London. ARMATURE “Quantifying Diversity: An Assessment of Diversity Indices ARMATURE + + + + + and an Application to Singapore.” FCL Magazine Special + · · · · BLOCK BLOCK Issue – Urban Breeding Grounds, May 2016, 30–37. PLAZA PLAZA + · · · · • Maheshwari, Tanvi. “Urban Form and Automated Flows,” + · · · · QUARTER 2017. QUARTER DISTRICT + · · · · DISTRICT + + + · · FABRIC FABRIC NETWORK + + + · · NETWORK + + + + +

Urban Elements 142 143 Urban Elements Kim Myunghoon Ouyang Zhuorui EM L13 Group 2, Aurel von Richthofen #54 SE S12 Group 4, Anna Gasco #55

#11 #15 #36 #17 #25 #42 Max Reach #52 Easy Breezy #28 by Public Transport

5 minutes 1 wa 1 lk 5

in m g i n

MRT s

n g

In Singapore, downwash wind makes streets Wind can be directed to the ground level by cooler and more pleasant for walking. London varying the height of the buildings to create planners study how tall towers like the a downwash or downdraught effect and bring Gherkin can be shaped aerodynamically to breeze to the street. In a densely built-up reduce wind at the street-level. How far you can go via MRT ride and your Prototype Script environment, uniform height in urban form walking speed within 15min? Can everything could obstruct wind flow at the ground floor you need and you want to visit be located Input level and result in hot and stale microclimate Prototype Script within the coverage of the travel time MRT Networks / Travel time between MRT on the street. Good urban form, such as vari- of 15min? Using the given infrastructure stations / Average walking distance by time ation in building height, could help to facili- Input network, you can plan Transport Oriented tate wind flow at the ground level. In London H2 = Height of the higher building Development along the transit corridor. Rule where the winters are cold and buildings This would help to support the idea of Maximum travel time of 15 minute walking are mostly low to mid-rise, a skyscraper like Rule decentralisation in a large picture and create distance can be combination of MRT riding the Shard is problematic because the down- H1 / H2 < 0.8 vibrant neighbourhood injecting more and walking. No other transition time needed draught effect increases wind flow at the mixed-use development around the public ground level and makes the street level Output transport nodes. Output too windy and cold to walk for pedestrians. H1 = Height of the lower building Coverage of max distance can be reached

BUILDING BUILDING References + · · · · References + + + + + STREET STREET ARMATURE ARMATURE • Fonseca, Jimeno A., Thuy-An Nguyen, Arno Schlueter, + + · · · • Byrd, Andrew, Mathew W. Conway, and Michael A.B. + + + + + and Francois Marechal. “City Energy Analyst (CEA): BLOCK Van Eggermond. “A Statistical Approach to Comparing BLOCK Integrated Framework for Analysis and Optimization of PLAZA Public Transport Accessibility Results,” 2017. PLAZA Building Energy Systems in Neighborhoods and City + · · · · • Eggermond, Michael van, and Alexander L. Erath. + · · · · Districts.” Energy and Buildings 113 (February 2016): QUARTER QUARTER 202–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2015.11.055. DISTRICT “Quantifying Diversity: An Assessment of Diversity Indices DISTRICT + + · · · and an Application to Singapore.” FCL Magazine Special + · · · · • McHarg, Ian L. “Nature in the Metropolis.” FABRIC Issue – Urban Breeding Grounds, May 2016, 30–37. FABRIC In Design with Nature, 25th anniversary ed., 55–77. NETWORK • Hillier, Bill. “Cities as Movement Economies.” URBAN NETWORK New York: Wiley, 1992. + + + + + DESIGN International 1, no. 1 (March 1996): 41–60. + · · · ·

Urban Elements 144 145 Urban Elements Course Programme Term 1 Urban Analysis

The course will focus on urban reasoning and representation. The course unfolds as a series of input lectures delivered by FCL researchers on topics of urban form, density, programme, cognition and perception, ecology, energy, transport and data. Relevant texts are read and discussed in the seminar to anchor theory and sharpen the intradisciplinary approach to the city. Term 1 is focused on a range of spatial reasoning and representation skills that are commonly used within urban studies and related ﬁelds. It offers an introduction to key tools used to analyze and represent the logics of cities of cities, including spatial, social, morphological and functional logics. Participants analyse sites in Singapore by adopting a speciﬁc lens. Graphic site analysis in form of maps and theoretical reasoning lead to the development of a written urban thesis.

Approach and systems. This process of urban spatial reasoning examines speciﬁc Term 1 emphases the understanding aspects of Singapore and its social, the diversity and complexity of urban spatial and environmental attributes. phenomena as well as spatial reasoning. Cities are complex formations comprised of built forms (architecture, roads and Teaching and Learning other infrastructural systems), state and Structure non-state institutions, social and economic functions, people (in their various A typical course day in Term 1 starts roles and activities), as well as natural with an input lecture delivered by an attributes (from topography to climate). FCL researcher. This is followed by a Term 1 enhances the appreciation of seminar discussion with the lecturer these features and discusses their com- based on mandatory readings prepared plex interdependence. It also introduces by the participants. The analytical to range of analytical lenses that help mapping exercise follows in the second to discern phenomena of urban spaces half and ends with a short presentation

