Spaces for dialogue - Gender Sensitive Urban Design

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Applying Gender Sensitive Urban Design to achieve Fair Shared Cities Quarter-2 Socio Spatial Processes in the City

Studio MentorsLuisa M. Calabrese Studio NameSugandha Gupta_4516044

Delft University of Technology_Faculty of Architecture Master of Architecture,Urbanism and Building Sciences Mater track_Urbanism Delft- January, 2017 1


Colophon

Master : Master of Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences Track: Urbanism

Project Information Project title : ‘Spaces for Dialogue’ - Applying Gender Sensitive Urban Design to achieve Fair Shared Cities Quarter-2 Studio: Socio- Spatial Processes in a City

Student Information Name: Sugandha Gupta Student Number: 4516044 Email id- sugandha2108@gmail.com

Studio Tutor Dr. ir. Luisa M. Calabrese (Associate professor at the chair of Design of the Urban Fabric)

© 2017 Sugandha Gupta Keywords: Gender sensitive urban design, Public Space, Accessibility, Socio-Economic Feasibility. Cover Image by author

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Preface

The present report is an explanatory documentation of the Q2 project with the title : Spaces for Dialogue- Applying Gender Sensitive Urban Design to achieve Fair Shared Cities. The research and design is done on the socio-spatial processes in a city based on the studio “Design of the Urban fabric�. It includes the patterns developed in process, the strategy, design concept and the spatial design decisions taken in favor of the target group and socio-economic status of the place. The booklet ends with a reflection on the design proposal, its feasibility economically, sustain-ably and socially.

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Theme of the Studio Social Mix Spatial Biographies

Gender Sensitive Urban Design in Carnisse

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Table of Contents Introduction Motivation First Impression of Carnisse First point of Interest Kick Start- Eyes on the Street Location & Introduction Problem Statement Hypothesis Analysis - Study of Evidences Social Index & Demograhic Analysis Space Syntax Analysis Movement Analysis of Target Group

Dialogue of Spaces Spatial Biographies (Interviews) Pictorial Biographies (Mother of a 6-7 yr old) Pictorial Biographies ( Mother of a 0-4 yr child) Pictorial Biography (Working Women) Conclusive Spatial Interventions Locations Location Analysis Street Typologies & Function Bar Human Activities & Area Dimensions Introduction of Patterns Health Patterns Control Patterns Legibility Patterns Safety Patterns 6


Design Concept Distributing Positivity Introducing The Lounge, Living Room & The Cocoon Masterplan Visions The Living Room Distributing Positivity Introducing The Lounge, Living Room & The Cocoon Masterplan Visions Reflection

Economic Feasibility The Essay

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How to read my Booklet?

Introduction

Analysis- Study of Evidences

Dialogue of Spaces

Location Analysis

Patterns

Design Concept

Socio-Economic Feasibility

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Reflection

Designing the Living Room


1. INTRODUCTION 9


Motivation The first impact I have of Rotterdam south were the people from different communities, what caught my attention were hijabi women. When I entered the mall there were a lot of women with kids and elderlies during afternoon hours. These women were from communities like Turks, Surinam and other antilleans. Overall the first impression of Rotterdam Zuid is diversity which was not seen in urban spaces and that inspires me to create and revitalize spaces to develop a social mix and therefore to enhance the safety of the area. More will be the social mix, especially between women more will be the environment safe for them and hence everyone.

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FIRST IMPRESSION Missing

Positive Energy

Social Mix

Functions Distant front

Multicultural

Doors

Area

Supportive Lack of Gender- friendly Spaces

Diverse Cultures

Infrastructure Abandoned Urban Fabric

Global Commercial Spaces

The first impression collage of the space made me stand in between a lot of issues and opportunities in Rotterdam Zuid. The social issues due to mix community attracted me the most as the people residing the place are not dutch but belongs to other communities.

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FIRST POINT OF INTEREST - PUBLIC SPACES

This doodle was made in order to realise the public spaces elements and see its relationship with the main roads and the street roads. A public space system is full of elements shown in the doodle and can be arranged and rearranged in order to make a space more livable, safe and inclusive for everyone.

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KICK START - Eyes on the Street

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LOCATION Carnisse is a neighborhood in the Rotterdam Zuid and is one of the most diverse neighbourhoods. From the data analysis it has been found out that:Carnisse employs around 10,000 people. -The housing stock consists mainly of 2- and 3-room apartments, so there are relatively many one- and two-person households. -Children are more and Elderlies are less as compared to the average of rotterdam. -The housing is mainly social or private rental. Figure: The Netherlands

Figure: Rotterdam

Figure: Carnisse (Charlois)

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PROBLEM STATEMENT

The scarcity of community spaces, gender inclusiveness and gender sensitive urban design in Rotterdam Zuid is a factor that leads to a low safety index for the people and less child-friendly.

The opportunity of this project is an initiative taken as an analysis of spatial biographical research to increase the social mix at the front doors of the urban fabric in order to increase the safety index and inclusiveness of the area in terms of gender and thus for all.

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HYPOTHESIS

Creating spaces for dialogue (encounter) by tapping into the moments of daily life of a women.

