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2012 National Infrastructure Summit | Morph My City Challenge | Greenfield Prize SubmissionStewart Dowdall | Sarah Mitchell | Alen Palander | Jenny Wen | Brodie Vissers

TABLE OF CONTENTS

rec . Iproc . i . ty

transformation plan

a day in the life

the five districts

The City Centre

Action plan for the transformation of a canola field into an urban utopia.

Follow a resident on their daily activities within the community.

An introduction to the concept and what it means to “give back”.

A peek into the architectural and social characteristics of the city’s five specialized districts.

A description of the city’s central gathering space.

logisticsThe reasoning to the development of ReciproCITY, and how it was generated.

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SITE PLAN

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rec . Iproc . I . ty1: the quality or state of being reciprocal : mutual dependence, ac-

tion, or influence2: a mutual exchange of privileges; specifically : a recognition by one of two countries or institutions of the validity of licenses or privileges

granted by the other*

The word “utopia” is derived from a Greek homophone, essentially translated as “good place”. Most traditional utopian vi-sions defined life as being uniform and equal for all inhabitants, al-most providing a sense of monotony within. However, what makes the concept of ReciproCITY an ideal society is the fact that those within the community will be presented with the choice and va-riety as to the activities they conduct and the careers they pursue. The underlying concept, which ties the community and its bonds together, is the care and preservation of the environment. Citizens will live with the mentality that they live harmoniously with the natural environment and that they are a part of the natural process-es that occur in nature, as opposed to taking advantage of nature for resource extraction.

ReciproCITY is a modern utopian concept designed to lead the development of future cities. The concept is not only de-signed to sustain itself, but also give back based on what it takes from the environment, producing a net-positive impact.

ReciproCITY uses nature’s perfect example of an organ-ism that provides beauty to its surroundings, and transfers its traits into an urban context. Like a flower that blossoms then pollinates, the city will give back by pollinating the world with its ideas and innovation, produced from the specialized districts located within.

The petals of the flower will be represented by individu-alistic districts, each with its own unique, identifying traits. The five districts will be: Entertainment, High-Tech, Service, Finance and Agriculture. Uses will be mixed within, but these districts will provide a centralized location or “hub” for those involved in these industries to keep collaboration effective and efficient.

Transportation will be taken on mostly by foot, as the aes-thetic street fronts and the relatively small size of the site will make for an enticing fifteen minute walk from one end to the other. A light rail system will also be available for those physically unable to make the walk from district to district.

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*as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary

noun \ res-uh-pros-i-tee

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A cycling corridor will take place underground to allow for fast active transportation in any climate. The network will allow cyclists to travel independently from pedestrians and have their own right-of-way.

Like the core of a flower where the most vital reproductive functions occur, a large public square will occupy the center of the site. The city center will be a place for people to gather, share and generate ideas. The center will fuze the unique identities of the five districts to synergize culture, development, etc.

Residents’ lifestyles within the city will work on a circadian rhythm. By using naturalsunlight as a time to stay productive, and darkness as a time to rest, energy consumption will be significantly less than a typical city due to synchronizing daily activities with the sun. However instead of forcing residents to abide by the schedule, incentives to participate will be given by starting a typical work shift at 7:00am.

The entire site will be powered by a district energy system that will redistribute en-ergy created from renewable energy sources. By centralizing energy, the grid will be more efficient and can distribute resources accordingly. Wind turbines will be placed around the perimeter of the site to allow wind to be used as a source of energy as well as solar panels and green roofs being installed on every building. All pathways in the site will be equipped with technology to translate human walking into energy.

Figure-Ground: Street network Figure-Ground: building footprints Figure-Ground: parcels

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Transformation Plan

Diagram: districts

Construction of the city will occur in four phas-es. Starting from the centre out, establishing the heart of the city, the centre public space and surrounding build-ings will be established in the first phase. The energy and water redistribution hubs will also be installed in the first phase and will be designed to meet the full capacity of the whole site when completed. Water for irrigation of crops will be obtained from natural (rainwater) sourc-es, grey water and reclaimed waste water that has been treated to remove solids. Water that passes through roof top gardens and vertical farms will then be stored, to be reused again for irrigation and toilet water. The centre of the city will also be the most dense, the strongest, rooting the city into the land and concentrating creative activity. Then, blossoming like a flower by growing outward as the population grows, the city will progress development outward through the next three stages until completion. Solar panels will be installed on all buildings as they are developed.

