Week 2

Week 2:

 Lecture: Future Visions and Scenarios.

Just a personal observation regarding the majority of scenarios that depict the future: Why do they always look post-apocalyptic? – Surely we can avoid this?

Imagine me in the future...

Okay, let’s go for 20 years ahead - 2032. I’ll be 57 but appear to be in my mid 40’s because of the age defying treatments available. If only they had developed them earlier! Anyway, technology has advanced to a stage that I run my virtual architecture studio from the comfort of my home office; this alleviates the overheads of a physical practice and saves considerable time in travel. In fact, there is no need to leave the home at all as everything I require can be ordered via my smart appliances. Cabin fever is my major concern. I leave the home office on a daily basis for a walk to get some fresh air – because the air is indeed fresher since carbon neutralisation – largely due to the reduction in private transport (cars). Most people work from home in 2032, most of the remaining traffic is delivery based or public buses. Aesthetically, my neighbourhood has changed little since 2012 when all but a few blocks of land were left to purchase, however recent renovations are easily identified because of the advances in nano-technology. These homes are painted with specialised solar paint and many have shading devices developed through bio-mimicry – they adjust automatically to fluctuations in light, shade and temperature. The importance of planting increased over the last 20 years so people have been inclined to plant more and cut less – this has led to an increase in biodiversity and birdlife has flourished. Bird noises are a constant companion to me as I work and walk. The weekend is nearing and I’m starting to consider my options. The 4 day working week was introduced 13 years ago leading to a boom in any industry related to recreational pursuits and the options now available are staggering. What to do?

Tutorial: Design Charette:

Today we visualised what Paddington may be like in 50 years. We speculated that there would be a noticeable reduction in personalised traffic but increased amount of public transport. The idea of an elevated rail system or perhaps a mag-lev system may also be implemented in the future.

We brainstormed office buildings and decided that more people are likely to work from a remote interface (home perhaps) so there would be a reduced requirement for office space in the future. Some ideas about how to utilise these empty spaces resulted in proposals of residential inhabitation, food production and recreational facilities.

 

Readings:

Reading 1: Urban Form and Locality: Hugh Barton.

http://www.bustler.net/images/uploads/metabolism_of_future_mega_cities_cover3.jpg

Dispersal vs Concentration:

On one side of the argument we find the eco-idealist. Return to rural land use, organic farming and low impact lifestyle to achieve a sustainable existence. However this ideal is being diluted by the housing market and the popular “tree-change” movement. Although people enjoy the rural lifestyle, many of the agricultural properties are being snapped up by homemakers rather than farmers. This has a negative impact on the ideal of ‘working’ communities and rural employment and produce. Also, if we consider that most of these “tree-change” advocates live in the country and retain their employ in the cities – the issue of climate change through transport emissions and increased travel distances works adversely to the eco-ideal.


http://www.futuretechture.com/

Dispersal: Urbanisation of the countryside:

Would this eco-ideal not expedite the urbanisation of the countryside as the population inflates, plots are sub-divided to sustain growing communities leading eventually to urban densities. This is already happening around the world. Is this not what we refer to as ‘urban sprawl’?

Concentration: The Compact City:

Studies based around transport suggest that dense urban communities rely less on personal modes of transportation and therefore have a smaller ecological footprint that their rural dwelling cousins. Further to this; it is suggested that densification of urban centres creates a rich and diverse cultural life for the inhabitants, but what about quality of life? (below).

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4025/4322507388_8833a40bcf.jpg

 

Because of their success, researchers look towards European towns as a model for how 'concentrated' city living can work. Whilst being dense, there is a sense of community, cultural richness and social and economic organisation that can be found in many, if not most of the towns. 
 

"... Re-creating tbe diverse multifunctional city of tbe citizen's Europe is tbus a social and economic project for wbicb "tbe quality of life" is not a luxury but an essential" (CEC, 1990).

Compare the below photos; It is not until we delve into the streets of Barcelona that we see the richness of this dense European city.


Barcelona Sprawl: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m505zrbmO71r3cgmdo1_500.jpg

  

Barcelona Street: http://www.panoramio.com/photo_explorer#view=photo&position
=243&with_photo_ id=75151162&order=date_desc&user=64515

 

"... the large majority of Europeans live happily in the very kind of suburb that the Commission designates as 'sprawl'". (Breheny, 1992a)

 

And, although dense in residential accommodation, we find that European cities like Barcelona (above) contain many public squares and parks to accommodate recreational pursuits, thus, creating an enjoyable living experience. Can we call this 'well organised sprawl?'

Mixed Use Development:

Has been earmarked as the answer to sustainable development. However the text raises the question of what should be mixed into which part of the larger township and how does this affect the reliance on public transport? It raises the importance of careful planning of mixed use patterns, in particular, the selection of uses to be incorporated into different scales of neighbourhoods.



http://www.indesignlive.com/idl/media/idlcom/february_09/sustainability/one_hero.jpg

Reading 2: Tsunami Warnings, Written in Stone:

Signs left by ancestors warning of past tragedies save those who heed the warning.

Not yet sure how this one ties in... could be development in tune with nature? Anyway I found this funny photo...

http://themetapicture.com/media/funny-sign-tsunami-evacuation-plan.jpg

 

Reading 3: A History of Greenwashing: How Dirty Towels Impacted the Green Movement:

Again the controversy of corporate profits vs ‘Green Initiative’ rises to the surface. It’s also called positive sustainable development and allows growth and sustainability to work together for a common goal.

I have no problem in businesses making healthy profit, as long as they are doing their utmost for the sustainability of the economy and ecology at the same time.

http://drschweitzer.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/green-wash-10-10-25-pdf.jpg