3 - Neighbourhood Strategies
Concentrating density: more closer
Expanding on the conclusions made regarding densities, the following pages will consider some more particular interventions that can be used to prepare for and reduce energy consumption embedded in urban form.
Both higher physical and population density were found earlier to be associated with the greatest levels of energy efficiency. A significant aspect of mobility related energy consumption is attributed to relatively large numbers of small car trips with simple destinations such as shops, leisure, health / fitness and visiting friends. Through suitable density, many of these motorised trips can be easily exchanged for walking thus supporting local businesses and local diversity. Figure 5/24 and 5/28 (following pages) illustrate how this could be resolved. Interventions may seem relatively superficial however the impacts on energy consumption area significant.
The ‘Super-Block’
Mobility and the neighbourhood scale – the ‘super-block’ . The ‘super-block’ (‘super-ille’ in Catalan or ‘super-manzana’ in Spanish) is an integrated mobility and land use strategy suited to compact urban areas (refer to Figure 5/22 on the previous page). At a neighbourhood level, streets may be re-organised to accommodate a variety of functions and uses, not within the street itself but across various streets. In this way streets are specialised; certain streets are treated as ‘fast’ or accessible, while others are ‘slow’ and neighbourhood oriented. This allows pedestrians, residents, business and commercial space, light industrial and workshops to co-inhabit the same accessible and workable areas while supporting their inherent mobility needs. The term ‘super-block’ has been in existence since the dawn of Cerdà’s Eixample. It has since been re-imagined by many others, notably the modernist proposal by GATPAC (associated with CIAM) in the 1930s, projects developed during the Olympics in Villa Olimpica, in terms of traffic management in Gracia and most recently in terms of sustainability by architects and designers (Rueda 2002).
Density, diversity and proximity were found earlier to be highly connected. Some urban areas were found to be underperforming due to lower densities – providing an incentive to use increased physical and / or population density to support local diversity. Sensitive densification is required to achieve the carrying capacities of these existing urban fabrics. Badalona and Pomar are characteristic of the 1950s - 60s era ‘Urgency Period’ developments with low physical and / or population densities. Sant Cugat and Santa Coloma on the other hand have high physical densities but relatively lower population densities than other similar sites. This suggests all four of these sites could be the focus of urban infill to selectively increase population. 151