The Impact of Walkability
On Health and Quality of Life
By: Michael Duffy
Table of Contents & Mind Map
Introduction & Thesis Statement
Precedent Studies & Research -Research Discovery -Precedent Analysis
Process and Methodology -Process -Site -Program Proposal & Planning -Criteria of Evaluation -Timeline Appendices
Environmental Issues
Walkability Health Smart Growth
Interaction
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City
Transportation
Urban Design Sprawl
Shifting Scale Streetscape 5
Introduction &
Thesis Statement
As designers, we are trained to think critically and see the world in a different perspective. We are asked to solve problems and create visions for many and this ability to critically think is vital to our success. This is why the role of an architect is much broader than simply designing a building. We must look at the inhabitants and take their needs into account, providing them wit h necessary amenities. This thesis takes a look into how an architect can begin to shape the quality of life for an individual through a series of designed spaces, in different scales. Quality of life can be defined as the standard of health, comfort, and happiness experienced by an individual or group.1 The phrase takes a close look at health in its entirety. To be truly healthy one must be in good physical standing as well as mental comfort. A designer has the ability to shape all aspects of health and this must start at an urban scale. By taking a look into the urban scale of a place, we can begin to focus on many of its intricate aspects, from transportation to pedestrian safety. As scales shift, health of the environment can be taken into account within the constructs of individual buildings. Healthy building design is just as important to environmental decay as an ever-inflating road system.2 The term built environment can be defined as “a material, spatial and cultural product of human labor that combines
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physical elements and energy in forms for living, working and playing.3 It has been defined as “the human-made space in which people live, work, and recreate on a day-to-day basis�. This definition delves into the idea that the built environment has a broad reach and incorporates more than the physical structures in a community. It implies that the built world begins to have a cultural component and a health component that are related to its design.4 This idea is where my thesis takes shape. The built environment and individual health maintain a clear relationship that encompasses many facets of health, including environmental, physical, and mental, among others. Each holds a significant importance to the inhabitants of a place. This thesis takes a look at how we can make an area walkable and provide a healthy environment for its community members. Through its design, the built world affects everything around it. As designers, we can choose to focus on the health and walkability of a space and begin to shape the places we live, work, and play and focus on how these environments can improve our lives. The process that I am beginning to implement begins with finding an infrastructure in which to build upon. Once a certain infrastructure is established, I can then begin to overlay a series of design guidelines to enhance the area in an attempt to make it more walkable and healthier.
How Can the Built Environment of an Urban Space affect the Health and Quality of Life for its Residents? This thesis takes a look into how walkability and healthy community design can positively affect those that inhabit the space. The built world has impacted everything around it in some manner and its reach is tough to quantify. While the statement is open-ended, it focuses in on several words that are integral to its meaning. First, the built environment is mentioned. The built environment in this case refers to the built world, including everything from existing streets and infrastructure to the buildings that line them, and the natural and artificial environments that accompany it. The built environment incorporates material and spatial qualities but also carries a cultural import with it.5 How we build and shape our homes, shops, workplaces, and recreational areas can begin to give a sense of place and community. This cultural aspect is crucial in the built environment. The second keyword that is mentioned is Health. Health is an important aspect that should be considered in the design of anything, as each design decision made can impact health of some sort. In the case of this thesis, the health I refer to relates to an overall well-being, one that incorporates physical health with environmental health. Mental health is also an aspect that has been looked at in some respects and it relates closely with the other two mentioned.To live a truly healthy lifestyle, one must be able to find a balance between the three of these.6 The third keyword, or phrase, is quality of life. In this thesis, the term relates to an overall balance in amenities, taking comfort, happiness, health, and safety into account. While everyone can see quality of life in their own light, this thesis looks at the term as a way to encompass some crucial needs to be healthy and happy. The combination of health, comfort, and safety can lead to happiness and ultimately a better lifestyle.
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Research &
Case Studies
•Precedent Studies & Research •Precedent Analysis:
-Boston’s Back Bay -Highland Garden Village, Denver -Assembly Row, Somerville, MA -BedZed, England
•Goals:
-To establish an area of study and to examine topics that come up in research -To form an architectural idea in relation to thesis statement
Figure 1
Precedent Studies & Research
•First, look toward our cities
•Second, zoom into the street
•Last, zoom further to the building scale Like any design, we must go through a rigorous analysis to further our ideas. This analysis is especially crucial in terms of our thesis because most of what we are trying to accomplish has been done. The benefit we have from looking back at precedents is that we can see our topics from a variety of lenses. The easiest way to support an argument is by showing examples of why its correct. This can be done in two manners; one by showing what works well and one that does not. By looking at the extremes in a precedent, one can begin to understand the qualities that make something worthwhile and successful. It can allow us to focus on not only the successes but the flaws as well to see what should not be done. This is especially true in urban design and in particular how it relates to walkability. There was a tragic push in the American downtown that led to roadways expanding wider and wider, thus giving our pathways to the vehicle as opposed to the pedestrian.7
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There are many reasons behind why this happened but it is important to look at both ends of the spectrum by researching. While looking at precedents, I began to focus on a few specific aspects. First, I started by looking on a city scale. I looked into areas of Boston and its surrounding communities to get a sense of density and look closer at the make-up of the places we inhabit. After looking at density, I was able to focus on the elements that make these locations either walkable or not. This look at density and its relation to walkability also took my studies to Los Angeles. This ties back to the idea of extremes as it is vastly different from the city of Boston. The next step in my precedent research was to zoom in and find specific examples of what makes a street walkable. The precedent studies zoomed one step further as I looked into healthy building design and how it can impact the overall environment we inhabit.
