New Town Research by Kiryat Gat Studio

NEW TOWN RESEARCH Comparing a variety of New Towns around the globe in order to identify commonalities between New Towns, and elements that are particular to Kiryat Gat. NOTE

PREPARED FOR:

THE CITY OF KIRYAT GAT, ISRAEL

PREPARED BY:

GRADUATE STUDENTS OF: MIT DEPARTMENT OF URBAN STUDIES & PLANNING TAU LABORATORY FOR CONTEMPORARY URBAN DESIGN

Metrics marked with an asterisk (*) are based of the sample areas for each New Town.

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF: PROF. TALI HATUKA, TEL-AVIV UNIVERSITY PROF. ERAN BEN-JOSEPH, MIT DATE:

APRIL 4, 2012

Kiryat Gat, Israel socio-economic factors target population todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age distribution socio-economic status

1954

geographies 60,000 47,621 30.6 4 / 10

location in country regional function geographical region climate topography

south urban center Desert border desert flat

middle east

planning / design

neighborhood characteristics

Area when built 7.5 km2 area today 16.3 km2 use residential / industrial (hi -tech) design model garden city industrial zone separate

housing types mixed # of dwellings 14,821 # of schools 26 commerce urban center & shopping mall demographics mixed ethnics

urban form dwelling density dwelling coverage population density road density

909 units / km2 0.4 far 2,921 people / km2 12.78 km / km2

services & transport urban transit regional train service pedestrian network bike network

scale: 1000 x 1000 m building footprints

street patterns

bus, taxi yes, one station yes yes

AKADEMGORODOK, RUSSIA socio-economic factors target population todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age distribution socio-economic status

geographies 50,000 100,000 -

location in country regional function geographical region climate topography

1957 planning / design

south research hub Forest humid continental flat

Area when built area today use design model industrial zone

12 km2 12 km2 residential / Institutional campus separate

europe neighborhood characteristics housing types # of dwellings # of schools commerce demographics

mixed yes mixed ethnics

urban form dwelling density dwelling coverage population density road density

8333 people / km2 10 km / km2*

services & transport urban transit regional train service pedestrian network bike network

scale: 1000 x 1000 m building footprints

street patterns

bus, taxi yes yes yes

Columbia, MD, U.S.A socio-economic factors target population todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age distribution socio-economic status

100,000 96,900 35.5 Median Household Income - $96,801

1967

geographies location in country regional function geographical region climate topography

planning / design Mid-Atlantic Self-Sufficient City Coastal / DC Temperate Hilly

Area when built area today use design model industrial zone

N. America neighborhood characteristics

- housing types 71.48 km2 residential /Industry garden city separate Industrial Park

# of dwellings # of schools commerce demographics

Single Family, Varied 34,000 25+ Village centers, Big Box 50% White, 23% Black, Mix

urban form dwelling density dwelling coverage population density road density

494.3 units / km2 0.249 far / km2 1,200 people / km2 8.65* km / km2

services & transport urban transit regional train service pedestrian network bike network

scale: 1000 x 1000 m building footprints

street patterns

Auto - Dependent Amtrak nearby Yes yes

CIUDAD GUAYANA, VENEZUELA SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS TARGET POPULATION TODAY’S POPULATION TODAY’S AGE DISTRIBUTION SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS

GEOGRAPHIES 250,000 1,050,283 20.5 3 / 10

LOCATION IN COUNTRY REGIONAL FUNCTION GEOGRAPHICAL REGION CLIMATE TOPOGRAPHY

1961

PLANNING / DESIGN SOUTHEAST INDUSTRIAL CENTER RIVER PORT TROPICAL VARIED

AREA WHEN BUILT AREA TODAY USE DESIGN MODEL INDUSTRIAL ZONE

3,282 km2 3,282 km2 RESIDENTIAL / INDUSTRIAL GARDEN CITY SEPARATE

S. AMERICA NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS HOUSING TYPES # OF DWELLINGS # OF SCHOOLS COMMERCE DEMOGRAPHICS

MIXED 228,322 280 HYDROPOWER, STEEL MIXED ETHNICS

URBAN FORM DWELLING DENSITY DWELLING COVERAGE POPULATION DENSITY ROAD DENSITY

1,600 units / km2 .47 far / km2 7,400 people / km2 105 km / km2

SERVICES & TRANSPORT URBAN TRANSIT REGIONAL TRAIN SERVICE PEDESTRIAN NETWORK BIKE NETWORK

SCALE: 1000 x 1000 m BUILDING FOOTPRINTS

STREET PATTERNS

PERRERA, BUS, TAXI UNDER CONSTRUCTION YES YES

dimona, Israel socio-economic factors target population todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age distribution socio-economic status

1955

geographies 60,000 32,565 31.7 4 / 10

location in country regional function geographical region climate topography

planning / design south urban center Desert desert flat

Area when built area today use design model industrial zone

N/a 29.877 km2 residential / industrial garden city separate

middle east neighborhood characteristics housing types # of dwellings # of schools commerce demographics

mixed 11,341 23 yes mixed ethnics

urban form dwelling density dwelling coverage population density road density

N/a N/a 1,090 people / km2 N/a

services & transport urban transit regional train service pedestrian network bike network

scale: 1000 x 1000 m building footprints

street patterns

bus, taxi yes, one station yes yes

DON MILLS, CANADA SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS TARGET POPULATION TODAY’S POPULATION TODAY’S AGE DISTRIBUTION SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS

