FUTURISTIC DESIGN: ELEVATED URBAN PARKS CONNECTING THE CITY

FUTURISTIC DESIGN: ELEVATED URBAN PARKS CONNECTING CITY RESEARCH PAPER

Submitted by Swati Chaudhary

Guided by Ar. Imaad Nizami

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE & EKISTICS JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA NEW DELHI-110025 2020-2022 1

FUTURISTIC DESIGN: ELEVATED URBAN PARKS CONNECTING CITY Swati Chaudhary* Imaad Nizami**

*Student, IV Sem, M. Arch, Recreation Architecture, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi **Assistant Professor, Faculty of Architecture and Ekistics, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi

Abstract – The key problems of present urban planning in the globe include increased population, horizontal structures, urban heat islands in cities, and a lack of pollution free environment on the planet. Green spaces will be limited in future urban expansion due to rapid urbanization and high density.

Considering the scarcity of sufficient green space for urban texture and the high cost of land, planning green space is critical. The goal of this research is to offer elevated/vertical parks as a tool for accomplishing the goals of sustainable development, extending green space, and supplying and encouraging public health and psychological comfort in areas where land is scarce.

This research is attempting to prove that vertical urban parks may be used as a curative tool in urban environment while also offering neighbourhood connectedness. Through vertical urban parks, the enhancement of urban territory and rapid population growth must be accompanied by appropriate space for leisure, recreation, training or education, and social interaction.

Keywords – Elevated Parks; Urban green space; Neighbourhood Connectivity; Accessibility; Mobility; Design Standard; Urban landscapes

signifies the presence of more people inside a city, resulting in a significant increase in demand for open spaces, family activities, and programs aimed at the elderly and children, as well as all city residents. All these requirements are anticipated to be met by urban parks.

1. INTRODUCTION Increased population, the development of urbanization has distanced humans from nature. Dense population, interference with nature, and human-made constructions reflect the physical and psychical needs of people more and more. Humans have attempted to address these demands by creating gardens and artificial green areas in cities.1 On the other hand, urbanization 1

Saeid nia, A. (2004). Municipal Green Book." Municipal Authority of the country 11 P: 10.

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4. DEFINING GREEN SPACES

Green space is one of the most important usages in current cities. It is one of the factors in achieving sustainable urban development to which urban planners pay great attention. In developing countries, however, accelerated urbanization has had negative effects such as poverty, environmental pollution, land and housing shortages, deficiency of hygienic, educational, and cultural installations.

Since green space is not of financial value, it has been disregarded, and very few lands have been allocated for that.

Urban green spaces are frequently green areas that include urban forestry, allowing people to enjoy green spaces in the city.

Because of their influence on physical and mental health, such urban green zones are vital for cities that are continually urbanizing. These parks offer a pleasant break from the city's hardscape and a place to engage in both energetic and passive activities. Green areas in cities are crucial for air purification, decreasing the impacts of urban heat islands, and maintaining the region's microclimate. Urban green zones are crucial for future generations and for tackling growing pollution levels and gloomy landuse patterns.

Figure 1: Urban Green Spaces in life

2. RESEARCH QUESTION This Research Paper explores the future expectations of vertical urban public parks by following questions: •

What is the role of elevated/ vertical parks in urban landscape development and social interaction?

•

How will these urban parks function in response to the connectivity of the neighbourhood?

Figure 2: Image of Urban Park in City life

“Green spaces and other nature-based solutions provide new approaches to improve the quality of urban environments, increasing local resilience, and promoting sustainable lifestyles, so improving the health and well-being of city dwellers.”

(WHO,2017)

3. AIM OF THE STUDY The purpose of this research is to create a system of vertical urban green areas across the city, as well as provide connectedness at the neighbourhood level.

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5. TYPES OF GREEN SPACES

"We believe that people view green space as a hierarchy of distinct products that provide a range of benefits that permit various recreational activities and, in some circumstances, no activity."2

Green infrastructure may be found throughout the city in a variety of shapes and sizes, yet distribution is uneven and requires a fundamental paradigm shift. The amount and quality of urban green areas have a direct impact on the city's quality of life. For the maintenance of urban quality of life and ecological and social sustainability, these spaces are one of the most essential components of urban regions. Recreational greens, functional greens, natural/semi natural greens, and linear green areas are some of the several types of urban green spaces depending on their purpose and features.

6. ROLE OF GREEN SPACES IN HUMAN LIFE Cities all over the world are experiencing rapid growth in urban areas, which often takes a toll on nature and results in the formation of unplanned spaces with no green spaces, which has a significant impact on the urban system's sustainability, challenging its biophysical and ecological components, and ultimately degrading overall well-being.

