DenscityUrban Structure in high density situation // Yair Meller

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Tel Aviv London (City) Tokyo Manila Manhattan Hong Kong (Kow-loon)

7600 P

eople

/km

2

10,2

70 P

eople

/km

2

14,0

61 P

eople

/km

2

14,0

92 P

eople

/km

2

7600 P

eople

/km

2 45,4

74 P

eople

/km

2Density

Population Density

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Hong Kong Development As a Case Study

1960s 1980s Today

Density: 15,525 People/km2 Density: 42,817 People/km2 Density: 45,474 People/km2

An example of high evolving dens area can be found in the Kowloon peninsula in Hong Kong, One of the most dens urban areas. On the course of 50 years it had tripled its density, while being rebuild about 3 times in the process. The combination of increased density along with a growing business district had transformed the area radically.

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Global Population & Tall Building Increase

Global Population

Number of Tall Buildings(200m and above)

According to the council for tall buildings the number of tall buildings (at least 200m) is growing faster than the growth rate of the general population. This statistical fact, which although refers to small portion of the buildings, may serve as an indication to the changing typology of urban structures.

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

The application of two dimensional design methods in the creation of high-rise buildings breaks apart the urban fabric by creating many buildings which do not sum up to a city.The Solution to that problem should be based on a fundamentally three dimensional structure which will enable us to maintain the urban structure will increas-ing density.

... many buildings which do not sum up to a city

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

The Disadvantages of High-rise Buildings

Urban inefficiency Burden on Urban infrastructures Limited Connectivity

Although high-rise buildings are a necessity in dens urban centers their basically planar method of design contains in-herent flaws which limits the city ability to developed and creates several social and architectural problems.

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

1441

4X

4X

4X4X 4X

4X

4X

4X

4X

4X

4X

4X

4X4X

4X

4X

4X

4X

16X

24X

12X12X

20X

20X

20X

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Urban Inefficiency

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

1441

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

481

Accessibility graph of an high-hise building.Assuming 40 floors with 4 apartments in each floor

Accessibility graph of a traditional multi-storey building.Assuming 6 floors with 4 apartment in each floor

Using a mathematical graph we can describe the connection between each component in the urban system.We can see that as the number of people in the buildings rises the connec-tion to the street becomes a bottleneck, both physically and perceptively

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

1441

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

4 48

481

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Urban Infrastructures and High-rise Buildings

Assuming that the ground level can not be changed radically (there is a physical limit to the area of roads, parks and other public spaces than can be added) if we replace all buildings with high-rise building we can see an increase in population and traffic that overloads these urban infra structures

X

X

X

X X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

XX

X

X

X

X

4X

6X

3X

3X

4X

4X

5X

4X

4X

4X4X 4X

4X

4X

4X

4X

4X

4X

4X

4X4X

4X

4X

4X

4X

16X

24X

12X12X

20X

20X

20X

Users GraphTraditional structure

Users Graph - High-Rise structure

Commercial

Recreation

Buildings

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

The Urban Structure of High Rise System

In fact, when we look at the connectivity of the different components of the urban system in current model of high rise buildings we can compare it to the urban model of suburbs or Garden Cities.

Garden City DiagramHigh Rise Urban Structure Suburbs Urban Structure

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

The Structure of Urban Systems

Low Density* High Density*

*Assuming 4 storey buildings *Assuming 20-40 storey buildings

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

The Application of Spatial Design* on Urban Structure

*A graph which contains intersecting edges is a spatial graph

“We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” (Albert Einstein)

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

The Decade Of The Megastructures

1939 1952 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1964 1967

Fort l’Emperuer, Le Corbousier

Streets in the Air, The Smithsons

Spatial City, Yona Friedman

Boston Harbour, Kenzo Tange

Clusters in the Air, Arata Isozaki

Tokyo Bay, Kenzo Tange

Park Hill

Plug-In City, Archigram

Habitat, Moshe Safdie

The concept of designing complex spatial urban structures had come up previously in architecture, most notably in the 1950-60, with the Mega-Structures movement. An era which Reinard Benhan called “The decade of the Mega-Struc-tures”.

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Yona Friedman - Spatial City 1956

Archigram - Plug-In City 1964

Moshe Safdie - Habitat 1967 Jack Lynn & Ivor Smith - Park Hill 1961

Arata Isozaki - Clusters In The Air 1961

Legend

Continuing the urban structure

Growing System

Cluster Based Main Public System

Fixed Structure Site Specific

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Streets In The Air

The philosophy behind the “Streets in the air” concept sought to humanize the anonymous environment of multi storey apartment buildings by incorporating the urban plan into the design of the buildings.The concept of streets in the air which was first introduced in 1952 by the Smithsons centered around wide access decks that served both as the main circulation system and as a public space.The building designed according to this concept (especially the first one that was built, Park Hill in Sheffield), was the first built spatial urban system, and perhaps one of the most historically important and influential.