165 Course Programme T1 in class. The participants develop their urbanism’, in SMLXL Rem Koolhaas, Bruce graphic skills and articulate an indepen- 2 Mau and OMA, 960–71. New York: Monacelli. Required Reading dent urban design thesis based on the • Krieger, Alex (2009). ‘Where and how does • Moudon, Anne Vernez (1994). ‘Getting to analytical findings. urban design happen?’, in Urban Design ed. know the built landscape: Typomorphology’, Week 2 19/1/2017 Alex Krieger and William S Saunders, 113–30. in Ordering space: Types in architecture and What is Urban and Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. design, ed. K A Franck and L H Schneekloth, 14:00 – 15:00 • Mumford, Lewis (1980). The city in history: 289–311. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. Input lecture What is Urban Design? Its origins, its transformations and its prospects. • Lynch, Kevin (1960). ‘The image of the Stephen Cairns New York: Harcourt. envrionment’, The image of the city, Kevin 15:00 – 16:00 • Oswald, Franz, Peter Baccini and Mark Lynch, 1–13. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Michaeli (2003). Netzstadt: Designing the Seminar and discussion The urban defines a set of qualities, MIT Press. urban. Basel: Birkhäuser. • Rowe, Colin and Fred Koetter (1984). of the readings quantities and features that are associat- • Mumford, Eric and Hashim Sarksi (2008). ‘Crisis of the object: The predicament of ed with the city. This lecture will look Josep Lluís Sert: The architect of urban design, texture’, in Collage city, Colin Rowe and Fred 16:00 – 18:00 at the different ways in which the urban 1953–1969. New Haven: Yale University Press. Koetter, 50–84. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Urban analysis has been understood: as metabolism, • Sennett, Richard (2006). ‘The open city’, MIT Press. Newspaper Essay. Berlin: Urban Age. as ecology, as agglomeration economy, as • Sommer, Richard ‘Beyond centres, fabrics, and system, and as theatre for social action cultures of congestion: Urban design as a and site of aspiration. Urban qualities, metropolitan enterprise’, in Urban Design ed. Recommended Reading Lecture and and the cities that support them, result Alex Krieger and William S Saunders. • Conzen, M R G (1969). Alnwick, Seminar Schedule from the actions of many agents: peo- Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Northumberland: A study in town-plan analysis. ple and institutions, as well as technolo- • Talen, Emily (2009). Urban design reclaimed: London: Institute of British Geographers Tools, techniques, and strategies for planners. • Conzen, M R G (2004). Thinking about urban gies, climates, and wider geographies. Chicago: American Planning Association, form: Papers on urban morphology, 1932–1998, The lecture also looks at is the role Planners Press. ed. M P Conzen. Bern; Oxford: Peter Lang. of ‘urban design’ as a specific kind of city • Lynch, Kevin (1984). ‘Reconsidering The making agency. Image of the City’, in Cities of the mind: Images 1 and themes of the city in the social sciences, ed. Lloyd Rodwin and Robert M. Hollister, 151–61. Week 1 12/1/2017 New York: Springer. Required Reading • Maki, Fumihiko (2009). ‘Fragmentation and Introduction: • Busquets, Joan (2009). ‘Defining the urbanistic 3 Friction as Urban Threats: The Post-1956 City’, Describing and project: Ten contemporary approaches’, in Urban Design, edited by Krieger Alex and Analysing Cities Urban Design ed. Alex Krieger and William S Saunders William S, 88–100. University of Saunders, 131–34. Minneapolis: University Week 3 26/1/2017 Minnesota Press. Kees Christiaanse of Minnesota Press. Fabric, Grain and • Morena, Graceila and Philip Steadman (2014). • Christiaanse, Kees (2009). ‘The open city ‘The relationship between density, built form This advanced course on urban design and its enemies’, in Open City: Designing Texture and design’, Explorations in urban design: begins with a consideration of different coexistence, ed. Jennifer Sigler, Tim Rieniets Dietmar Leyk An urban design research primer, ed. Matthew ways of describing and analyzing cities. and Kees Christaanse, 25–36. Amsterdam: Carmona, 193–207. SUN Press. It introduces the course with specific One of the most significant analytical • Panerai, Phillippe, Jean Castex, Jean Charles • Kennedy, Chris, Stephanie Pincetl, and Paul Depaule and Ivor Samuels (2004). Urban reference to Singapore and primary Bunje (2010). ‘The study of urban metabolism traditions in urban design is morphology. forms: The death and life of the urban block. themes such as forms, systems and flows. and its applications to urban planning and Thinking morphologically involves London: Routledge. design’, Environmental Pollution 159 (8–9): understanding how cities change over • Pope, Albert (1996/2014). ‘The open city’ in 1965–73. time. It sensitises urban scholars and Ladders, Albert Pope, 14–53. New York: designers to the permanent (street Princeton Architectural Press. • Rossi, Aldo (1984). ‘The structure of urban Recommended Reading patterns, armatures, blocks) and less artifacts’, Architecture of the city, Aldo Rossi, • Banham, Reyner (1971). Los Angeles: permanent aspects of cities (styles, trans. Diane Ghirardo and Joan Ockman, The architecture of four ecologies. London: buildings, uses). The morphological 28–61. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press. Allen Lane. tradition delivers a set of key conceptual • Shane, Grahame (2011). Urban design since • Girardet, Herbert (1999). ‘The metabolism of vocabularies – such as the idea that 1945: A global perspective. London: Wiley. cities’, in Creating sustainable cities, Herbert cities have fabric, grain and texture – • Vidler, Anthony (1977). The Third Typology Girardet 32–46. Devon: Green Books. and Other Essays. • Jacobs, Jane (1961). ‘The uses of sidewalks: and fundamental representational strate- • Whitehand, J W R (2003). ‘From Como to Safety’, in The death and life of great America gies such as the figure-ground drawing. Alnwick: In pursuit of Caniggia and Conzen’, cities, Jane Jacobs, 39–65. Harmondsworth: Urban Morphology 7 (2): 69–72, Penguin. • Koolhaas, Rem (1996). ‘Whatever happened to

