What is it?

The Smart Garden City (also called GCoT Model) is a modular, scaled, scalable, spatio-temporal, settlement planning, implementation and adaptation tool.

As an holistic, regenerative, development model, it represents the synergy and progression of the three spheres of sustainable development resulting in ecological, social and economic recovery, growth and regeneration.

As a planning aid, it provides a supportive framework to facilitate the management and implementation of rapid and also, long-term settlement needs and scenarios.

In both instances, it is accordant and facilitates all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The GCoT model provides a spatio-temporal strategy capable of accommodating short to long-term settlement, adapted to both temporary and permanent integration and settlement planning.

“Shared space, shared future”

Employing this model will result in an organised but diverse settlement, with open space for green space and transit routes. Green spaces enable ecological restoration, community gardening and farming at a variety of scales. Transit routes initially tracks and pathways, hierarchically ordered, form the basis for a fully-developed and integrated modern transport system, again opening up more advanced employment opportunities.

The design expands easily, with simple techniques without detriment to the established whole. The nature of the pattern, which is fractal, allows the design and implementation of the settlement to be undertaken at varied scales and time-frames. This allows for a variety of scales of management and operation.

Conceptual Plan View Approx 15 x 15 Km

by Marcus Busby 2014

The spatial pattern is about the space that is not built, as much as the built space. Land use is intensified, diversified and integrated, meaning more happens within the same space, a greater diversity of interrelated activities and functions provides greater system stability, economically, socially and ecologically.

Its complexity is based upon that of nature, where the whole is more than the sum of its component parts. The model is gestalt in principle and fractal in structure and enables successional growth by emergence.

Sector design, green space and transit are multilevelled, multifaceted and integrative, accommodating and combining various cultural, social and economic needs and activities.

This is a framework for a wholistic settlement which can operate sustainably and restoratively at all time and space scales in any location, in any culture. It can go from “emergency” to establishment by a process of strategic transition and emergence, employing a temporal development plan. The age of the settlement determines the degree of development.

Employment is created, community roles recognised and developed, skills are expressed, community can function, responsibility is shared, normal relationships can grow in a safe and nurturing environment.

This proposal is the result of 12 years independent study around the research question “How to ensure the future vitality and viability of a settlement centre?” The proposal takes into account and mitigates potential pitfalls and obstacles observed in established and advanced settlements in developed economies, as well as facilitating remediation and economic development models in operation for the developing world.

A model at the leading edge of urban design, complex systems, ecology and spatial complexity in Europe, America and Asia.

A synergy of complimentary mixed-use zoning, unity in infrastructure, and diversity in socio-economic and cultural activities, it embodies the drivers for successful population centres.

As a stand alone development, surpluses can supply markets outside of the settlement; gradually integrating into the wider economy. As an urban extension, it is an innovation district for the evolution of skills, products and services, supporting the adaptation and amelioration of existing population centres. Jobs and community roles are created and developed, making use of existing and local skills and furthering their application by acting as a centre for opportunity and education.

The model has initially been presented at city-scale. The concept operates at all scales, ranging from 7-50 residents, to city-scale; anything over 120,000 residents and beyond. The framework is intended for receiving large numbers of migrants, to be received and settled as members of a functioning community within a short time-frame.

Links to more images and further reading:

Online forum and related links: http://bit.ly/RefForum

Garden City of Today (GCoT) Version 2.0: http://bit.ly/GCoT20

More images: http://bit.ly/GCoTpics

Twitter: www.twitter.com/fractalcities

GCoT Model Literature review and v2.2: http://bit.ly/LitRevGCoT

Blog: www.circlesdesign.blogspot.com