This figure ground is a view in Roxbury, MA. This area is not particularly walkable and it relates back to density as well as the amenities the community lacks. While it has some walkable characteristics, it is not a desirable place to be strolling around.
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Research Discovery •Walkability became key
•The connection of Health
•Smart Growth emerges as a topic Before my research was conducted I had a pre-inclination as to what I was looking for. This preconceived notion I had about urban environments and their relation to health was put to the test as I began to look closer into the actual design and layout of the precedents I studied. The initial investigations began by utilizing text and this investigation was a primary focus. As I read, a few common threads became more and more relevant for my project. The first of these threads relates back to walkability and how it can enhance an area; walkability adds another level of interaction on the street and thus the reliance on the vehicle begins to lose significance. The implications behind removing the car from the equation directly affects the health of the environment, from lower obesity rates due to increased walking to enhanced air quality. One source that was particularly helpful in relation to the importance of walkability was Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, by Jeff Speck. This book began to outline the potential
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benefits of walkability and how it can have a lasting impact on a community. Speck then writes a series of guidelines on how to encourage a community to become more walkable, in this case to liven a downtown area. Speck’s theories were instrumental in the progression of my thesis. Building off of Speck’s ideas, I began to look at ways to combat sprawl. Of the many theories that emerged, like suburban renewal and new urbanism, the one that stuck out the most in relation to this thesis was Smart Growth. Smart Growth is a theory that focuses the growth of compact urban centers to combat sprawl. By incorporating mixed-uses, transit oriented development, and public transportation together, a neighborhood would be more walkable thus healthier in some respects. The Smart Growth Manual, by Andres Duany and Jeff Speck, takes these principles and creates another series of guidelines to begin to inform how a poorly planned area can become more of a hub of activity in an urban environment. The manual
Figure 1 also begins to approach the issue with a shift in scale in mind, something that Speck’s other book did not address. Some other resources that were used related more directly to major issues of health. The focus on health became more and more evident as I read. One aspect the two books did not cover in depth was health, so I sought different texts to accompany the idea of walkability and its impact on the body. The two books that helped most significantly were Making Healthy Places: Designing and Building for Health, Well Being, and Sustainability, by Richard Jackson,
and Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change, by Peter Calthorpe. The first focused on the design of healthy neighborhoods and featured a series of articles touching on different aspects of health. The second was a look into how climate change is affecting the way we design and shape our cities. They both add a more human way to look at design; it no longer is about the building but how the building informs the areas around and how it can positively impact the health of an area.
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Precedent Analysis •Boston’s Back Bay
•Initially a residential area
•Has become mixed use neighborhood Back Bay, Boston, MA My initial precedent work came from looking at the city around me. The first example of an accessible, walkable area came when I was thinking about the Back Bay and what makes up the neighborhood. The Back Bay was initially an area of infill that was established in the 19th century as an area of infill and it still holds the iconic brownstones from its initial development. This residential base gave the area an opportunity to grow significantly and it has done a successful job in doing so.8 One thing that makes this area stand out is the consistent density it holds. The gridded streets all maintain a row of buildings around four to five stories that give it a hard street edge. This consistent density has a human scale to it on the sidewalk as many of the brownstones have stairs leading up into the first store. The strict setbacks that were established during the time help create a consistency among the street edges as well.
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Another reason why the Back Bay is such a walkable area related to the public transportation that surrounds it. With local transportation stops, it makes getting here very easy and moving through the interconnected street system is very simple. To accompany the transportation, there are two prominent shopping centers that provide a destination for pedestrians to go. One final aspect to the area that enhances it significantly is the connection back to nature. In a dense urban environment this is difficult to accomplish. The development of the Back Bay took this into account and it is evident. With the Boston Common and Public Gardens close by, its residents have ample green space to roam around. The establishment of the Commonwealth Ave. Mall also ties the entire neighborhood back into the two public parks. The fact that the area was once a bay also helps tremendously and thus the Esplanade was formed. The neighborhood has had ample financial support though, which other areas and communities in the area are not privileged to.
This figure ground takes a look at the density that can be seen in Boston’s Back Bay. Unlike the image of Roxbury, previously shown, the area has a dense urban fabric layed out by a grid.
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The Back Bay is readily accessible due to the widespread use of public transportation. This image shows the local T stops in the neighborhood.
The neighborhood was initially founded as a residential place. This can still be seen as you walk along the streets as it still hold a firm residential spine.