Course Programme T1 166 167 Course Programme T1 • Pomeroy, Jason (2015). ‘Defining the skycourts Required Reading urban intensity’. Evidence Based Design and skygarden’, in The skycourt and skygarden: http://ebdjournal.com/blog/urban-design/ 4 Greening the urban habitat, Jason Pomeroy, • Dalton, Ruth C, and Christoph Hölscher eds urban-network-analysis 34–17. London: Routledge. (2017). Interdisciplinary approaches to • Woo Pui Leng (2010). ‘A street of elusive • Shelton, Barrie, Justyna Karakiewicz, Tom architectural research: Case study of the Seattle Week 4 2/2/2017 significance: Hamilton Road, Singapore’, in Kvan (2014). The making of Hong Kong: Central Library. Farnham: Ashgate Publishers. On Asian streets and public space, ed. Heng Collective Form, From vertical to volumetric. London: Routledge. • Whyte, William H (1980). ‘The life of plazas’ in Chye Kiang, Low Boon Liang and Hee Limin, • Solomon, Jonathan, Clara Wong and Adam The social life of small urban spaces, 16–23. Vertical, and 3D Cities New York: Project for Public Spaces. 25–37. Singapore: Ridge Books. Thomas Schroepfer Frampton (2012). Cities without ground: A Hong Kong guidebook. Hong Kong: • Boontharam, Davisi (2012). ‘The idea of ORO Editions. creative reuse urbanism – The roles of local One of the most significant developments • Van der Ploeg, Matthew (2016). ‘Non-stratight creativities in culturally sustainable place- forward fortresses: The development of an making: Tokyo, Bangkok, Singapore’, in Future in city form in the twentieth century was Asian space: Projecting the urban space of new the vertical city – think of Manhattan, exquisite corpse of contiguous castles’, FCL 6 Magazine: Urban Breeding Grounds, 60–71. East Asia. ed. Erwin Viray, Davisi Bootharam Chicago, Hong Kong, and Singapore. • Woha and Patrick Bingham-Hall (2016). and Limin Hee, 73–87. Singapore: NUS Press. The vertical city form can support higher Garden city mega City: Rethinking cities for the Week 6 16/2/2017 population densities and novel urban age of global warming. Singapore: Pesaro Transport, Movement experiences – intensity, or what Koolhaas Publishing. Recommended Reading called a ‘culture of congestion’. This • Rice, Charles 2016. Interior urbanism: and Mobility lecture looks at the history of highrise Architecture, John Portman and downtown • Anderson, Stanford (1986). ‘People in the Michael van Eggermond America. London: Bloomsbury. physical environment: The urban ecology of Pieter Fourie and mega-urban forms, and more recent • Graham, Stephen. 2016. Vertical: The city from streets’, in On streets, ed. Stanford Anderson, developments in elevated public spaces, satellites to bunkers. London: Verso. 1–11. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press. landmark and ‘imageable’ functions of • Ascher, Kate. 2005. The works: • Appleyard, Donald (1982). Liveable streets. The flows of people and goods have a highrise buildings, vistas, and ecological Anatomy of a city. London: Penguin. San Fransisco: University of California Press. particularly important role in facilitating design. • Ascher, Kate. 2013. The heights: • Brand, Stewart (1995). ‘Shearing layers’, the life of cities. How such flows are Anatomy of a skyscraper. London: Penguin. in How buildings learn: What happens after they’re built, Stewart Brand. London: Penguin. managed have a big impact on the func- • Christiaanse, Kees (2012). ‘Traces of the city as tional mix and diversity of cities. The Required Reading loft’, in City as loft: Adaptive Reuse as a infrastructure that is dedicated to these Resource for Sustainable Urban Development, • Koolhaas, Rem (1978a). ‘City of the captive flows – footpaths, streets, roads and ed. Martina Baum and Kees Christiaanse, globe’, in Delirious New York: A retroactive motorways – are supported by specialist 14–24. Zürich: gta Verlag. manifest for Manhattan, 294–96. 5 • Dunham-Jones, Ellen and June Williamson nodes such as ports, airports, and mass • Maki, Fumihiko (1972). Investigations in (2011). Retrofitting suburbia: Urban design transit, first/last mile connection systems, collective form. Special Publication 2. St. Louis: solutions for redesigning suburbs. Hoboken: and take up a huge physical footprint in The School of Architecture, Washington Week 5 9/2/2017 Wiley. University. the city. As a consequence, the integra- Use, Programme, • Gehl, Jan (2011). ‘Life between buildings’, • Schroepfer, Thomas (2016). ‘The dense and tion of such transport flows is a central in Life between buildings: Using public space green paradigm’, in Dense + green: and Event task for urban design. This lecture exam- Jan Ghel, 9–51. Washington: Island Press. Innovative building types for sustainable urban Christoph Hoelscher • Jacobs, Allan B (1995). Great streets. ines the role of transport in the shaping architecture, Thomas Schroepfer, 12–37. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press. of cities, considering network design and Basel: Birkhäuser. Cities are nothing without the life that • Kim Sung Hong (2010). ‘From the aristocratic movement economies. they support. The hardware of cities – to the commercial: Chongno Steet in Seoul’, Recommended Reading buildings, infrastructure, ground – have in On Asian streets and public space, ed. Heng Chye Kiang, Low Boon Liang and Hee Limin, • Banham, Reyner (1976). Megastructure: to be aligned to serving that life. In ur- 39–50. Singapore: Ridge Books. Required Reading Urban futures of the recent past. London. ban design the life of cities is expressed • Koolhaas, Rem (1996). ‘Programmatic lava’, in • Hillier, Bill (1996). ‘Cities as movement • Frampton, Kenneth (1999). The megaform as in the vocabulary of programme, use, SMLXL Rem Koolhaas, Bruce Mau and OMA, economies’, Urban Design International 1 (1): landscape: The 1999 Raoul Wallenburg function, event and, more recently, live- 1210–37. New York: Monacelli. 41–60. Lecture. Michigan: University of Michigan • Koolhaas, Rem (1996). ‘The generic city’, in • Marshall, Stephen (2004). ‘Introduction’, Press. ability. This lecture looks at this ‘softer’ side of the urban design, through these SMLXL Rem Koolhaas, Bruce Mau and OMA, Streets and patterns, 1–23. London: Spon. • Koolhaas, Rem (1978b). ‘The skyscraper 1238-94. New York: Monacelli. • Van Eggermond, Michael and Alex Erath theorists’, in Delirious New York: A retroactive terms and concepts such as private/ • Lim, William (2012). Incomplete urbanism: (2016). ‘Quantifying diversity: An assessment of manifest for Manhattan, 110–31. New York: public space, convenience, aspiration, A critical urban strategy for emerging economies. diversity indicies and an application to Monacelli. desire, economics and culture. The lec- Singapore: World Scientific Publishing. Singapore’, FCL Magazine: Urban Breeding • Kulterman, Udo ed. (1979). Kenzo Tange • Norberg-Schulz (1976). ‘The phenomenon of Grounds, 30–35. 1946– 1969: Architecture and urban design. ture pays particular attention to the role of streets, places and centralities and place’, Architectural Association Quarterly 8 New York: Praeger. (4): 3–10. how people are organized, arranged and • Sevstuk, Andres, Onur Ekmekci, Farre Nixon, find their way through such urban spaces. and Reza Amindarbari (2013). ‘Capturing