Green urban areas and green infrastructure are extremely valuable because they promote resilience and mitigate urbanization-related risk. Green urban areas are frequently seen to increase physical and psychological wellbeing, stimulate family activities, and improve family life overall.3

TYPES OF URBAN GREEN SPACES

Recreational Greens • Recreational greens are areas that provide both aesthetic and recreational benefits. Private gardens to public parks are among them.

Urban Green Spaces provide people with much needed recreational spaces to achieve satisfaction and escape the living environments, as the city does not provide with equal living standards to all. It provides opportunities to avail various health benefits such as lower blood pressure, decrease risk of chronic health diseases, better life span, better mental health, etc.

Functional Greens • Spaces that serve a specific purpose, such as housing greens, are very beneficial to city people.

Agriculture, education, and other services are also included.

Semi-Natural Habitat

“Urban Green Spaces for Human Wellbeing.” Human Well-being was assessed under six subthemes: physical, psychological, mental, social, subjective, and environmental well-being. Due to very strong and positive relationships, the research found that urban green spaces are the core component for a sustainable urban environment and human wellbeing.

• Spaces with a semi-natural feel generated through enhancing living spaces rural or deserted places Linear Green Areas • Spaces around rivers and transit corridors are either designated for recreation or conservation, or both.

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Somajita Paul, Harini Nagendra. 2017. Factors Influencing Perceptions and Use of Urban. Bangalore: mdpi.

Toke Emil Panduro, Kathrine Lausted Veie. 2013. Classification and valuation of urban green spaces. Copenhagen: IFRO.

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6.1. Park Visitor Preference

6.2. Benefits of Green Spaces in Human Life

The management tactics employed by local governments have a subtle impact on people's decisions regarding which parks they like to visit. Park managers will be able to build and target their tactics in ways that better inform public perceptions and preferences by understanding the elements that impact park usage judgments.

•

Health Benefits The health of a person is directly or indirectly influenced by urban green areas. It gives a sense of fulfilment and rest. It is not only important for bodily well-being, but it also helps with psychological well-being.

Environmental Benefits

Reasons for Visiting Parks

Green spaces in cities provide ecological services as well as recreational opportunities for a wide range of people. These areas aid in the fight against environmental challenges such as rising pollution levels, climate change, improved ground water table, and air quality, among others.

Fresh air

Walks

Social Benefits

Enjoy nature

Relaxation

Exercise

Family outing

Children's play area

Socialise

Urban green spaces may benefit people in two ways: by providing a comfortable environment outside and by linking them to a larger social structure. It is possible to be alone among a crowd, yet they also serve as a meeting spot for individuals to converse.

Café or restaurant

•

Reasons for not visiting local parks

Economic Benefits

Prefer other parks

Lacks Facilities

Not enough to do

Too small

Less convenient

Feel unsafe

Local and regional residents benefit from urban green areas because they assist provide job possibilities. Urban green spaces frequently attract investment because they improve the general quality of the neighbourhood while also increasing the value of nearby real estate.

Figure 3: Benefits of Green Spaces

Poorly maintained

Source: Author

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•

7. UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF SPACES IN CITIES Green areas are critical for residents' overall well-being, although disparities in their distribution are still a prevalent occurrence.

This disparity in space distribution is a typical side consequence of urbanization, urban development, widening income disparities, and quickly rising poverty. In a metropolis flooded with people looking for opportunity, green areas might be considered a luxury. Lack of green areas frequently results in a bad environment, increased pollution, and a dangerously high prevalence of severe health impacts.

The population scale, economic expansion, geographical sprawl, and spatial scale of the city, as well as the compactness of the city, all have an influence on the distribution of UGS. Often, densely populated places have little or no green spaces, resulting in an unfair allocation of resources among different populations. As a result, as the population grows, so does the convergence of green spaces.

As cities develop, access to greenspace decreases, limiting people's ability to experience the environment. Land use planning and policy formation play a critical role in ensuring an equitable distribution of green urban spaces, as well as ensuring that the space is created for everybody and not just one community or economic group. land use planning and urban settlements that consider the creation and management of urban green spaces (UGS) such as parks, gardens, roadside vegetation, and so on are critical for achieving sustainable and ecologically friendly urbanization.

