Arch Daily |
- Villa Salame / Jonathan Canetti Architecture & Design
- Brick Curtain Office / Firki Studio
- Landmark East Office Development / Arquitectonica
- Le Soufflet / NatureHumaine
- Zhu Pei Named Dean of School of Architecture at Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing
- Casa Villuco / DX Arquitectos
- Proposed Tourist Hub by Miralles Tagliabue EMBT Utilizes the Forces of Nature to Promote a "Natural City"
- 150 Charles / Dirtworks Landscape Architecture
- 17 Contemporary Brazilian Landscape Architects
- From China to Colombia, 5 Cities That Made Their Streets Safer With Urban Design
| Villa Salame / Jonathan Canetti Architecture & Design Posted: 08 Sep 2018 07:00 PM PDT  © Boaz Lavie  © Boaz Lavie Text description provided by the architects. Villa Salame is located in the southern area of Tel Aviv, in the midst of alleys crowded with garages and craft shops. Abandoned for many years, the house was originally built around the 1850's as a residential estate for an orchard owner and his family, featuring an inner courtyard in a typical local arabic style.  © Boaz Lavie While planning the renovation, the architects thought of the house as a modern mediterranean oasis in the heart of a bustling urban area. In the design process great attention was given to maintain the true nature of the original stone house, while incorporating new and modern elements that suit the needs and beliefs of the young couple.  © Boaz Lavie The most significant element was the limestone wall that crosses the entire house, from the guest room, throughout the courtyard, and back into the bedroom. Over the years, the wall was covered with plaster that was removed during the renovation, exposing the original local stone, openings and arches. The intersecting walls are made of steel framed glass, thus enabling one to see the original stone wall in its entirely and creating an interesting contrast of materials between the warm stone and the cool glass.  Plan The inner limestone walls with arched openings, dictated the house's plan division into three areas: a living room, kitchen- dining area and a third space divided into a work area and private bathroom. The floors of all three areas were covered with light concrete tiles and decorated colored frames. The arched openings in the original inner walls were accentuated by leaving a thin part of the limestone uncovered. The guest bathroom was completely rebuilt with a modern bare-concrete ceiling and painted oriental-style floor tiles.  © Boaz Lavie The house is built in a shape a square with one of its corners cut off, surrounding an inner courtyard. From the street you enter the entrance hall, leading to the guest room and the rest of the house. The owners insisted on such a foyer, which is very common in private homes in Denmark, the owner's home country. The heart of the house is nevertheless the courtyard; a tranquil green oasis with waffle-pattern flooring, a water feature and a flowering garden with cyclamens and fig trees that invite outdoor seating on green metal chairs. On both sides of the garden a thin deck was installed, and in the corner next to the bedroom is an outdoor shower for washing after the beach.  © Boaz Lavie  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Brick Curtain Office / Firki Studio Posted: 08 Sep 2018 03:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of Firki Studio
 Courtesy of Firki Studio 'Brick Curtain' is a small office building in Karnal, a town in the state of Haryana, India. The office had to be relocated from a busy commercial street to a residential area with no great architectural character. The intervention had to be subtle yet bold in its identity. The office space had to be built as an annexe to the residence, for a family of Chartered Accountants. The space identified was a terrace of 75 m2 on the first floor and a small portion of the garden on the ground. The house being a corner plot allowed two independent entries, one for the residence and the other for the office. The new structure had to house three cabin spaces and workstation for eight to ten employees and one waiting lounge.  