B Historical perspective

B

Historical Perspective

Introduction of new means of transport as a milestone in the development of the street. First the motorcar, now autonomous vehicles/ new mobility products.

Recently, Singapore has made it mandatory for e-scooter users to pass a theory test (similar to drivers) and be of at least 16 years old to ride on cycling paths Most historic places owe their layout to their original function. Towns have grown up around a market place, a bridgehead or a harbour; villages were formed according to the pattern of farming and the ownership of the land. The layouts catered mostly for movement on foot. The era of motorised transport has, superficially at least, removed the constraint that kept urban settlements compact and walkable.

When the regulation of roads and streets began, spread of fire was the main concern. Subsequently health came to the forefront and the classic 11m wide bye-law street was devised as a means of ensuring the passage of air in densely built-up areas. Later, the desire to guarantee that sunshine would get to every house led to the requirement for a 21m separation between house fronts, and this shaped many developments from the 1920s onwards.

It was not until after WWII and particularly with the dramatic increase in car ownership from the 1960s onwards, that traffic considerations came to dominate road design.

Emergence of motorcar changed streets fundamentally.

The increase in new mobility products, autonomous vehicles and ride-share services are changing how people see and experience the streets. However, the environmental cost, social isolation, crisis of inactivity and physical disconnection brought about by some transportation technologies do not correlate with the ideal city.

How would the future street be interpreted and used? How would the change in streetscape affect inhabitation on a private, community and city scale?

What is the Future Street?