•

Socio-Economic Drivers

8. ELEVATED/ VERTICAL PARKS AS AN APPROPRIATE MODULE FOR FUTURE CITIES 8.1 Defining Elevated Parks An elevated park is defined in this study based on its conceptual origins, physical qualities, and uses. A skywalk, skyway, sky garden, or sky park are some of the words used to describe an elevated park.5

Spatial-Distribution

An elevated park can be thought of as a green corridor that connects places.

Greenways, which are extensive systems of connected parks, are sometimes known as thin parks or thick edge-spaces since they connect predominantly urban areas.

The spatial distribution of UGS and how it changes in response to urban expansion is frequently skewed by numerous and complicated planning schemes that lack foresight. Although the city has many green areas, its accessibility to all is questioned owing to insufficient environmental legislation and programmes that target people from all walks of life. 4 Figure 4: Conceptual diagram of an elevated park Source: Author 4

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Spatial Equity in Urban Public Space (UPS) Based on Analysis of Municipal Public Policy Omissions

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Fabos, J.G., Landsc. Urban Plan. 1995

The Providence River Pedestrian Bridge in Providence, Rhode Island, connects two parks and integrates five existing jetties. Its steel superstructure was encased with rot resistant Wana wood modular panels, a material that was also employed in boat construction in Providence's nautical background.

Figure 5: Little Island Park in Hudson River Source: deezen.com

8.3 Benefits of an Elevated Park

The floating structure, accessible via West 13th St., was built unattached to land, making it rise or fall with the river's water levels, and is made up of 280 concrete piles, resembling tulips.

In terms of function, an elevated park acts as a conduit for neighbourhood physical activity, such as paths that allow visitors to enjoy local landscapes while also encouraging physical activity. Based on these conceptual foundations, this research defines an elevated park as an open space created above ground level that links several regions of a city or neighbourhood, allows physical and social activities, and offers environmental benefits.

8.2 Connectivity Elevated parks also have a crucial feature: connectivity. This is because connection is a fundamental function of the transportation infrastructure that is being rebuilt. The degree to which an elevated park is connected to other domains in a city is known as connectivity. A linear design and an elevated level are two significant physical characteristics of an elevated park.

In addition to enhancing social connections, urban parks create a sense of tranquilly.

Coley, Sullivan, and Kuo (1997) discovered that urban parks promote social contact and integration among people.

They discovered that natural factors in outdoor meeting spaces improved possibilities for social contact. They appeared to encourage local dialogue.

Kang and Cervero (2009) looked at changes in land prices because of the Cheonggyecheon restoration project in Korea, which saw an old, elevated highway replaced with an urban park. They discovered that the park's creation had improved land values.

The value of a home increased in proportion to its distance from the park.6

Figure 6: Little Island Park in Hudson River Source: deezen.com

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Land value impacts of the CGC project in Seoul, Korea

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9. PARKS OF THE FUTURE Case 1- Vertical Park Design, Mexico City

Case 2- Elevated pods for reinvent Paris initiative Planning Korea, a Seoul-based collective of architects and artists, has announced their proposal to the 'reinvent Paris' initiative, which calls for new urban ideas in 23 various locations around the French city.

Figure 8: View of ‘The new air of Paris’ Source - gbplusamag.com/reinventing-paris/

The project is titled the ‘I’air nouveau de Paris’ or ‘The new air of Paris’

Figure 7: Vertical Park Design for Mexico Source - https://www.tuvie.com/stunning-vertical-parkdesign-for-mexico-city

"I'air Nouveau de Paris is a spatial correlational research approach that depicts Paris' air in the twenty-first century."

Architects: Jorge Hernandez de la Garza, Location: Coyoacan, Design Team: Rodrigo Ambriz and Michael Smith, Year of Project: 2009

Vertical Park is a spectacular concept skyscraper that was created to alleviate the immense weight of increasing pollution and population on Mexico City's fast-growing city. While the city lacks green areas, this modular skyscraper is designed as a succession of solar-powered stacking modules that feature green gardens and additional living and working space.

Spaces floating in the air have a distinct biological structure, considering uniqueness and connectedness at the same time, as they are linked directly and indirectly."

This concept's modules may be altered to create spaces for individual and public usage, solar and water collecting, and urban farming.

The solar panels will be mounted to the building's steel frames to provide the necessary power to run the building's numerous functions while also allowing wind to blow through on warm days.

Figure 9: An aerial view of the site Source - gbplusamag.com/reinventing-paris/

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Figure 10: Microorganism like structure of ‘The new air of Paris’ Source - gbplusamag.com/reinventing-paris/

The natural form of the design is inspired by the complex microorganisms found in nature, and it would enable sustainable urban life for a variety of people. Each pod has been designed as a linked node capable of supporting a range of applications in addition to individual occupancy. Along with commercial and retail locations, the network would include offices.