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2. EVIDENCE STUDY 17


DIVERSITY & DEMOGRAPHICS

Source : http://wijkprofiel.rotterdam.nl/nl/2016/rotterdam

Ethnicity (%) of Head of Households in Charlois

Source data : http://wijkprofiel.rotterdam.nl/nl/2016/rotterdam

11%

Figure: Cultural Diversity

Dutch

44%

4%

11% 7% 2%

11%

4%

11% 7% 2%

7%

7%

5%

5%

9%

Sex of Population

Ethnicity

Ethnicity

44%

9%

Surinames

Surinames

Antilleans

Antilleans

Cape Verdeans

Cape Verdeans

Turks

Turks

Moroccans

Moroccans

Other non Western

Other non Western

Dutch

Dutch

Other EU

Other EU

Other Western

Other Western

Non western World inc. Turkey

Western World (not-inc. Turkey)

Male

Figure: Ethnicity in Charlois

Female

Figure: Sex Distribution- 50.2% Women

A Dutch city loses the Dutchness of the city while mixed diversity brings a lot of culture, cheap markets, food, etc. The area has various cultural shops which are named differently as well. This mixed use in the urban fabric has an impact also on the public spaces of the area. The Dutch people make just 44% of the area while other communities acquire 56% of which most are the families. In general, the women are approximately 50.2% of the population and the children are more than the average of Netherlands, which means of the total population 70% are women and children which would be my target group.

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SOCIAL INDEX

Single Household

Elderlies (Above 65)

Couple with children

Children (Upto 15)

Age group (Upto 15-65)

Couple without children

Figure: Dominating target Groups

Figure: Dominating target Groups

Since most of the population is youth and children we have a scope of children playgrounds and economic opportunities. Increasing employment opportunity and education facilities for children will automatically improve the living experience of the people.

High Income Group Construction before 1945 Middle Income Group

Construction after 1980

Low Income Group

Figure: Income Groups

Figure: Household Owners

Less number of high income group automatically reduces the cost and value of the area. Since the area is too low on safety index, the crime , vandalism and burglary cases take place, of which victims are mostly women. Targetting an area designed for them and advertised like that will bring a psychological impact on the people to reduce crime.

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PICTURESQUE IMPRESSION

Dwelling Ownerships

House ownership ratio also tell about the economic conditions of the different ethnicities living in Rotterdam Zuid.

Social Housing Dwelling

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Private Rental Dwelling

Owner Occupied


SPACE SYNTAX ANALYSIS

Figure: Global Integration Map of Carnisse

Figure: Radius 3 Map of Carnisse

Warmer the lines they are more integrated.

The 75M waterfront street is not well integrated with the neighbourhood and therefore Less number of passers by in the area.

The 30M wide road is integrated well globally and that means most of the mobility takes places on this road.

Though the connections are strong.

The 75M waterfront is not that well integrated globally which is good as it is a neighbourhood street.

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ANALYSIS FOR MOVEMENT OF TARGET GROUP

Scale- 1:10000 Figure: Types of Streets according to movement

Scale- 1:10000 Figure: Traffic Movement and pedestrian movement direction analysis for tracing paths

Legend Verzamelweg Main Road

Legend Tram Line Metro Line

District Access Road Bus Route Residential Street Play Street

Tram Stops Bus Stops

Service Road

These maps helped in tracing movements and paths of the target group. The main conclusion of these maps were that the bus route connection on the main road which was there initially few years back have now been taken apart due to which the market area of Etos, Aldi and Nettomarkt doesn’t have a bus stop and the nearest one is farther than 500m. For a deeper knowledge of the site I needed to make some interviews and I chose to do spatial biographies of those interviews to help me decide locations for designing.

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FUNCTION/ LAND USE MAP

Legend:-

Clustered Shopping Area

Shops

Residences

Industries

Scale- 1:5000 Figure: Program Map of the area

The function map of the area shows that the neighborhood has small local shops and market places which are used in the daily life for shopping spree more than the mall. Day to day needs and shopping activities take place in the small scale commercial aeas.

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SPECIFIC IMPORTANT FUNCTION MAP

Legend :-

Religious Area

Commercial Area

Educational

Social/ Cultural

Medical Facilities

Figure: Functions used mostly by Women & Children

The function map of the area shows that the neighborhood has small local shops and market places which are used in the daily life for shopping spree more than the mall. Day to day needs and shopping activities take place in the small scale commercial aeas.

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3. DIALOGUE OF SPACES 25


SPATIAL BIOGRAPHIES

Natalia- A little shelter I guess would be good as I feel more secure and then you have a place to suddenly hide in case of rain.

Udenhout- Ofcourse a place near the canal would be great but the water needs to be more clean as sometimes it stinks.

Agniesika- For me its those men at the corner who just surpass comments. Hahhaa yeah I would like to mix up, because I ultimately have to sit while my daughter plays.

Hacer Balban - Women are safe here as it is mostly family neighbourhood, I do not really have time for the gym but yes I would like to have to go food services near the school as you know I am mostly hungry for breakfast.

I would also like to swing but the place is for kids so i come at this time when there are not many children playing to use these swings.

Talking to a lot of women coming from different communities lead to my conclusion of working on their movement. Most of them had to say that they are always in a movement though would like to rest in a few places but what I should concentrate on is their movement. One of them also said that it is really difficult to get something in the morning to eat , so maybe you can think about it.

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PICTORIAL BIOGRAPHIES (Mother of a 6-7 yr old kid)

Gym !!

s

Med

to Wishes e tim spend

Clinic Goes to mall for sheltered space

School

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PICTORIAL BIOGRAPHIES (Mother of a 0-4 yr old kid)

m, gy o my to g are ood e !! s f Kid ybe elp m ma uld h Halal Meat wo

Do Groceries at ALDI !!!

to like me o d s ul Wo nd t... e bu p s e tim Take the `bus Cultural Centre Mosque

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Shows the kid to doctor

Picks up a friend

Have a nice time at park

Go to the mall for a coffee and shopping,feels energetic.


PICTORIAL BIOGRAPHIES (Working Women)

Do Groceries at ALDI !!!

Leaves the child at PCBO

Mall & Ahoy seems so far sometimes

Works at special needs centre

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SPOTS IDENTIFIED

The Living Room (Marketplace)

The Lounge (Near School)

The Screen (Waterfront) The three spots have been identified for further analysis and design as these are the crossing points of all the spatial biographies. They need to be further researched on a smaller scale so as to choose one spot to be designed in detail to serve as an awareness spot towards gender conscious cities.

