What If Cities Were Connected to Each Other?

VERY BIG STUDIO What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Zecong Tan

Tsz To Leung

Jiachen Zhu

Mengzhen Li

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

INDEX

Initial Development_ The Fiber City

Mid-Semester Presentation

Rethinking the Rules & Design Development

Final Review Linear City

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

T

he continuous deterioration of the global natural environment has gradually become a matter of concern to everyone. Some scientists have speculated that in this deteriorating trend, the human race could disappear completely by 2050. In the next 80 years, the global temperature will generally rise by 4℃. 4℃ doesn’t seem like a lot, but its impact on the regional environment is significant. In time, water will become the object of people’s mad scramble. Besides, the increasing number of people will put great pressure on the earth’s environment. Scientists say the number of people on earth could soar to nine billion in the next decade. That means we need a lot of space and food, but there are only so many resources on earth, and it’s very difficult to feed so many people. The trend of global environmental degradation cannot be ignored.

Man is powerless in the face of a great disaster.

When a great disaster happens on earth one day, and we have not done anything to prevent or make up for it, it will be the end of mankind.

So, we’re thinking about what a city will be like in the future. It needs to meet the pressure of a population explosion; it needs to treat the environment better; it needs to be able to defend itself and save itself before a natural disaster strikes.

If all cities were connected, would that be one answer?

The unrestricted expansion of the city and the increasing erosion of the natural environment is a very important reason for environmental deterioration. If we centralize the construction of buildings and return more land to the environment, it will provide nature with a perfect self-repairing environment. Natural healing is a long and difficult process. In this process, people may suffer from natural disasters brought by the deteriorating environment. Man is small before

nature. We need to unite and cooperate against these difficulties. So, connecting cities, or linear cities, can connect neighboring cities. Everyone will be indoors for activities and transportation to protect against natural disasters. Connected buildings can transfer materials and traffic to each other without going out, which will meet the huge logistics demand in the future. Further, mega structure is like a large chain, connecting all buildings in series. Buildings will become stronger and less vulnerable to natural disasters.

Mega structure is the core of a linear city. As the main body of transmission between cities, it contains four levels of traffic, namely, logistics traffic, trolley traffic, motor traffic, and pedestrian traffic. Mega structure will run through all cities and play a fixed role. All single buildings have structures and transportation connected to mega structures. There may also be corridors and supporting structures between buildings.

The whole city will be an unbreakable barrier. People were able to meet their daily needs inside the city. In the land around the city, people will do their best to plant trees and grass. While protecting ourselves, we should take responsibility for the damage we have done to the environment.

Connecting cities will be a haven for humanity in the future. People live in tall buildings in cities and give more land back to nature. We are waiting for the restoration of the natural environment.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Causes of Fiber City:Natural disaster extreme weather

Various extreme weather and the devastating effects of natural disasters on human habitats have prevented humans from living on land.

The basis of the Fiber City concept The concept of fiber city comes from spider web, because spider web is a special and very strong structure.

Because of the destruction of extreme weather, the land is no longer suitable for human habitation. We plan to place this spider web-like structure in the midair of the city to resist disasters and protect humans.

Many branches

strong bearing connection

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

YEAR 2020-2030

The Natural Disaster Period...

Taihu Region in 2020.

2025ďźš Due to the climate change, the water level of Taihu continues to rise, and it has begun to spread around the lake area and nearby rivers.

2030ďźš The flood continues to spread, s e r i o u s l y t h r e a t e n i n g t h e s a fe t y of cities around the Taihu region, especially Wuxi and Suzhou's urban areas which are the most densely populated area around.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

YEAR 2035-2050

The Reconstruction Period...

2035： The fiber structure is widely used in reconstruction due to its light weight, good bearing capacity and strong extensibility. The reconstruction starts at the intersection of the most ßooded area and the most densely populated area.

2040： As the flood spreads, the fiber city began to be constructed on a larger scale in the urban areas of Wuxi and Suzhou City, and began to connect the cities to provide a rapid passage between each other.

2045： The fiber structure already connect most areas that suffer from disaster.

Form up a "fiber strip" along Taihu, which will be the future regional economic and living center.

2050： The New Fiber City of Taihu...

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

The RULES of the Connect City Location -New urban planning is to be built in Wujiang densely populated area.

Density -The near Taihu building density is lower than buildings far from Taihu.

