Roger Chanin

Alyssa Chabier

English

11/2/2016

Correcting our Cities and the Problems they Cause

City life can be rewarding from many standpoints; economic opportunities are more abundant,

social interaction is copious, information and products are easier to access. But in today’s world these

advantages come at a cost. Both mentally and physically hazardous conditions arise in most world and

U.S. cities as a result of poor city planning. Backed up expressways, factories, mixed with poor living

conditions, and toxic environments create a demanding and often dangerous environment for occupants.

Modern cities often struggle to maintain a healthy environment and the poor living environments inside

will often lead to long and short term sickness both physically and mentally. In fact, most everyone inside

cities is affected whether they are aware of it or not (Newitz, Annalee).

Currently understanding the problems that urban and suburban environments create tends to be

the easier step but understanding how to fix such problems is a larger issue. Not only is correcting the

environmental issues a hard thing to do complications continuously occur no matter how you approach

restoration: firstly, many cities and companies do not have an available budget to cover these renovations

despite the fact that green energy and sustainable building often pays for itself in a matter of years.

Second, ecological issues can sometimes occur during construction. These problems can lead to such

issues as displacement of residents, air pollution from demolition or construction, and additional

problems. Finally, the third issue lies in the fact multitudes of people still do not believe necessary change

is needed inside modern cities today. Perhaps that is why many countries do not take the necessary steps

to improve city atmosphere and life. However, correcting the environment of cities might be just what the

U.S. (and other world countries) needs. Considering the U.S. federal government spends 49% of its

budget on “major entitlements” such as social security and healthcare, Medicare, Medicaid, and others:

more than 113 billion alone on mental health care and billions more on health care in general (Boccia, 4).

Creating efficient and less polluted cities will help reduce cases of chronic illness and illness caused from

the environment thus improving world health as well as altering the very culture of society; placing more

emphasis on taking care of the city that one lives in. After all, studies conducted by the American Lung

Association in 2009 show that six out of ten Americans are living with air pollution levels that “endanger

lives,” that’s more than 186 million people in the U.S. alone. Although some cities are taking steps to

reduce pollution nearly every U.S. city still has significant amounts of air pollution (American Lung

Association). Studies like these show that the idea of improving the overall environment in cities isn’t

such a threatening idea even today.

Concept Design 1 – Roger Chanin (Fig. 1)

The first step of creating better city environments is to understand the problems. Nearly every

major city struggles with a pollution problem. Many of the respiratory effects that exist are a result of

heavy pollution caused by the immense amounts of cars, industry, and buildings within cities. Brain

development and function is not helped by copious amount of toxins either. Making cities greener is one

way to cut down on emissions and unlike 10 years ago renewable energy is becoming almost as cost

effective as fossil fuels and coal (US Energy). Today we have the technology to take old buildings and

make them environmentally friendly. One such example is with New York’s Empire State Building and

its 2011 retrofit. The work put into the building made it one of the U. S’s most environmentally clean

office buildings. It was fitted with heat storing windows, cutting edge electronic control systems, and

efficient heating and cooling systems. The projects total cost would amount to only 13.2 million dollars

but the work done reduced energy depletion by 38 percent which would reduce gas emissions by 100,000

metric tons in just 15 years and the buildings 13.2-million-dollar investment would create a

reimbursement period of only 3.5 years not to mention the creation of countless jobs during the

reconstruction process. Meanwhile cities in the U.S. and around the world are creating countless other

successful projects inside major metropolises, making them healthier and more sustainable places to live.

The United Arab Emirates are working to create entire cities with little to no carbon emissions. Dubai’s

green programs are known for their utilization of sustainable energy. And perhaps the United Arab

Emirates seeks the most credit for their work on Masdar City which is going to be a carbon free city (it is

currently in the planning period). Spain and Hong Kong can receive credit for their work on creating

efficient public transportation networks. Hong Kong in particular is known for their metro system and

Spain for smart travel programs and LED traffic lights (Bouton, Shannon). And these are just a few of the

many positive examples of sustainable change within cities.

It is clear that our bodies are not meant to live in modern city environments; taking the benefits

that a city has to offer generally means that you are excepting a host of risks as well. And considering that

half of the world’s population now resides inside cities it’s no wonder that common physical ailments are

not decreasing as medicine improves. Breathing illnesses are common especially in children who grow up

in urban environments as opposed to rural regions, the reason being that most cities carry oodles of

pollutants and chemicals in the air at higher concentrations. Studies conducted by the “Journal of Allergy

and Clinical Immunology” show that higher poverty areas also carry higher instances of asthma within

cities (Gern, 545-49). This is likely due to the fact that high poverty areas cannot afford the necessary

improvements to correct the environmental problems within these areas. Another study reported a

significantly inferior frequency of any chest illness in rural environments as opposed to urban ones, the

study concluded, “those monitored where less likely than in the urban location to be associated with the

reporting of persistent cough and phlegm and different symptoms (types of breathlessness and wheeze)

indicative of asthma” (Godden, DJ). The study also found that of those who had breathlessness and

wheeze in the rural and urban environments those who lived the rustic areas had a better quality of life

score as opposed to the city dwellers (Godden, DJ). The reason for the higher allergy rates in urban

environments is not only related to the pollutants but to "hygiene hypothesis" a theory which says that the

human immune doesn’t grow as strong in “artificially antiseptic and decontaminated environments”

which cities often can be. City environments often put inhabitants at higher risks for certain cancers that

result from the pollutants and toxins that commonly exist inside the city environment as well (Newitz,

Annalee). According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Dry Eye is a common ailment

caused by living in city pollution. Dry Eye is a deficiency in tear production that affects nearly four

million Americans, 50 years of age or older, in the United States (ScienceDaily). City lifestyle has also

resulted in a higher prevalence of obesity then in rural environments per capita. This can be attributed to

the overall availableness of food and fast foods as well as the less active lifestyles urban dwellers often

live as opposed to their suburban and rural counterparts. Lactose Intolerance is also extremely common in

urban environments where it is drastically less common the further out from city centers one travels

(Newitz, Annalee).