1953

GEOGRAPHIES 45,000 25,435 44.7 8 / 10

LOCATION IN COUNTRY REGIONAL FUNCTION GEOGRAPHICAL REGION CLIMATE TOPOGRAPHY

PLANNING / DESIGN TORONTO SUBURB ANNEXED NEIGHBORHOOD LAKES REGION HUMID CONTINENTAL RIVERS & RAVINES

AREA WHEN BUILT AREA TODAY USE DESIGN MODEL INDUSTRIAL ZONE

8.35 KM2 8.35 KM2 RESIDENTIAL / COMMERICAL GARDEN CITY / BAUHAUS SEPARATE

N. AMERICA NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS HOUSING TYPES # OF DWELLINGS # OF SCHOOLS COMMERCE DEMOGRAPHICS

MIXED 10,970 21 YES WHITE, CHINESE, OTHER

URBAN FORM 1314 UNITS / KM2 .44 FAR / KM2* 3046 PEOPLE / KM2 8 KM / KM2*

DWELLING DENSITY DWELLING COVERAGE POPULATION DENSITY ROAD DENSITY

SERVICES & TRANSPORT URBAN TRANSIT REGIONAL TRAIN SERVICE PEDESTRIAN NETWORK BIKE NETWORK

SCALE: 1000 X 1000 M BUILDING FOOTPRINTS

STREET PATTERNS

BUS, TAXI, HIGHWAY YES, ONE STATION YES YES

GANDHINAGAR, GUJARAT, INDIA SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS TARGET POPULATION TODAY’S POPULATION TODAY’S AGE DISTRIBUTION SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS

BUILDING FOOTPRINTS

150,000 195,985 11% UNDER 6 80% LITERACY

GEOGRAPHIES LOCATION IN COUNTRY REGIONAL FUNCTION GEOGRAPHICAL REGION CLIMATE TOPOGRAPHY

1970

PLANNING / DESIGN WEST CENTRAL DISTRICT CAPITAL RIVER BANK MONSOON FLAT

AREA WHEN BUILT AREA TODAY USE DESIGN MODEL INDUSTRIAL ZONE

ASIA NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS

38 km2 HOUSING TYPES 53 km2 # OF DWELLINGS ADMINSTRATIVE / RESIDENTIAL # OF SCHOOLS NEIGHBORHOOD UNIT COMMERCE SEPARATE DEMOGRAPHICS

MIXED (GOV. & PRIVATE) XX BY NEIGHBORHOOD PRIMARY & NEIGHBORHOOD 95% HINDU

STREET PATTERNS

URBAN FORM DWELLING DENSITY DWELLING COVERAGE POPULATION DENSITY ROAD DENSITY

XX units / km2 XX far / km2 4,000-5,500 people / km2 14.6* km / km2

SERVICES & TRANSPORT URBAN TRANSIT REGIONAL TRAIN SERVICE PEDESTRIAN NETWORK BIKE NETWORK

SCALE: (GREY BOX) 1000 x 1000 m

BUS ONE STATION SEPARATE IN RESIDENTIAL SEPARATE IN RESIDENTIAL

HALLE-NEUSTADT, GERMANY SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS TARGET POPULATION TODAY’S POPULATION TODAY’S AGE DISTRIBUTION SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS

90,000 45,157 SKEWED ELDERLY 17,000 UNEMPLOYED (2008)

GEOGRAPHIES LOCATION IN COUNTRY REGIONAL FUNCTION GEOGRAPHICAL REGION CLIMATE TOPOGRAPHY

SAXONY-ANHALT (EAST) SUB-REGIONAL HUB NORTH GERMAN PLAIN TEMPERATE SEASONAL FLAT

1967

EUROPE

PLANNING / DESIGN

NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS

AREA WHEN BUILT 800 ha / 8 km2 AREA TODAY 979.3 ha / 9.8 km2 USE RESIDENTIAL / SOME COMMERCIAL DESIGN MODEL TOWERS IN THE PARK INDUSTRIAL ZONE SEPARATE

HOUSING TYPES # OF DWELLINGS # OF SCHOOLS COMMERCE DEMOGRAPHICS

TOWER BLOCKS

SOME MIXED, ELDERLY-SKEWED

URBAN FORM DWELLING DENSITY DWELLING COVERAGE POPULATION DENSITY ROAD DENSITY VACANCY

HIGH-DENSITY, HIGH-RISE LOW COVERAGE 27,000 people / km2 (IDEAL) LOW 18% (HALLE)

SERVICES & TRANSPORT URBAN TRANSIT REGIONAL TRAIN SERVICE PEDESTRIAN NETWORK BIKE NETWORK RECREATION AMENITIES

SCALE: 1000 x 1000 m BUILDING FOOTPRINTS

STREET PATTERNS

TRAM, BUS YES, S-BAHN YES NOT WITHIN CITY SKATE PARK

MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS TARGET POPULATION TODAY’S POPULATION TODAY’S AGE DISTRIBUTION SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS

250,000 185,000 35 HIGH INCOME

GEOGRAPHIES LOCATION IN COUNTRY REGIONAL FUNCTION GEOGRAPHICAL REGION CLIMATE TOPOGRAPHY

1967 PLANNING / DESIGN

SOUTHEAST URBAN CENTER LOWLANDS TEMPERATE FLAT

AREA WHEN BUILT AREA TODAY USE DESIGN MODEL INDUSTRIAL ZONE

EUROPE NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS

88 km2 89 km2 RES/COM/IND GRID ROADS SEPARATE

SINGLE FAMILY 101,872 104 YES WHITE

HOUSING TYPES # OF DWELLINGS # OF SCHOOLS COMMERCE DEMOGRAPHICS

URBAN FORM DWELLING DENSITY DWELLING COVERAGE POPULATION DENSITY ROAD DENSITY

1,144 units / km2 0.29 far / km2* 2,079 people / km2 20 km / km2*

SERVICES & TRANSPORT URBAN TRANSIT REGIONAL TRAIN SERVICE PEDESTRIAN NETWORK BIKE NETWORK

SCALE: 1000 x 1000 m BUILDING FOOTPRINTS

STREET PATTERNS

BUS YES, FIVE STATIONS YES YES

or-yehuda, Israel socio-economic factors target population todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age distribution socio-economic status

1949

geographies 60,000 34,664 31.1 4 / 10

location in country regional function geographical region climate topography

planning / design center town coastal mediterranean flat

Area when built area today use design model industrial zone

N/a 5.141 km2 residential / industrial garden city separate

middle east neighborhood characteristics housing types # of dwellings # of schools commerce demographics

mixed 9,715 17 yes mixed ethnics

urban form dwelling density dwelling coverage population density road density

N/a N/a 6,743 people / km2 N/a

services & transport urban transit regional train service pedestrian network bike network

scale: 1000 x 1000 m building footprints

street patterns

bus, taxi no no no

QuEENSTOWN, SINGAPORE socio-economic factors target population todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age distribution socio-economic status

157,000 98,502 Mixed, aging mixed

geographies location in country regional function geographical region climate topography

1952 planning / design

south satellite town island tropical rainforest mostly flat

Area when built area today use design model industrial zone

~ 1 km2 6.67 km2 residential / Commercial garden city near

ASIA neighborhood characteristics mixed 28,406 15+ yes mixed ethnic

housing types # of dwellings # of schools commerce demographics

urban form dwelling density dwelling coverage population density road density

5,152 units / km2* 3.72 far / km2* 14,768 people / km2 4.75 km / km2

services & transport urban transit regional train service pedestrian network bike network

scale: 1000 x 1000 m building footprints

street patterns

bus, MRT, TAXI yes, one station yes no

SABAUDIA, ITALY SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS TARGET POPULATION TODAY’S POPULATION TODAY’S AGE DISTRIBUTION SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS

1934

GEOGRAPHIES 40,000 19,664 49.5 MEDIUM

LOCATION IN COUNTRY REGIONAL FUNCTION GEOGRAPHICAL REGION CLIMATE TOPOGRAPHY

PLANNING / DESIGN SOUTH-CENTRAL URBAN CENTER COASTAL/MARCHLANDS MEDITERRANEAN FLAT

AREA WHEN BUILT AREA TODAY USE DESIGN MODEL INDUSTRIAL ZONE

144 km2 144 km2 RES / COMM /AGRI / TOURISM GARDEN CITY NONE

EUROPE NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS HOUSING TYPES # OF DWELLINGS # OF SCHOOLS COMMERCE DEMOGRAPHICS

MIXED 10,158 7 YES MIXED ETHNICS

URBAN FORM DWELLING DENSITY DWELLING COVERAGE POPULATION DENSITY ROAD DENSITY

70.5 units / km2 *.63 far / km2 136 people / km2 *12 km / km2

SERVICES & TRANSPORT URBAN TRANSIT REGIONAL TRAIN SERVICE PEDESTRIAN NETWORK BIKE NETWORK

SCALE: 1000 x 1000 m BUILDING FOOTPRINTS

STREET PATTERNS

BUS, TAXI NO YES NO

TSUKUBA, JAPAN SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS

GEOGRAPHIES

TARGET POPULATION 100,000 RED # / 120,000 SD% TODAY’S POPULATION 78,000 RED / 131,000 SD TODAY’S AGE DISTRIBUTION MIXED SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS

LOCATION IN COUNTRY REGIONAL FUNCTION GEOGRAPHICAL REGION CLIMATE

RED = RESEARCH AND EDUCATION DISTRICT % SD = SUBURBAN DISTRICT

TOPOGRAPHY

1963 PLANNING / DESIGN CENTRAL RESEARCH CENTER PLATEAU TEMPERATE MOSTLY FLAT

AREA WHEN BUILT AREA TODAY USE DESIGN MODEL INDUSTRIAL ZONE

ASIA NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS MIXED 77,000 (RED+SD) 62 + 3 UNIVERSITIES YES

HOUSING TYPES 27 km2 RED / 257 km2 SD # OF DWELLINGS INSTITUTIONAL / RESIDENTIAL # OF SCHOOLS SCIENCE CITY COMMERCE DISTRIBUTED IN SD DEMOGRAPHICS

URBAN FORM DWELLING DENSITY DWELLING COVERAGE POPULATION DENSITY ROAD DENSITY

270 units / km2 (RED+SD) 0.62 far / km2* 2900 people / km2 RED / 500 SD 9.55 km / km2*

