URBAN DESIGN p o r t f o l i o
TIMIRLANS ABIDOVS selected
works
This document presents projects that hopefully will outline my thought process and skills.
KEY TAKEAWAYS KEY TAKEAWAYS
I am someone who is consistently growing themselves and who takes the time to continue learning even though it is not a direct requirement of the urban designer. I find that many times it is a combination of what you study both directly and indirectly that helps to achieve the task.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
I am Timirlans Abidovs, an open-minded and inquisitive individual from Latvia, pursuing an MA in Urban Design from Oxford Brookes University. As a creator, I strive to develop desirable places for people, not just to look great on renderings, but to address the pressing urban challenges.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Hello,
Experimental project of urban intensification: Challenging Dubai’s global identity -
Thinking and reasoning skills Teamwork and interpersonal skills Masterplanning Designing with an ‘inquiry by design’ approach
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Neighbourhood for innovative living -
Critical thinking Teamwork and interpersonal skills Masterplanning Financial feasibility testing Urban planning
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Combining urban density and diversity with a rural feel -
Artistic skills Public realm design Visualising and rendering skills Creative thinking
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Combining urban density and diversity with a rural feel -
Hand drawing skills Interpersonal skills Critical thinking Design coding
18 - 19
1 Challenging Dubai’s global identity Oxford Brookes University 2022 Urban Design in Challinging Contexts Site - Dry Docks, Al Mina Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Module Leader - Dr Regina Mapua Lim Group project Softwares used: AutoCAD, Lumion 3D SketchUP, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator
Proposed masterplan
This project is an experiment of urban intensification that tests urban design principles in challenging context. Dubai is currently looking for ways to grow and intensify. Our design team propose a new development in Dubai that complies with Dubai guidelines, yet challenges the current city’s approach. Site location in UAE
Follow the link here to see the Design and Acess Statement for this poject.
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CONTEXT
The project aims to challenge the current global identity of Dubai. The project shows what practising urban designers and those working in the built environment field can learn and then implement in Dubai.
Site location in Dubai
View to the character area
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5 - 10 min walk distance radious from bus stops
ANALYSIS The analysis of the site area and surrounding context was a key part of the project. Comprehensive research included both primary and data analysis.
SPACE REQUIREMENTS 5 - 10 min walk distance radious from health facilities
Space requirements for the development are extracted from the Masterplanning Guidelines for the high-density development in Dubai. Space requirements are expressed in the diagram next. The diagram shows that the total area coverage for the development is 194.8 ha if all uses are located on the ground level. Considering our site boundary is only 64 ha, we are required to deliver some uses vertically.
The project included diverse research methods, from semi-structured interviews with local people to GIS data collection to literature review. The diagrams next presents the developed diagrams for the 5 and 10 minutes walking distance area catchment around different uses.
The second diagram shows the volume and density of the proposed design.
Residential Low ecological value land High ecological value land Infrastructure Heathcare Education Employment Retail and Leisure Religion
Space requirement diagram
5 - 10 min walk distance radious from shops/cafe
64 ha volume and density diagram
5 - 10 min walk distance radious from mosques
a deep focus paid towards understanding the local culture, residents and potential users of the site
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MODEL DEVELOPMENT
RE - NATURALIZATION
The density and volume model applied to the context
The hard surface character of the existing Dry Docks is re-naturalized - given back to nature. Our ecological strategy focuses on creating layers of ecology going from a dense ecological value with mangroves along the water front. Then a lower density ecology right before the built environment starts. The strategy then takes low level shrubbery and trees along the streets of the development. We also propose water channels in from the sea.
- site aligned according to the NW prevailing wind - the water edge is given back to nature - 30-50 m are created along the sea with minimal to no human population - opposite site developed to address a busy highway and accommodate the most activity
Volume and density diagram in the context
Green and blue startegy
ADDRESSING HARSH CLIMATE The heights were designed according to the local guidelines, the blocks further away from the sea and blocks along the South are tallest. A series of diagrams next show the vertical distribution of uses.
ground level
4th level
1st level
5th level
2nd level
6th level
3rd level
7th level
The street layout is designed to maximise the north-western wind into the site and does not create physical barriers for the wind. Wind towers are located in key spaces to stimulate the airflow both on the neighbourhood and building scale. The four diagrams below show the street types in the design.
Main movement corridor
View to the main movement corridor 8
Movement startegy
Vehicular and pedestrian street
Pedestrian-only street
Pedestrian-only street with water channel 9
2 Neighbourhood for innovative living Oxford Brookes University 2021 Urban Design Masterplan to Public Realm Site - Oxpens and Osney Mead Industrial Estate, Oxford, UK
Proposed masterplan
Module Leader - Dr Laura Novo de Azevedo Group project Softwares used: SketchUP, CityCAD, Lumion 3D Photoshop, InDesign, Microsoft Excel
Kevin Murray Associates and Oxford City Council required the production od an urban design masterplan that integrates two sites to the west of Oxford City Centre. Both sites form part of the Oxford City Council Local Plan 2016 to 2036 and sits within the Oxford-Cambridge strategic arc. Whilst innovation and creativity in design is encouraged, the masterplan must return a minimum residential land value of £4.5 million per hectare.