Course Programme T1 168 169 Course Programme T1 Recommended Reading Required Reading • Beatley, Timothy (2014). Blue urbanism: Exploring connections between cities and • Boarnet, Marlon Gary and Randall Crane • Fonseca, Jimeno A., Thuy-An Nguyen, 8 oceans. Washington: Island Press. (2001). Travel by design: The influence of Arno Schlueter, and François Marechal (2016). • Bosselmann, Peter (1998). ‘Images in motion’ urban form on travel. Oxford: Oxford University ‘City energy analyst (CEA): Integrated Week 8 2/3/2017 In: Representation of places: Reality and Press. framework for analysis and optimization of realism in city design. Berkeley: University of • Callenbach, Ernest (2009). ‘The streets of building energy systems in neighborhoods and Ecology, California Press. eco-topia’s capital’ and ‘Car-less living in city districts’. Energy and Buildings 113 (1): Environment • Brownell, Blaine (2012). ‘Material ecologies in eco- topia’s new towns’, in The sustainable 202–26. architecture’, in Design ecologies: Essays on urban development reader, ed. Stephen Wheeler • Lyster, Clare (2016). ‘Emerging protocols of and Nature the nature of design, ed. Lisa Tilder and Beth and Timothy Beatley. New York: Routledge. post-Fordist flow’, Learning from logistics: Peter Edward Blotstein, 220-37. New York: Princeton • Cervero, Robert (2006). ‘Drawing lessons and How networks change our cities, Clare Lyster, Architectural Press. debunking myths’, in The urban design reader, 1–14. Basel: Birkhäuser. • Calthorpe, Peter (2011). Urbanism in the age ed. Michael Larice and Elizabeth MacDonald, • Pollalis, Spiro (2016). ‘Challenges in Cities create an environment that differs in many ways from surrounding rural of climate change. Washington: Island Press. 425–34. London: Routledge. infrastructure planning and implementation, • Chalifoux, Alan (2012). ‘The impact of planning • LeCavalier, Jesse (2016). ‘Buildings: A moving in Planning sustainable cities: An infrastruc- areas. Cities have their own climate, on building energy usage’, in Sustainable system in motion’, in The rule of logistics: ture-based approach, Spiro Pollalis, 12–13. their own biodiversity, and their own urbanism: Urban design with nature, ed. Doug Walmart and the architecture of fulfillment, Abingdon: Routledge. unique ecosystems. They are also import- Farr. Chichester: Wiley. Jesse LeCavalier. Minneapolis: University of • Farr, Doug, Leslie Oberholtzer and Christian Minnesota Press. ant sources of pollutants and greenhouse gases, which not only reduce the quality Schaller (2012). ‘The sustainable corridor’, • Le Corbusier (1967 [1923]). ‘The pack Recommended Reading in Sustainable urbanism: Urban design with donkey’s way and man’s way’, in The city of • Alexander, Christopher (1965). A city is not a of the urban environment but pose a nature, ed. Doug Farr. Chichester: Wiley. tomorrow. Paris: Dover Publications. tree. Architectural Forum 122 (1): 58–62. threat to global sustainability. The disci- • Gissen, David (2009). Subnature: • Marshall, Stephen and Mark Sutton (2014). • Baccini, Peter and Paul H Brunner (2012). pline of urban design must take a leading Architecture’s other environments. New York: ‘Explorations in generative street layouts’, in Metabolism of the anthroposphere: Analysis, role in maximising the benefits from Princeton Architectural Press. Explorations in urban design: An urban design evaluation, design. Cambridge, Massachusetts: • Hart, Sarah (2011). ‘EcoArchitecture’, in research primer, ed. Mathew Carmona, 181–92. urban ecosystems, and minimising the MIT Press. negative effects due to pollution and an EcoArchitecture: The work of Ken Yeang, Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate. • Bruelisauer, Marcel and Sonja Berthold (2015). Sara Hart and ed. David Littlefield, 12–21. • Mostafavi, Mohsen and Gary Docherty (2010). Reclaiming backlanes: Design vision for altered climate. This means that environ- Chichester: Wiley. Ecological urbanism. Berlin: Lars Muller. increasing building performance and mental agendas are more central than • Lefebvre, Henri (2009 [1974]). The production • Sevtsuk, Andres (2016). ‘Bugis: A model for reprogramming common spaces. Singapore: ever in urban design. This lecture exam- of space. Chichester: Wiley. Singapore 100’, FCL Magazine: Urban World Scientific Press. ines the key issues and reviews some • Rogers, Richard (1997). Cities for a small Breeding Grounds, 18–29. • Drieseitl, Herbert (2016). ‘Blue-green of the key historical positions, and the planet. London: Faber and Faber. infrastructures for buildings and liveable cities’, • Waldheim, Charles (2016). Landscape as in Dense + Green: Innovative building types for more recent ones to emerge globally urbanism: A general theory. Princeton: sustainable urban architecture, Thomas and in tropical regions. Particularly Princeton University Press. Schroepfer, 48–59. Basel: Birkhäuser. important is the rise of so-called ‘blue/ • Phinyawatana, Naree (2016). ‘Dense and green green’, bioclimatic and water-sensitive 7 technologies’, in Dense + Green: Innovative urban design. building types for sustainable urban architecture, Thomas Schroepfer, 38–47. Basel: Week 7 23/2/2017 Birkhäuser. • Yong, Jean W H (2016). ‘Biological functional- Required Reading 9 Systems, Infrastructure ities of green’, in Dense + Green: Innovative • McHarg, Ian (1992 [1967]). ‘Nature in the and Energy building types for sustainable urban architec- metropolis’, in Design with nature, Ian McHarg, Arno Schlueter ture, Thomas Schroepfer, 60–69. Basel: 55–77. London: Wiley Week 9 9/3/2017 Jimeno Fonseca Birkhäuser. • Wackernagel, Mathis and William E Rees Complexity, Smart and • Schmal, Peter Cachola, Ingeborg Flagge and (1996). ‘What is an ecological footprint?’ in Responsive Cities Jochen Visscher eds (2005). Kisho Kurokawa: Our ecological footprint: Reducing human Heiko Aydt Cities are held together by systems that Metabolism and symbiosis. Berlin: Jovis. impact on the earth, Mathis Wackernagel and consist of often unseen infrastructure. • Sassen, Saskia, ed. (2007). Deciphering the William E Rees. Philadelphia: New Society Gerhard Schrotter Markus Schlaepfer These systems facilitate the flows of global: Its scales, spaces and subjects. Publishers. New York: Routledge. • Yeang, Ken (2011). ‘Essay’, in Eco energy, water, data and goods to build- Architecture: The work of Ken Yeang, Sara ings, and manage waste that their Hart and ed. David Littlefield, 258–63. The rising accessibility and quantity of occupants produce. They also connect Chichester: Wiley. data on cities and their functioning has different cities to each other and their generated the possibility of a new science respective hinterlands. This lecture of cities. Such an approach builds on the examines the role of such systems in cities Recommended Reading possibilities of such ‘big’ data as a means • Beatley, Timothy (2011). Biophilic cities: and their interdependencies, focusing Integrating nature into urban design and of better understanding how cities work – on environmental systems and energy. planning. Washington: Island Press. sometimes referred to as the ‘DNA of

Course Programme T1 170 171 Course Programme T1 cities’ – and responding to how they are The city of tomorrow: Sensors, networks, • Teh, Tse Hui ‘Actor network theory coevolution hackers, and the future of urban life. framework for urban design’, in Explorations used by citizens and visitors alike. This New Ha ven: Yale University Press. in urban design: An urban design research primer, lecture examines how the power of infor- • Sachs, Jeffrey (2015). The age of sustainable ed. Mathew Carmona. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate. mation technology is being harnessed development. New York: Columbia University to these ends to support an integrated Press. urban design approach that engages the • Schlaepfer, Markus, Markus Szell, Carlo Ratti and Geoffrey West (2016). ‘The hidden Recommended Reading large scale and complexity of future universality of movement in cities’, Conference • Brömmelstroet, Marco te (2013). ‘Performance cities. The hope is to ‘unpick [the] physi- on Complex Systems (CCS), Amsterdam, of planning support systems: What is it, and how cal form [of cities] to reveal the networks 19–22 September. do we report on it?’ Computers, Environment that enable them to function’ (Batty and Urban Systems 41 (September): 299–308. 2013, 8). Rather than doggedly viewing • Bunchoten, Raoul, Takuro Hoshino and Hélene cities ‘sets of spaces, places, locations’, Binet (2001). ‘Kyoto: String the city’, in Urban flotsam: Stirring the city, Raoul Bunchoten, advocates of the new science of cities Takuro Hoshino and Hélene Binet, 272–92. urge us to regard them as ‘sets of actions, Rotterdam: 010 Press. interactions, and transactions’ (Batty 10 • Jacobs, Allan B ‘Seeing change’, in Explorations 2013, 9). in urban design: An urban design research primer, ed. Mathew Carmona. Farnham, Week 10 16/3/2017 Surrey: Ashgate. Design, Coevolution, • Jacobs, Allan B ‘Seeing change’, in Explorations Required Reading in urban design: An urban design research • Latour, Bruno (2007). ‘To modernize or to Participation primer, ed. Mathew Carmona. Farnham, ecologise? That Is the Question’, Technoscience: Aurel von Richthofen Surrey: Ashgate. The politics of interventions, ed. Kirstin Asdal, • Pelzer, Peter, Stan Geertman, and Rob van der Brita Brenna, Ingunn Moster, 249–56. Urban design has its disciplinary roots in Heijden (2016). ‘A comparison of the perceived Akademika Publishing. added value of PSS applications in group • LeCavalier, Jesse (2016). ‘Bodies: Coping with urban planning, art, architecture and settings’. Computers, Environment and Urban data-rich environments’, in The rule of logistics: social sciences. As such it finds its exper- Systems 56 (March): 25–35. Walmart and the architecture of fulfillment, tise in a mix of these fields. Given that its Jesse LeCavalier. Minneapolis: University of focus is on the city and city elements, it Minnesota Press. necessarily practiced in a hybrid way. • Townsend, Anthony (2014). Smart cities: Big data, civic hackers, and the quest for a new It is fundamentally a negotiated practice utopia. New York: Norton. in which many voices, hands and mind are involved. These include systems of 11 governance, rules and cultures, as well as Recommended Reading practices of everyday life. A sustainable, Week 11 23/3/2017 • Allen, Adriana (2009.) ‘Sustainable cities or livable and lovable city is increasingly Review and sustainable urbanisation?’ UCL Journal of understood to be one that is cultivated Sustainable Cities. www.ucl.ac.uk/ sustainable- with a mix of long term planning that Presentation cities. supports engagement and co-evolution of • Batty, Michael (2013). The new science of cities. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press. cities. This final lecture draws together Individual assignment: text about a given/ • Bettencourt, Luis and Geoffrey West (2010). many of the themes discussed so far by chosen theme in urban design critically ‘A unified theory of urban living’, Nature 467 focusing on the theoretical positions on reflecting on the lectures and readings of 912–913. the practice of urban design. We examine term 1. • Florida, Richard L (2004). The rise of the planning support systems, and partici- creative class: And how it’s transforming work, leisure, community and everyday life. patory planning and design approaches. Group assignment (groups of three): New York: Basic Books. 4 drawings and 4 physical models based • Hudson-Smith, Andrew ‘Smart cities, social on the idea of defining common ground networks and the Internet of Things’. Required Reading of urban design critically revisiting • MacCormac, Richard (1994). ‘Understanding Batty, Michael (2013). ‘Defining Geodesign and reworking the previous assignments Transaction’, Architectural Review. ( = GIS + Design ?)’. Environment and Planning including a manifesto image. http://www.mjparchitects.co.uk/about/ B: Planning and Design 40 (1): 1–2. publications/understanding-transactions/. Oswald, Franz, Peter Baccini and Mark Michaeli Deliverables: Research paper (3,000 • Mitchell, William (1995). City of bits: Space, (2003). ‘The synoikos method’, Netzstadt: place, and the infobahn. Cambridge, Designing the urban, Franz Oswald, Peter Baccini words), 4 drawings and 4 physical models. Massachusetts: MIT Press. and Mark Michaeli, 251-83. Basel: Birkhäuser. Presentation and review to an external jury. • Ratti, Carlo and Matthew Claudel (2016).