Figure 11: Glass and steel towers support reflected ponds and wide lawns in the City in the Sky. Source – Inhabitat.designs

The stratospheric urban parks, which are located high above the city's traffic and dirt, are inspired by biomimicry, and supported by massive towers in the shape of the lotus flower, a symbol of purity and cleanliness.

Case 3- Megatropolis City in the sky Hrama Futuristic Flower Towers Soar Above Modern Metropolises in "City in the Sky"

Features:

Glass and steel towers support reflected ponds and wide lawns in the City in the Sky. Tree groves provide a peaceful retreat from the bustle of the city below.

In Hrama's futuristic City in the Sky, gardens and meadows rise far above the traffic and pollution that often ails cities like London and New York.

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•

The greenery provides a peaceful escape from the bustle below.

•

The lotus flower-inspired towers contrast beautifully with the surrounding gardens and ponds. In a Jolly Green Giant ad, they also resemble artichoke blooms.

•

The cherry trees will blossom year-round and pond lilies will float in shimmering bodies of water

•

The glass walls will also shield residents and visitors from the winds that often smack New York and London.

10.INTRODUCING ELEVATED/ VERTICAL PARKS AS AN APPROPRIATE MODULE FOR FUTURE CITIES WITH CONNECTIVITY

10.1 Design Components

Playing Area

Plaza

Concept: The concept is based on the notion of Vertical Urbanization and leads to a convincing architectural solution of open green spaces that can be viewed as main avenues that connect the vertical city's numerous features.

Amphitheatre

Aim: To create parks and recreation places on top of future cities so that residents of megacities can escape the chaos, noise, and filth of the city. This could prove as the most effective method to cope up with the stress.

Eating spaces

Connect future cities through Urban Parks

Mobility of Urban Parks to cater needs as per requirement Figure 12: Design Components of the proposed elevated urban parks for future Source – Author

Stress-free recreational space away from city hustle

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Role:

10.2 Design Module

The module with connectivity will act as an alternative route for commuting. Visitors can lounge next to patches of trees or benches surrounding plants and watch kids play in the designated zone.

These elevated parks will serve as a tourist attraction and a magnet for the city, as well as providing transit and community connectivity.

The placement of these elevated parks can have a significant impact on their utilization and advantages. The usability and qualities of these parks will be determined by their location. If you're travelling within walking distance of a metro station, the pedestrian path between these elevated parks is a superior alternative.

“We want a ground to which people may easily go after the day’s work is done,” Olmsted wrote.

Figure 13: Design Module of the proposed elevated urban parks for future Source – Author

Promote a park for community use:

These elevated/ vertical parks will be organized into modules with similar structures and varied activities, will be connected by a pedestrian walkway and biking loop at the city level. The elevated parks provide optimum recreational activities for residents while providing a panorama of the city.

•

To promote a walkable and healthful recreation destination.

•

To appreciate the vistas and unique experience.

•

To construct facilities that provide a variety of recreational opportunities.

Promote iconic attractions in the city:

The design philosophy aims to provide both active and passive recreational activities to people of all ages and walks of life in the city. Unlike roof top raised parks, which confine footfall to those who utilise that specific building.

The approach is to develop an economically and environmentally sustainable elevated park offering activities.

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•

To create a distinct signature attraction for each park module.

•

Maintain the city's integrity, function, and improve the landscape.

•

To make the park a more interesting and diverse attraction.

10.3 Design Guidelines

Connectivity models: The design creates considerable additional public space by providing a people-centric connection solution.

A mix of sculpture, architecture, and park space is used to emphasize connectedness.

Sports fields, theatres, libraries, cafés, visitor centres, exhibition halls, and other public and social areas are incorporated into the concept. What the proposal signifies, is a regeneration of the city that defies regional restrictions."

The connecting route features exquisite landscapes with perennials, grasses, shrubs, and trees that flank a walking path. There would be a naturalistic environment with pedestrian and cycling pathways.

The following design elements constitute to the design approach: Walkway/ Trails

Lighting

Planting/ Planters

Seating/ Furnishing

Safety and Security

Fences and Guardrails: To reduce the risks, fences and/or above barriers (traffic guards) may be utilized.

Figure 14: Connectivity models Source – saaho.no

Lighting: The lighting programme will be established to improve the design and user experience, as well as to assure the safety and security.

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