The second phase will involve further expansion and the development of wind turbines at the perimeter of the city to define the 100 hectare community.

The third phase will involve further expansion and the conversion of open land to vertical farms. The vertical farms will be a necessary way to provide enough food for the population and work by staggering the floors of the building to face the sun so that a maximized area can be exposed to the sun and grow crops. Some of the farms will have open terraces or closed green houses to allow for food production in all climates. When de-veloping the High-Tech district, a central energy receiver and waste water management plant will be installed first as a hub for harvesting and distributing energy from the city’s water and energy collection inputs. Heat developed from the solar panels will be transferred to the power dis-tribution center which will use energy to heat fluids and boil water to power turbines.

Phase Four will complete the developments in the community and install a light rail loop and under-ground cycling network, providing connectivity within the site. It is expected that the entire community be built within 20-25 years.

Diagram: pHASING

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A DAY IN THE LIFE What would a day living in ReciproCITY be like? Imagine every mo-ment of your day positively contributing back to the environment and the com-munity that you and your neighbors reside in. Think of what you do in a day from sleeping, working, playing and alter these activities so that instead of negatively contributing to the environment or not contributing at all, they are giving back to the community in some way or another.

A day in the life begins with an essential task that no human can survive without. With advanced technology innovations we are able to capture the carbon that humans re-lease while sleeping and use it for productivity within the city. Sleeping is essential for the proper functioning of our bodies and minds, but has long been an activity that neither contributes nor takes away from the environment. We want to change this and instead add approximately 8 hours of productivity back into the city grid.

10:00pm-5:00am: Sleep

Perspective Concept Rendering: financi

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Working out contributes to living a healthy and vibrant lifestyle. To inspire and promote a healthy style of living we encourage the citizens of ReciproCITY to activate their body and minds, while powering the community through physical ex-ercise. The amount of energy we exert through physical exercise is significant and by capturing that energy, we can power essential needs of the city. Every movement a person makes produces kinetic energy, meaning every step a person takes on the tread-mill and every movement a person makes on the elliptical are able to drive generators and produce energy. The contribution of multiple people working together not only fosters a sense of community, but also ensures that a substantial quantity of energy is being created and captured to help power the city.

Exercise will also be less institutionalized, with outdoor fitness equipment lo-cated in parks that generate electricity from movement instead of requiring it. Most physical activity will be achieved sheerly through walking and cycling from destina-tion to destination and during the daily work commute.

5:30-6:30am: exercisE

ReciproCITY intercon-nects all districts through an under-ground bike network. This network allows year round cycling capabili-ties in all weather conditions, while also ensuring the most efficient con-nectivity. The energy cyclist’s pro-duce while biking is captured and transferred to the city grid once the bike is parked in its docking station. This enables cyclists to contribute the energy they exert to the func-tioning of the city.

6:50-7:00am: commute

Walking is an essential task that moves pedestrians from one location to another. This critical

method of transportation is strongly promoted through designated walking paths within each district, and underground tunnels that protect pedestrians from adverse weather conditions. In ReciproCITY, we don’t just encourage walking for connectivity and healthy lifestyles of citizens, but to produce and capture energy. The production of energy from walking is incorpo-rated into the main city paths, and also in nightclubs and restaurants. This innovative idea incorporates specific materials that when compressed, through force or bend-ing, produce flows of electricity. This technology is seamless in the sense that citizens would not even recognize they are creating energy. An electric-powered streetcar sys-tem will also be installed in order to provide accessible transportation for those who need it.

Pedestrian Streetcar Cycling

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7:00am-3:00pm: work

Work takes place in any one of the specialized districts within the city. All districts interact with each other, to form one cohesive community that does not specialize in any one single discipline, but many. Their close proximity to each other allows integration and inter-disciplinary work on a day-to-day basis. Jobs that would normally be done across a distance, in separate locations can be concentrated in a single area. The variety of industries within the city will attract people of all different backgrounds, abilities and knowledge, creating a rich, engaging social atmosphere.

The earlier work start times within the community are ideally what will shift wake up and sleeep times.

4:00-5:00pm: Dinner

7:00-10:00pm: Nightlife

After a hard day of work, a dinner, whether it be home cooked or restaurant served, will be locally grown, organic and freshly made.

The majority of food eaten and distributed within ReciproCITY will be grown with-in the city. Food will be grown through vertical farming, green roofs, community gardens and using fruit- and vegetable-producing plants for landscaping. The idea is to return to a time when consumers have full knowledge of the source of their food, and to have full trust in the safety of their food, which is often difficult in the case of mass-produced, genetically modified products. The majority of the farming and food production activity will be concen-trated in the Agricultural District.