Course Programme T1 172 173 Course Programme T1 judgement to deploy. So all elements software. Hours 1 and 2 will focus on ex- need to be tested through existing pert input and discussion. Hours 3 and 4 Term 2 literature, expert view and discussion will be dedicated to the analysis and on applicability in different cities, parametric implementation of elements. Urban Elements cultures and environmental settings. 14:00 – 15:00 2) Abstraction. Elements, because they Presentation of elements aspire to be generally applicable, need and parametric definitions to be presented with a clear and relatively abstracted graphic language. Four participants will present and discuss This allows the element to develop an the best elements developed the week iconic power. before and submitted via moodle for this date. Each week participants will trans- 3) Clearly structured. Elements, because late the three elements presented earlier they are provisional, need to be plus one additional element in a specific The course will focus on developing an operational presented with a clear structure with analytical format. The lecturer of the three different kinds of text – principle, previous week will be invited back to catalogue. An urban element combines, or knots together, description, cases. review and evaluate the elements pro- different aspects of these themes in the city. The term duced by the participants. Participants relates to concepts of type and genre in urban design, and 4) Memorable. Each element should be will thus see each lecturer twice. During heurisitic approaches to knowledge formation (or rules memorable so that they can be the first week as dialogue partner and of thumb). Elements are typical features of good city form deployed in a fast-moving design and during the second week as reviewer of planning environment, be that the their work. that can range in scale from the texture of a pavement, design studio, review situation, or a building entrance, to shop front, to pocket park, to plaza on-site consultation. 15:00 – 16:00 and street, to neighbourhood and precinct. Dialogue on elements Elements – as ruled based units – can be and case-study city translated into digital parametric design elements, which can, in turn, be readily Dialogue on a set of research questions combined, or knotted, together in larger on urban elements drawn from one or Urban elements can be observed empiri- The operationalising of theoretical urban sequences and systems. The course will a number of case-study cities delivered cally in everyday urban settings in any design principles builds up upon and invite students to translate elements that by lecturer from Term 1 (Theory). city, and as such, they can be recorded, extends existing examples in urban typo- are discussed in class into digital para- Each lecturer will be paired with a tutor studied and discussed. They can also be logy, genre, patterns and formats. These meters. This offers students an opportu- to draw out the elemental aspects of discerned through published case studies. examples aspire in different ways to nity to directly engage with the knowl- the theory. The dialogue has the charac- capture in a systematic way the relation- edge and skills related to contemporary ter of an interview where the tutor acts The curriculum for Term 2 is structured ships between form, practice, materials, representational technologies. The class as a discussant. Each dialogue will start around a set of exercises that discern flows and ecology. will be supported by FCL researchers by presenting research questions on individual urban elements. The features to develop this aspect of the course aims. urban elements and then exemplifying of individual elements will be assembled how these urban elements shape the city. into element sheets (1 × A3) according to Approach These are guided by shared values of a prescribed format. Individual elements Teaching and good urban design such as human-centred will be collated and cross-referenced to Each element in the operational Learning Structure urban design including liveability, sus- produce an operation catalogue. Students catalogue will share a common format tainability and resilience. The questions will begin working with a set of partially consisting of: A typical course day in Term 2 is centred are listed next to the topics starting from completed element sheets. They will be around building the operational cata- week 2. The elements presented in invited to study, discuss and test these 1) Varying strength. All elements are logue composed of urban elements. This Term 2 will build upon and operation- elements. They will also be invited to provisional in their claims to general will involve expert dialogues, student alise the theoretical inputs from Term 1. add to the stock of elements by research- validity, typicality or universality. research, presentations and discussion. ing and diagnosing others that may be Some will approach universal laws, Student work will be supported by input 16:00 – 18:00 discerned from sites in Singapore and others will be useful principles that dialogues, moderated discussion, studio Analytical development from international best practices. will need contextual information and and specialist tutorials on parametric of elements (parallel session)