SERVICES & TRANSPORT URBAN TRANSIT REGIONAL TRAIN SERVICE PEDESTRIAN NETWORK BIKE NETWORK

SCALE: 1000 x 1000 m BUILDING FOOTPRINTS

STREET PATTERNS

BUS YES, FOUR STATIONS YES YES

yokneam, Israel socio-economic factors target population todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age distribution socio-economic status

1950

geographies 60,000 19,412 30.6 6 / 10

location in country regional function geographical region climate topography

planning / design north urban center coastal desert flat

Area when built area today use design model industrial zone

middle east neighborhood characteristics

N/a 7.39 km2 res./ind.(hi-tech) garden city separate

housing types # of dwellings # of schools commerce demographics

mixed 5,739 6 yes mixed ethnics

urban form dwelling density dwelling coverage population density road density

N/a N/a 2,627 people / km2 N/a

services & transport urban transit regional train service pedestrian network bike network

scale: 1000 x 1000 m building footprints

street patterns

bus, taxi no no no

NEW TOWN LESSONS LEARNED Reflections on New Towns in Israel and across the globe, including how each compares to the conditions in Kiryat Gat, Israel.

1/4

AKADEMGORODOK

COLUMBIA, MD

CIUDAD GUAYANA

The ideologically-driven Mid-Century town planning of districts such as Halle-Neustadt efficiently produced housing for growing populations during industrialization. However, these town types have proven difficult to maintain as industrial jobs have declined, revealing the ultimately ineffectiveness

Like Kiryat Gat, Columbia MD was planned as a complete “New Town”, intended to serve not only housing and physical purposes, but also social purposes. It was developed by James Rouse, with the intention of building a community comprised of small walkable villages and which avoided typical suburban

In many ways, Ciudad Guayana is similar to Kiryat Gat. The city was intended to be the central hub for its region, also allowing the national population to disseminate from the capital city. It also was built on either side of major transportation pathway (in this case, a river) which also separated the industrial from

of monofunctional urban zones. The investment required to rehabilitate aging tower blocks is not available for shrinking cities like Halle-Neustadt. Simultaneously, New Towns such as Halle-Neustadt present interesting and potentially relevant solutions for today’s urban needs. Halle-Neustadt was designed with a priority on regional access. The town was seen as a node in a larger network and local transit was sited at the center of the development. This type of planning offers car-free lifestyles while simultaneously giving access to other nearby towns and central cities. Additionally, the urban design of the housing blocks in Halle-Neustadt included small retail and some cultural amenities. While this has not proven attractive to a range of ages, the elderly seem to find most of their needs met in these walkable communities. Halle-Neustadt has a large and active elderly population.

leap-frog style development. Each “village” had a center, with shopping, schools, recreation, and community buildings. The town also has an extensive bike / walking paths through the villages and connecting them. The town opened in 1967 and now has a population of almost 100,000. That population has grown steadily since 1980. Between 1970 and 1980 the population jumped from 8,800 people to 52,500, similar to the sudden creation and growth of Kiryat Gat. Also similar to Kiryat Gat, in recent years there has been more development of single family detached homes on larger lots. Again similar to Kiryat Gat, there are several significant racial groups: whites only make up 66% of the population. Additionally the town is about 22% African American and 7% Asian. I would be curious to see the geographical distribution of these groups. Last in demographics, the median income for a household is about $95,000 per year, well above the national average. The community has been successful, however, but whether for physical planning reasons or otherwise I do not know (proximity to DC, desirability of the area, successful schools?) The town has won several awards for being the “Best Place to Live” - #4 in 2006 by Money Magazine, #8 in 2008, and #2 in 2010.

the residential. However, rapid growth proved to be a major problem. Since its founding in 1961, the population has more than quadrupled, which has presented major problems with regards to infrastructure, social services, and employment. The lessons here are that growth is not inherently positive; growth can be particularly problematic for a new town that was never designed to accommodate it. If Kiryat Gat wishes to expand, building new housing is not enough - it must also provide for new employers, expanded education, more social services, better transportation, and everything else that a wellfunctioning city requires.

Kiryat Gat does not have the same level of homogeneity in built form that is present in Halle-Neustadt, which relieves some of the central issues in the German New Town’s planning. However, Kiryat Gat has the opportunity to learn from some of the positive aspects of the planning of Halle-Neustadt. The emphasis on centrally-located and accessible public transit, walkability of local neighborhoods and planning for all ages are three key lessons that Kiryat Gat can learn from the HalleNeustadt case.

NEW TOWN LESSONS LEARNED

2/4

DIMONA

DON MILLS, ON

GANDHINAGAR

HALLE-NEUSTADT

Dimona was established in 1955 in Ramat Hanegev, as a city of immigrants. The city lies along a main highway connecting it to Be’er Sheva metropolitan. Since 2005 the city is linked to the train rail system. The city is the only Jewish settlement in the area, at a radius of tens of kilometers, therefore functions

Don Mills demonstrates, as is often the case, that a place— regardless of it being and oft-stigmatized New Town or it being designed by a 20-something from the 50s-era GSD—does quite well as long as the people who live there are relatively well off. Despite this caveat, Don Mills excels in several planned