Due to the shift of day to earlier times, nightlife will also begin earlier, but will not feel that way after becoming adjusted to the shift.

The five different districts will provide a diverse variety of after-dark activities for people of all ages. Sports and events for children, clubs and bars for young adults, theatres and conventions for adults.

In nightclubs, the same footstep energy generating technology will be implemented, in order to maximize energy generation, in day-to-day activities.Ultimately, the city will pro-vide the perfect live/work/play balance.

Perspective Concept Rendering: Service District

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THE FIVE DISTRICTSThe community will be divided into 5 unique, separately defining districts. Land uses will be mixed within, but the districts are put in place to promote similar industries to click together and ease collaboration. Each district will take on it’s own uniques architectural style and street presence to promote a diverse community.

The High-Tech district engages all creative and intellectual minds into one district of the city to develop so of the most advanced ideas known to mankind. This district is not only intellectually stimulating, but visu-ally enhances the pedestrian experience with angled buildings and creative fronts.

HIGH TECH

The Agricultural District mixes freshly grown gourmet foods with eclectic restaurants and bistros. Encour-aging citizen’s engagement in the growth of fresh food creates a responsibility for environmental awareness and appreciation for local goods. This heart of the city is vibrant at all times of the day with its friendly atmosphere and welcoming appeal.

agricultural

Perspective Concept Rendering: high-tech district

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The Entertainment and Arts District is a central gathering space for all citizens to relax and enjoy life. This district brings people together into a vibrant and social environment that fosters interaction and enjoyment of the arts. With some of the best known nightclubs, art galleries, theaters and concert halls, this area gives all age groups a space to live.

The Financial District holds a sense of dominance over the city with its composition of high-rise buildings. This area brings together the power and wealth of the city into one district. It is here that major decisions affecting the city and its national recognition are made.

The Service District plays an important role of the central headquarters of the city. It comprises of all gov-ernment offices, hospitals, educational institutions and service centers. This district is critical to the daily functioning of the city and maintains all order and security of individuals. With a mix of low and medium scale buildings, this pedestrian friendly environment welcomes all to the center of the city.

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Perspective Concept Rendering: agricultural district

Perspective Concept Rendering: AGRICULTU

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THE CITY CENTRE

The City Centre will unite the people of all five distrcts of the city together, in one space. It will be the gathering place where ma-jor city events will take place, and ideas will be shared not only to the people of the city, but to those the world. The City Centre is a circular public gathering place of 100 m in diameter.

The roots in the centre represent how the foundation of the city lies in the middle.

Plan-View Concept Rendering: City Centre

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After being fully constructed, benefits of RecriproCITY will include a net positive im-pact for the environment, and for society as a whole. Through renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and human power, excess energy not used by those in the city will be returned to the grid, for those in other communities to use. The city also aims to have a variety of employment industries, through the five separate districts, enabling specialization whilst simultaneously in-teracting together to generate ideas and innovation that could be implemented not only within the city itself, but throughout the world. In terms of the environment, the city will use minimal water and rain water will be captured from green roofs on essentially every building. Rainwater will then be filtered through green roofs, stored and then reused for greywater in toilets and for irrigation. Additionally, all pathways will be constructed using permeable paving bricks to minimize any run-off. The green roofs and abundance of natural street landscaping will reduce urban heat island effects, which is important as the site will be very densely built.

As the majority of travelling will be through walking and cycling and no automo-biles will be used, there will be essentially no point source emissions through transporta-tion.

ReciproCITY will also have societal benefits by aiming to provide a sense of com-munity through its urban form. By mixing uses within each district instead of segregating them, it will create a more vibrant street, and allow for a mix of activities to go on in a single area, as opposed to having certain areas only occupied during certain times. It will also al-lows for convenience, as fewer trips will be required to be made in order to carry out daily activities, as opposed to travelling between segregated retail, commercial and residential areas, all distances away from each other.

By having active street fronts and narrow setbacks from the streets, there will be an active street presence at all times of the day, and what Jane Jacobs refers to as “eyes on the street”, providing safety for pedestrian. The active street fronts also foster constant interac-tion between street users, providing a stronger sense of community and encouraging more face-to-face interaction.