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4. LOCATION ANALYSIS 31


LOCATION-1 (The Lounge)

I could click pictures of so many Hijabi Women on the way and it occured to me how is the life for them here!!

There are some area with car workshops which women do not really feel comfortable with as they are just opposite to the school.

In the evening women are outside with a companion. The road Walphaertsbocht is a 30M wide road with tram lines.

Figure: Collage of a location in Carnisse showing Diversity & dominating Target Group

The commercial boards tell the story of the culture as mostly its a Halal meat shop and second hands good

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The commercial boards tell the story of the culture as mostly its a Halal meat shop and second hands good

There are some lonely wanderers in the area due to which the livability index is low.


Functions at the Lounge Legend :-

Industries/ Workshops

Religious (Islamic)

School

Recreation

Shops

Cafe/Restaurants

Residential

Commercial Street

Waterfront Street

Dead Alleys

Residential Street

Scale- 1:500

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THE LOUNGE - STREET TYPOLOGY

Figure: Program Bar of Street

Legend :Legend :Pathway

Pathway- 23% Parking- 24%

Parking Area

Car Lane - 30% Roadway

Tram- 23%

Tramway Tram Line

Figure: Program Bar of Street

In the design intervention the Pathway is increased to 30% of the total street width to increase the accessibility for strollers and make street more inclusive.

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PICTURESQUE IMPRESSIONS- WATERFRONT- The Screens

Playgrounds for kids

The water presents a playful feature in the surroundings.

Afternoons are full of women with prams and kids.

Figure: A section through the waterfront presenting hard and soft water edges Private Space

Semi-Private Space

Public Space

Semi-Public space

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The Screens - Street Typology

Legend :-

Pathway- 12% Parking- 13% Car Lane - 13% Buffer- 30% Canal- 13%

Figure: Programme Bar of Street

Legend :-

Canal

Car Lane

Pathway

Parking

Buffer Zone

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30% of the buffer zone is used for furthe design interventions and patterns.


Activities Defined

1750 College students discussing 625

1750

Girl on a jogging track

Mom taking the baby to a doctor

Skipping Rope game

2125 2125 kid on swings 1025 Girl playing with a cat

Scale- 1:500

Legend :Residential

400 Girl walking

425 Running

425 Girl sitting

875 friends posing to the camera

425 Small Grl(46yrs) playing with a ball

625 Playing Basketball

Waterfront Street 37


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FUNCTIONS PERFORMED BY TARGET GROUP

1875 Turk Women waiting for bus at a bus stop 2150 Old Woman with Shopping Bags Chatting 1875 Mother taking kids to school 2350 Mom and Dad going for a walk with the kid

875 Girl Taking a bus

1500 Two housewives chatting

875 Girl playing with ball on street

1625

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Women getting digital in public space

1475 Single mom with her daughter completing errands on the way


FUNCTIONS PERFORMED BY TARGET GROUP These activities are demarcated with the area they use so that they can be used while designing spaces. Its a personalised Neufert for HUMAN DIMENSION.

1750

1250 Whispering Games

Mom taking the baby to a doctor

1250 Playhouses in the play area Skipping Rope game

2125

625 1225 Lady travelling crossing street

Girl on a jogging track 1750 College students discussing

2125 kid on swings 1025 Girl playing with a cat

400 Girl walking

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1875 Mom and Dad taking the baby for shopping

875 Girl standing beside a wall eating on street

425 Running

425 Girl sitting

875 friends posing to the camera

425 Small Grl(46yrs) playing with a ball

625 Playing Basketball

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5. DESIGN PATTERNS 40


PATTERNS NETWORK DIAGRAM Health

Control

Legibility

Safety

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Transparency Accessibility Community Cafe (Take away)

Design Patterns Strategy Adding functions + Introducing semi-public

Social Mix

Togetherness Privacy Vision Improved Water Quality

Cocoon + Downscaling

Sheltered Space Collectiveness Trollers accessibility Outside Kiosks 42

Dialogues

Shared Space + Flexibility


Stormwater Infiltration Hypothesis: BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY RAINFALL IN THE AREA, THE MEASURES OF PAVING WITH POROUS MATERIALS AND CLINKERS, ALSO LEAVING THE NATURAL AREAS RICH IN GRAVEL AND STONE CHIPPINGS TO TREAT ISSUE NATURALLY Keywords: Porous paving materials, pavers and clinkers

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: The book urban green blue grid explicitly tells about the benefits of pervious pavements to keep up the groundwater table rising and also ny porous material is highly suitable for paving: for example, open cell concrete blocks, grass concrete pavers, woodchips, shells or gravel can be used as paving materials. Precipitation can infiltrate into the ground without any appreciable difficulty; the percentage of openings varies from around 15% to 40%.

NEIGHBOURHOOD ROADS

PRACTICAL IMPLICATION: Grass Concrete pavers Car parks, roads and garage drives that see less intensive use can be paved using grass concrete tiles. Depending on the type of foundation under the tiles, the infiltration percentage can be as high as 100%.

SPATIAL CATEGORY

MAP 1:5000

MAP ...

Figure: Tree Grate used keeping Infiltration in mind

Figure: Grass Concrete Tiles to be used.

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Stormwater management Hypothesis: Achieving A better groundwater table in an area with heavy downpour by the process of bioswales Keywords: Bioswales, runoff water

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: In bioswale systems, the water running off from roofs and roads does not flow into the sewers but instead is led into the bioswale via aboveground gutters and/or ditches. Bioswales can be incorporated into the green infrastructure and can help enhance biodiversity.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATION: Heat stress Districts with bioswale systems have green-blue veins running through them that can help reduce heat stress. That effect can be enhanced by planting carefully selected vegetation along the bioswales. Air quality Water surfaces and areas of vegetation have a small positive impact on air quality, in particular by binding particulate matter.

