Increasing calls for zero-carbon cities invite transformative solutions for people and places within our cities around the world. Key to the transformation is cities and regions shifting in mobility away from fossil-f...Increasing calls for zero-carbon cities invite transformative solutions for people and places within our cities around the world. Key to the transformation is cities and regions shifting in mobility away from fossil-fuel based car-oriented solutions. The paper investigates a range of case studies where “tram-based boulevards” have been planned or implemented to provide such opportunities. The case studies share a common broader policy objective: to transform the car-oriented or car-saturated areas to an intensified urban template based on a critical presence of dedicated mid-tier transit infrastructure and active transport. “Trams”, or mid-tier, mid-capacity transit when combined with Transit oriented development (TOD) along whole corridors can provide transformative pathways towards zero-carbon outcomes as well as multiple, strong urban benefits. However, many successful or instructive examples of this practice from non-English speaking countries, particularly in Europe, are underdocumented in the international literature. The paper addresses this gap by investigating opportunities and challenges evident in a range of European case studies. These are explored for insight towards policy learning particularly in New World cities seeking to transform into a zero-carbon and more transit-oriented template: How can decision-makers avoid repeating the identified pitfalls, and instead focus on emulating the successful approaches and outcomes? We conclude the need for recognition of the inherent synergies between transport and land use settings in any endeavour, and their translation into policy priorities in both fields of planning. We also conclude the importance of decision makers proactively identifying and critically appraising specific opportunities for change, concerning funding, technology, public opinion, stakeholder alliances or market dynamics, and capitalising on them at suitable moments in time.展开更多
It has become an increased challenge for designers to define the boundaries between the university and its surrounding city. The amount of space serving as a nexus between universities and urban areas is gradually inc...It has become an increased challenge for designers to define the boundaries between the university and its surrounding city. The amount of space serving as a nexus between universities and urban areas is gradually increasing. This study defines such intermediate spaces as “the university-city interface”—areas that influence the university’s physical and functional connection to the surrounding city. The research presents comparative case studies of three universities in urban contexts—Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, and Université Catholique de Louvain— by analyzing plazas and boulevards. These representative open spaces provide interfaces for both the university campuses and their surrounding cities. This paper analyzes design elements from the perspective of campus spatial structure, as well as locations and functions, to develop a comparative checklist for plazas and boulevards. The results offer a set of urban design principles for university plazas and boulevards that could significantly improve the quality of the university-city relationship. While these checklists and principles may vary depending on circumstances, they can be useful starting points for initializing design processes.展开更多
文摘Increasing calls for zero-carbon cities invite transformative solutions for people and places within our cities around the world. Key to the transformation is cities and regions shifting in mobility away from fossil-fuel based car-oriented solutions. The paper investigates a range of case studies where “tram-based boulevards” have been planned or implemented to provide such opportunities. The case studies share a common broader policy objective: to transform the car-oriented or car-saturated areas to an intensified urban template based on a critical presence of dedicated mid-tier transit infrastructure and active transport. “Trams”, or mid-tier, mid-capacity transit when combined with Transit oriented development (TOD) along whole corridors can provide transformative pathways towards zero-carbon outcomes as well as multiple, strong urban benefits. However, many successful or instructive examples of this practice from non-English speaking countries, particularly in Europe, are underdocumented in the international literature. The paper addresses this gap by investigating opportunities and challenges evident in a range of European case studies. These are explored for insight towards policy learning particularly in New World cities seeking to transform into a zero-carbon and more transit-oriented template: How can decision-makers avoid repeating the identified pitfalls, and instead focus on emulating the successful approaches and outcomes? We conclude the need for recognition of the inherent synergies between transport and land use settings in any endeavour, and their translation into policy priorities in both fields of planning. We also conclude the importance of decision makers proactively identifying and critically appraising specific opportunities for change, concerning funding, technology, public opinion, stakeholder alliances or market dynamics, and capitalising on them at suitable moments in time.
文摘It has become an increased challenge for designers to define the boundaries between the university and its surrounding city. The amount of space serving as a nexus between universities and urban areas is gradually increasing. This study defines such intermediate spaces as “the university-city interface”—areas that influence the university’s physical and functional connection to the surrounding city. The research presents comparative case studies of three universities in urban contexts—Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, and Université Catholique de Louvain— by analyzing plazas and boulevards. These representative open spaces provide interfaces for both the university campuses and their surrounding cities. This paper analyzes design elements from the perspective of campus spatial structure, as well as locations and functions, to develop a comparative checklist for plazas and boulevards. The results offer a set of urban design principles for university plazas and boulevards that could significantly improve the quality of the university-city relationship. While these checklists and principles may vary depending on circumstances, they can be useful starting points for initializing design processes.