Streets in the air. Competition entry for Golden Lane Housing Project, City of London. Alison and Peter Smithson.from New Directions in British Architecture, Royston Landau

Park Hill, Sheffield, Ivor Smith and Jack Lynnfrom New Directions in Britis Architecture, Royston Landau

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Park Hill - Structural Analysis

Alternating directions creates “street corners”

Local businesses are located in the street corners

Mainly Residential

Large open Spaces on ground level

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

System Requirements - Conclusion so far

Defined System Flexible Structure Evolving System Adaptable System

Defined Components Connections Based System

Evolving Connections System

Shape Flexibility

Location FlexibilityFlexible Structural System

Discrete System

Defined Relationships and connections between the components

Defined Development Rules

Urban SchemeWhen the urban structure breaks apart from the ground level more connections are becoming available and as a result, more areas become available for the urban struc-ture to evolve intoHaifa can serve a good example for such a scenario since it’s topography divides the city into many semi-independent entities while leaving large areas unusable

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

The Principles of High Density Spatial Urban System

Cluster Based Connections as Generating Principles

Connections System as Evolutionary Basis

Building01 Gateway

Building01 Green01

Building01 Medium01

Building01 Low01

Building01 High01

Building01 Low02

Building01 Medium02

Building01 Low03

Building01 Low04

Building01 Green02

Building01 Medium04

Building01 Medium03

Building01 High02

Building02 High01

Building02 Gateway

Building02 Medium01

Building02 Green01

Building02 Low01

Building02 Medium02

Building02 Low02

Building02 High02

Building02 Low03

Building02 Low04

Building02 Low05

Building02 Medium05

Building02 Green02

Building03Medium01

Building03Gateway

Building03Medium02

Building03Green01

Building03Low02

Building03Medium03

Building03Medium04

Building03Low04

Building03High01

Building03Green02

Building03Low03

Building03Low01

Street

Street Street

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Defining The Urban System - Evolution Guidelines

The system is defined by an hierarchy of intensity which dictates the ability of two items to connect to each other. While vertically each unit can connect to any other unit the streets created in the urban structure must contain a gradual in-crease / decrease in intensity. As a result each unit can be connected only according to the intensity hierarchy.

High intensity components Medium intensity components Low intensity components

The height - number of floors of each cluster contains, is determined by its ability to maintain a continues streets. A unit must be able to maintain at least two non vertical connections to neighboring units (allowing a street through that unit).

GatewayHeight: 8-16m

RecreationHeight: 8-16m

High Intensity Urban Cluster Height: 8-16m

Medium Intensity Urban Cluster Height: 12-18m

Low Intensity Urban Cluster Height: 12-16m

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Adding Units to The System

Building01 Gateway

Building01 Green01

Building01 Medium01

Building01 Low01

Building01 High01

Building01 Low02

Building01 Medium02

Building01 Low03

Building01 Low04

Building01 Green02

Building01 Medium04

Building01 Medium03

Building01 High02

Building02 High01

Building02 Gateway

Building02 Medium01

Building02 Green01

Building02 Low01

Building02 Medium02

Building02 Low02

Building02 High02

Building02 Low03

Building02 Low04

Building02 Low05

Building02 Medium05

Building02 Green02

Building03Medium01

Building03Gateway

Building03Medium02

Building03Green01

Building03Low02

Building03Medium03

Building03Medium04

Building03Low04

Building03High01

Building03Green02

Building03Low03

Building03Low01

Street

Street Street

Building01 Gateway

Building01 Green01

Building01 Medium01

Building01 Low01

Building01 High01

Building01 Low02

Building01 Medium02

Building01 Low03

Building01 Low04

Building01 Green02

Building01 Medium04

Building01 Medium03

Building01 High02

Building02 High01

Building02 Gateway

Building02 Medium01

Building02 Green01

Building02 Low01

Building02 Medium02

Building02 Low02

Building02 High02

Building02 Low03

Building02 Low04

Building02 Low05

Building02 Medium05

Building02 Green02

Building03Medium01

Building03Gateway

Building03Medium02

Building03Green01

Building03Low02

Building03Medium03

Building03Medium04

Building03Low04

Building03High01

Building03Green02

Building03Low03

Building03Low01

Street

Street Street

As we expand the system we must follow two basic princi-pals: the next unit should be one level above or beneath the current one in the intensity hi-erarchy, and second - each unit dimensions should be chosen so that a continues path can be created.Depending on the distance be-tween the buildings and consid-ering a 8% slope of the bridges we can predict the height limits of each unit which will enable a future unit above it to be incor-porated into the connections scheme