The neighborhood has become a walkable shopping center for Boston with the formation of Boylston and Newbury street to accompany the more residential areas.
One of the staples of the area is the wealth of green space available. From the Common to the Esplanade, the Back Bay has a relationship back to nature in a very dense urban location.
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The Back Bay is one example of a walkable urban location due to its density, accessibility, variety of uses, and relationship back to nature through open parks and water.
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Highland Garden Village •Created a walkable, diverse community •Uses mixed-use streets located near residential Highlands Garden Village, Denver, CO The winner of Overall Excellence in Smart Growth for the 2005 National Smart Growth Achievements, the Highlands Garden Village in Denver is an excellent example of building a community from the ground up with these principles in mind. Located on a twenty-seven acre plot at the site of an old amusement park, the village is truly a mixeduse community.9 Initial design work for the area incorporated the thoughts from nearby residents. With their input involved, the Denver Urban Renewal Authority came up with the master plan for the large site. The plan called for a well connected streetscape that focuses on the pedestrian as opposed to the vehicle. The “skinny street” system isn’t in a true grid and the roads slightly deviate to lessen the direct traffic through the area.10 The plan also called for commercial and residential buildings across from existing commercial blocks to tie back into the community. Single family homes
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Front the other side of the development, facing buildings of similar scale and program. The community utilizes a wealth of green space to make the walking safer and provide a space for recreation outdoors. The community also includes shops, schools, gardens, community gathering spaces, a carousel pavilion, and a restored theater with historic context to the area. The design also called for a variety of housing types. There are single family homes on the twenty-seven acre site along with co-housing condos, mixed income housing, senior apartments, live-work lofts, and carriage houses. These buildings were all built with recycled or recyclable material. While the master plan does a great job incorporating smart growth guidelines, it also has a regional characteristic to it. Located just ten minutes outside of Denver’s downtown, the area has become a model for compact, walkable communities throughout the region.
The master plan for the Highland Village does a successful job incorporating smart growth principles to create a healthy, walkable neighborhood for its inhabitants.
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The Highland Village utilized a wealth of green space to give its residents a safe place to gather outdoors
The neighborhood uses a variety of housing types, with differing income levels to create a diverse community.
The street system features “skinny streets� that are aimed to slow vehicular traffic and enhance the safety of the pedestrian.
The retail and mixed-use space gives pedestrians a destination when they come to the area. This design is successful in that it focuses the parking inward and storefront out to the street.
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With the variety of uses in the area, the Highland Village create a diverse community that is a safe and healthy place for its residents and shoppers to inhabit.
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Assembly Row •Created a walkable, diverse community •Revitalized an area of Somerville, providing a destination Assembly Row, Somerville, MA Assembly Square is a neighborhood in Somerville, just outside of Boston. The Assembly Row site borders the Mystic river to the north and sits on a forty-five acre site that used to hold a Ford Motors assembly plant. The redesign of this area started in the early 2000’s and first construction on the center was finished in 2006 with the building of several big box retailers. In 2012, new construction broke ground on a nine acre parcel for a diverse, mixed-use community that includes retail outlets, residential space, restaurants, a cinema, a hotel, and substantial office space.11 There is also an Orange Line stop located next to the site, providing much needed access for shoppers without cars. Across the train tracks, there is a large green space that fronts the river, creating a waterfront park. Initial planning for the area aimed to create a twenty-four hour mixed-use district.
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This vision was implemented ten years later as construction broke ground. The site does a successful job incorporating residential space in with the significant amount of retail space that fronts the streets. By including other uses like a cinema and hotel, the development has a wide array of programs that enhance the diversity. With another parcel under development, the site still has room to grow. The adjacent site looks to be home to a major office park and parking structure. The development of this area has enhanced a once rundown area of Somerville and has impacted a community not too far removed from downtown Boston. This area was designed with smart growth principles in mind and it has already become apparent in the development’s brief existence how successful it can be.
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
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Beddington Zero Energy BedZed, Hackbridge, London, England The Beddington Zero Energy Development is a housing development in London that utilizes a series of design techniques to create zero carbon emissions. The project was one of the first to do so at a large scale. In the case of BedZed, successful planning and healthy building design result in a truly sustainable community.12 BedZed does a successful job of combining the high-density with amenity as the individual housing unit does not suffer from the performance needs of the building.
Figure 5
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By using a series of passive design techniques and proven technologies, the development can support its own power and waste needs on its site. Through a rigorous specification process, the designers also ensured a reduced environmental impact through its construction. The site has a mixing of use as there are housing units that are located near office spaces as well as public gardens and open space. There are many live-work units available in the development as well. This is an example of how a healthy building process can enhance a community, as this neighborhood is almost entirely sustainable in itself.
Figure 6 A view of an interior courtyard with bridges spanning from apartment units to a roof.
Figure 7
Figure 8
Here the systems that cool the development as well as the solar panels that sustain the energy to run them are seen.
South Facing rows of roof terraces have north facing live-work units located within. With gardens and space on the roof, nearly every units has access to their own private space.