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MAP 1:5000

Figure: A section proposed at the waterfront to be used to do phytoremediation

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Phytoremediation- a process Hypothesis: Achieving a good soil area to facilitate the child - friendly activities Keywords:Vertical Helophyte Filters, Purifying plants

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND:

Source- Aquarama; “Rietland bvba wil rietveldsysteem op een hoger plan tillen”; Aquarama nummer 51, Dossier Waterzuivering & Hergebruik, 2011 Vertical Helophyte filters are used in the project as one of the major contributer to purify water and therefore to decrease the growth of algae in the rotte which is supposed to be a major problematic task. Examples of these plants are- Reed, Carex Sparagarium, Typha

PLACES APPLICABLE FOR THE PROCESS

PRACTICAL IMPLICATION: Helophyte filters spread the wastewater in a smooth layer several centimetres below the surface of the filter. The water is led into the filter below the surface to prevent unpleasant odours. The wastewater seeps through the layer of sand and the roots where it undergoes biological treatment. A drain is placed at the bottom of the sand filter to capture the treated wastewater. Iron or copper particles are generally added to the sand layer to bind phosphates. Films, layers of clay or concrete ensure that the helophyte filter is hydrologically completely sealed from the ground. [Aquarama, 2011]

Spatial Category

POISONOUS MATERIAL REDUCTION:

Transpiration: Transpiration is a process that converts into oxygen into the environment. Volatization: It is the biochemical transformation of containments, some plants can actually degrade contamination during metabolism.

MAP 1:5000

Degradation: The lead is being extracted from the soil and taken into the roots/shoots of the plants. The plant can now be harvested and disposed of properly. Contamination: Trees uptake large quantities of water and can hinder the travel of pollutants in the ground.

MAP ...

SAND FILTERS Figure: Vertical helophyte Filters functions

Figure: Helophyte Filters

SORGHASTRUM NUTANS (3912211191)” BY MATT

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Community Gardening Hypothesis: Enhancing Soil quality and reducing heat stress by urban farming as small scale methods can improve the quality of air and soil to attain a healthy environment all over Keywords:urban agriculture, kitchen farming

MAP 1:5000

Community Gardens are a collective approach to make the people meet while they do their gardening processes. Growing vegetables can be used as method to recollect people and help them raise the community feeling.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATION: Urban farms and agriculture have educational and, when they are publicly accessible, recreational value. The integration of urban agriculture can even be economically interesting because it reduces a city’s cost of green space management. Urban agriculture can also contribute to the energy supply with the production and fermentation of biomass and by processing organic waste from the city. Vacant property in cities is often contaminated.

Spatial Category Figure: Prospective Urban farming Spaces

Figure: Medium soil pollution in the area

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Figure: Prospective places to do urban farming


Pedestrian and Bike Mobility Hypothesis: Physical health is also a motive to be achieved which can be fulfilled through better and safe pedestrin and bike mobility paths.

Present Bike paths Prospective Bike paths

Keywords: physical health, mobility

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: The pedestrian movement in the europe was a measure to reduce the increasing obesity in the people and make a city much more safe in the aspects of traffic and pedestrian movements. The environment was also kept in mind which was to be taken care of along with the people.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATION: Better connectivity by bike and pedestrian networks increases the accessibility of the area and also enhances the safety as it makes the neighborhood more transparent. Sidewalk in Neighbourhood Narrow sidewalk in neighbourhood should be redesigned to provide a wider pedestrian through zone and street furniture zone wherever possible. Residential Ribbon sidewalks are common in most of the residential areas. Design the pedestrian through zones to be roughly equal to the planted area and properly facilitating the stormwater.

MAP 1:5000

Street Trees Street trees can be used to slow down traffic speeds integrated with woonerfs and making it more pedestrian friendly and accessible for pedestrians.

SPATIAL CATEGORY

Figure- The picture explicitly tells about the importance of a segregated bike route wherever possible.

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Enhancing sitting and seating Hypothesis: To achieve an environment with a lot of different possible seating arrangements to create a socially interactive environment. Keywords: Types of seatings, sitting places

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: The most popular places to sit can be found at the edges of open spaces, where the sitter’s back is protected, the view unobstructed, and the local climate most favorable. Jan Gehl defined the types of seatings as primary, secondary and sitting landscapes, while here in this research it is divided into 4 categories which control the people’s behaviour of using the environment.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATION: Public Seating- The public seating is for everyone and to enjoy the outdoor environment,if we see in terms of stakeholders it is provided by the municipality. Quasi Public Seating- These are an attempt to attract the public and make public life stronger if faces the street life. Subsidiary Seating- It refers to the sitting offered by the places as a secondary function. According to William H. Whyte the people sit wherever there is a place to sit and this happens so many times. Quasi-Private seating - This is the seating offend by residential owners and its very less in our area because of safety issues.

MAP 1:5000

Spatial Category PUBLIC SEATING

-Provided in the city for recreational activities and for waiting. -For eg- bench,chairs,etc.

QUASI-PUBLIC SEATING

-Extra seats from cafe or restaurants for people to sit outside to enjoy the view of the city. -Seats provide by shops for people to rest and for advertisements

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SUBSIDIARY SEATING

-Alternative opportunities for sitting. -eg stairs, ledges,etc.