Follow the link here to see the Design and Acess Statement for this poject.
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Site location in UAE
CONTEXT
Our design team’s proposal focuses on urban solutions for innovative living in Oxford. In our goal of innovation, we go beyond the UK Government Innovation Strategy 2021 and private sectors for innovation, but rather look for new ways of urban living.
Concept diagram
Site location in Dubai
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STREETS, NOT ROADS Pedestrian and cycling mobility are prioritised on the site. The street network is dominated by pedestrian-only streets with access to service vehicles. A series of diagrams below shows four street types on the site.
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FLOOD RESILIENCE Street network
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The green and blue infrastructure are integrated within the design. As the northern boundary of the site floods during springtime, green spaces are placed in high-risk flooding zones.
Green and blue strategy
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2 Due to the high volume of rainfall in the area, water plays a key element in public spaces design. The diagram next shows an example of a water harvesting system in the public realm.
Playspace design
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Several new connections have been proposed to improve the connectivity to the site. the diagram next shows the proposed pedestrian-cycling bridge that would better connect both parts of the site.
Proposed new bridge
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3 Density and diversity with the rural feel Oxford Brookes University 2021 Urban Design Masterplan to Public Realm Site - Oxpens and Osney Mead Industrial Estate, Oxford, UK
Proposed design
Module Leader - Dr Laura Novo de Azevedo Individual project
The vision for the project was to create a residential neighbourhood that combines the best elements of urban living density and diversity - and best elements of living in the rural area - access to nature, irregularity of spaces. This individual work uses the masterplan developed in the previous stage of the academic module and refines the design to acheive the new design vision.The changes to the initial masterplan are identified on page 15. Follow the link here to see the project poster.
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MODIFICATIONS TO MASTERPLAN
Softwares used: SketchUP, Lumion 3D Photoshop, InDesign
Increase density Increase density would aid facility provision across the entire site. Diverse dwellings and uses The city needs to attract people from diverse backgrounds. Increased density must maintain variety. Irregular open spaces While it is expensive to make irregular shapes in buildings, it is easy and inexpensive to play with the geometry of in-between spaces.
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DIVERSITY AND DENSITY WITH A RURAL FEEL Oxford lacks the neighbourhoods which can accommodate people from diverse backgrounds. The project aims to place different in one place. Diversity and density are achieved by plot sizes, building typologies and architecture solutions. The nature and irregularity of spaces are delivered through strong integration of natural elements in the built environment, diverse open space designs and flexibility of spaces.
Material and colour pallete
Different Osney uses plot-based urbanism methodology to create a diverse residential area, using morphological analysis to determine dimensions that built local character of surrounding context. Map of plot structure and building typologies
Inspired by Oxford, a variety of frontage materials is used in the design.
BUILDING TYPOLOGIES
Townhouse for live-work Robust typology, family living, working space on ground floor, narrow frontage.
10m
5m 1m 10m 9m 6m
5m
Flats with shared facilities Dense, robust typology, additional floots can be added, shared facilities for economic efficiency, young adults. Playspace 3.5m Row of townhouses 11m
10m
Townhouse Robust typology, traditional, family living, can be extended, narrow frontage 9m 6m 5m
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2m
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4 Brazil Urban Design Study (BUDS) Oxford Brookes University & Federal University of Rio de Janeiro 2019 Site - Porto Maravilha, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Study visit to favela
Developed by -Dr. Maria Lucia Pecly (UFRJ), Dr. Laura Novo de Azevedo (OBU), Dr. Ramin Keivani (OBU) Extra-curricular activity Services used: Digimaps
PROJECT I had a major role in the organisation of the BUDS 2019 study trip: from accommodation and flight booking to WIX website design. Follow the link here to see the BUDS 2019 website.
After the visit, my colleague wrote an article for the RTPI South East Inperspective Nexsettler about our experience from BUDS 2019. Follow the link here to see this article on page 12.
BUDS 2019 is engaged in collaborative research between Oxford Brookes University and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro which focuses on developing a methodological approach for the application of urban design principles to social housing projects such as the MCMV (My House My Life) in Brazil. The research was developed to address the historical disengagement between social housing delivery and urban quality in social housing projects in Brazil. BUDS 2019 engaged in the testing of principles.
Study visit around porto Maravilha
After the visit together with other students, I created a physical model of Favela for Urban Design End of Year Show 2019.
3D physical model of favela
Photo from End of Year Show 2019
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RECOMMENDATIONS (available on request)
Dr Regina Mapua Lim Oxford Brookes University Subject Coordinator for Urban Design Senior Lecturer in urban Design and Planning School of the Built Environment
rlim@brookes.ac.uk
Dr Laura Novo de Azevedo Oxford Brookes University Principle Lecturer Student Experience Senior Lecturer in Plannign and Urban Design Subject Coordinator BA in Urban Design, Planning and Development
Inovo@brookes.ac.uk
For other academic projects please scan the qr code below