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Process &
Methodology
•Methods
-Model -Entertainment District -Implementing a Process -Infrastructure -Design Guidelines
•Site •Program •Goals
-To establish begin act of making in order to express architectural ideas -To further initial thought and to begin to expand upon them -To establish a process upon which to design
Figure 14
Process &
Methodology
•Program and site to inform ideas •Making as a way of furthering ideas As our explorations progress, we have been asked to begin to form a way of making. Through this making, we began to figure out ways to implement a process and it is here where the thesis ideas that were formed initially began to actually take shape. The act of making came in different methods and techniques. One familiar way in which designers make is by producing models or drawings. In many cases, it is difficult to create a model of an architecture theory or idea and this is where drawing can be such a successful tool. Another tool that was utilized in the making process was the act of writing. Writing was an instrument that allowed one to bring all aspects together. A supporting piece to accompany a well thought out drawing go a long way for the design process. As our ideas progress from their early stages into a full thesis proposal, the elements that a site can bring can be crucial. Many of the ideas formed can be related back to if there is an involved site. The existence of
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a site allows the viewer to cast their own thoughts and impressions on it. This allows an outside viewer the chance to understand different aspects to the thesis ideas that were in need of a specific location. Another step in the development of our thesis ideas relates to the program and intention of the project. A design thesis has a unique twist of both research and a design proposal that is backed by the information that has been sought out. The implementation of a program allows the second portion of the thesis to take shape. Once a program is established, the ideas begin to have an intention and a potential direction to expand into. For every thesis, there will be infinite possibilities and programs to further an idea. The process that is laid out in this thesis begins to create a set of guidelines and overlays that relate to an existing infrastructure. The site will add another layer of specificity to the program that may have been lacking initially.
Figure 9 The rendering shown portrays a walkable pedestrian street that ties nature and a wide array of building uses into the built environment.
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Methods From an early point in the semester, we were asked to begin to turn our research and information into a way of thinking and to begin to make images or objects to support these ideas. The act of making was a way to express the thoughts that were stuck in the mind and not easily explained. The making allowed for the hand and mind meet and produce something. The first act of making for my thesis came in the form of a model. This particular model was of a street front in California. The
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street was formerly a through-way for cars that was closed to create a pedestrian street lined with storefronts. The model takes the layout of the street and focuses on the potential circulation paths. These paths were exemplified by weaving together different pegs, creating a dynamic streetscape that was lined with paths. This idea was my attempt at exploring a certain intensity to the street rather than focusing on the density that surrounded it. This intensity was the key word behind the making of the model.
“When we build our landscape around places to go, we lose places to be” -Rick Cole
The woven string creates a level of intensity within the street.
The model focuses on a weaving to create an urban density through circulation paths
“Suburbanization is the biggest threat to cities in North America” -Paul Bedford
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Entertainment District Proposal •The redesign of LA’s Entertainment District •Creating a walkable pedestrian street After looking closer into what could possibly bring people to the street, I began to look into a specific area where a redesign is needed. In conjunction with studio this semester, I was able to take a look at an area in downtown Los Angeles and propose a redesign of a specific area. The area in question is the Entertainment District, a six block square located in the southwestern most corner of the Downtown. The site houses the Staples Center as well as the LA Convention Center. Much like the rest of Los Angeles, the site in mind is hardly a walkable area. The scale that the city has is simply massive in relation to a city like Boston. To worsen the poor sense of human scale in the area, the city is primarily founded around the car and it is evident with the vast streetscapes and ample surface parking that can be seen around the city. Accompanying the emphasis on the car comes a general lack of entertainment and truly no reason to stay in the downtown area beside arriving for work. Employees in the towers tend to drive in and park in the buildings they work in, never having to leave.
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The new proposal that was designed focused on the creation of a pedestrian street that remains isolated from the busy streets. The pedestrian street became the focal point and would be lined with a variety of mixed-uses, from bars, restaurants and retail to office space and residential units. The new proposal also begins to center the site around on a Metro stop to bring inhabitants in, as opposed to the vehicles. By removing most of the surface parking lots, we were able to create a wealth of green space that runs from our pedestrian path down to the new hospital that sits on the site. The redesign of the area also zooms in to the way the streets are laid out, reducing the seven-lane South Figueroa Dr. Into a four lane road with protected bike paths and on street parking. This was the first attempt in a studio that called for a renewed design of the street. It relates to this thesis as I begin to focus on the potential benefits walkability and a dense mixed-use community can have. This was one way to explore the potential benefits from a full overhaul could have.
This figure ground is a view of the Entertainment District in Downtown Los Angeles. As the site sits now, there is a vast amount of surface parking and excessively wide roadways
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This figure ground incorporates a new series of buildings to infill the areas in need. It also addresses the large quantity of one story, underutilized buildings and proposes new construction.
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The pedestrian path runs from the Staples and Convention Centers to a proposed hotel. It is lined with a variety of uses to promote walking in the area.
The plan below shows the pedestrian paths in red and the proposed pubic space in green. The higher density would bring more inhabitants to the area.