QUASI-PRIVATE SEATING

-Provided by house owners, but only for their own purpose

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Inclusive Spaces

Hypothesis: the control of public spaces are generally in hands of a particular gender especially when we talk about flaneur (Loitering), here we try making the unbiased space. Keywords: Gender Conscious Cities, Inclusive Spaces

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: The employment rate is less and especially when we talk about women. The main reason for that is there are household responsibilities that are so easily supposed to be fulfilled by woman. Dolores Hayden in her paper suggests a way where 13 neigbourhoods were combines by combining teher back yard gardens into day care centres, vegetable gardens, play areas for kids. A collective approach where some women can work as paid labour fulfilling these activities while some can do jobs outside.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATION: To diminish gender differences, gender control has to be taken into account in the urban design. This could be improved by integrating the main route in the infrastructural network of the city and by adding attractors, such as shops and cafes along the route. Then it is possible to generate an urban sphere throughout the day with a large variation of actors entering the urban scene (Tra My Nguyen,2016) . The backyards of the post war neighbourhoods can be designed in such a way to offer more opportunities.

Map 1:5000 Spaces that can be used for these collective tasks are given.

Ampelfrau- Female traffic light invented in Germany

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Generating a mix

HYPOTHESIS: ERRUM QUI VELENDA PRO BLABORUPTI DOLUPIETUR ALIQUI ALIT VERNATE ESTRUM ANDIS AD QUIAT FUGA. AT UT VOLUPICIPID ET LACIUS DOLOR MOST UTENE VOLUPTA

KEYWORDS: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: To achieve a desired level of privacy for the pure residential parts of the Carnisse, it is important that the crossing points between areas where public territories meet more private territories should be redefined. What is needed is a clear demarcation between public and private areas (Hab-raken, 2005), or alternatively, a high level of closure (Sampson, Morenoff & Earls, 1999). The key idea is that the urban form can guide the flow of people in certain paths.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATION:

Elements like rows of trees that promote linearity and block visual contact could be used. Another spatial feature is the addition of front yards or transition zones at the second-hierarchy streets so as it will be understandable by strangers that this is a pure residential area and entering may not be desired by people who are sitting in the yards. The selection of strong materials for guiding the flow of people could also be helpful. This may happen under the concept of shared space according to which the whole street can function as a physical extention of the uses along the main streets, an action that makes the public paths even more controllable. open public territory (main street) Map 1:5000

open private territory (residential area)

RESIDENTIAL ZONE COMMERCIAL ZONE TRANSITION ZONES IN BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS

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open private territory (residential area)


Gendered Activities Hypothesis: The difference in activities of young children boys and girls should be taken care of. Keywords: Playground spaces, Open areas

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND:

The difference is most pronounced in constructed playgrounds or environments (e.g. schoolyards), in nature playground or natural environments (e.g. parks), boys and girls chose to participate in similar types of activities (Nabhan & Trimble, 1994; Änggård, 2011). In constructed playground or environments, however, girls are more likely to choose socially-driven activities such as games or make-believe scenario, or play equipment that promotes social interaction (Nabhan & Trimble, 1994). Moreover, they are more likely to choose sedentary activities such as playing in the sandbox or games played on a plaid in the grass (Holmes & Procaccino, 2009). Boys, on the other hand,are more likely to participate in competitive activities on asphalt surfaces (Nabahn & Trimble, 2009. They also tend to sustain their active play for a longer period of time than girls do (Holmes & Procaccino, 2009).

PRACTICAL IMPLICATION:

When we design spaces for young people, it is thus important to take these differences into account. If we want to create spaces that are attractive to both boys and girls, it is important to support a diverse range of surfaces and urban design elements that support gender neutral, as well as gender-specific activities.

Playful Streets Hypothesis: Children find spaces to play anywhere and with anything Keywords: Playground spaces, Open areas

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND:

It is a fact that children sometimes create places for themselves that are not, by adults’ standards, spaces for children (Rasmussen, 2004). Children’s creativity and resourcefulness forces to draw stimulation from all surroundings, which, combined with their drive for play, often places them in child unfriendly places such as streets, street corners, abandoned lots or construction sites (Bartlett, 1999). Moreover, it appears that children tend to even prefer these spaces that offer spontaneous play opportunities over more structured play environments (Bartlett, 1999). However, most of these places are not designed for children, making them unsafe for their use (Appleyard, 2005) and restricted by parents (Steampfly, 2009). Therefore, it is important to make streets accessibly for children to play in without removing the opportunities for spontaneous play that they seek out. In doing so, not only will streets become safer, but they will furthermore support a more holistic view of their community (Appleyard, 2005).

PRACTICAL IMPLICATION:

In designing these spaces several factors are important, namely, the presence, frequency and speed of motorized traffic, the visibility and lighting and the opportunities for safe crossings (Timperio, Ball, Salmon, Roberts, Giles-Corti, Simmons, Baur & Crawford, 2006). In making streets more liveable for children, it is important to provide adequate sitting, walking and bicycling facilities that allow them to explore, connect and socialize (Appleyard, 2005).

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5. DESIGN CONCEPTS 52


THE WORDCLOUD

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Transparency Accessibility The Lounge

Community Cafe (Take away)

Design Patterns Strategy Adding functions + Introducing semi-public

Social Mix

Togetherness Privacy The Screen

Vision Improved Water Quality

Cocoon + Downscaling

Sheltered Space Collectiveness

The Living Room

Trollers accessibility Outside Kiosks Dialogues

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Shared Space + Flexibility


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MASTERPLAN

The Lounge is designed with a floor pattern to induce safety extended till the school.

The living room is made on the analogy of shared space. Here people can share the space and even dialogues. Communication is made stronger to imrove the social mix in between people.

Transparency at the kids corner allows the mothers to see inside. The Cafe allows on the main street to pick up food and move ahead. The area creates an awareness in between people about gender conciousness.

The screens provide a sense of privacy and transparency at the same time.

Scale- 1:3000

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The trees along with the trellis can provide a sheltered space that inspires from Winkelcentrum.


