Xiaoran Zhang Urban Design Media Project 2020

Downtown Pittsburgh Green Space System Optimization Design Analysis Based on Air Pollution in Downtown Pittsburgh

Urban Design Emerging Media Term Project

Xiaoran Zhang MUD 2021 School of Architecture

Design Goals and Methods

Design Objective As the center of Pittsburgh, both under influences of industrial pollution and heavy traffic and utility emission, downtown has a high concentration of air pollutants – CO, NOX, PM2.5, etc. along with some side effects such as noise and odor. The air pollution concentration in downtown is closely related to traffic emission, which is influencing citizens’ health condition. As a natural barrier , green spaces in cities can effectively filter air pollution and purify the air in city environment. Therefore, by analyzing the distribution of green spaces in downtown related to public traffic system, we can design for future ecosystem in downtown Pittsburgh. By designing vision for downtown green space system, it is helpful to reduce the use of private cars and improve air quality in downtown Pittsburgh.

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Input Data Sets Natural Features Including river, typography, green spaces, tree canopy and wind direction etc.

Construction Data Including classified streets and roads, railways, public transportation lines, and building footprints.

Census Data Including neighborhoods, blocks, census tracts, parcels, and census data such as population, age, income, and commute information.

Air Quality Data Including air pollutant distribution and their sources’ location information and affecting range.

Health Data Including citizens’ breath system diseases rate, healthcare data and environmental justice index etc.

Responsive Design Components By analyzing current green space system in downtown related to commercial and office commercial parcel clusters where a large amount of people gather, we can make a judgement that if such areas need more green spaces to improve the air quality. Also, accessibilities of public bus stops can decide on citizens choices on their commute styles, so we can decide where should we plan new bus stops to encourage more people choose public traffic instead of private traffic to reduce the emission from driving. In turn, the improvement of air quality in downtown can effectively promote vitality healthy lifestyle among citizens.

Design Data The distribution of NO2 can indicate that there is a high concentration of transportation emission in downtown district, which can defined the research scope. By zooming in, I used the percentage of driving commute to see where most traffic comes from. Based on the basic information and 3D modeling, we can see the terrain, massing and parcels in the area, which can have a layout of what I can use to analyze. Then I look at the green space and public traffic system evaluated by distances and define those urban spaces that need to be designed and planning. By this process I can make a better decision on my schemes.

Data Processing Workflow Site Selection Green Space

Data

Distance

Cluster

Sort

Sort

Data

Commercial Parcel

Evaluate

Sort

Data

Office Parcel

Distance

Cluster

Location

Generate Bus Stops

Data

System Analysis

Data Sources: https://breatheproject.org/ https://www.pasda.psu.edu/ http://www.wprdc.org/

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Mapping Analysis

Concentration of NO2 in Allegheny County

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Driving Commute Percentage of Nearby Neighborhoods The neighborhoods surrounding downtown have a comparably higher rate of driving commute lifestyle and the majors roads they come by are directed to downtown.

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Data Sources: https://breatheproject.org/ https://www.pasda.psu.edu/ http://www.wprdc.org/

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Basic Information and 3D Model

Terrain

Contour Line

Parcels’ and Neighborhoods’ Boundaries

Parcel Boundary Neighborhood Boundary 6

3D Model Perspectives

Bridges

Green Open Spaces

Data Sources: https://breatheproject.org/ https://www.pasda.psu.edu/ http://www.wprdc.org/

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Green Space Distribution Analysis

Green Spaces within Circle&Distance In order to understand the green space influence on controlling air pollution in Pittsburgh, I focus on analyzing the accessibility from center of downtown to city parks by distance range. By looking at city parks in diffent distance range, we can analyze the size, shape and category of greem lands in the city and see how can they work in alleviating air pollution.

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Green Spaces by Distance Based on understanding city parks in different distance range, we can classify them by 3 levels of distances - 1000 foot, 3000 foot and 5000 foot. From the map, we can see within 3000 foot, there are green parks as public space in downtown and riverfront greenways which can have more obvious influence on controlling air pollution.

Data Sources: https://breatheproject.org/ https://www.pasda.psu.edu/ http://www.wprdc.org/

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Public Transportation Accessibility Analysis

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Green Space Distribution Within Public Traffic System and Clusters In the first map, we can see that there are several green spaces distributing evenly in the densest public traffic area, also along the river where not many bus stops locate. On the north and south of downtown, the bus routes tend to be liner, but in the downtown, bus stops forms as a network, locating in both clusters commercial and office parcels.

This means that in downtown there is more need for public traffic and more green spaces to be connected to the stops.