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Implementing a Process The next step in my development came in the form of writing. I began to implement a process to overlay onto an area in order to enhance its walkability and health. This came in the form of a series of guidelines that one could begin to overlay onto an established site. The hope is that with a given infrastructure, the guidelines would begin to encourage a successful redesign to turn an area’s focus back toward the pedestrian. There were three main goals (listed left) that pushed the development of these ideas. The two key terms in doing so were quality of life and built environment: •Built Environment: the material, spatial, and cultural product of human labor that combines physical elements and energy in forms for living, working and playing. The human-made space in which people live, work, and recreate on a day-to-day basis12 •Quality of Life: the standard of health, comfort, and happiness experienced by an individual or group13
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Goals: •To underline a necessary infrastructure for the creation of a walkable, healthy urban environment •To create a set of guidelines and instructions on how to enhance the walkability of an area •Demonstrate ways that these guidelines begin to enhance walkability as well as the positive health aspects that accompany them
A rendering of a pedestrian through-way in the proposal for a redesign of LA’s entertainment district.
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Infrastructure •Existing infrastructure is crucial to build upon After reviewing many sources regarding urban planning and an idea of walkability, it is becoming increasingly clear how impactful a walkable community can have on the residents of the area. The ability for a location to incorporate walking as a vital aspect to its transportation impacts the area in a variety of ways; from health benefits to economic growth, walkability is a way to make an area or neighborhood thrive. As more and more people flock to cities it is important to begin to cast walkable principles on the way we layout and develop cities as a whole.15 One way in which cities can grow is by expanding outward. For up-and-coming cities this is a realistic opportunity to expand the boundaries and push their edge. However, for many established cities, this is not an option. In areas like Boston, New York, and Los Angeles there is little to no more room for expansion. Cities like these have to look inward to focus on how to establish walkable neighborhoods within the city limits. By focusing in on problem areas, city planners
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•Infrastructure would be a jumping off point for a design intervention can begin to establish or enhance the conditions that exist, to create a more walkable and healthy environment. Public health is an important aspect to consider when walkability is mentioned. Looking at public health can be used to enhance not only the walkable environment, but it can be used to see the overall health aspects that these places can bring. The quality of life in a neighborhood depends greatly on the mobility and character that upholds it. The guidelines that I will begin to layout cannot be taken into account without a solid infrastructure already in place. Many of these guidelines require an urban setting with and already established density that is incorporated. Without a solid density in place, a neighborhood simply would not be able to survive in the walkable manner that is being proposed. With that said, there are a few key aspects that must be included in the infrastructure of these potentially walkable neighborhoods:
The proposed infrastructure would ideally include some of the elements that make the Back Bay so successful. Its density and proximity to public transportation are key.
•An area must have a reasonable density to it in order to thrive. For example, a walkable neighborhood designed with urban principles in a rural community would not yield the same results as a neighborhood in a small American city like Providence.16 •Access to a form of public transit is another crucial aspect to walkability. It is unreasonable to create an entirely walkable neighborhood without allowing for some outside connection to other destinations. The use of public transportation becomes key in the success for a location, as it allows the uses to expand and grow outside the original scope. •Diversity of land uses in an area can begin to establish the quality of a neighborhood. This is an aspect that can be altered but a solid mixing of uses is vital in the success of a walkable, healthy neighborhood.17
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Design Guidelines •Implementing three design guidelines
•Program and Use of Space, Walkable Streets, and Sustainable Environments
Design Guidelines: Once there is an existing infrastructure in place, there are a series of design guidelines that can be added to change the area. These guidelines begin to take a look at how to liven the street edge and create active, pedestrian friendly streets. As the main guidelines begin to become established, the scale begins to zoom in slightly and a look at healthy building design begins to come full circle with the neighborhood. The establishment of healthy places is something that takes place in a variety of scales, from the urban scale down to the human scale and the sidewalks we inhabit.18 The intention of these guidelines is to be able to overlay them on a site with a similar existing infrastructure to what was listed earlier. Once they are overlaid onto a site, there can be an investigation into the potential health benefits that accompany the design shifts. The guidelines in this case are broken into three sections: Program and the Use of Space, Walkable Streets, and Sustainable Environments. The reason that the
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guidelines are broken into these categories is due to the fact that there is simply so much that can be done to enhance the walkability and overall health qualities of a place. By breaking the guidelines into three, it allows for multiple aspects to be looked at and also allows for one to see the connections they have with one another very clearly. Program and Use of Space 1.Mix Land Uses: The mixing of land use relates back to the diversity mentioned in the infrastructure section. This is essential to the sustainability of a neighborhood. The mixing of uses in development is crucial because it allows for a dynamic environment. With the introduction of office and retail spaces in close proximity to residential and community establishments encourages movement through a neighborhood without the dependence of a vehicle. Another aspect that should be included in the mixing of uses is a focus on food resources, like full service grocery stores, and active recreation spaces. Low-income communities are the areas in need of these services most and it is in those areas where we see higher rates of obesity. Mixing of land use provides not only economic potential, but also reason to walk about the environment and neighborhoods you live in.19
