BASIC URBAN DESIGN

Wachemo university
2024

Arch 4th year

Introduction
WHAT IS URBAN DESIGN?
• It is a discipline concern on the study of the physical
arrangement, appearance and functionality of towns and
cities. especially, shaping and uses of urban public space to
create and give a sense of local pride and identity for a city.
• Urban design is about making connections between people
and places, movement and urban form, nature and the built
fabric.
• Urban design theory deals primarily with the design and
management of public space and the way public places are
used and experienced.
• Public space includes the totality of spaces used freely on a day-
to-day basis by the general public, such as streets, sidewalks,
plazas, parks and public infrastructure etc.…
• Some aspects of privately owned spaces, such as building facades or
domestic gardens, also contribute to public space and are therefore
also considered by urban design theory.
urban design and other disciplines
• Urban design is an inter-disciplinary field that utilizes elements of
many built environment professions, including landscape
architecture, urban planning, architecture, civil
engineering and municipal engineering.
• And also it requires a good understanding of substantive and
procedural knowledge from public administration, sociology, law,
urban geography, urban economics and other related disciplines from
the social and behavioural sciences, as well as from the natural
sciences.
urban design and other disciplines
• In contrast to architecture, which focuses on the design of
individual buildings, urban design deals with the larger scale of
groups of buildings, infrastructure, streets and public spaces,
whole neighbourhoods and districts, and entire cities, with the goal of
making urban environments that are equitable, beautiful, performative,
and sustainable.
• Urban design process involves
• preparation of guidelines and regulatory frameworks and
• Designing of particular space and structures (public spaces, structures, even
street furniture)
in this sense overlapping with urban planning
in this sense overlap with architecture, landscape and the like
Urban design and urban planning

Urban design urban planning

• Short period of time to • Long and extended period
complete • Many project incorporated
• specific projects • Vast area cover
• Typical area • Comprehensive plan,
• More detailed plan at guidelines, policies etc…
neighbourhood level

Urban design preparation based the master plan, which is done by

urban planners
• Urban design process involves bold steps to preserve and
enhance the appearance of the city through the adoption of
sign,
landscape,
lighting ordinances,
parking and service areas,
transportation,
building orientation,
building materials, and
fencing,
which can increase property values.
• Urban designers work to create inclusive cities that protect the
commons, ensure equal access to and distribution of public goods,
and meet the needs of all residents, particularly women, people of
colour, and other marginalized populations.
• Urban design plans are prepared for various areas, including
downtowns
waterfronts
campuses
corridors
neighbourhoods
mixed-use developments, and
special districts
• Issues to be considered during urban design process
include
existing development,
proposed development,
utility infrastructure,
streets framework, and
sustainable development principles.
Modern Urban Design

• Modern Urban Design

• The first modern urban planning theorist was Sir Ebenezer Howard.
He initiated the garden city movement in 1898 garden city movement
• In the 20th century, urban planning was forever changed by
the automobile industry. Car oriented design impacted the rise of
‘urban design’. City layouts now had to revolve around roadways and
traffic patterns.
• In 1956, the term “Urban design” was first used at a series of
conferences hosted by Harvard University.
• In the same year, Kevin Lynch published The Image of the
City. He reduced urban design theory to five basic elements:

paths,
districts,
edges,
nodes,
landmarks.
 Current Trends

• Today, urban design seeks to create sustainable

urban environments with long-lasting structures,
buildings, and overall liveability.
• Sustainable Urbanism is the study from the 1990s of how
to create a balance between economy, society and the
environment.
• Walkable urbanism is another approach. It aims to reduce
environmental impacts by altering the built environment
to create smart cities that support sustainable transport.
Objectives of urban design
• Character: a place with its own identity;
• Continuity and enclosure: a place where public and private
spaces are clearly distinguished;
• Quality of the public realm: a place with attractive and
successful outdoor areas;
• Ease of movement: a place that is easy to get to and move
through;
• Legibility: a place that has a clear image and is easy to
understand;
• Adaptability: a place that can change easily;
• Diversity: a place with variety and choice.
Lecture two
  Elements of urban design