VISION OF THE LOUNGE

Transparency Social Mix

Community Cafe (Take away)

Adding Functions

Accessibility

Parklets

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VISION OF THE SCREENS

Sheltered Space

Togetherness

Vision

Cocoon

Improved Water Quality Privacy

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VISION OF THE LIVING ROOM

Collectiveness

Outside Kiosks

Shared Space

Dialogues

Trollers accessibility

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7. THE LIVING ROOM 60


THE TRANSPORT ROUTE

Scale- 1:10000

A Proposed bus Line and a stop which was there and is proposed in future plans.

Legend Tram Line Metro Line Bus Route Tram Stops Bus Stops Bus Line Proposed Proposed Bus Stop

Proposing a bus route and a stop near the Alsi, Etos and Nettomarkt area is important as people have to walk otherwise more than 500m to catch a bus. This has an impact on the sale of the shops nearby and also women have to travel a lot carrying the buggies or strollers all the way round. This bus route existed and will exist in coming years as proposed by the traffic department of Rotterdam

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MOVEMENT OF A WOMEN

Figure : Movement of men at different levels in a city

Figure : Movement of women at different levels in a city This figure shows the different movement of men and women and clearly tells us the city used by a women is completely different than by a man. She has to run around to do the errands and process her daily life Routine.

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STRATEGY OF THE PROJECT

HYPOTHESIS

FEASIBILITY

REALISTIC VISION

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DESIGN DECISIONS

Unifying the area so that it can be used as a shared space and also the same material so that accessibility is much more than now.

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Creating a connection with one material and a slope to the bus bulb so that no pedestrian has a problem in crossing and going to the bus stop, especially a mother of 3 yr with a stroller and shopping bags.

The design consists of a different materialised pavement but at the same level with LED light strip to show way to the people at night.


THE LIVING ROOM

Realising the importance of a couch in a living room and keeping the analogy for designing the urban furniture that facilitates spaces for dialogue being sensitive to the needs and desires of the mothers in an urban market area.

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Curved and soft edges are safer for children, also designed as seating spaces for adults provide slides for the kids (Kim.J,2014) (Acar H, 2011)

Curved Edges are safe for kids High points are Grass Hedges

Idea Behind Scoops is parking for Strollers and Buggies

Play Zone

Spaces for Dialogues @ +450mm - +650mm

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Slopes for Children to Play

Edge at +00 lets kids enter the Play Zone


THE LIVING ROOM PLAN

X’

X

Scale- 1:200

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DESIGN PRINCIPLES

The car has a buffer zone for the mothers to get out safely on the pedestrian path and take her kids out.

Legend :-

Health

Control

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Legibility

Safety

When Vehicular traffic comes into position the private and public realm should be clearly demarcated with level difference to avoid accidents. It make the territory more legible.


DESIGN PRINCIPLES

The Urban Couch is cut through a sectional way which is demarcated by pathways for smooth pedestrian cross through it. It comes from the concept of being usedas a space altogether by sharing of

Flexibility in Spaces by Same Level (Shared Space)

The Change in material demarcates usage of spaces and therefore control of the

Solar LED Lighting used on the road side which illumi-

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DESIGN PRINCIPLES

The Bus shelter has been added with a food kiosk to take food on go for the working mother and also a bench has been added to watch kids playing on the right as they wait for the bus.

To maintain the oneness of the space and being safe a slope is made joining bus bulb and the square area. The slope is 6 degree and its convenient for the handicapped and mothers to take strollers W

Eyes on the Street is the basic concept of safety given by Jane Jacobs and for that Transparency have been brought in the Building facade.

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SECTIONAL SUBSURFACE XX’

Urban Layer

+00 LVL

Ground Layer +00 LVL Fine Sand

-1.5 LVL

Clay

-2.5 LVL

Peat

-5.0 LVL

Scale- 1:200

Through Tree Pit Infiltration takes place

Storm Water is taken through this pipe to canals

Sewer Line carries Soil Waste

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SPATIAL ZONE & MATERIAL DISTRIBUTION

Legend :Private Area Frontage Zone Pedestrian Zone Urban Furniture & Plantation Zone Shared Space

Scale- 1:200 Consolidated Brick Pattern

Tree Cover

Private Zone

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Consolidated Brick Pattern

Concrete Pavers

Green Porous

Concrete Pavers

Private Zone


DESIGN VIEWS

A

X’

X

B

Scale- 1:200

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VIEW A - SPATIAL SCALES - Pattern Relationship

Shared Space used for Communication

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Shared SpacePlace to Play

For the Infiltration HEALTH

Musical BambooStroller accessibility Metal Plates Inclusive Space

Bus Shelter with Kiosk & Bench


TEMPORAL SCALES - FLEXIBILITY

LED Solar powered Strip which Glows at night SAFETY

Bollards with Lights

Gleditsia Trialanthos Sunburst Height after 4m SOCIAL CONTROL

Signages for LEGIBILITY

BIO-Luminiscence proposed as next phase

Shelter For Rain

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VIEW B

Parking for Bike with Cart

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Chess in Public space for kids

Climbing Apparatus for Kids with Sand Pool

All pavements at one level


10. Reflection 77


REFLECTION

After doing this project I realised that the project can start from a strong motivation and here it started with that as well. While designing I used my hypothesis strongly to keep in mind that I have to design inclusive spaces and safe spaces. Doing that in the long run I always kept in mind if I am doing something wrong with the other groups of people but I have realised what actually is safe and legible for women and children, works out well for handicapped, normal people and elderlies. Also creating social active spaces lowers down the crime percentage of the place. Now the target group and the people whom I interviewed can enjoy these places for leisure, necessity and daily routine. Though it needs a lot of social support to build such a plan through municipality.

