ISSUE 01: URBAN PLANNING FOR HEALTHY CITIES: BREAKING WITH THE MODERNIST TRADITION

Hong Kong’s New Towns layout are informed by the The Town Planning Movement, which aimed to ‘’give rational and idealised form to support their patterns of life and sense of community’’ (Kan, 1974, p. 160). This rational, CIAM inspired planning model led to an emphasis on road network efficiency and function seggregation. While individual estates are often self-contained and pedestrian oriented, there is a lack of connectivity and integration across the larger neighbourhood scale.

A healthy city is “one that continually creates and improves those physical and social environments and expands those community resources which enable people to mutually support each other in performing all functions of life and in developing to their maximum potential” (Hancock & Duhl, 1986).

The Ottawa Charter and Healthy Cities Vision are promoted by the United Nations since 1986, emphasizing a human-centric approach to planning (WHO/Europe)

When applied to urban planning and design, a Healthy City approach should take the parameters into account that impact Physical, Mental and Social health (research by Wan Weiqi and Wang Ruosu).

Zhang Qian Liu Xiaoya