Gandhinagar was developed as the capital of the Gujarat state after it was split from Mumbai state in 1960. The city was designed on the neighborhood unit model and is divided into 30 sectors, each on a block of 1 km by ¾ km, and each with its own school, commercial center, health clinic, etc. Circulation within

as the main settlement for the factories of the region including the Nuclear Research Center. The city serves as a place of residence for many of the factory workers, and also for hotels on the Dead Sea. The urban structure is based on a Main Street, linked to a main highway, and sided to the historic civic center . Like most of the new cities established in Israel; the fifties and sixties are identified with public housing and the eighties and nineties are identified with “Build Your Own Home” neighborhoods. Both types of hosing ignore the desert harsh climate. In recent years, there was hardly any new urban development or construction of new neighborhoods, similar to the situation in Kiryat Gat. Both cities share the same physical, social and economical characteristics and in many ways face the same barriers.

ways: it has a network of green paths and spaces that meshes well with the pattern of housing, there is a diversity of housing types (slab buildings, single family houses, etc.), a saturation of well-distributed schools, and centrally planned commercial and civic space, which all seem to work on above average standing to comparably designed New Towns. On the other hand, the city has an excess of overly-large roads and, despite accessibility to public transit, is largely car-dependent. Finally, while it was intended as a community of its own accord, it is also largely dependent on economic activity and urban amenities from Toronto, to which it was annexed.

sectors was designed entirely for bicycle and pedestrian traffic, with distributor roads forming the external grid pattern.

While certain meta-level facets of the city render it difficult to compare to Kiryat Gat (chiefly the standing of the city as a welloff suburb of a major city), there are smaller-scale similarities that might map neatly onto a plan of how one might proceed in Kiryat Gat. The organization of building typologies and their urban pattern, as well as the system of parks and schools, seem to be of a similar scale that might work in Kiryat Gat. Finally, the design intentions of Don Mills—a mash-up of Garden City and Bauhaus ideals—seems to be a positive frame of reference that does not adhere too closely or blindly to its precedents, but benefits from the positive outcomes of each design methodology.

Perhaps most interesting in relation to Kiryat Gat is the struggle to establish Gandhinagar as an independent and dominant city, rather than a subsidiary of the nearby sprawling city of Ahmedabad. To establish and maintain this separate identity for the new city a Periphery Control Act was enacted on the surrounding agricultural area barring any new development other than farmhouses. Nevertheless, in recent times development pressures have succeeded in pushing for new development along the highway to Ahmedabad, rather than to the northeast as originally planned. InfoCity, a “complete city” styled technology park was established along the southern boundary of Gandhinagar, sponsored by the Gujarat government. There are also currently plans underway to establish a mass transit link between Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad.

NEW TOWN LESSONS LEARNED

3/4

MILTON KEYNES

OR YEHUDA

QUEENSTOWN

SABAUDIA

Milton Keynes is one of England’s most successful New Towns. Located equidistant between London, Cambridge and Birmingham, it was developed in the 1960’s to alleviate a housing shortage in London and create a new urban center in Southeast England. Its close proximity to London, its central

The city is located in the inner ring of Dan metropolitan at the North Uno Valley on the coastal plane. At the national level, it is linked to the heart of the Tel Aviv metropolis through 3 main highways. The city’s urban structure is based on Main Street, linked to a main highway sided to the city’s historic civic center.

Mapping and analysis of Queenstown revealed that figure ground diagrams can be misleading with respect to density, as many large residential towers situated as “towers in a park” have fairly small footprints with respect to the area around them. The “towers in a park” paradigm functions

Comparing Sabaudia to other New Town examples, this is a city that is designed to look more organically grown, in spite of having been built up in only 253 days, and this pattern is close to Kiryat Gat in the sense that there is not homogeneity in the development, but Kiryat Gat development is clearly incremental.

business district with commercial and cultural amenities, and its series of biking trails and linear parks connecting the neighborhoods makes it a desirable place for higher income English to live. Kiryat Gat benefits from having similar features, including being located only 45 minutes from Tel Aviv via public transit access, having a strong downtown core and an elaborate park network. Kiryat Gat should look to capitalize on these assets when developing for the future.

Apart from the trade spaces, the centers include the city hall, municipal and governmental services as well as offices, all around the civic square. Next to it operates the city’s cultural center. Like most of the new cities established in Israel the fifties and sixties are identified with public housing and the eighties and nineties are identified with “Build Your Own Home” neighborhoods. Yet, new neighborhoods containing high-density construction were devolved in the late nineties attracting young families. The neighborhoods were designed in isolation from the historic city which sufferers from a negative image and to this day there is a physical and social disconnection between the new neighborhood and the rest of the city. Two industrial areas that operated in the city changed their faces in the eighties: Most of the factories closed so office and commerce building were formed. The increase of land value has made Or Yehuda a popular destination among young families, seeking to live in the metropolitan center. Moreover, the Industrial areas has transformed to sub-metropolitan centers of employment, commerce and leisure. Or Yehuda’s location in the center of the metropolis and the great range of possibilities contained in it in different aspects makes the city a highly attractive destination today. As for Kiryat Gat, the city enjoy’s great business and employment potential that is not yet fulfilled nor has a direct influence on the cities social and physical fabric.

with commercial at its periphery and is primarily services by major arterial roads that are connected to the apartment towers by smaller roads. Mass Rapid Transit trains run on an elevated pattern along one of the major arteries, connecting Queenstown to the main city. Queenstown is close to the main city of Singapore and benefits from its proximity to the rest of Singapore more than Kiryat Gat benefits from proximity to Tel Aviv. Queenstown, like Kiryat Gat developed a reputation for an aging population, but recent new housing development targeted towards younger people has helped rejuvenate the neighborhood.