Courtesy of Firki Studio The constraint of 3.5m x 20m as the site proportion did not permit many possibilities in terms of zoning and layout of the office functions. The brief required the workstations and cabins to be in close proximity, and as a result these functions were allocated on the first floor, while the ground floor accommodated the waiting lounge. Packed between the neighbouring building and the existing house, the space draws natural light and ventilation from a skylight, in addition to its front and rear end openings. A double height landscape court adjoining the reception-waiting lounge marks ones entry into the office, which comes across as a pleasant surprise. The landscape court is also reminiscent of the original garden. The double height transition space visually extends the landscape court to the sky enhancing the indoor outdoor relationship. The well-lit office is accentuated by its light colour palette and plays with simple elements of furniture, light and shadow compositions to create a warm and modern workplace.  Isometric In contrast to the interior spaces, the exterior is earthy and robust in its aesthetics. A 3.5m x 7.5m façade on the West side is the only interface the office has with the street, while a small portion on the north side interacts with the garden of the existing house. The gesture of one "entering from the street by moving aside a curtain" has been captured through this elevation. This intent is brought about by a surface that indents and curls like a fabric. Simple corbelling of an easily available material like brick enables the elevation to be earthy and still maintain the dynamic expression. A repetitive system of brick laying was deployed to enable local masons to carefully craft the 90 degree twist over the entire height of the façade. The rest of the elevation was developed as a composition of brick jalis and textures complimenting the curved wall. The elevation acts as a threshold between the street and the inner court and gives a fresh identity to a 30 year old firm that could have been lost in the process of relocating itself.  Courtesy of Firki Studio  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Landmark East Office Development / Arquitectonica Posted: 08 Sep 2018 01:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of Arquitectonica
 Courtesy of Arquitectonica Text description provided by the architects. The Landmark East Offices is a 1,184,040 SF /110,000 SM twin-tower development located in the Kwun Tong area of Hong Kong. The towers floor plates vary in size between the towers, providing maximum flexibility for leasing. Tower 1 comprises 43 office levels. The average floor plate size is 13,455 SF / 1,250 SM providing a total floor area of 484,376 SF / 45,000 SM. Tower 2 comprises 40 office levels. There are two principal floor plate sizes, 24,757 SF / 2,300 SM in the low zone and 17,222 SF / 1,600 SM in the mid and high zones, providing a total floor area of 699,654 SF / 65,000 SM.  Courtesy of Arquitectonica Derived from the long narrow site, the rectilinear slab towers are formed into a dynamic composition of slim, interlocking planes, slanted at varying angles to create a sense of movement and play. The cores and floor zones are arranged to maximize harbor views. The broad south elevations combined with the intersecting volumes provide valuable office space and corner units maximizing harbor exposure at the upper levels.  Courtesy of Arquitectonica The car parking and loading has been restricted to the basement and a podium structure at the base of tower 2. This allows the remainder of the site to be opened up to form a landscape plaza at grade, a unique feature for office developments in this area.  Location Technical, environmental, or social advancements: The vertical transportation has been carefully analyzed in order to maximize lifting capacity whilst maintaining floor plate efficiencies. Each tower is divided into 3 lift zones and high-speed lifts are provided. Two car park lifts are provided in each tower providing direct access to the main lift lobbies from the car park levels.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 08 Sep 2018 11:00 AM PDT  © Adrien Williams
 © Adrien Williams Text description provided by the architects. The project consists in a complete transformation and extension of a commercial building on Beaubien Street.  © Adrien Williams Its composition transcribes both the superposition of the commercial uses, while reinterpreting the original two-storey base from which a new floor emerges. This one is characterized by a monolithic steel roof sitting on a longitudinal band of black windows.  © Adrien Williams The conceptual idea of the project is to offer a panoramic framing of the view towards Molson park's trees.