The notion of engaging public and creating vibrant green spaces will revive the con-cept of Oldenburg’s “third place” which conventional suburbs and even many modern de-velopments lack. The third place is defined by Oldenburg as the place that is not work, and is not home, but another place in which interactions occur and social bonds are created.

THE CITY CENTRE

BENEFITS

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LOGISTICS

The ideas generated within the districts will also be contributed back to the city through monthly informative speeches and performances in the city’s centre, following a format similar to that of TEDtalks.

The use of the car was completely eliminated as an option for travel through the site, as we considered that a parcel of land 100 hectares in size is walkable from end to end in approximately 10 minutes. The installation of auto-oriented infra-structure then, would be excessive, unnec-essary and would take away from the posi-tive attributes and the walkability of the streets.

The decision to create a cycling network underground was made in order to facilitate an express transportation system that modeled something like urban metro systems. The goal of the cyclist paths is not to take away from the pedestrian and the street, but to allow a faster alternative to walking from one district to another, with limited access to only the central area of each district. It also provides a cycling haven in adverse weather conditions, as well as supplying cyclists their own right-of-way, separate from pedestrians. However, the appeal of the streets will outweigh the underground cycling path when deciding to make a shorter distance trip within districts.

The design also strays away from conventional suburban cul-de-sacs and limited-access curvilinear roads which are inefficient and confusing to orient for pedestrians, and instead returns to a more ra-dial, central form, used by some of the most successful urban settings in the world, such as those of Paris and Barcelona. However, there are still smaller passageways, similar to Paris’ arcades that allow for an interesting and curiosity-filled pedestrian experience, as opposed to the North American grid pattern street morphology.

The diagram below details the typical street within a low-rise area of the city, and the environmental innovations in regards to the built form.

16 17 The form of the city is also composed of short blocks and many access points and routes in order to create a permeable city morphology. Again citing Jane Jacobs, who states that busi-nesses are most profitable if there are more ac-cess routes leading to them. Additionally, short, permeable blocks provide pedestrians the great-est variety in routes to travel from one place to another without one route being substantially quicker and more preferable than the other. As a result, the built form can serve to entertain the pedestrian in more than one way.

By designing higher density residential as opposed to low-density single-family dwell-ings, we are increasing the supply of housing throughout the community, as we suspect there will be a high demand to live within the city. By providing a large supply with a high demand, more affordable housing prices will be ensured, allowing for a mix of people with different in-comes and reducing monotony within the com-munity. The mix of industries within the dis-tricts will also attract a variety of people with different backgrounds and knowledge.

Construction will make the most out of using re-cycled or reused materials. For example, tires will be re-cycled to be used as roof shingles, bricks and wood from torn down buildings will be reincorporated into new buildings, and recycled aluminum and glass can be used to create aesthetic features. Since ReciproCITY will al-ready be built on a greenfield site, all efforts will be made to construct the built forms using previously used materi-als to avoid having to produce new materials, and create the emissions associated with manufacturing them. There are too many buildings torn down on a day-to-day basis in order to redevelop, and the materials from those build-ings are often put to waste.

Additionally, the public spaces will be focused on educating the people of the city of the functions of the community and about how to live sustainably through interactive features. For example, children’s play struc-tures in parks will educate users about how electricity is generated through pedal bikes that power light bulbs in parks, also encouraging users to be more physically active. The idea is to teach children about the environment at a young age, as they are the future generation of innovators and decision-makers, and they should be knowledgeable about the city’s ideals throughout their lives.

Cross-Section: Low-rise area

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Ideally, the design for ReciproCITY could be implemented into a new greenfield develop-ment for a subdivision, instead of a traditional suburb, making much better use of the land, in terms of density and also vibrancy. However, it is most likely that cities across the world could take certain elements away from the concept of ReciproCITY that could be more feasibly implemented. For example, community gardening and involvement in local food education could be easily initiated in cities with active resident engagement.

It is also likely that individual developments as opposed to master planned developments will take away elements of sustainable building. In particular, the shifted day start/end times could be implemented in a style like daylight savings time to shift the peak energy use times, and place greater reliance on the sun for lighting as opposed to electrical lights. The most fundamental concept cities should take from the concept of ReciproCITY is that people of the city, although living in a place that traditionally strays from a natural experience, should always remember that they are nonetheless interwoven in the greater natural network of the world. They should remember that their day-to-day decisions not only affect them as individuals and as a community, but also the world. Therefore, a city should give back to the environment, to its own people, and to people across the world, as a city takes from all of these sources.

IMPLEMENTATION

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