City in layers-part 4-An urban design concept

The city between 1900-1935

Transport development proposals

City dwellers and visitors in this timeline, were using water transport system as one of the affordable means of transport. Planners in Public and private sector planned the city several docks which were under construction and London docks were planned and approved by council for construction. Pearson a city professional tried to advocate the idea of using the drains for subway as construction lines for the proposed underground. Because of the failures to control the on-ground transport system and heavy traffic in the inner city. Pearson, one of the city planners, envisaged the long-distance subway to run beneath the roads under archways. As shown in (figure 1) connecting several urban public space nodes in the city such as Paddington, Euston, St Pancreas, kings cross, to Farringdon accessing central London. And this is how can transit network affect the city urban form.

City survey of major industries

In conducting a detailed survey about the industries in this period, the result was major industries were heavy industries. Steel factories, chemicals, glass, mills, and wood industry related requiring heavy transport means. As the major transport means was water, most of these industries allocated near rivers. Minor industries not requiring heavy transport means allocated near city centers. Understanding the city layers highlights the major problem of the unplanned allocation of major industries and related labor required for the factories. According to that, the city professionals and planners were trying to create major changes to the city Layers. By building an underground to facilitate people and worker’s movement to various areas in the city.

Inner city problems

The inner part of the city facing environmental and health problems due to many socio-economic and even political problems. One of the major problems that dominated the scene in the city center is the low wages and the extreme use of women in factories. Many families were forced to live in lodgings in a room of 12 persons with singles where many girls were under abuse and subject to rape. The increase of densities in homes and uncontrolled construction and quality created health problems where there were limited responses from government. Every area in a council had one registered doctor and sometimes it was a veterinarian.

Authority’s reactions

These destructive problems turned the concern of the architects and local agencies to establish new governance for the new construction, and new concepts. The Boundary street scheme, the company town such as port sunlight and Letchworth town plan idea which were identically planned and constructed to improve the industrial life. Concluding for this period the reform of the City from slums unhealthy and environmentally unfriendly to planned towns, designed infrastructure and developed transport systems. Spatial structure was rebuilt on studied themes and schemes. The huge and major change in planning and design of the city layers is a proof that these layers work interactively but not standalone. Planners and urban designers comprehensive knowledge in many fields is mandatory.

What is required to connect city layers properly.

Major knowledge in transport planning and modeling is perquisite . Economic planning to control fiscal matters of locating major industries in the city. political planning to control the governing rules of construction and labor work rights. Environmental planning to consider major issues affecting any city development reform. landscape architecture to allocate the required healthy and physical outdoor areas for public use and protecting wildlife. the architecture of building to achieve a comfortable human living and contributes to wellbeing and quality of life indicators. Finally, the major player in this scenario the urban designer that mange-monitor- implement–all the previous work to achieve the planned goals. 

References:

1. Trancik,Roger.(1986) Finding lost space .New  York-USA : Van Nostrand Reinhold
2. Cuthbert, R.Alexander. (2011) Understanding Cities method in urban design. Oxon-UK ,Routledge (Taylor & Francis group).
3. Shane, David Grahame. (2011) Urban design since 1945. West Sussex-London: Wiley & Sons Ltd.
4. Lynch, Kevin. (1960) Image of the city .London-UK: MIT Press.
5. Tallon, Andrew. (2013)Urban regeneration in the UK. Second edition.Oxon-Uk: Routledge (Taylor & Francis group).
6.  Lang, Robert. (2003) Edgeless Cities are exploring the elusive metropolis. Washington-USA: Brookings Institution’s press.
7. Wallinger, Mark. (2014)Labyrinth a journey through London’s underground .London-Uk: Arts book Publishing.
8. Carmona et al .(2003)Public places , urban spaces – the dimensions of urban design .Oxford-Uk : architectural press.
9. Laurie, Micheal. (2002)Introduction to landscape architecture. New jersey –USA: PTR prentice hall.
10. Czerniak, Julia&Hargreaves, Jeorge. (2007)Large Parks. New York-USA: Princeton Architectural Press.
11. Turner, Tom. (1998)Landscape Planning and environmental impact design.London-Uk: UCL Press.
12. Osborn, F.J. (1946) Garden cities of tomorrow. London-UK: Faber&Faber.
13. Cherry, Gordon E. (1972) Urban change and planning – a history of urban development in Britain since 1750.Oxfordshire-UK: GT Foulis & CO LTD.
14. Liversedge, Jamie&Holden, Robert. (2014)Landscape architecture an introduction. London-UK: Laurence King LTD.
15. OC, Taner&Tiesdell, Steven.(1997)Safer city centers reviving the public realm . Liverpool-UK: Paul Champon Publishing.
16. Evans, Alun Sylvester. (1980) urban renaissance a better life in towns.England-UK: Robert stockwell LTD.
17. Longley,Paul&Batty,Michael.(1994)Fractal Cities a geometry of form and function .London-Uk: Academic Press
18. Greeves, Ivan .S. (1980) London Docks 1800-1980 a civil engineering history. London-UK: Thomas Telford Limited.
19. Trench, Richard.Hillman, Eliss. (1985)London under London a subterranean guide.London-Uk: John Murray LTD.