Course Programme T2 174 175 Course Programme T2 The design tutors will develop the new The urban element is a form of knowl- links between spaces of urban flows elements in desk-crit format with the edge that bridges theory and practice. (streets, squares, interchanges) and urban 4 participants to produce the short thesis For this course, this means bridging the stocks (buildings, infrastructure, parks) text and graphic sketch. theoretical principles introduced in Term 1 with respect of liveability such as human Week 4 4/5/2017 (Theory), and the more operational skill comfort, safety and experiential diversity. Elements of Urban Use / Parametric implementation and judgement required for design work of elements in Term 3 (Design). The concept of the Parametric Workshop: Spatial Configuration (parallel session) urban element has a genealogy that Katja Knecht Christoph Hölscher links it to concepts such as type, genre, Yufan Miao Panos Mavros Studio: The software tutors will implement the pattern and format in architecture and Anna Gasco new elements parametrically with the urban theory. Urban elements can form Naomi Hanakata The lecture on use and spatial configura- participants to produce the parametric an effective operational catalogue to help Panos Mavros tion proposes that to study urban activity definition. urban designers work with multiple and Submission: we must understand the users. These often conflicting criteria in the shaping Site analysis set 1, urban elements explore at the logic and of good city form. The lecture will outline Element set 1 internal structure of the urban space, this approach and how it can be useful such as the layout or spatial configura- Lecture and for urban design in Southeast Asia. tion and the interaction with perceptual Studio Schedule and cognitive processes that lead to behaviour. Introduction to Term 2 3 Parametric Workshop: logistics and seminar trips Katja Knecht Aurel von Richthofen Week 3 26/4/2017 Yufan Miao 0 Elements of Studio: Urban Typology / Anna Gasco Introduction to the sites and site analysis Naomi Hanakata Week 0 5/4 – 6/4/2017 requirements as supporting material to Density Panos Mavros Dietmar Leyk ‘Boot Camp’ develop the urban elements. The site Submission: analysis’ are also the testing ground for Anna Gasco Site analysis set 3, Katja Knecht Element set 3 Aurel von Richthofen the urban elements. The results will be diagrams of urban form on the site to be This lecture focusses on the interplay of fed back to the element catalogue pages. architectural and urban scales. It presents The two ‘boot camp’ sessions introduce The site diagrams will start in week 1 urban typologies, texture and varying concepts and tools of parametric urban and continue throughout Term 2 to degrees of densities resulting from design. The 3D modelling software inform the development of site-specific the re-combination of urban elements. 5 Rhino 3D and parametric coding soft- elements The lecture addresses in particular ware grasshopper will be used to gener- Naomi Hanakata / Panos Mavros built-up versus open spaces manifested Week 5 11/5/2017 ate urban design elements, the focus as point-towers, slabs, courtyards types Elements of of Term 2. Weekly tutorials will deepen and the open spaces in between. the knowledge in parametric design. Eco System Service Parametric Workshop: Peter Edwards Katja Knecht Naomi Hanakata 2 Yufan Miao Studio: Anna Gasco Eco-System Services form the back- 1 Week 2 20/4//2017 Naomi Hanakata ground matrix to support urban form. Elements of Urban Form: Panos Mavros The eco-system service elements range Submission: Week 1 13/4/2017 Stephen Cairns / from urban stocks that respond to Site analysis set 2, natural processes (bio-diversity corridors Introduction: Elements – Aurel von Richthofen Element set 2 and islands, floodwater retention areas, An Operational Catalogue provision of greenery) to natural flows for Urban Design The lecture on urban form elaborates (water sheds, migration patterns) Stephen Cairns concepts of human-centred urban design and climatic attributes (heat mitigation, (guiding value system). It establishes shading efficiency).

Course Programme T2 176 177 Course Programme T2 Parametric Workshop: Parametric Workshop: Katja Knecht Katja Knecht Yufan Miao 7 10 Yufan Miao Studio: Studio: Anna Gasco Week 7 22/5 – 26/5/2017 Week 10 15/6/2017 Anna Gasco Naomi Hanakata Naomi Hanakata Panos Mavros Seminar Trip Elements of Panos Mavros Aurel von Richthofen Submission: Urban Change Submission: Site analysis set 4, Pieter Hertogs Element set 8, Element set 4 Panos Mavros Edited Operational Destination 1 Catalogue of Urban Elements Change is fundamental in sustainable urban development, but the built environment is not designed to support 6 8 it. Design for Change is an umbrella term covering a spectrum of concepts 12 Week 6 18/5/2017 Week 8 29/5 – 2/6/2017 and strategies. The lecture will focus on Elements of Urban Mobility Seminar Trip a participative scenario exploration Week 12 29/6/2017 method to inform design and policy. Michael van Eggermond Aurel von Richthofen Review and Pieter Fourrie Presentation Tanvi Maheshwari Parametric Workshop: Katja Knecht Anna Gasco Destination 2 Yufan Miao For the ﬁnal review participants will Studio: Anna Gasco present their urban elements and contri- Elements of urban mobility are guided Naomi Hanakata bution to the collective operational cata- by the concepts of good network design Panos Mavros logue both in graphic format and as live to encourage soft mobility. They also 9 Submission: parametric deﬁnitions. Additionally, they anticipate the conversion to car-light Element set 7 will prepare a written description of – mobility and the introduction of Week 9 – 8/6/2017 patterns with links to the completed site autonomous vehicles (AV). The lecture Elements of analysis and theory input. The jury will asks how will the next era of mobility review the rigor of analytical develop- will change current urban patterns. Urban Energy ment, the translation of analysis into In practical terms, what kind of network Jimeno Fonseca 11 element and the potential of the element hierarchy, road width, parking space, Naomi Hanakata for urban design in Term 3. intersection design will be necessary Week 11 22/6/2017 in the sustainable city of the future? Sustainable energy production, distribu- Elements of Review Jury: tion and consumption inform urban URA + Stephen Cairns Parametric Workshop: design. Elements of energy grids, cluster Urban Resilience Dietmar Leyk Aurel von Richthofen Katja Knecht sizes, centralized versus decentralised Hans Heinimann Yufan Miao Aurel von Richthofen Katja Knecht systems and their spatial combination Yufan Miao Studio: Anna Gasco lead the way forward towards a carbon Anna Gasco Naomi Hanakata neutral city. Urban processes are always subject to Naomi Hanakata Panos Mavros sometimes unanticipated change. Panos Mavros Submission: Parametric Workshop: This lecture presents crucial aspects Site analysis set 5, Element set 5 Katja Knecht towards a resilient urban form in the Yufan Miao future. It looks as urban elements and Studio: Anna Gasco their interplay across disciplines (energy, Naomi Hanakata infrastructure, communication, urban Panos Mavros space), across spatial scales (local, Submission: urban, regional) and temporal scales. Site analysis set 6, The holistic view puts forward ‘meta- Element set 6 elements’ of urban form.

Course Programme T2 178 179 Course Programme T2 4) Informed urban design proposal Lecture and Studio Schedule with detailed urban plans, sections, Term 3 models and visualisations. Teaching team: Urban Design The class will be supported by FCL Studio mentors: teaching assistants and researchers to Anna Gasco Naomi Hanakata develop this aspect of the course aims. Panos Mavros Aurel von Richthofen Parametric workshop: Katja Knecht Teaching and Learning Kateryna Konieva Structure Yufan Miao

A typical course day in Term 3 is structured as experimental studio focussing The class will focus on developing urban design proposals on design exploration, production and communication in class. Participants 1 for Singapore. These designs will be grounded in theory and work in four groups on one of the four will apply and validate the operational principles developed sites in Singapore. Each group will be Week 1 earlier in the course. The urban design proposals will be mentored by a teaching assistant. A ﬁfth Wednesday 19/7/2017 anchored in a critical site analysis. Parametric urban design parametric design desk will be available to assist the groups in the parametric GIS workshop support tools will allow the generation of design variations (conducted by URA, to be tested against self-set optimisation criteria. Term 3 development of their design proposals throughout the course. Conventional location URA) will culminate in a comprehensive urban design proposal to and parametric urban design will evolve be discussed on the backdrop of critical urban theory and organically together. Lecturers from Thursday 20/7/2017 operational knowledge. Term 1&2 will join interim reviews to give critical feedback. Three software Introduction Term 3, tutorials will be held in parallel (Wednes- Site Analysis days) in the ﬁrst weeks of Term 3.