The terrace on the roof express this concept by a series of sunbreakers inspired by the old folding cameras – in french « appareil photo à soufflet ». This black structure allows the scale of the project to be aligned in continuity with its neighbours from the street, while reinterpreting the architecture of the pergolas in a contemporary way. A perception of depth generated by the side alley is accentuated by a series of regular windows and by the insertion of a succession of vertical brick details.  © Adrien Williams The third floor office is organized into a succession of plans ; the conference room in front benefits from a visual continuity with the terrace, while the lobby and circulation areas are naturally lit through skylights. As a hint of the old building, several original lamps are reintroduced in the layout, contrasting with the new minimalist suspensions. The white oak storage units come through the glass partitions, revealing the perception of a regular space organisation from the corridor.  © Adrien Williams Finally, the monochrome tones of the overall project are enhanced with bright colours; the blue block contains the services, while the bright red radiates from the exit staircase.  © Adrien Williams  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Zhu Pei Named Dean of School of Architecture at Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing Posted: 08 Sep 2018 07:00 AM PDT  Zhu Pei. Image © Pier Alessio Rizzardi The Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in Beijing, China, has tapped award-winning Chinese architect Zhu Pei as its next dean of the School of Architecture. Zhu Pei founded his firm Studio Pei-Zhu in 2005 known for its cutting-edge integration of cultural roots and contemporary innovation in design. Zhu Pei has taught at Harvard GSD and Columbia University GSAPP, two of the leading graduate programs in the world.  © Minsheng Art Museum Studio Pei-Zhu is recognized for a range of projects around the world, including Imperial Kiln Museum in Jingdezhen, The Performance Art Center in Dali and Minsheng Museum of Modern Art in Beijing. While his studio has an extensive portfolio of novel work, Zhu Pei himself also boasts a long list of awards. His accolades include the AIA Honor Award, Design Vanguard Award from Architectural Record, China Award from Architectural Record, as well as the honor of being an architecture jury member for the Mies van der Rohe Award.  Jingdezhen Historical Museum of Imperial Kiln. Image Courtesy of Studio Pei-Zhu  Performing Arts Center in Dali, China. Image Courtesy of Studio Pei-Zhu "As the top art school in China, CAFA has a strong culture and tradition which are art and innovation. School of Architecture CAFA should be leading Chinese architecture academic society to generate a critical thinking and creativity about future architecture," Zhu Pei said in a statement to the press. "Our school will focus on cutting-edge issues in architecture education, research and practice, build a high academic platform for future critical architectural education with a sensibility of nature, culture and creativity."
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| Posted: 08 Sep 2018 06:00 AM PDT  © Pablo Blanco
 © Pablo Blanco Text description provided by the architects. Villuco House is a remodeling and expansion project of a house located in the road to Chiguayante, Concepción, VIII region. It is located on the slope of the hill and enhances the views of the Bio-Bio river on its south bank.  © Pablo Blanco The original location of the house in the form of a cross, which generated four courtyards, determined the intervention’s main content, reinterpreting its structure and modifying the layout, distributing it in 3 floors:  First floor plan  Second floor plan The layout of the house is determined by the intersection of the sides of the cross. It is in this space where the enclosures are distributed both at the common spaces’ level and at the bedrooms’ level, taking advantage of the sun and views, as they are arranged at the extremes of the cross and oriented to the cardinal points.  © Pablo Blanco  Section 02  © Pablo Blanco The accesses to the house are located in the different levels. In the lowest level there is vehicular access, where stone and concrete abounds, evoking the edge of the river. In the second level is the pedestrian access from the street and the services of the house, surrounded by a lattice of steel that shades the light. The access to the third level is born from the staircase in the center of the cross, the entire interior of the bedroom area is clad in Decofaz wood overlooking the forest or the river. The Miniwave pre-painted black exterior with the shape of a shed is impermeable to the surrounding humidity.  © Pablo Blanco  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 08 Sep 2018 05:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of Miralles Tagliabue EMBT Barcelona-based powerhouse Miralles Tagliabue EMBT recently reached the final stage of a design competition to create a tourist center in Russia in part of the embankment named after Admiral Serebryakov in the city of Novorossiysk. The proposal provides the required hospitality spaces but also features unique facilities, such as a wine museum, a fish market and an "artificial island", all serving as new centers of attraction for residents and visitors of the city. The foundation of the design concept is based on three components: "the idea of a natural city, the unification of the three forces of nature and the characteristic appearance of Novorossiysk as a port city."  Courtesy of Miralles Tagliabue EMBT According to EMBT, a natural city is "formed by itself as a complex but cozy system of streets and squares in a plan that does not obey the regular system." The curvilinear form of the master plan reflects a wind rose analysis of the Novorossiysk Bay area. Wind, sun and water are the three forces of nature that directly affect the existing site, so the design has various axes that respond to the existing conditions by forming barriers where they are needed.  Courtesy of Miralles Tagliabue EMBT  Courtesy of Miralles Tagliabue EMBT  Courtesy of Miralles Tagliabue EMBT A botanical garden is assigned to the existing embankment, serving as the new linear center for the proposal as well as a break for the wind coming from the sea. The second axis is a promenade running parallel to the embankment, sheltered from the wind behind the first line of buildings where curved volumes reveal more views to the bay. The unique style associated with the port city is also emulated in the design through a human scale and use of modern, local materials.  Courtesy of Miralles Tagliabue EMBT The proposal was awarded 2nd Prize, surrendering the top place to Zaha Hadid Architects.
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| 150 Charles / Dirtworks Landscape Architecture Posted: 08 Sep 2018 02:00 AM PDT  © Mark Weinberg
 © Mark Weinberg Text description provided by the architects. Set within the dense urban fabric of Manhattan, the 150 Charles landscape sets itself apart in both volume of green space and in its responsiveness to the disparate microclimatic conditions of urban rooftop gardens. The vertical gradation of exposure, humidity, and soil depth led to the adoption of four typologies—rainforest, temperate forest, grassland, and desert—together establishing a series of resilient landscapes capable of thriving in challenging urban conditions.  Section  © Mark Weinberg  Plan Courtyard  © Mark Weinberg Over 30,000 square feet of open space occupies the site across multiple levels, representing a significant percentage of the building's composition. Maximizing the overall potential of this landscape entailed the development of a new Text Amendment to the Zoning Code. Dirtworks was an essential team member in the advocacy, documentation, and presentations necessary to fulfill the high-performance mandates and permanent green space requirements set forth in the Re-Zoning Initiative.  © Mark Weinberg  © Mark Weinberg On the site of a former warehouse, the new residential complex features gradual setbacks of cascading green terraces, thus establishing that the new development may thoroughly integrate nature into the built environment—not a tower in the park but a park woven through a tower. Drawing from biologically diverse ecological communities, the totality of these landscapes create a vibrant backdrop for residents, a much needed publicly accessible space, and a lush verdant viewshed for the surrounding community.  © Mark Weinberg A commitment to sustainability, exemplified by the project's LEED Gold certification, was a driving objective of the landscape design. In asserting the beauty of responsive, low maintenance design strategies, 150 Charles is a model for greening the built environment.  © Mark Weinberg  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 17 Contemporary Brazilian Landscape Architects Posted: 08 Sep 2018 01:00 AM PDT  Fio House / Studio MK27. Image © Fernando Guerra Landscape architecture is responsible for the transformation and resignification of the landscape, either by enriching architecture or by bringing forth the history of the site. As with buildings, when we design with vegetation it allows us to work a series of stimuli, qualities, and functions. Roberto Burle Marx, Rosa Kliass, and Miranda Magnoli are certainly some of the most notable figures in Brazilian modern landscape architecture. However, when it comes to the contemporary, these are the names that have been gaining recognition in the last couple years. Check them out below: Alex Hanazaki TG Ilhabela / Alex Hanazaki Paisagismo. Image © Demian Golovaty Minimal and detailed oriented, Alex Hanazaki's meticulously designed gardens blend Brazilian tropicality with a Japanese essence. Leading the practice Hanazaki Paisagismo, he is the only Brazilian to have won the Professional Awards by ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) twice, in 2014 and 2017.  BT House / Studio Guilherme Torres. Image © Denilson Machado Hanazaki’s projects can be understood by the word “contemporaneity.” As living works of art, they adopt a varied number of native species and materials that harmonize with external architectural elements. Thriving in the hinterland of Sao Paulo state, he has worked with renowned architecture practices for 18 years. Learn more about his work here. André Paoliello Fidalga 727 / Triptyque. Image © Fran Parente Specialized in landscape design and construction management, André Paoliello works with a multidisciplinary team of landscape architects, biologists, and agronomists in residential, commercial, and industrial projects. As a rule, he creates a dialogue between the site and its environment. With more than a decade in the business, Paoliello is also a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and of its Brazilian counterpart. Learn more about his work here. Benedito Abbud Praça Victor Civita / Levisky Arquitetos and Anna Julia Dietzsch. Image © Nelson Kon Benedito Abbud founded his landscape design practice in 1981 and has completed over 5,000 projects in differing scales, from squares to parks and corporate to commercial projects. Each design promotes functionality, creating areas designed for different uses, from social interaction to public spaces. He is also the author of “Paisagens,” which was edited by Senac. Learn more about his work here. Daniel Nunes OF House / Studio Otto Felix. Image © Denilson Machado Daniel Nunes is interested in the use of native species in his projects. He has designed more than 750 projects in differing scales and typologies: residential, commercial, farms, spas, corporate, among others. Believing that landscape design is an extension of architecture, he tries to translate the materiality of structures into his gardens.  OF House / Studio Otto Felix. Image © Denilson Machado Another characteristic of his work is the variety of the chosen materials, such as stones, floorings, and species. Learn more about his work here. Gabriella Ornaghi Jardim Paulistano Rooftop / Gabriella Ornaghi Arquitetura da Paisagem. Image © Rodrigo Bordigoni Leading the Office Gabriella Ornaghi Arquitetura da Paisagem, the landscape architect graduated from FAU/Mackenzie in 2004 and has worked independently since 2007, developing technical, environmental and creative projects. With designs that value texture and the visual, Gabriella Ornaghi's work seeks harmony to integrate architectural elements in a functional way. Learn more about her work here. Gilberto Elkis Tempo House / Gisele Taranto Arquitetura. Image © Denilson Machado Having more than 35 years of experience in landscape architecture, Gilberto Elkis has designed projects in differing scales and typologies, always seeking spatial wellbeing, a myriad of colors, shapes, and textures. As a researcher, the use of varied species is characteristic of his work. Most of his portfolio is composed of private urban, country, and coastal homes. His book “Degustação de Paisagens” was published by Tempo Design in 2012. Learn more about his work here. Gil Fialho SW House / Jacobsen Arquitetura . Image © Leonardo Finotti With more than 20 years of experience in landscape architecture, Gil Fialho's practice values the harmony between the elements of a garden and the architecture that surrounds it. A researched of flora, he incorporates specific species into the environments he works in. Fialho has worked with Studio MK27, Jacobsen Arquitetura, Bernardes Arquitetura, Aflalo Gasperini, and Studio Arthur Casas. He also has received numerous awards, including the Leaf Award and the International Properties Award. Learn more about his work here. Isabel Duprat JH House / Bernardes + Jacobsen Arquitetura. Image © Leonardo Finotti Isabel Duprat graduated