1. Mix Land Uses 2. Create Parks and Open Space 3. Focus on Transit, Not Parking 4. Create Public and Pedestrian Through-ways 2.Create Parks, Open Space, and Areas for Recreation: In many cities, there is a serious lack of public space, particularly of the green variety. Open parks allow for residents and visitors to interact with one another, creating a social realm otherwise lacking in a neighborhood. The incorporation of a park system in neighborhoods allows a place to attract a wide array of individuals; from young workers nearby on a lunch break to the parents and children that potentially occupy the apartment complexes. The built environment surrounding the open park is also important. By including buildings near an open space, it begins to encourage the use of that area by the buildings inhabitants; no matter what purpose the building might serve. 3.Focus on Transit, Less on Parking: The automobile has allowed planning in the past fifty years to expand in the way it has, pushing residents farther and farther away from the city while still expecting to make a long commute back in. The idea of reducing parking takes the use of cars and limits it substantially. Cheap parking is a downfall for many US cities and a mistake that can be corrected. Focusing resources on a proper transit system is crucial in a sustainable urban environment. These guidelines encourage the use of transit but also how to enhance the use of transit in areas. By locating buildings and their entrances near transit corridors ridership can increase. Another important aspect that
relates is the placement of transit stops on well-connected streets. Accessible streets are crucial in the access to the transit locations.20 4.The Creation of Public Plazas and Pedestrian Through-ways: The use of public space is important in any community, let alone one that is built upon an idea of walkable destinations. The creation of pedestrian only spaces is key in promoting health and well-being. A public plaza begins to create a public realm where cars are not welcome; it also provides a safe place to gather. The use of pedestrian through-ways can begin to place an importance on walking. By including building uses specific to these pathways, it brings and emphasis that you must get out of the vehicle and maneuver around a space to experience it.
“In a quality city, a person should be able to live their entire life without a car, and not feel deprived� -Paul Bedford
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2.Walkable Streets Walkable Streets:
1.Create Safe Places to Walk: One major issue in most cities today is that the emphasis is on the car. Roadways are designed to be speedways for vehicles as traffic engineers provide what is necessary for the driver to feel safe. The problem with this is that the drivers feel an over inflated sense of safety and push the limits even further. Pedestrian safety must be key in the design of any neighborhood, urban or rural. By introducing elements like trees, medians, thinner roadways, and sidewalk buffers, the safety of the pedestrian is again a focal point.21 2.Incorporate Bike Paths and Roads: Bicycling allows for another method of transportation in a community. Bicycling is something that not only healthy for you but healthy for the environment as well. Every bicyclist on the road takes someone away from a vehicle, leading to a lower carbon footprint. The safety of the bicyclist is also paramount in the success of a walkable street.22 3.Enhance The Streetscape: The creation of a dense street edge is important in the success of a walkable community. Lively street edges can easily be tarnished by the presence of a surface parking lot. A layered faรงade that begins to bring the building and its function out onto the street is one element that can be utilized to enhance the sidewalk.
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4.Create Green Corridors: Planting trees are very simple tasks. The time it takes to allow for the maturation of the tree into a full-grown being is what takes time. The inclusion of trees in the pedestrian realm is very important because it performs several different functions. First, the tree can act as a buffer to the street enhancing the safety of the pedestrian. Second, the tree can begin to shade the sidewalks you inhabit this creating a pleasant shaded area on a walk. Third, the tree can begin to intake pollutants that are exhausted from cars by soaking up the CO2 emissions.
1. Create Safe Places to Walk 2. Incorporate Bike Paths and Roads 3. Enhance the Streetscape 4. Create Green Corridors
Figure 10
The progression of images provides a series of overlays to demonstrate how layered the community can be. By implementing more activity has the potential to pop-up. The image started as a run down storefront and is finally rendered as a renewed area.
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Sustainable Environments Sustainable Environments: 1.Focus On the Cleaning of Buildings in a Carbon Neutral Setting: The physical built environments in which cities are made up of include buildings, which contribute significantly to carbon emissions. The use of renewable energy in design can begin to reduce the Greenhouse Gas Emissions that stem from the building. A focus on how buildings can become cleaner, both in terms of the systems that are used in design as well as the materials used in the making, can allow for a cleaner environment in a neighborhood.23
As well as an implied social connection to those who utilize the space in the same manner. All of the guidelines listed above are elements that can potentially increase the quality of life for an area. Each aspect has a relation to health comfort and happiness in one way or another and if all of these guidelines could be applied to an area, it would have the potential to thrive as a healthy, walkable community.
2.Promote Recreation in Building Layout: Buildings that provide a staircase a focal piece begin to encourage the use of stairs throughout. Mainly seen in the design of office space, layouts that encourage movement throughout the day can increase physical health. Movement is key for any neighborhood and this is something that can take place within a building.24 3.Encourage The Growth of Gardens: Food safety will increasingly become an issue as our dependence on fossil fuels worsens. A city’s inability to sustain its food environment is a pressing issue for the future. On a neighborhood scale this thought can be introduced through the creation of community gardens or rooftop gardens. This encourages a healthier form of eating
Figure 11 Creating an area that has a connection to its surroundings is crucial. The Greenway spans a long area in Boston and is connected to many smaller hubs.