The curriculum for Term 3 is based in Approach A typical course day will start with the a productive studio mode whereby revision of the previous weeks work and participants work in four groups on one The urban design proposal will be based introduction of particular assignments 2 of the four chosen sites in Singapore. on the following components to be for 30 minutes. Two and a half hours will Term 3 is structured in thematic blocks developed in Term 3: be allocated to design exploration and Week 2 to achieve the urban design project production. The course will end with an Thursday 27/7/2017 starting with the site analysis and identi- 1) Site analysis with development of site hour of presentation by the participants. Studio: Site Analysis / ﬁcation of potential and challenges, potential and challenges considering continuing in the development of urban theoretical lenses developed in Term 1 14:00 – 14:30 Challenges + Potentials design strategies, production of urban in the form of diagrams and maps Review of work and hand out design variations, evaluation against of assignments. Friday 28/7/2017 self-set criteria and ﬁnal, the production 2) Urban concept and strategy applying Grasshopper + of the urban design proposal. operational knowledge developed in 14:30 – 17:00 Rhino workshop Term 2 adding to the operational Studio with design exploration (Location URA) catalogues in the form of diagrams and and production in close mentorship short thesis statements with the tutors. and

3) Parametric urban design deﬁnition 17:00 – 18:00 and production of urban design Pin-up presentation by participants variations with eventual interim review and feedback by FCL researchers.

Course Programme T3 180 181 Course Programme T3 3 8 183 Week 3 Week 8 Thursday 3/8/2017 Thursday 7/9/2017 Interim Review: Studio Site Analysis T1 4 9 Week 9 Week 4 Thursday 14/9/2017 Thursday 10/8/2017 Studio Studio Friday 11/8/2017 No class week of Grasshopper + Thursday 21 September Rhino workshop (Location FCL) No class week of Thursday 28/9/2017

5 10 Week 5 Thursday 17/8/2017 Week 10 Studio Thursday 5/10/2017 Studio: Presentation Rehearsal 6 Week 6 11 Thursday 24/8/2017 Studio Week 11 Thursday 12/10/2017 Final Review Term 3 7 Week 7 Wednesday 30/8/2017 Interim Review: Urban Concept

Course Programme T3 182 Introduction: Describing and Analysing Cities ChristiaanseKees What is Urban and What is Urban Design? Stephen Cairns T1 184

Fabric, Grain and Texture Identiﬁcation Through Isolation Dietmar Leyk Unconventional Zone versus Conventional Zone T1 185 Collective Form, Vertical, and 3D Cities WOHA, Permeable Lattice City of the Future, Thomas Schroepfer Singapore, 2011, rendering T1 186

Original Redesign

Frankfurt Airport: Signage & Navigation Christoph Hölscher T1 187 Urban Form and Accessibility Michael van Eggermont T1 188

One-Mile Walk in a Compact Neighborhood One-Mile Walk in a Sprawling Suburb

A one-mile walk in Seattle’s Phinney Ridge A one-mile walk in Bellevue, WA with cul-de-sacs takes you through a grid-like street network and winding streets has few shops and services with a mix of residences and businesses. within walking distance.

Systems, Infrastructure and Energy Institutional Residential Commercial Arno Schlueter, Jimeno Fonseca Industrial Ofces T1 189 Ecology, Environment and Nature Peter Edwards T1 190

Unity3D – First Person Result Visualisations Gerri Schrotter T1 191 Tinder for cities: how tech is making urban planning more inclusive Aurel von Richthofen T1 192

Gehl, Jan (2010) Cities for people. London: Island Press.

Urban Design Element Street Typology Stephen Cairns Hierarchy T2 193 Building Analysis with Space Syntax Christoph Hölscher T2 194

• University College London, Hillier & Hanson (1984)

• Computerized, formal method of spatial analysis

• Translates geometric form into a graph network of sightlines and decision points

– Connectivity number of direct neighbors – Integration centrality of an axial line in the graph – Intelligibility correlation of Connectivity & Integration – Additional development of Space Syntax measures for Wayﬁnding Usability (Hölscher, Brösamle & Vrachliotis, 2012)

Short-wave radiation Sensible heat

Long-wave radiation Anthropogenic heat

Latent heat

Thermal storage

The Urban Heat Island Source: Reducing Urban Heat Islands, Pieter Edwards NEA, 2007 T2 195 What Capacities are we Designing for? Source: SFMTA Michael van Eggermond T2 196

Wind Luft Geothermie Luft Solar

Elektrizität Wärme / Kälte Wärme / Kälte Wärme / Kälte Wärme / Kälte

Biogas / Müll Prozess Solar Solar Wind Geothermie Wind

Elektrizität Wärme / Kälte / Elektrizität Wärme / Kälte Wärme / Kälte Elektrizität Wärme / Kälte Elektrizität

BUILDING ON-SITE DISTRICT MODIFICATIONS RETROFIT GENERATION NETWORKS TO URBAN FORM

Jimeno Fonseca T2 197 The Interactive 4D Model of Slim Turnhout visualises building info and changing needs Pieter Hertogs for 413 households T2 198

Visualisatie: tekort of teveel aan ruimtes

WONING naam plan: woningtype 3.2 4 slaapkamer(s) 1 werkkamer(s) GEZIN NU gezin-ok 4 slaapkamer(s) nodig 1 werkkamer(s) nodig GEZIN LATER actieve ouderen 1 slaapkamer(s) nodig 0 werkkamer(s) nodig

