Re-urbia - ResilientCity.org

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