Reorder the city into 5 functional sections.

-Commercial/industrial/office/education/residential/...section.

Every functional section -Each building needs at least one or two pocket gardens or a roof garden to ensure the greening rate.

-Industrial section is to be seperate with education and residential section.

Public transportation system.

-All cars are to be automated cars.

-Different transportation route is to be constructed on different height.

-People can reach the commercial area within half an hour by public transportation in the residential area.

Building sections -All Major buildings should be connected or touch at least one building.

-Every buildings should have at least 1 transportation spot within 50(X)meters.

-The ratio of building height and building distance is 1:1.2.

-The density of buildings by the lake is greater than the buildings far from the lake.

Green space Agricultural Park Land Lake& River

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

The RULES of the Connect City Location -New urban planning is to be built in Wujiang densely populated area.

Density -The near Taihu building density is lower than buildings far from Taihu.

Reorder the city into 5 functional sections.

-Commercial/industrial/office/education/residential/...section.

Every functional section -Each building needs at least one or two pocket gardens or a roof garden to ensure the greening rate.

-Industrial section is to be seperate with education and residential section.

Public transportation system.

-All cars are to be automated cars.

-Different transportation route is to be constructed on different height.

-People can reach the commercial area within half an hour by public transportation in the residential area.

Building sections -All Major buildings should be connected or touch at least one building.

-Every buildings should have at least 1 transportation spot within 50(X)meters.

-The ratio of building height and building distance is 1:1.2.

-The density of buildings by the lake is greater than the buildings far from the lake.

Green space Agricultural Park Land Lake& River

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Population Density

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Water

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Mobility

Railway Line Bus Terminal

Zhenze bus station

Wujiang Shengze passenger station

J

Zhenze new passenger station

Meiyan bus station

Shengjersey 2nd ring bus terminal

Central Avenue bus terminal

Wujiang Pingwang bus station

Uptaquam

Olin Qinghua bus hub

Wujiang East China commercial city passenger station

Xinhu Mingzhu bus terminal Wujiang bus station

G1522 Chang'an station, Wujiang District

Wanping bus station

Jiangcheng Avenue Bagha bus station

Wujiang Avenue

n

Wujiang Canal

Shanghai to Chengdu Highway Dapu River

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Amenities Amenities Bus terminal

Bus Terminal

Column radius = site area Column height = GFA Radiation circle = Service range

Amenities Fire Station

Amenities

Fire Station

Garbage Du

Column radius = site area

Column rad site area

Column height = GFA

Column hei GFA

Radiation circle = Service range

Radiation c Service rang

Amenities Garbage Dump

Amenities Garbage Dump Uptaquam

Column radius = site area Column height = GFA Radiation circle = Service range

Amenities high school

Amenities

High School

kindergarten

Column radius = site area

Column rad site area

Column height = GFA

Column heig GFA

Radiation circle = Service range

Radiation cir Service range

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Amenities kindergarten

Amenities Kindergarten

Column radius = site area Column height = GFA Radiation circle = Service range

Amenities Library

Amenities

Library

New post of

Column radius = site area

Column rad site area

Column height = GFA

Column hei GFA

Radiation circle = Service range

Radiation ci Service rang

Amenities New post office

Post office Uptaquam

Column radius = site area Column height = GFA Radiation circle = Service range

Amenities PowerStation

Amenities

Power Station

Primary Sch

Column radius = site area

Column rad site area

Column height = GFA

Column hei GFA

Radiation circle = Service range

Radiation ci Service rang

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Amenities Primary School

Amenities Primary School

Column radius = site area Column height = GFA Radiation circle = Service range

Amenities public market

Amenities

Public Market

Railway Sta

Column radius = site area

Column rad site area

Column height = GFA

Column he GFA

Radiation circle = Service range

Radiation c Service rang

Amenities theatre

Amenities

Theatre

University

Uptaquam

Column radius = site area

Column rad site area

Column height = GFA

Column hei GFA

Radiation circle = Service range

Radiation ci Service rang

Amenities All

Column radius = site area Column height = GFA Radiation circle = Service range

All

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Background · Cities around Taihu lake region.

· Current connection between cities: Intercity Railway System

Wujin

Yixing

Changxing City Center Huzhou Intercity Railway Line

Wuxi

Suzhou

Wujiang

Nanxun

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

¡ Natural Disaster: Flood.

