The dual city

Patricio Meneses, Chile

“The fi nal goal is to create a more attractive, fl exible and safe city for local inhabitants and visitors, improving opportunities of things to do and see, but protecting the heart of Dujiangyan communities.”

My fi rst strategy is the diversifi cation of routes where visitors can walk from the train station to the old town.

After this, I want to create a system of streets that connects both sides of the canal, in order to improve pedestrian accessibility within the study area and through the north-south parts of the city.

This connection will be organized by different routes guiding visitors in a succession of public spaces with focus in local commerce. The routes will be characterized by different streetscape typologies, from a wide commercial streets for public and private transport, bikes and pedestrians, Flexible boulevards for private transport, bike and pedestrians to local alleys for bicycles and pedestrians.

The building typologies product of the street organization will be defi ned by the typologies of the streets surrounding them. In addition all commercial streets will have a commercial ground fl oor open to the public. This fl exible system is going to be confi gured for crowds, tourists, movement, commerce, celebration and safe displacement of people during “Peak Events”.

In the core of housing buildings private courtyards will be available for use in order to provide a safe and intimate space for local communities to stay isolated from visitors. This is going to be confi gured for the local inhabitants in order to provide them a place to keep their peace, intimacy and traditions.

Finally, for public space quality and water runoff risk reduction the project will include water management strategies following the concept of “sponge city”. The idea is to create a system connecting private courtyards, public areas and streets using permeable pavements, collectors, green areas, green roofs, ponds, etc.