Human Cities : designing sustainable public spaces, A. De Herde

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Human cities A. De Herde May 21/22-2007

Design of urban sustainable public spaces

A.De Herde

Architecture et Climat - UCL

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Urban public spaces are a crucial issue in social, environmental and economic development

Hypothesis

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Typology Types of public spaces

Street(street, avenue, boulevard, roadway, quay,… )

Place (place, square, esplanade , …)

Park(park, public garden, cemetery, … )

Types of urban zones

CenterStrong density and mixed-use (closed blocks with raised buildings, high buildings together,…)

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First crownAverage density and mixed-use (closed blocks with relatively low buildings,…)

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Second crownLow density and mixed-use (open blocks, aligned bars, insulated buildings, waste land, …)

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Studied specifically on the scale of the quarter, defined as a part of a city, the design of public spaces is to be integrate in an overall reflection of the city

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The quarter is a scale of urban intervention that is particularly pertinent for dealing with the question of sustainable development of cities. This is the scale on which many ecological, economic and social problems can be solved and a participate approach can be implemented with a definition of user-friendliness of public spaces.

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User-friendliness promotes the use of public spaces and therefore the encounters and exchanges that can occur there.

So public spaces- are appropriated by the citizens,- contribute to the construction of social

equity,- are comfortable,- improve the habitability of cities

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Belgian political context

5 principles of sustainable development defined by the FPB

- the principle of integration of the componenets of sustainable development- the principle of twofold equity, intra and intergenerational- the precautionary principle- the principle of common responsability- the principle of citizen participation

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Sustainable development issues of public spaces

- the users, meaning the perception, utilisation an appropriation of public spaces- the urban density- the urban microclimate and air pollution- the biodiversity and vegetation- water- acoustics- artificial lighting- mobility

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The users, meaning the perception, utilisation and appropriation of public spaces; in particular,

- establish a dialogue between designers, decision-takers, managers and users of public areas, particularly, the people living alongside them,- take into account the perceptions and usages of townspeople as concerns the multipurpose nature of public areas

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The urban density

To fight the current urban sprawl process and to promote mixed usage in view of

- improvement of the quality of life,- reduction of automobile mobility,- architectural production suited to the context,- maintaining naturel areas,- mixed activities,- social cohesion

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The urban microclimate and air pollution

The public space must be comfortable and healthy to promote his occupation and to favour citizen welfare, taking into account

- the quantitative and qualitative criteria of the comfort of persons outdoors,- the local microclimate

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The biodiversity and vegetation

A good understanding of the contribution of vegetation and biodiversity in cities requires an analysis of several aspects:

- location and breakdown of parks in the city,- functions of vegetation in a city,- types of plants and maintenance

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Water

The objective is to promote urban facilities that reconcile water and the city, based on various principles,

- reconsidering the urban functions of water,- to be opposed to the principle « pouring everything down the sewer »,- better managing the risks of floods,- to considere the cycle of water as a whole

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Acoustics

The « sound quality » in the urban environment needs more than levels in dB(A): the same sound level perceived from a fountain of children playing is not identical of from a car

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Artificial lighting

At the time when « lighting plans » are on the agenda, those influence comfort and the feeling of security of pedestrians; they must be elaborated in a RUE approach

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Mobility

Research of the best balance of supply and demand of travel of goods and persons, in space and in time;

Allocation of the public area in function of the various users

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Conclusion

- from the issues, the approach must be transversal and global,- the approach must be validated by case studies.

Design of quality of urban public spaces is one of the foundations of sustainable urbanism

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Research financed by the federal science policy service

- Architecture et Climat (UCL)- Laboratorium Bouwfysica (KULv)- Institut de Gestion de l’Environnement et d’Aménagement du Territoire (ULB)- Centre d’Etudes en Aménagement du Territoire (UCL)

Human Cities : designing sustainable public spaces, A. De Herde

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