The goal of the city was to support the deurbanization of the Italian cities, namely close by Rome. Similar to the development of Kryat Gat, the development of the Pontine Marshes, where Sabaudia is built on reclaimed land, was part of a pattern of internal colonialization. The difference is that it was a demonstration of power by the fascist dictatorship, whereas Kiryat Gat was part of the larger efforts of the establishment of a new country. Both cities share the similarity of being distant from urban centers that hold more amenities for the young adult demographic, and are therefore composed primarily of seniors and youth. Ultimately, Sabaudia has been repurposed over time as a vacation destination rather than the agricultural base it was built up to be.

NEW TOWN LESSONS LEARNED TSUKUBA

YOKNEAM

In 1963, Japan’s federal government decided to build a science city in Tsukuba, 56 km northeast of Tokyo. Today, a densely populated 27 km2 Research and Education District comprises the city’s spine, and it is surrounded by a less compact 257 km2 Suburban District. Tsukuba houses over 30% of the nation’s

Yokneam was established as a city of immigrants in 1950 on the western fringes of the Izrael Valley, on mount Carmel slopes. The city is the largest Jewish settlement in the area. At the national level, it is linked to the Haifa metropolitan. Like Kiryat Gat, the proximity to highway 6 has raised its status in

research institutions and facilities as well as a growing population in a country that, overall, is losing population. However, the city was not always an appealing place to live; initially, those who could afford to often made the long commute from Tokyo rather than live in a town lacking cultural amenities. In addition to developing itself as a research center, the city needed to provide an enticing lifestyle for the scientists and students who would define its identity. Now Tsukuba offers a 48 km pedestrian and bicycling network in the Research and Education District; an extensive park system; a city core with a variety of shopping and entertainment options; and, since 2005, an express train that reaches Tokyo in 45 minutes. Tsukuba’s mixed-use development, leisure activities, connectivity within and outside the city, and professional community present a future that Kiryat Gat might aspire to as it considers how to expand and how to better serve its citizens.

recent years, thanks to its high accessibility. The city is based on two main streets linked to a main highway; One is located in the historic civic center, and the other next to one of two new centers. Apart from the trade spaces, the historic center includes the city hall, municipal and government services, as well as leisure and cultural facilities. Like most of the new cities established in Israel; the fifties and sixties are identified with public housing and the eighties and nineties are identified with “Build Your Own Home” neighborhoods. Yet In the last decade, with the opening of Highway 6, new neighborhoods characterized by private housing were established. The industrial area has changed it the eighties: most traditional factories were closed and were converted mainly to high-tech areas of employment. The relative proximity (15 km) to the Krayot and to several army camps also provides employment solution. A opposed to kiryat Gat, Yokneam managed in recent years to increase the range of selection in housing, employment and commerce for its residents and commuters alike, attracting strong populations and business enterprises.

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NEW TOWN METRICS NEW TOWN

GEOGRAPHIES

NAME

COUNTRY

DATE BUILT

POPULATION (TARGET)

POPULATION (TODAY)

AGE DISTRIBUTION (TODAY)

SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS

GEOGRAPHIC REGION

LOCATION IN COUNTRY

TOPOGRAPHY

CLIMATE

KIRYAT GAT

ISRAEL

1954

60,000

47,621

30.6

4 / 10

DESERT BORDER

SOUTH

FLAT

DESERT BORDER

AKADEMGORODOK

RUSSIA

1957

50,000

100,000

FOREST

SOUTH

FLAT

HUMID CONTINENTAL

COLUMBIA, MD

USA

1967

100,000

96,900

35.5

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME $93,801, MEDIAN COASTAL PER CAPITA: $45,135

MID-ATLANTIC

MOSTLY FLAT

TEMPERATE

CIUDAD GUAYANA

VENEZUELA

1961

250,000

1,050,283

20.5

3 FROM 10

RIVER PORT

SOUTHEAST

VARIED

TROPICAL

DIMONA

ISRAEL

1955

31.7

4 / 10

DESERT

SOUTH

FLAT

DON MILLS, ON

CANADA

1953

45,000

25,435

44.7

LAKES REGION

TORONTO SUBURB

RIVERS & RAVINES

HUMID CONTINENTAL

GANDHINAGAR

INDIA

1970

150,000

195,985

11% UNDER 6

80% LITERACY

RIVER BANK

WEST CENTRAL

FLAT

MONSOON

HALLE-NEUSTADT

GERMANY

1967

90,000

45,157

SKEWED ELDERLY

3 OUT OF 10; 17,000 UNEMPLOYED (2008, HALLE) NORTH GERMAN PLAIN

STATE OF SAXONYANHALT (EAST)