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Intensity Scheme And The Urban Structure

Building01 Gateway

Building01 Green01

Building01 Medium01

Building01 Low01

Building01 High01

Building01 Low02

Building01 Medium02

Building01 Low03

Building01 Low04

Building01 Green02

Building01 Medium04

Building01 Medium03

Building01 High02

Building02 High01

Building02 Gateway

Building02 Medium01

Building02 Green01

Building02 Low01

Building02 Medium02

Building02 Low02

Building02 High02

Building02 Low03

Building02 Low04

Building02 Low05

Building02 Medium05

Building02 Green02

Building03Medium01

Building03Gateway

Building03Medium02

Building03Green01

Building03Low02

Building03Medium03

Building03Medium04

Building03Low04

Building03High01

Building03Green02

Building03Low03

Building03Low01

Street

Street Street

Building01 Gateway

Building01 Green01

Building01 Medium01

Building01 Low01

Building01 High01

Building01 Low02

Building01 Medium02

Building01 Low03

Building01 Low04

Building01 Green02

Building01 Medium04

Building01 Medium03

Building01 High02

Building02 High01

Building02 Gateway

Building02 Medium01

Building02 Green01

Building02 Low01

Building02 Medium02

Building02 Low02

Building02 High02

Building02 Low03

Building02 Low04

Building02 Low05

Building02 Medium05

Building02 Green02

Building03Medium01

Building03Gateway

Building03Medium02

Building03Green01

Building03Low02

Building03Medium03

Building03Medium04

Building03Low04

Building03High01

Building03Green02

Building03Low03

Building03Low01

Street

Street Street

Assuming that the type of func-tion added to the system is determined by current practical needs, the connections between the functions is what deter-mines the nature of the urban system.Connecting units only accord-ing to the intensity scale helps creating a more coherent urban structure and as a consequent to create smaller urban centers within the spatial structure

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Defining The Urban System - The Components

Gateway

Recreation Area

High Intensity Urban Cluster

Vertical Circulation System

Medium Intensity Urban Cluster

Bridges

Low Intensity Urban Cluster

Constructive Facade

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

A Possible Spatial Layout

Gateway Unit

Recreation Unit

High Intensity Urban Cluster

Medium Intensity Urban Cluster

Low Intensity Urban Cluster

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Gateway - Design Principles

The Gateway is the connection between the high rise building and the existing urban structure. It has a dual role as it serves both as a kind of lobby for the building and both as an integral part of the street.On the practical side it should provide parking accompanied with an easy access to the surface and deal with large volume of traffic. On the structural side it serves as connection between the urban system and the vertical circulation system

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Gateway - Topological Places

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Medium Intensity Urban Cluster - Design Principles

Medium intensity urban clusters are mixed use area on a small scale containing a single use offices / housing floors built above a commercial floor organized around a public square. The commercial floor contains a neighborhood scale commercial functions such as grocery store, small shops and pubs, and services functions such as banks and post of-fice.

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Medium Intensity Urban Cluster - Topological Places

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Low Intensity Urban Cluster - Design Principles

Low intensity urban clusters are a single use housing / offices area. The lower floor of such a cluster serves mainly as an access point to the cluster, providing a small public area for local use.

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Low Intensity Urban Cluster - Topological Places

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

High Intensity Urban Cluster - Design Principles

High intensity urban clusters are a collection of urban functions which draw large amount of people and generate large traffic volume such as commercial centers, cultural and night life functions

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Recreation Area

Recreation area are used to provide the large public open spaces of the system - parks and play grounds.

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Constructive Facade

A lattice based shell which serves as the main constructive system of the building, allowing shape flexibility and gradual evolution of the buildings and the system. The structure is based on the concept of diagrip as was developed by Arup Engineering for Norman Fosters St. Mary Axe Building

Diagrid Lattice Structure Lattice Structure With Bridges Anchors

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Bridges

The bridges are a lattice based structure that can be incorporated into the constructive shell

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Bridges

The bridges are anchored to the shell in designated spots to create a continues structure

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Vertical Circulation SystemThe vertical circulation system serves an important role in compartmentalizing the structure, and helping to distribute traffic along the spatial system

T_CODE 2010-11 D_COLOGY

Yair Meller

Demonstrating The System In The Rushmia Delta