Uploads from UrbanGrammar, tagged models”

Smart Growth and Sprawl Tomatoes

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Sun, 05 May 2013 16:56:16 -0700

left photo by Valery Rybchenko, Right photo by Jamie Anderson; both Flickr members.

Text from "Growth and Form" by D'Arcy Thompson.

Unplanned, Emergent Fused Grid

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:40:56 -0700

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

In a large district built in the 50’s, using the grid network pattern, a key road was turned into a four-lane divided arterial that posts 60 km/hr. Its role in the new hierarchy of streets required access to be limited at traffic lighted intersections for safety and smooth flow.
As a result, several perpendicular streets that intersected with this road were closed – but not quite. Each cul-de-sac that was created by the closure lets pedestrians and bikes through. This new street type, the connected cul-de-sac, emerged through an adaptation of the inherited network to the demands of the new urban culture of mobility: good flow for cars and superior connectivity for pedestrians. The systematic use of this adaptation creates a new network system – the Fused Grid (see Wikipedia and a set in this photostream)

Unplanned, Emergent Fused Grid

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:40:57 -0700

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

Unplanned, Emergent Fused Grid

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:40:56 -0700

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

Smart Growth: Planned Tomato

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Thu, 02 May 2013 05:33:10 -0700

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

Photo by Valery Rybchenko.
Text from "Growth and Form" by D'Arcy Thompson.

Soldiers and Casualties of Change

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:22:57 -0700

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

Once at the periphery of a town served by horse, buggy and tram, this modest house enjoyed a quiet neighbourhood and a small lake nearby.
Now facing a major city artery along with other houses and cottages and being surrounded by office towers, it has shed its previous use and is soldiering a new one – Thai food
The original owner did not plan for the new use nor was the new owner subsidized to enhance the “Italian community” atmosphere of the district.
It has persisted in business, a sign of success, but not for long. New office or condominium development will offer a price for its demolition. And local urbanists will shed tears for the loss of street character and a catalyst of “community” or for someone living above the shop.
Farewell house, farewell quiet, farewell Nakhon Thai, farewell community; may change be always your friend.

Soldiers and Casualties of Change

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:57:57 -0700

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

Once at the outskirts of a town served by horse buggy and tram, this cottage enjoyed the proximity of woods and a small lake nearby.
Now facing a major city artery along with other houses and cottages and being surrounded by office towers, it has shed its previous use and is soldiering a new one – Italian food.
The original owner did not plan for the new use nor was the new owner subsidized to enhance the “Italian community” atmosphere of the district.
Celebrating 15 years in business is a sign of success, but not for long. New office or condominium development will offer a price for its demolition. And local urbanists will shed tears for the loss of street character and a catalyst of “community”.
Farewell cottage, farewell woods, farewell Picolino, farewell community; may change be always your friend.

New Urban -"esque”

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 13:55:35 -0800

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

In 2010, the site of the Metropolitan Bible Church on a main thoroughfare and transit route became the location of a full-block, eight-storey condominium.

Unlike the Boston Church on the Hill (see Praise for Ungraceful..in this photostream) the church function on that convenient, accessible, urban location ended and began a new suburban life. But in an ironic and farcical move, the condo building incorporates the old 3-storey brick facade of the church building. The doors are shut and the space behind them is occupied by a Shoppers Drugmart.
Instead of accessibility, diversity and service, the building offers “facade urbanism”; the pretence of something old, functional and cherished that is only skin deep: an “urbanesque” practical joke.
In the new urban condition, the 3,000 strong congregation members drive to its new location from across the city .

Emergent Fused Grid

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:30:10 -0700

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

A city decided to protect its pedestrians and make some of their neighbourhoods safer and quieter. So, it turned the old grid into a local Fused Grid (see set and Wiki)
The new system permits full pedestrian continuity on all streets as if nothing has changed but limits car through movement.
A new walkable, safe, quiet environment.

Emergent Fused Grid

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:30:07 -0700

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

Emergent Fused Grid

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:30:08 -0700

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

Emergent Fused Grid

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:30:09 -0700

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

Emergent Fused Grid

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:30:10 -0700

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

Emergent, Welcome Fused Grid: Connected Cul-de-sac

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 07:34:47 -0800

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

A long straight street leading to a major road now ends at a landscaped bed that provides seating for casual socializing. Thus the traditional grid becomes a Fused Grid (see set and Wiki): Connected for pedestrians and bikes and disconnected for vehicles. This starts the process of a gradual transformation that would reduce or eliminate car traffic on about 1/3 of the city streets and turn them into tranquil social spaces as they have been for most of their history.

Inevitable welcome Fused Grid

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 16:45:05 -0800

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

In a suburb dominated by traffic congestion and packed street parking with hardly any space for pedestrians to walk, a topographic coincidence creates a Fused Grid (see set here and Wiki).
The streets that run parallel to the contour lines of the hill are joined with perpendicular streets made of stairs. Since there is no traffic, there is no parking and the sidewalk space becomes a landscape element. Residents can climb to their homes from the nearest store in a green environment while at the same getting some physical exercise.
The key idea is that not all streets need to serve traffic; some can cater exclusively to pedestrians. What is a coincidence here can be turned into a principle elsewhere.

Roman Size Street Spells Stress

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 12:43:03 -0800

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

A network that was sized for horse and buggy of the Roman empire, wide enough for one carriage only, leaves no space for passing, even for small cars, and no space for on-street parking on a mixed use street. Drivers park on the sidewalk, where they can, and block traffic when they dare.
Bars and planters sprout to prevent parking on the sidewalk but motorcycles find their way, reducing the available pedestrian room and cluttering the space.
The street has a great sense of enclosure offers a variety of goods but it disappoints both drivers and pedestrians. Old dimensions do not work in a new transportation culture.

Inevitable, Welcome Fused Grid

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 12:15:49 -0800

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

Emergent Fused Grid: Connected Cul-de-Sac

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:21:17 -0800

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

A long straight street in the city's central district ends at bollards. Thus the traditional grid becomes a Fused Grid (see Wiki): Connected for pedestrians and bikes and disconnected for vehicles. This is the beginning of a gradual transformation that would reduce or eliminate car traffic on about 1/3 of the city streets.

Emergent Fused Grid in the core

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:07:13 -0800

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

Located in the core of the city this is the first street in Calgary to change character from car-dominant to pedestrian. This shift heralds the gradual transformation of the conventional grid to a Fused Grid (see photostream and Wiki). In such a grid a prtion of the streets turn green and are furnished to support enjoyable pedestrian activities such as old fashioned loitering, shatting and looking at people!

Incidental New Urban Fused Grid

nobody@flickr.com (UrbanGrammar) — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 18:18:51 -0800

UrbanGrammar posted a photo:

At the end of this new service lane, there is a major bus stop hub. Had this incidental lane not been there, hundreds of employees would have to walk four or more minutes instead of one to reach it.
The lane serves as access to the parking garage entrance and as service and fire route to the office tower on the left. Since traffic on it is occasional and slow, it serves pedestrians most of the time.
A safe fusion of modes on the same surface demonstrates a principle of the Fused Grid (see set and Wiki): streets in the new urban network can be connected with multimodal paths that do not carry through traffic. Rather than incidental, this principle can be applied self-consciously to new and existing districts.