2020 Taihu Lake System d Sp Floo

read

2035 Flood Starts to spread tion rada g e D

2050 Flood threatens people living in urban center area

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Vectors of Change 1. Cities around Taihu region are expected to develop into a whole economic entity before 2050.

2020

2050

2. Growing demand from people’s daily life increases the diameters of people’s commute scope.

2020: 20km activity DIA.

2050: 100km activity DIA.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

3. Flood results in the land below 30 meters unusable, which leads all buildings to be aggregate, high-rise and multifunctional.

100m

2020ďźš

Office

Residential

Educational

Commercial

Industrial

2050ďźš

500m

30m Multifunctional building

4. Autonomous cars leads to significant transportation area saving, which makes transit path in 2050 can be narrow and flexible.

2020ďźš Train or bus strip/ parking/planting

2050ďźš

200m

100m

30m

Driver-less transportation system

Main road

Dropping off area

Parking/ multi-purpose

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

RULES 1.Connect every urban center along Taihu.

Definitions of Urban Center: a part of city area which is 1.1 Multifunctional area.

Overlapping commercial/ residential/ educational/ cultural/ government function.

1.2 Intensively land use.

FAR>4 1.3 Most densely populated area.

2.Functional distribution around transit route.

2.1 There shall be at least 1 residential plot within 500m.

2.2 There shall be at least 1 commercial plot within 1km.

2.3 There shall be at least 1 industrial plot within 3km.

2.4 There shall be at least 1 power station within 5km.

2.5 Residential plot shall not be right next to industrial plot.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

3. Construction efficiency/ time rule.

3.1 Construction begins from the all the urban center around Taihu area which is Wujin/ Wuxi/ Suzhou/ Wujiang/ Nanxun/ Wuxing/ Huzhou/ Changxing/ Yixing/Changzhou 3.2 Construction speed is to be 1km new path per year.

3.3 All the path shall be built along/ around existing road line and towards against nearby urban center.

3.4 Park lands and Water lands shall not be cut through.

3.5 Wujin-Wuxi/ Wujiang-Suzhou shall be connected within 10 years.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

2.All land below 30m will not be used.

2.1 The transportation system shall all above 30 meters.

3.Transportation Path.

3.1 The distance between transportation path and each transit node shall <200 meters.

3.2 The transportation path shall keep 3km away from the existing Taihu lake area.

3.3 The transportation path shall keep 5km away from each other.

4. FAR distribution around tran sportation path area.

4.1 Floor Area Ratio: >8 within 300m 5-8 within 300m-800m 3-5 within 800-2500m 4.2 No FAR under 3.

6.Any GFA over 100 000m2 within 3km of transportation route is to be gathered around the route.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Outcome 1 —— ‘L’ system evolution Base on rule 4. FAR distribution

L system

Evolution & Variation

1

4

7

2

5

3

6

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Outcome 1 —— ‘L’ system evolution Base on rule 4. FAR distribution

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Outcome 2 —— Puzzle units Base on rule 7. Functional distribution

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Outcome 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Utopia : Spider web city Base on rule 1. High dense cities

Connected belts

Industry Residential Commercial CBD

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Outcome 4 â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Curved ripples Base on rule 6. Village gathering

Contour map

Ripples

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Outcome 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Parametric tentacles Base on rule 2. Transportation is above 30m rule 6. Village gathering

Parametric design

Tentacles

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Best or worstďź&#x;

Great variability

Easy & clear

Clear center

Complicated Too dense in so regions

Functions are too distributed

Lack of conn communicat

nections & tion

Logical & simple

Good connections Smooth paths & shapes

THe paths are too long

Hard to plan

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Vision Wujiang 2020

Wujiang 2050 2050

Vision

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Population Density Bar

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What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

2. Starting for the urban centres identified in rule #1, build a pathways that heads towards X nearest centres. The path lengths should increase by Xkm every year.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

3. Paths shall increase by connecting the centre points of X landuse (eg residential).

1st level connection.

Connecting 8 urban center around Taihu.

2nd level connection.

Connecting sub urban centers (less densed) area around each 1st level connection.

3rd level connection........

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

4. FAR within Xkm of path will be greater than X.

5. Built area (GFA) furthest from a path should be removed proportionate to increased GFA required to rule #4.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Low population density area to be move or removed.

Low population density residential area.

Low population density commercial area.