• Buildings
• Buildings are the most pronounced
elements of urban design - they
shape and articulate space by
forming the street walls of the city.
 Cont…

• Public Space
• Great public spaces are the living
room of the city - the place
where people come together to
enjoy the city and each other.
 Cont…

• Streets
• Streets are the connections
between spaces and places, as
well as being spaces
themselves.
 Cont…

• Transport
• Transport systems connect the
parts of cities and help shape
them, and enable movement
throughout the city.
 Cont…

• Landscape
• The landscape is the green part of the
city that weaves throughout - in the form
of urban parks, street trees, plants,
flowers, and water in many forms.
BASIC URBAN DESIGN PRINCIPLES
2.1 INTRODUCTION
• “We shape our
dwellings and
afterwards our
dwellings shape our
lives”.
Winston Churchill
• Buildings provide
shelter and safe places
for human beings, also
helping to determine
our quality of life, The
same is true of streets,
villages, towns and
cities where we live.
 A, VISUAL CONNECTIVITY

• Having the windows and front door of a

building face the public street can create a
sense of security and comfort for
pedestrians, provide visual interest, which
in turn promotes a walkable neighborhood.
 B, FACADE ARTICULATION

• Buildings often contribute to the character of a

place by offering human-scale architectural
elements, particularly on the first floor. Setting a
building back from the property line slightly and
using landscaping design was good solution for
blank walls at grade and create active streetscape
 C, INVITING ACCESS

• Elevated buildings pose challenges for

accessibility. Ramps can be difficult to
accommodate, particularly on smaller lots.
Introducing a 90-degree turn or landing stair
design can make a long run of stairs easier to
climb and appear more inviting for people
walking by.
 D, NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER

• Designers should respect a

neighborhood’s character by taking
cues from existing context in building
massing, fenestration, rooflines, and
other architectural elements.
The built environment is
not just a group of
buildings; it is also the
physical result of
various economic, social
and environmental
processes, which are
associated with the
needs of society.
• Development of the urban
environment has serious
effects on the quality of the
global environment. Major
concerns are the quality of
air, increase in temperature,
acoustic quality and traffic
congestion
• Buildings are related to
global changes in the
increase of urban
temperature, the rate of
energy consumption,
pollution and the production
of waste, conversion of
agricultural to developed
land, loss of biodiversity,
water shortages, etc.
2.2 CLIMATIC ASPECTS OF HUMAN
SETTLEMENT
It is a recognized fact that
only species which are in
harmony with their
environment and adapted to
all internal and external
forces to which they are
exposed are fit to survive.
• The structure, which reduces
unpleasant stresses, and at the
same time utilizes all natural
resources favourable to human
comfort, is “climate balanced’
The approach to such structures
should be comprehensive, based
on local experience,
technologically advanced and
adapted to the local ecosystem
without disturbing its balance.
• It is clear that -climate consideration
stands in the forefront. There are
mainly three techniques for
promoting the liability and comfort
of human settlements.
• They are the use of shadow and
breeze, water elements, and the
minimization of the impact of solar
radiation. In traditional desert
settlements, all the above techniques
are use.
2.3 HUMAN COMFORT
• Comfort within buildings is mainly
controlled by four factors: air
temperature, mean radiant
temperature, humidity and airflow.
• These are mainly the parameters
which affect the heat transfer
processes from the body to the
environment. In addition, there are
other factors which affect comfort,
such as clothing, activity level, etc.
• Comfort is mainly influenced by
temperature and humidity.
2.4 THE INFLUENCE OF URBAN
FORMS ON CLIMAT
• It is an established fact that
the process of urbanization
produces radical changes in
the environment of the region,
involving radiative, thermal,
moisture and aerodynamic
characteristics.
• Different layouts result in
differing microclimates ,with
greater or lesser comfort