FLAT

TEMPERATE SEASONAL

MILTON KEYNES

ENGLAND

1967

250,000

185,000 2

HIGH INCOME (47% ABOVE NATIONAL AVERAGE) LOWLANDS

SOUTHEAST ENGLAND 4

FLAT

TEMPERATE, SIMILAR TO THE REST OF ENGLAND

OR YEHUDA

ISRAEL

1949

34,664

31.1

5 / 10

COASTAL

CENTER

HILLY

MEDITERRANEAN

QUEENSTOWN

SINGAPORE

1952

157,000

98,502

SKEWED ELDERLY, BUT INCREASINGLY YOUNG

MIXED

TROPICAL ISLAND

SOUTHWEST OF SINGAPORE ISLAND

MOSTLY FLAT

TROPICAL RAINFOREST

SABAUDIA

ITALY

1934

40,000

19,664

49.5

MEDIUM

SOUTH-CENTRAL

COASTAL/ MARSHLANDS

FLAT

MEDITERRANEAN

TSUKUBA

JAPAN

1963

220,000 1

216,175 3

MIXED

PLATEAU

CENTRAL, 56 KM MOSTLY FLAT NORTHEAST OF TOKYO

TEMPERATE

YOKNEAM

ISRAEL

1950

19,412

COASTAL

NORTH

MEDITERRANEAN

NOTES

1. 100,000 IN RESEARCH AND EDUCATION DISTRICT, 120,000 IN SURROUNDING SUBURBAN DISTRIC. 2. AS OF 2001

6 / 10

3. RESEARCH AND EDUCATION DISTRICT 78,000, SURROUNDING SUBURBAN DISTRICT 131,000 (2008; 216,175 TOTAL (2011).

4. EQUIDISTANT BETWEEN LONDON, BIRMINGHAM AND CAMBRIDGE

FLAT

1/3

NEW TOWN METRICS PLANNING / DESIGN

NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS

NAME

AREA WHEN BUILT (KM2 )

AREA TODAY (KM 2 )

REGIONAL FUNCTION

USE

DESIGN MODEL

INDUSTRIAL ZONE

HOUSING TYPES

NUMBER OF DWELLINGS

NUMBER OF SCHOOLS

COMMERCE

DEMOGRAPHICS

KIRYAT GAT

7.5

16.302

URBAN CENTER

RESIDENTIAL / INDUSTRIAL (HI-TECH & TRADITIONAL) / COMMERCE

GARDEN CITY

SEPARATE

MIXED

14,821

URBAN CENTER & SHOPPING MALL

AKADEMGORODOK

SOVIET-ERA RESEARCH RESIDENTIAL / INSTITUTIONAL / CENTRE OF SIBERIA 2 INDUSTRIAL (SCEINCE/HIGH-TECH)

UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

SEPARATE

MIXED

CENTRAL SHOPPING CENTER

MIXED ETHNIC

COLUMBIA, MD

71.48

SMALL CITY

RESIDENTIAL / INDUSTRIAL / COMMERCE 5

GARDEN CITY 8

SINGLE FAMILY, SOME ATTACHED

34,000

25+

EACH VILLAGE HAS A SHOPPING CENTER

WHITE (51%), BLACK (23%), ASIAN (9%), HISPANIC (7%)

CIUDAD GUAYANA

3,282

INDUSTRIAL CENTER

RESIDENTIAL / INDUSTRIAL

GARDEN CITY

SEPARATE

MIXED

228,322

280

STEEL & HYDRO-POWERBASED INDUSTRY

MIXED ETHNIC

DIMONA

29.88

URBAN CENTER

RESIDENTIAL / INDUSTRIAL (TRADITIONAL) / COMMERCE

GARDEN CITY

SEPARATE

MIXED

11,341

URBAN CENTER & SHOPPING MALL

MIXED ETHNIC

DON MILLS, ON

8.35

ANNEXED NEIGHBORHOOD

RESIDENTAL/COMMERICAL

GARDEN CITY/ BAUHAUS

SEPARATE

MIXED

10,970

YES

WHITE, CHINESE, OTHER

GANDHINAGAR

CAPITAL OF GUJARAT STATE 3

ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER; RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD UNITS SEPARATE / COMMERCIAL / INDUSTRY 6

MIXED (PUBLIC & PRIVATE)

BY NEIGHBORHOOD UNIT

NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL & PRIMARY

95% HINDU

HALLE-NEUSTADT

9.8

SUB-REGIONAL HUB

RESIDENTIAL, SOME COMMERCIAL

SOCIALIST URBAN LIVING IDEAL

SEPARATE

TOWER BLOCKS/ LARGE-SCALE SLAB

SOME, URBAN CENTERS BETWEEN TOWER BLOCKS

MIXED, PREDOMINANTLY WHITE, ELDERLY-SKEWED

MILTON KEYNES

88 (DESIGNATED 89 AREA)

REGIONAL CENTER 4

RESIDENTIAL / COMMERCIAL / INDUSTRIAL

"CITY IN A FOREST” (20 MILLION TREES)

SEPARATE

MAJORITY SINGLE FAMILY HOMES

101,872

104, INCLUDING UNIVERSITY

URBAN CENTER AND SHOPPING MALL

WHITE (88%)

OR YEHUDA

5.141

TOWN

RESIDENTIAL / INDUSTRIAL (TRADITIONAL) / COMMERCE

GARDEN CITY

SEPARATE

MIXED

9,715

URBAN CENTER & SHOPPING MALL

MIXED ETHNIC

QUEENSTOWN

6.67

SATELLITE TOWN FOR SINGAPORE CITY

RESIDENTIAL / COMMERCIAL 7

GARDEN CITY/ TOWERS IN THE PARK

CLOSE BY

MIXED- MOSTLY LARGE TOWERS

28,406

15+, INCLUDING UNIVERSITY

MAJOR SHOPPING CENTERS, IKEA

MIXED ETHNIC- CHINESE, MALAY, INDIAN, OTHER

SABAUDIA

144

TOURIST

RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AGRICULTURAL, & TOURISM

GARDEN CITY

NONE

MIXED: MULTIFAMILY & SINGLE FAMILY

10,158

YES

MIXED ETHNIC

TSUKUBA

284 1

CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

RESIDENTIAL, INSTITUTIONAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL

SCIENCE CITY, GARDEN DISPERSED CITY

MIXED

77,407 (BOTH DISTRICTS)