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9. Socio- Economic Feasibility 79


ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY ESSAY Sugandha Gupta Alankrita Sarkar

In this paper, we will be describing, evaluating and comparing two projects of Rotterdam Zuid. The paper will have three parts, description of project 1, description of project 2 and the feasibility comparison of both the projects. Project 1: Spaces for Dialogue – Applying Gender Sensitive Urban Design to achieve Fair Shared Cities 1. Project Description Gender Sensitive Urban Design in Carnisse , a neighborhood of Rotterdam Zuid is chosen as the topic motivated from the non- interaction of the Hijabi women and mothers of Rotterdam Zuid. The main issues were the lacking functions, strollers inaccessibility in terms of standing spaces, safety in public spaces, transparency, privacy and vision. Carnisse is a neighborhood that lacks in social index and safety , while talking to the residents I realized there are many opportunities doing which it can be much easier for the women and children living in Carnisse to lead their life happily, inclusively and safely. After the Spatial Biographies done in the analysis it has been realized that public transport, movement and daily shopping activities are the most important part of the daily life of 70% women of the neighborhood. Therefore, the market area of the Pleinsweg is chosen as the target area for in-depth Spatial Design.

Figure: Project Location

2. Strategy of the Plan The design concept comes from distributing positivity from the mall to the chosen spots for The Screens (Waterfront) , The Lounge (Corner near the School) and The Living Room (the marketplace) in terms of functions and design elements. Women and children are one of the vulnerable groups as identified by the UN and designing a space for them is accessible and safe for everyone and for all. The strategy includes increasing the value of the land of the location as it sets an example of a social issue of Inclusive Public Spaces. As the functions and properties of the Winkelcentrum is distributed in these specific locations making them a mixed use safe space and advertising the area as a gender sensitive designed urban space attracting the single mothers and single working women to live in that area. Urban Strategy: The focal points of Big city policy like work, security and quality of life are looked for with much more concentration in the form of making futuristic plans of the same. 3. Actors Involved Three types of land ownerships identified would be the municipality or the government, public private partnerships and private ownerships of the area. The proposal in this case would come under a governmental planning and then can be given as a project to private architectural and urban designer’s firms for designing and to a contractor thereafter for the execution. The owners of the local shops who are the residents of the area and the supermarkets which comprises of the famous Aldi, Nettomarkt, Gall & Gall, benefits from this change. Also the residents of the area will be benefitted by having a nearby safe and accessible market area through public and private transport.

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So basically the major actors identified would be:• Politicians • Government officials/Municipality • Users/ Citizens of Carnisse • Real Estate Developers • Architects/ Urban Designers/ Landscape Architects • Lawyers/ Other professionals • Contractors/ Person executing the Project

4. Characteristics of the area The project area includes Retail, Residential and Socio-cultural land uses to be specific. Gentrification would be a result or an after effect of the changes that take place to this particular area. The main Land costing would include:• Development Costs:1. Hard Development Cost 2. Soft Development Cost • Additional Costs DEVELOPMENT COSTS (Hard) The land cost would be including the relocation of the already existing platforms, steps , benches and materials. Everything will have to be demolished and prepared again or even for reusing it has to be refurbished and the costs are included. The lighting, placement of benches, constructing platforms, steps, landscaping, etc. are included in the cost with the cost of the labor involved. This is the cost that is generated by the builder who executes the project. DEVELOPMENT COST (Light) The architect, engineers and lawyers fee would be a part of this category. The money involved in generating a building permit is also included in the category. Also all the banking loans and interests cost would add up here. The profits and the risks taken by the Real Estate Developer involves an amount of monetary funds which would be a part of this as well. ADDITIONAL COSTS The local governmental costs like refurbishment of the soil, planting species for purification of the water, settling down the public for developing a public space, costs involved when the traffic lines are stopped and other measures have to be taken to let the traffic lines keep moving. Basically an additional cost of the inconvenience caused is always involved in any project. 5. Revenues of The Plan Focusing on the quality of space do not generate an incredible amount of revenue in terms of monetary funds but an overall review of the investment is what is important. Developing the market place increases the accessibility of the space and the usability of the retail areas. The shops and restaurants would be visited more frequently and thereafter it would increase the profits made by the private owners which means an increment in the taxes and vat thereby profiting the government. A development of the infrastructure (bus stop here) and public space is always a favorable point for the municipality and results in an overall growth of the city. Here redesigning an area for women will raise an awareness to make cities inclusive by very small and negligent measures which are design adaptations and not huge design decisions. 6. Internal & External Cost Benefits Internal costs basically include the inputs, the materials cost, the production and the development cost whereas the external cost would include the salvage costs, ecological and environmental - friendly recurring costs after the life span of the constructed element is over. For example- The integrated street furniture proposed is made out of logs of wood and bamboo which are cheap materials, so therefore at the end of its life cycle, say after 20 years. Its completely sustainable to dispose it off and would not have any costs involved in that. Cost benefits are generated as the commercial and retail area is being developed. Also the location will give benefits in the long run. Development of a better infrastructure and accessibility will give a bright future and help women to do their errands in a way better and faster manner which increases the fiscal, physical and societal value of the Carnisse neighborhood, thereafter uplifting the safety index and physical index of the area. 7. Future Advancements The proposal stands as one of the important gender sensitive urban redesign project which helps in facilitating the services and the boosting the retail and commercial area, holds high regards in elevating the land prices of the residential neighborhoods as it marks to be a safe space to live in Rotterdam Zuid. The future alterations can be done in changing the nature and theme of the place but the overall concept of having such a public space in that area at the marketplace is the need of the shopping activities to park strollers, buggies and have play area for the children. An overall benefit would come in the long term in terms of societal and monetary measures.