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Figure 12 The image shown was produced by Space Group, out of Oslo, Norway. The design is a new master plan for the city of Lexington, Kentucky.
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Site
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Nashua & North Point Parks
Site:
Having already established the parameters for a necessary infrastructure, the search for a potential site should begin to be narrowed. One potential area that is of interest is located next to the Zakim Bridge to the southern side. With plenty of land on both sides of the Charles, the area could be developed into a diverse neighborhood that could begin to bring more action across the river. It is an area that is in close proximity to the Downtown area as well as numerous transportation hubs. Given the established area located around the location, the redevelopment of this land would be a viable option and thus has great potential. Much like the design of Assembly Row, the area front water and has an existing connection back to major transportation. As the site sits now, it is a major void that could be established into a relevant area along the Charles River.
•Vacant land that sits under and next to the Zakim Bridge. Underdeveloped as it is located next to major train hub. •Located on the site are two parks that have potential to become developed further. •Area could bring a more prominent walkable connection across Charles River that doesn’t currently exist
Figure 13
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Program While the specific program is something that will change often as the design process progresses, it is important to pose a preliminary idea. With that said, I have began to establish a program as my thesis has been laid out before in this book. The program that I hope to include takes both the infrastructure section, listed before, and combine that with the design guidelines I have also laid out. With these two principles in mind, I hope to establish a diverse, walkable community on my given site. Taking the three components from the design guidelines, I hope to establish an area and create a healthy community. The program would start at a city-scale and zoom in as the design progresses, ultimately zooming in to the building scale and focusing on healthy building design. The actual program of the community would include housing, retail space, office locations and various public spaces, from parks to community buildings. If the site listed previously remains my area of focus, a connection to how you cross the water is also important to the program.
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Program: •Focus on an existing infrastructure and hone in on how to enhance the area. •Create a mixed-use community that is built around the idea of walkability. •Make prominent design decisions based on the idea that health can be impacted directly from them. •Use the existing site to connect the new program to and create a destination.
Figure 13
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Proposal,
Planning, & Appendices
•Criteria of Evaluation •Timeline •Notes •Works Cited
Proposal & Planning Criteria of Evaluation: As this project will ultimately result ina design process, I imagine this project will be judged as an intensive studio project. To be more specific, given the design parameters that I have set forth already, there should already be a criteria upon which my design proposals will be judged against. While these ideas will certainly change in the following months, the initial ideas will certainly hold merit when we come to a close. This is one take on how to judge the work to come and can help to give parameters on what will be completed. In regards to the intellectual criteria that should be considered, the research and culmination of said research is what will ultimately lead the evaluation. The design guidelines set forth in this prospectus are merely guidelines that will change as time progresses but stand as a barometer for initial success early in the semester. Each designer can interpret the words in their own way but a slight adherance to the guidelines will be useful.
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Timeline: January
Initial site analysis Site refinement Establish program Preliminary master plan
February
Shift in scale to block Shift further to individual streets Study impact of decisions
March
Shift further into building design
April
Refine three scales and focus on cohesion
Notes 1. 2. d 3. 4. d d d 5. 6. b 7. d 8. 9.
“Google.” Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. Calthorpe, Peter. Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change. Washington, DC: Island Press, d 2010. 1-75. “Google.” Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. “Built Environments of the Future.” In Making Healthy Places Designing and Building for d Health, Well-being, and Sustainability, edited by Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkin, d and Richard Jackson, by Anthony Capon and Susan Thompson, 366-378. Washington, D.C.: d Island Press, 2011. “Google.” Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. Cooper, Rachel, Christopher Boyko, and Ricardo Codinhoto. “The Effect of the Physical Envi ronment on Mental Wellbeing.” Mental Capital and Wellbeing (n.d.): n. pag. Web. Speck, Jeff. Walkable City: How Downtown Can save America, One Step at a Time. New d York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. “Back Bay History.” Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. Growth, Us Epa: Smart. “2005 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement.” US EPA: Smart Growth: Smart Growth Awards 2005 (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 10. IBID 11. “Ward 1 Online.” : A Tour of Assembly Row. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. 12. “BedZED.” Zedfactory. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. 13. “Google.” Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. 14. IBID 15. Speck, Jeff. Walkable City: How Downtown Can save America, One Step at a Time. New d d York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. 16. IBID 17. Burney, David, Thomas Farley, Janette Sadik-Khan, and Amanda Burden. “Environmental d Design and Health, Urban Design: Creating an Active City.” In Active Design Guidelines: d d Promoting Physical Activity and Health in Design, 12-43. New York City: City of New York, d d 2010. 18. “Built Environments of the Future.” In Making Healthy Places Designing and Building for d d Health, Well-being, and Sustainability, edited by Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkin, d d and Richard Jackson, by Anthony Capon and Susan Thompson, 366-378. Washington, D.C.: d d Island Press, 2011.