9 m 1910

8 m 1924 1955 1945 7 m 2016

1982 6 m

1988 2001 1999 5 m

Naviation limit 1910 4 m

3 m

Enable Awareness – Cultural Memory Zouave du pont de l’Alma Hans Heinimann (Paris) T2 199 ing the restructuring of inner cities and Kateryna Konieva the rapid urbanisation of the landscape. Teaching Team Anna holds a PhD in Architecture and is research assistant in the Big Data Urbanism from ETH Zürich, a Master Informed Urban Design and Governance in Urban Design from the Bartlett UCL project at Future Cities Laboratory at Aurel von Richthofen New Urban Typologies’ at the Singapore London and a Master in Architecture the Singapore-ETH Centre. Her primary University of Technology and Design from St. Luc Brussels. She has taught research interest is in developing para- is a Senior Researcher and Education (SUTD). His research interests are urban design studios both at universities metric design framework for medium and Research Programme leader at FCL. focussed on the high-density city and its and governmental agencies. large scale urban projects, as a platform The programme defines education architecture, large-scale urban projects for inclusive and transparent planning research topics arising from research and knowledge spaces. Dietmar Leyk is Naomi Hanakata process and negotiation between stake- projects and scenarios. It develops teach- Founding Director of Leyk Wollenberg holders. She is currently focusing on mixed- ing methods to deliver communicable, Architects based in Berlin, accomplishing is an urban scholar, architect and urban used development in Singapore and teachable and applicable outcomes for international projects in all scales. He planner. She coordinates The Grand housing development in rapidly urbanized urban design to be delivered to Singapor- received numerous prizes in internation- Projet at FCL and she is a visiting faculty cities in Indonesia. ean authorities, universities and within al competitions and for his realised work. at Rice University. Deeply familiar with the SEC community. Prior to Singapore, Dietmar Leyk is a registered architect both, European and Asian urban devel- Panos Mavros he spent four years teaching and re- in Germany. He is also an Appointed opment contexts, her work investigates searching as an Assistant Professor at Architect by the Association of German material practices and socio-spatial is a senior researcher at the Future Cities the German University of Technology in Architects (BDA). processes in the built environment and a Laboratory (FCL) of the Singapore-ETH Oman. He was the co-investigator on a critical vision development on a local Centre, where he is working on the pro- research project on sustainable urbanisa- Kees Christiaanse and global scale. With her work, she is ject Cognition, Perception and Behaviour tion patterns in Oman. Before that, he part of leading debates on planetary urban- in Urban Environments. He studied was had been teaching in Germany and is the Programme Coordinator at FCL, ization and sustainable urban futures. Architecture at the National Technical at the Ohio State University in Columbus Zürich. He is the project leader of ‘The Naomi is trained ETH Zurich, the University of Athens (Greece) and Digital Ohio, USA. Grand Projet’, a research that focuses on University of Tokyo, and the LSE and Media at the University of Edinburgh large urban projects in Europe and Asia, has worked in Zurich, Tokyo, New (UK). He is completing his PhD at The Stephen Cairns and the co-principal investigator of the York and Singapore and has taught in Bartlett Centre for Advanced Spatial Urban-Rural Systems. Christiaanse Singapore, Switzerland and the U.S. Analysis, UCL, where he specialised in is the Director of FCL in Singapore, studied architecture and urban planning spatial cognition research, and environ- Professor in Architecture at ETH Zürich, at TU Delft, was a partner at the Office Katja Knecht mental psychophysiology. His research and Principal Investigator of the ‘Urban- for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) interests are how people experience and Rural Systems’ project at FCL. He and the founder of KCAP Architects & is a researcher in Cognitive Design feel in architectural and urban spaces, and completed his PhD at the University of Planners which has offices in Rotterdam, Computing with the Big Data-Informed the study of navigation behaviour and Melbourne where he was also appointed Zürich and Shanghai. Since 2003, he is Urban Design project at the Future decision making in different environments. as a lecturer. He took up a Senior Lecture- the chair of the Urban Planning Institute Cities Laboratory. She holds degrees ship at the University of Edinburgh, and at ETH Zürich and prior to this, he held in media architecture from the Bauhaus- Yufan Miao was appointed Professor of Architecture a professorship for architecture and ur- University Weimar and in audio-visual and Urbanism there in 2009. He is a ban planning at the Technical University media from the Hochschule der Medien, is a PhD Researcher in the work stream designer, writer and teacher who is moti- of Berlin. Stuttgart. During her PhD at the Media Cognitive Design Computing of the Big vated by a curiosity about buildings, and Arts Technology Centre for Doctoral Data Informed Urban Design and Gover- cities and society and how design, as a Anna Gasco Training at Queen Mary, University nance project at FCL. He holds a bache- discipline and practice, can catalyse of London, she specialised in human lor degree in Geomatics and a master innovative and sustainable relationships is a Senior Researcher and Project Coor- computer interaction, usability and degree in Computational Science. He is between them. dinator at FCL for ‘The Grand Projet’, user experience research. Her current interested in the research and develop- a research on urban megaprojects in Asia research focusses on the human-centred ment of urban design supporting tools Dietmar Leyk and Europe. Chartered architect and design and development of computa- with the help of Artificial Intelligence senior urban designer, she also acts as a tional systems to support and inform Technologies. He is now trying to design is the Research Scenario Leader for consultant for both private and public design and decision-making processes a genotype representation of the urban ‘High-Density Mixed-Use Cities’ at the clients. Prior to joining FCL, Anna in urban planning. geometries in order to apply Evolutionary FCL and Co-Principal Investigator of the worked in practices on visionary projects Multi-Objective Optimization method to research project ‘The Future of Cities: at multiple scales and contexts, address- the generation of urban design suggestions.

Teaching Team 200 201 Teaching Team Contributors

Editor Participants T1, 2, 3 Aurel von Richthofen Wei Wang Linda Lui Education Programme Leader Junjie Huang Aurel von Richthofen Lim Wei Qi

Oversight (FCL/ ETH) Cheng-E Tham Kees Christiaanse Myunghoon Kim Dr. Stephen Cairns Nguyen Duy Dietmar Leyk Kimmy Cheung Yaou Zhang Tutors (Urban Design) Dr. Anna Gasco Regina Koo Dr. Naomi Hanakata Zhuorui Ouyang Panos Mavros Gong Yao Chua Pei-Yun Ho Tutors (Parametric Design) Katja Knecht Jacob Tan Yufan Miao Danette Zhuang Kateryna Konieva Juay Hai Toh Eugene Lau Input Lecturers Dr. Stephen Cairns Participants T1, 2 Kees Christiaanse Terence Ming Fei Cheng Dr. Pieter Edwards Swee Wei Lee Dr. Michael van Eggermond Li Jie Choo Dr. Jimeno Fonseca Dr. Pieter Fourrie Graphic Design: Dr. Hans Heinimann Binger Laucke Siebein Dr. Pieter Hertogs www.binger-laucke-siebein.com Dr. Christoph Hölscher Dietmar Leyk © URA and FCL 2018 Tanvi Maheshwari Aurel von Richthofen This Book has been assigned Dr. Thomas Schröpfer the following DOI: Dr. Gerri Schrotter 10.3929/ethz-b-000270354

Oversight (URA) Siew Leng Fun Lay Bee Yap

Coordinator (URA) Kimmy Cheung Eugene Lau

203 Contributors

ADVANCED STUDIES IN URBAN DESIGN

Urban Elements introduces a The publication reports on the novel urban design pedagogy. first course on Advanced This teaching framework Studies in Urban Design (AS-UD) emerged in dialogue with the developed for the URA in 2017. Urban Redevelopment Authority This post- graduate course saw (URA) and the Education participants strengthen their Research Programme at the theoretical knowledge of urban Future Cities Laboratory (FCL) design, develop an operational in Singapore. The publication lexicon to translate theoretical reflects on education research knowledge into parametric topics arising from research form, and develop urban design projects and scenarios at FCL. proposals for various sites It presents teaching methods in Singapore. The publication to deliver communicable, features the Urban Elements teachable and applicable out- method, an ontolo gical approach comes for urban design. The to urban design and its trans- approach takes a refreshing lation into para metric design Singaporean and South East definitions, as well as an Urban Asian perspective on urban Elements Catalogue. design education in response to rapid urbanisation, tropical climate and high density.

DOI: 10.3929/ethz-b-000270354