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Project 2: Composition of Democratic Streetscape 1. Project Description Rotterdam city is one of the most developed cities in The Netherlands. The vicinity of Rotterdam central highly urbanized and is known for tall buildings, open space, street markets, huge squares and junctions welcoming the public for social interaction. Complementing to the city characteristics, the southern part of Rotterdam is developing itself in the similar way, welcoming international residents and various communities. Based on the current issues of Rotterdam zuid, the growth trend and the site analysis, I wanted to focus on the streets of that area from the user perspective. Thus, three different types of streets has been selected to work on the strategy level; one is residential street of Leperlaarsingel in Charlois, second is the commercial street of Pleinweg and third is the public activity street of Zuiderpleinweg. For the detailed design, I have developed the street of Pleinweg considering various scenarios. The physical boundary of the project is not very defined, as this project is not about developing a particular site but to upgrade the social aspects of a region. The detailed street design concept of a complete street can be followed throughout the city of Rotterdam.

Figure: Project Location

2. Strategy of the Plan The concept of the whole project was to create a street which can encourage the citizens to interact, knowing that most of the residents of Rotterdam Zuid are migrants. This way the crowd will support the street to be more lively and walkable. Three strategies for three sites consisted of main focus on community engagement and elevating the streetscape. The target group for the residential street are the residents from various community backgrounds. For the commercial street the targeted audience is the commerce sector and the citizens. And thirdly, for the public space street, the targeted audience are the citizens and outsiders, creating that place as the center of Rotterdam Zuid. Going deeper into the second type of street, the street can be developed in three possible scenarios. Presently the street of Pleinweg works fine as a transport corridor but the economic activities along the street is not benefitting or used to their potential. So the first strategical scenario was to repair the existing street and developing it as an transport corridor, eliminating the retail shops. The second extreme scenario is to recreating the whole street into a pedestrian zone and market street and connect the transport system through an underpass. The third strategical scenario is retrofitting, which is combination of the transport and the pedestrian activities as a whole. 3. Characteristics & Components The main intervention is to create a complete street by including commercial and public activities into the present scenario. So, the scenario around this place including the secondary lanes and the edges of the street is going to revolutionize. Design components like undergroung parking, narrowing the transport lane, faรงade treatment of alongside building and addition of street elements and street furnitures is proposed in the project. On a bigger scale, more office spaces and economic activities are planned which will enhance the growth of that of the city.

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4. Stakeholders and Phasing of the project The most prominent stakeholders would be the residents, retail vendors, municipality, traffic planners, offices and housing authorities. The project can be completed under different phases. With each phase different stakeholders will play their roles. The first phase would be diffusing the traffic into the secondary lanes, which will provide enough space for the construction of underground parking in the second phase. Here the job of traffic planner is to redirect and plan the traffic flow. In the second phase municipality will invest on the underground parking with the help of architects and designers. The third phase would be the maintenance and upgradation of the buildings alongside to create more commerce, office spaces and improve the residential conditions. The housing societies, the offices and the retail vendors should invest for this phase. The commerce in this area will add to the overall profit by which we can proceed to the next phase of our project, which is adding street elements and including public activities on the pedestrian zone. This way the whole street will be lively and interactive in terms of aesthetics, functions, connectivity etc. 5. Impact of Project – Costs & benefits The general public is mainly affected by any major changes in the city or urban design adaptation, although in this project, the general public achieves a lot in terms of livability and welfare. The whole project concentrates on the public relation and social interaction by creating streets as public spaces. All the stakeholders will have their duties and responsibilities as per the benefits they are getting from the project. This will create a sense of personalization and citizen engagement on a planning scale. The government on the other hand is one of the main investors of this whole project. But the revenues which are going to be generated after the project comes into function will have a positive effect on the city economy. Most of the part of the project will be based on private public partnership investment and the profit will be shared by the stakeholders and the businessman. Some percentage of the profit will be dedicated to the government for city development fund. The Ownership of the street is held by the government and the buildings are held by the housing authorities. All the interventions are on the street and the cost will be incurred by different actors. The internal costs will incur the cost of construction of parking, cost of improvement of street in terms of pavements and lane divisions, the labor cost, maintenance cost, costs of additional elements like adding of street lights, street furnitures, adding trees and plants etc. External costs will include the managing costs of the parking facility etc. While construction, the phasing of the project should be planned and followed suitably to extract the project cost from the initial stages itself. 6. Future Advancements In future this project strategies can be used for other streets of Rotterdam as well. And the strategies provided for different kinds of streets; residential commercial and public street will help the citizens to unite on a social level. Because the strategy and design involve various stakeholders, it will be easier to get investors in all the project phases. Concluding the essay, I can say that the whole projects deals with a lot of economic activities and different stakeholders and actors who are being involved in this project. If we perceive this projects in parts/ elements by elements, this project wont be able to gain the amount of positivity, but as a whole the project in total will generate a lot of revenue and social validity.

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PROJECT COMPARISON

The two projects “ Dialogue of Spaces” and “ Democratic Streetscape” are complementary being social projects and to be developed in favor of the citizens. They have been compared on two levels of Social Feasibility and Economic Feasibility. The Social feasibility is where we talk about the different stakeholders and it can be concluded that both the projects are in service of inhabitants and local shop owners. Though both the projects are design oriented but the first project is more technical and small scale while the other is more strategical and at administrative level. In the Economic feasibility part, the projects have been judged on the aspects of costs and benefits where lesser the cost and higher the benefits, the project will be more feasible. Here in these projects they are judged in the fields of land development costs, salvage costs, third party benefits, etc. the two projects are economically feasible and thereafter benefitting a larger group of people. According to the Klee diagram, there are levels of impact scale depending upon the interventions. In both the projects the impact will come not just on the intervention area but on a larger city scale. Like in project-1 being an awareness project it sets an example of creating inclusive spaces while designing in Rotterdam Zuid. Also in project-2 the various streets have been conceptualized as a prototype to be used in other parts of the city. The evaluation of these two projects led us to think about the future possibilities and opportunities in terms of usage, maintenance and investment.

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THE END

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