Modern city life is also responsible for a whole host of mental ailments as well. Overcrowded

environments such as cities are linked to higher rates of stress and violence as well as addiction. One

study conducted assessing the mental health of those who lived in cities as opposed to rural areas found

that metropolitan life definitely creates greater likelihood of mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders

(Peen, J). People who live in urban environments are also more stressed and are at a 21% higher risk of

developing a mood disorder and 39% higher risk of developing an anxiety disorder (Newitz, Annalee).

Researchers believe illnesses like schizophrenia may be a result of metropolitan atmosphere at times.

More than 10 studies conducted found that certain cases of schizophrenia where linked directly to urban

settings (Krabbendam, Lydia). Those who live in cities are generally at a higher risk of their body’s

circadian rhythms to be affected by city lifestyle and light pollution. Circadian rhythms (the body's

internal clock) is important for aiding in sleep cycles and thus the production of important hormones like

melatonin which is a key cancer fighting agent. Research which was originally published in Nature

magazine found that many of these mental illnesses were caused because “brains develop slightly

differently in urban areas, predisposing them to stress-related disorders.” The study also found that parts

of the brain like amygdala (which processes emotion) to be more active in people who were presently

living in a metropolis; “In addition, the cingulate cortex, which helps regulate the amygdala and processes

negative emotion, was more active for people who were raised in cities” (Newitz, Annalee).

Despite the recognizable risks it is also important to realize that cities offer many benefits that

are not quite as attainable in rural and some suburban areas. For example, jobs are much more accessible

in urban areas and because of this suicide rates tend to be lower in urban areas then in rural areas (Newitz,

Annalee). People who live in cities in the U.S have better access to medical care (despite the fact that

many minorities in cities do not possess health care). Studies show that urban dwellers have better access

to education and educational services (Newitz, Annalee). For many living in pollution with allergies or

stress is well worth the risks, but why does it have to be worth the risks at all? Through proper city

planning and education correcting our cities problems may not be as difficult as many would believe.

Correcting the environment will help to correct many of the physical and mental complications triggered

by todays cities.

Concept Design 2 – Roger Chanin

This sketch was drawn with many of the modern influences mentioned above.

This model was drawn using pen and ink with water color paint. The concept drawing took an

undeveloped area alongside a river in Northern Kentucky and a city was exhibited inside. The city design

took the goal of being environmentally friendly and also efficient: setting out to correct many of the

health problems that result from today’s cities. The city features limited roads which promote the use of

alternate transportation methods ‘other than cars’. One bridge connects the roads from the North and

South sides of the river while multiple foot bridges connect walkways between the city. The bridges may

take similar designs to those of the Maillart Bridge, Switzerland or the Xian International Horticultural

Expo Matser plan, China (which features an observatory combined into a footpath allowing viewers to

experience a forest like environment while crossing the water). The heavy use of footpaths is done to

create an environment that promotes exercise and relieves the stresses of everyday city life. The cities

simplistic shape is good for navigation and reduces anxiety. The 90 degree like bend in the river makes

every area easy to reach in a short amount of time on foot. Due to the mountainous like geography as seen

in the lower right of the image a ski lift type design transports inhabitants up and down the steep

mountain. Numerous hiking trails and footpaths connect parks laid out in between city blocks again

promoting a culture of exercise and wellbeing as well as a moderate amount of tourism. On the South side

of the river lays the taller buildings which reduce in height and size as you move outward from the cities

center. Buildings take advantage of renewable energy and also utilize roof space and sunlight to create

park like environments. Parking drawn in orange is plentiful but is limited in locations allowing everyone

inside the city to own a vehicle but not necessarily encouraged to use it because of the plentiful

alternatives such as the metro. An extensive public transportation busing service is labeled in purple with

the busing headquarters labeled HQ in the center of the city. Utilizing data on wind patterns of the area;

industry (drawn in light orange) is placed away from the city as industry implies pollution. Agricultural

districts such as farms are placed on the upper left hand side of the city. The city is designed to be

somewhat compact leaving room for the surrounding forests to prosper but also spacious in the sense that

parks and green spaces are drawn in at practically every level and height in the city (Uffelen, Chris).

City Center Concept Drawing-Roger Chanin (Fig. 3)

Since environment has everything to do with who we are and how we feel understanding what

kind of structures promote a healthy environment has everything to with creating a city that will help to

create healthy citizens! It is the goal that such buildings that are residential will create a healthy

atmosphere that connects oneself with who they are and their environment. Scientists agree artificial

design is by no means healthy and through color theory having a society that has lots of natural greens,

browns, and grays makes for lively, powerful, and healthy mind (Psychological Properties). Frank Lloyd

Wright’s Falling Water comes to mind when thinking of a building that combines nature and living space.

Ideally if the concept drawings above would come alive many of the structures would resemble the sort of

innovative design characteristics that Falling Water holds. Completing a city with structures that promote

a sense of connection with the natural world is very achievable and in the city design itself it would not be

hard to picture the many physical and mental benefits of living in a place like this.

Building Concept Drawing – Roger Chanin (Fig. 4)

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