Commercial

Offices

Data Sources: https://breatheproject.org/ https://www.pasda.psu.edu/ http://www.wprdc.org/

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Green System Accessibility & Simulation Analysis

Location Based Walking Accessibility Network Based on the location of green open space and the road system of downtown, the network analysis measures walking accessibility to the center point of green space. From the maps, we can see that in downtown area, most streets have good walking accessibility to green open space.

Current Green Space Green Space Center Point Street Network High

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Low

Walking Accessibility

Green Space Isovist View Simulation Analysis View range can express space feeling based on location points or walking routes. By analyzing Isovist view of each green space in downtown, we can see that most green spaces in the center of downtown have limited view ranges, and most green spaces along the riverfront have wider view ranges. From the map we can see the isovist range change from east to west.

Current Green Space Point Isovist Range Along Route Designed Walking Route

Data Sources: https://breatheproject.org/ https://www.pasda.psu.edu/ http://www.wprdc.org/

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Green Space Component Design Concept

Riverfront Green Space Typology and Distribution In order to improve the air quality along the river, several types of intervention are designed to adjust different sites. The reconstructed ecosystem along the river contains current green space and three kinds of designed green spaces - recreation green space, filtration green space and traffic green space. By distributing these green spaces along the river, the air quality, openness and accessibility of the riverfront will be greatly improved.

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Current Green Space

Recreation Green Space

Filtration Green Space

Traffic Green Space

Plantation & Landscape

Structural Space & Central Plantation

Separate Installation & Filtration Tower

Array of Filtration Road Light

Irregularly Distribute

Better access to riverfront

Purify the air along the river

Purify the air along the highway

Components Detail Overlook Platform

Recreation Stairs

30 ft 30ft

Hierarchical Landscape

Recreation Green Space

Installed Mini-labs

Filtration Tower

60

Exhibitions

ft

Filtration Green Space

60ft

Smart Isolation Belt

Filtration Road Light ft 90

Traffic Green Space

90ft

Data Sources: https://breatheproject.org/ https://www.pasda.psu.edu/ http://www.wprdc.org/

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Scenario Design Concept

Riverfront Green Space Typology Scenario

Based on the typology of components, scenarios can be developed into different sites. Functions varies due to different scenarios.

For green spaces in downtown, I developed three scenarios to connect existing green spaces to planned new green spaces in order to form a connective riverfront green space system, which can effectively reduce noise and air pollution, and increase accessibility along the river.

Current Green Space

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Recreation Green Space

Filtration Green Space

Traffic Green Space

Scenarios Comparison

Existing Green Space Components

Recreation Green Space In this scenario, more accessible entrances can and recreation components can reform the walking and cycling trail along the river.

Existing Green Space Components

Filtration Green Space In this scenario, filtration components can reduce the air pollution along the river and bring more renewable energy installations.

Existing Green Space Components

Traffic Green Space In this scenario, filtration components can reduce the spread of air and noise pollution along the highway.

Data Sources: https://breatheproject.org/ https://www.pasda.psu.edu/ http://www.wprdc.org/

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Scenario Comparison Analysis

Walking Accessibility Network Comparison

From the comparison of the 5-minute walksheds between current situation and designed scenarios, most gap area is covered ed green spaces.

Current 5-Minute Walkshed Cover

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Current Green Space

Current 5-minute Walkshed

Recreation Green Space

Recreation Space 5-minute Walkshed

Filtration Green Space

Filtration Space 5-minute Walkshed

Traffic Green Space

Traffic Space 5-minute Walkshed

d by the walksheds of designed space. Spatially, the riverfront will have more connections and positively effected by the add-

Scenario Based 5-Minute Walkshed Cover

Green Space Center Point

Street Network

Recreation Space Center Point Filtration Space Center Point Traffic Space Center Point Data Sources: https://breatheproject.org/ https://www.pasda.psu.edu/ http://www.wprdc.org/

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Scenario Comparison Analysis

Isovist View Range Comparison

From the comparison of the isovist view range between current situation and designed scenarios, there will be a more connec

View Range of Current Green Spaces Center Points

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Current Green Space

Current Isovist View Range

Recreation Green Space

Recreation Isovist View Range

Filtration Green Space

Filtration Isovist View Range

Traffic Green Space

Traffic Isovist View Range

ctive isovist view range along the rivers.

View Range of Scenario Green Spaces Center Points

Green Space Center Point Recreation Space Center Point Filtration Space Center Point Traffic Space Center Point Data Sources: https://breatheproject.org/ https://www.pasda.psu.edu/ http://www.wprdc.org/

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