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19. IBID 20. Speck, Jeff. Walkable City: How Downtown Can save America, One Step at a Time. New d d York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. 21. IBID 22. IBID 23. Calthorpe, Peter. Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change. Washington, DC: Island Press, d d 2010. 1-75. 24. “Community Design for Physical Activity.” In Making Healthy Places Designing and Building d d for Health, Well-being, and Sustainability, edited by Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkinand Richard Jackson, by James Sallis, Rachel Millstein, and Jordan Carlson, 33-49. Washington,D.C.: Island Press, 2011. Figure Notes Cover Photo: Base Image: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lo-urRpzT-E/ThdJJn2k9ZI/AAAAAAAABEI/Px1-GtT_MPs/s1600 MJI_1569.jpg Figure 1: http://alivecampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Alive-Campus-17-summertime-headline.jpg Figure 2: http://wardoneonline.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-tour-of-assembly-row.html Figure 3: http://www.archboston.org/community/showthread.php?t=1335&page=43 Figure 4: http://wardoneonline.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-tour-of-assembly-row.html Figure 5: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomchance/1008213420/ Figure 6: http://www.zedfactory.com/zed/?q=node/102 Figure 7: IBID Figure 8: IBID Figure 9: http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/smartgrowthusa/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/riverfront-crossings-2.jpg Figure 10: Base Image: http://chrrambow.deviantart.com/art/Urban-Street-01-152141208 Figure 11: Base Image: http://gonzalocamacho.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Map_of_greenway.jpg Figure 12: http://www.archdaily.com/213793/space-group-completes-lexington-master-plan/ Figure 13: Base Image: Google Maps Figure 14: http://www.popsci.com/sites/popsci.com/files/styles/medium_1x_/public/import/2013/images/2012/10/Great%20City%20 streetscape.jpg?itok=MWVmPAnB
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Works Cited
56
1. d d d
Burney, David, Thomas Farley, Janette Sadik-Khan, and Amanda Burden. “Environmental Design and Health, Urban Design: Creating an Active City.” In Active Design Guidelines: d Promoting Physical Activity and Health in Design, 12-43. New York City: City of New York, d 2010.
2. d
Calthorpe, Peter. Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change. Washington, DC: Island Press, d 2010. 1-75.
3. d d d
Dannenberg, A. L., R. J. Jackson, H. Frumkin, R. A. Schieber, M. Pratt, C. Kochtitzky, and H. H. d Tilson. “The Impact Of Community Design And Land-Use Choices On Public Health: A d Scientific Research Agenda.” American Journal of Public Health Vol. 93, no. No. 9 (2003): 1500-508.
4. d d d
“Community Design for Physical Activity.” In Making Healthy Places Designing and Building d for Health, Well-being, and Sustainability, edited by Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkin, and Richard Jackson, by James Sallis, Rachel Millstein, and Jordan Carlson, 33-49. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2011.
5. d d d
“Built Environments of the Future.” In Making Healthy Places Designing and Building for d Health, Well-being, and Sustainability, edited by Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkin, d and Richard Jackson, by Anthony Capon and Susan Thompson, 366-378. Washington, D.C.: d Island Press, 2011.
6.
Duany, Andres, and Jeff Speck. The Smart Growth Manual. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.
7. d d d
Frank, Lawrence D., James F. Sallis, Terry L. Conway, James E. Chapman, Brian E. Saelens, and William Bachma. “Many Pathways from Land Use to Health: Associations between Neighd borhood Walkability and Active Transportation, Body Mass Index, and Air Quality.” Journal of the American Planning Association, 2006, 75-87.
8. d
Jackson, Richard, and Stacy Sinclair. Designing Healthy Communities. San Francisco: Josseyd Bass, 2012.
9. d
Speck, Jeff. Walkable City: How Downtown Can save America, One Step at a Time. New d York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012.
10. b
Cooper, Rachel, Christopher Boyko, and Ricardo Codinhoto. “The Effect of the Physical Envi ronment on Mental Wellbeing.” Mental Capital and Wellbeing (n.d.): n. pag. Web
11.
Growth, Us Epa: Smart. “2005 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement.” US EPA: Smart Growth: Smart Growth Awards 2005 (n.d.): n. pag. Web.
. 1.
Images References http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lo-urRpzT-E/ThdJJn2k9ZI/AAAAAAAABEI/Px1-GtT_MPs/s1600 MJI_1569.jpg
2. http://alivecampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Alive-Campus-17-summertime-headline.jpg 3. http://wardoneonline.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-tour-of-assembly-row.html 4. http://www.archboston.org/community/showthread.php?t=1335&page=43 5. http://wardoneonline.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-tour-of-assembly-row.html 6.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomchance/1008213420/
7. http://www.zedfactory.com/zed/?q=node/102 8. http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/smartgrowthusa/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/riverfront-crossings-2.jpg 9. http://chrrambow.deviantart.com/art/Urban-Street-01-152141208 10. http://gonzalocamacho.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Map_of_greenway.jpg 11. http://www.archdaily.com/213793/space-group-completes-lexington-master-plan/
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