65, INCLUDING 3 UNIVERSITIES

SHOPPING CENTERS & N’BRHOOD COMMERCIAL

PRIMARILY JAPANESE CITIZENS 9

YOKNEAM

7.39

URBAN CENTER

RESIDENTIAL / INDUSTRIAL (HI-TECH & TRADITIONAL) / COMMERCE

GARDEN CITY

MIXED

5,739

URBAN CENTER & SHOPPING MALL

MIXED ETHNIC

NOTES

1. 27 FOR RESEARCH AND EDUCATION DISTRICT; 257 FOR SURROUNDING SUBURBAN DISTRICT 2. RECENTLY MORPHED INTO A HIGH-TECH HUB. 3. SPLIT FROM MUMBAI STATE IN 1960. 4. ORIGINALLY MEANT TO RELIEVE HOUSING CONGESTION

IN LONDON. 5. INTENDED TO HAVE ENOUGH JOBS FOR RESIDENTS 6. INCLUDING THERMAL POWER STATION); HIGHER EDUCATION; HINDU TEMPLE (AKSHARDHAM 7. ABUTS SOME INDUSTRIAL PARKS AND A MAJOR PORT

SEPARATE

8. DESIGNED TO NOT ONLY ELIMINATE INCONVENIENCES OF SUBDIVISION DESIGN, BUT ALSO ELIMINATE RACIAL, RELIGIOUS, AND CLASS SEGREGATION 9. 7300 FOREIGN NATIONALS (2005)

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NEW TOWN METRICS URBAN FORM

SERVICES & TRANSPORT

FUN FACTS

NAME

DWELLING DENSITY (UNITS / KM 2 )

DWELLING COVERAGE (FAR / KM2 )

POPULATION DENSITY (KM 2 )

ROAD DENSITY (KM / KM 2 )

URBAN TRANSIT

REGIONAL TRAIN SERVICE

PEDESTRIAN NETWORK

BIKE NETWORK

KIRYAT GAT

909

0.4

2,921

12.78

BUS, TAXI

YES, ONE STATION

YES

AKADEMGORODOK

8,333

BUS, TAXI

YES

INTEL OPENED AN AKADEMGORODOK OFFICE IN 2004; A LOCAL IT FIRM IS PRODUCING A WEB PORTAL FOR OPRAH WINFREY

COLUMBIA, MD

494.3

5,657

CAR, AMTRAK (9 MI)

NEARBY

YES

IN 2006, MONEY MAGAZINE RANKED COLUMBIA #4 OUT OF THE 100 “BEST PLACES TO LIVE” IN THE UNITED STATES.

CIUDAD GUAYANA

1,600

0.47

7,400

105

PERRERA, BUS, TAXI

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

YES

PLANNED BY THE JOINT CENTER FOR URBAN STUDIES OF MIT AND HARVARD. NOT WITHOUT CONTROVERSY - SEE LISA PEATTIE'S “THE VIEW FROM THE BARRIO”

DIMONA

1,090

BUS, TAXI

YES, ONE STATION

YES

DON MILLS, ON

1,314

0.44

3,046

BUS, TAXIS, HIGHWAY

YES, ONE STATION

YES

GANDHINAGAR

4,000-5,500

14.6 2

BUS

YES, ONE STATION

SEPARATED IN RESIDENTIAL

SOUGHT TO MIX CLASSES OF PUBLIC HOUSING TO AVOID THE CRITICISM, GROUPED BY CATEGORY AROUND CENTRAL OPEN SPACE TO AVOID SOCIAL CONFLICT

HALLE-NEUSTADT

HIGH-DENSITY, HIGH RISE

LOW COVERAGE

27,000 (COMMUNIST IDEAL)

LOW

TRAM, BUS

YES, S-BAHN

YES

NOT WITHIN CITY

SKATE PARK; RECENT REGENERATION FOCUS; YOUTH-LED REUSE STRATEGIES

MILTON KEYNES

1,144

0.29

2,079

BUS

YES, FIVE STATIONS YES

YES

FREE WIFI THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY

OR YEHUDA

6,743

BUS, TAXI

QUEENSTOWN

5,152

3.72

14,768

4.75

BUS, MRT, TAXI

YES, ONE STATION

YES

ALMOST ALL HOUSING IS PUBLIC

SABAUDIA

70.5

0.63*

136

12*

BUS, TAXI

YES

MASSIVE LAND RECLAMATION PROJECT BY MUSSOLINI TO DEMONSTRATE THE “POWER” OF THE FASCISM; WELL-RESERVED EXAMPLES OF FASCIST ARCHITECTURE

TSUKUBA

273 (FOR BOTH DISTRICTS COMBINED)

0.62*

3,399 1

9.55*

BUS

YES, FOUR STATIONS

YES

HELIPORT; SISTER CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, MA

YOKNEAM

2,627

BUS, TAXI

NOTES

1. 2,889 IN RESEARCH AND EDUCATION DISTRICT, 510 IN SURROUNDING SUBURBAN DISTRICT 2. NEIGHBORHOOD INCLUDES NON-VEHICULAR

3/3