Low population density industrial area.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

6. Green way rules

1

3

2

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Final Vision Development

Pedestrians Private vehicle line Public transportation Cargo line

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Final Vision Development Pedistrian Private Vehicle Exit Every 200m

Public Transport

tation

Cargo Line Exit Every 1500m

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

· Background

· Cities around Taihu lake region.

· Current connection between cities: Intercity Railway System

Wujin

Yixing

Changxing

City Center

Intercity Railway Line

Huzhou

Wuxi

Suzhou

Wujiang

Nanxun

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

¡ Climate Issue

d Floo

ad Spre

Deg

t rada

ion

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

· Topography

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

· Topography

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

¡ Vectors of Change

1. Cities around Taihu region are expected to develop into a whole economic entity before 2050.

2020

2050

2. Growing demand from peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daily life increases the diameters of peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commute scope.

2020: 20km activity DIA.

2050: 100km activity DIA.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Amenities Area Growth.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

¡ Rules

1.

co

Identify urban centres in Taihu.

-An urban centre is defined as the centre of a ollection of zones with the total X.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

2. Starting from the urban centres identified in rule #1, build a pathways that heads towards X nearest centres.

The path lengths should increase by Xkm every year.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

3. Paths shall increase by connecting the centre points of X landuse(eg residential).

City centre connection.

Connecting 8 urban center around Taihu.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

4. FAR within Xkm of path will be greater than X.

500m

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

5. Built area (GFA) furthest from a path should be re m ove d p ro p o r t i o n a t e to increased GFA required to rule #4.

Low population density area to be move or removed.

Low population density residential area.

Low population density commercial area.

Low population density industrial area.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

6. The land beyond X meters away from the pathway are to be converted to green land.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

¡ Building Typology

Residential

Industrial

Commercial

Green Space

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

NN

· Development of Wujiang City Area

2020 2020

Current view of Wujiang City Centre.

Area.

Connection Pathway Decided.

F B R N a

Planned Pathway.

Flood Starts to Spread.

Buildings near Taihu are Removed.

New Buildings Near Pathway are to be High-rise.

2025

View of Centre.

Wujiang City Area.

N

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

Buildings faraway aggregates along the pathway.

Wujiang Urban Centre is more dense in the region.

A part of Wujiang City Area.

2030 View of Wujiang City Area.

Path from Meth flood start land

hway starts to be constructed m Wujiang Urban Centre. hods are to be put to prevent d spread around Taihu and ts to build parks on unused d.

2035 View of Wujiang City Area.

N

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

More buildings aggregates along the pathway.

Pathway is being built 1km per year.

2040 View of Wujiang City Area.

Fun are to r Mo alo

nctional Districution: industrial ea shall not be built right next residential area. ore buildings aggregates ong the pathway.

2045 View of Wujiang City Area.

N

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

More buildings aggregates along the pathway.

Pathway is being built 1km per year.

2040 View of Wujiang City Area.

Fun are to r 2050 Mo View of alo Wujiang

nctional Districution: industrial ea shall not be built right next residential area. ore buildings aggregates f ong theArea. pathway. g City

2045 View of Wujiang City Area.

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

· Vision

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

· Section of Pathway

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

· Section of Building-Pathway

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

· Section of B

Building-Building

What if Every City is to be Connected with Each Other?

J

ohnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Very Very Big studio is a significant urban design studio. The base is located in Taihu, China, and it is also a huge venue. Because the members of our group are three architecture majors and one urban design major, we were unable to adapt to such a substantial urban design volume at the beginning, which led to our continuous struggle in one or more buildings in the first few weeks. After that, John told us many times a week to focus on large-scale urban design, so we carefully studied the examples of each group and finally completed the script. Through this studio, we clearly understand that large-scale mass design and architectural design are completely different things.

Large-scale mass design, such as urban design, needs to consider internal organizations and systems. Not only that, it also needs to be rationalized.

In the final review, Ben asked our team the question is, our path is under construction, but it has not been built in the last look, how do people use the Path under construction. For this problem, we think we should learn from the Chinese-style business center model. First of all, when the Path has just been built, first attract investment, let multiple commercial streets or commercial centers sit in Path, to attract people through continuous recruitment of businesses to promote other functions around, such as residence and factory. Later, by continuously extending Path, the surrounding functions also need to be constantly enriched and improved. In order to meet the migration of more and more people.