in architecture and later specialized in landscape architecture. After not having much work in her field, she opened up a plant store. Always searching for the wellbeing in her designs, she was the only Brazilian portrayed in the book Woman Garden designers – 1900 to Present. Learn more about her work here. Isabela Ono, Julio Ono and Gustavo Leivas Tropical Island (Alemanha). Image Cortesia de Burle Marx Paisagismo Isabela Ono, Julio Ono, and Gustavo Leivas studied under Haruyoshi Ono at Burle Marx. They currently develop projects in Brazil and abroad with architects such as Ruy Othake, Paulo Jacobsen, Bernardes, among others. The practice is currently led by Isabela Ono (having more than 20 years of experience in the company) and coordinated by partners Julio Ono and Gustavo Leivas.  Unique Garden Hotel &Spa (SP - Arquitetura Ruy Othake). Image Cortesia de Burle Marx Paisagismo Along with their residential work, they have also designed Tropical Island (Berlin), Museum of Tomorrow (Rio de Janeiro), Biscayne Boulevard (Miami), Praça da Revolução (Acre), Kuala Lumpur City Centre Park (Malaysia), Parque Vila dos Atletas (Rio de Janeiro), Eixo Monumental (Brazil Federal District), Unique Garden Hotel & Spa (Sao Paulo), and Belmond Copacabana Palace (Rio de Janeiro).  Residência Alto Humaitá (RJ). Image Cortesia de Burle Marx Paisagismo Learn more about their work here. Koiti Mori and Klara Kaiser Luciana Brito Gallery / Piratininga Arquitetos Associados. Image © André Scarpa Klara Kaiser graduated in architecture and urbanism at the University of São Paulo, where she also works as a professor. She is also a member of the Sítio Burle Marx consulting board. The firm’s works are characterized by a harmony created between the landscape and the architecture, with gardens that take the human scale into consideration. Learn more about their work here. Luiz Carlos OrsiniLuiz Carlos Orsini graduated in landscape architecture in Madrid in 1984 and spent over 30 years working in the field. Orsini is a contemporary master of Brazil. Having completed hundreds of projects in the country, he is also a specialist in tree transplanting, having overseen more than 10 thousand transplants. In 2017, he launched the book Luiz Carlos Orsini – 30 anos de Paisagismo. Learn more about his work here. Marcelo Faisal AM House / Drucker Arquitetura. Image © Leonardo Finotti Marcelo Faisal is an architect, agronomist, and landscape architect. Designing to valorize species and experiences, the use of textures, foliages, designs, and materials are characteristic of his work, resulting in bold projects that give new meaning to the landscape. Learn more about his work here. Mariana Siqueira Casa das Praças / Bloco Arquitetos. Image © Haruo Mikami Located in Brasília, Mariana Siquiera is the person behind “Jardins do Cerrado,” a project that introduces flora from the Brazilian savannah into urban landscape designs. This project was created in partnership with the ICMBio (Chico Mendes Biodiversity Conservation Institute), Brasília University (UNB), EMBRAPA Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, EMBRAPA Cerrados and Jardim Botânico de Brasília (Brasília Botanical Garden). Learn more about her work here. Oficina2mais House in Gonçalves / André Vainer Arquitetos. Image © Tuca Reinés Transitioning between scales, the practice develops projects that value the relationship between man and the built environment. Oficina2mais' researches extensively in botanic species and textures to create transitions in spaces. Learn more about their work here. Plantar Ideias MADE 2016. Image © Julia Ribeiro Lead by Felipe Stracci and Luciana Pitombo (both graduates of Escola da Cidade), Plantar Ideias develops projects focused on landscape architecture. Learn more about their work here. Renata Tilli RT House / Jacobsen Arquitetura. Image © Pedro Kok Leading a team of landscape architects, Renata Till comes from a family dedicated to plants, landscape design, and the recovery and preservation of aquatic forests. Specialized in horticulture, she is responsible for a series of private gardens that pay respect to the local environment. She has also designed projects dedicated to the reconstruction and rediscovery of centenary coffee plantations. Learn more about her work here. Rodrigo Oliveira Lara House / Felipe Hess. Image © Ricardo Bassetti An agronomist and landscape designer, Rodrigo Oliveira brings inspiration from the woods of Brazil into his projects. Raised in Paraná, he acquired the knowledge of botany and graduated from the Federal University of Viçosa. Later, he specialized in landscape architecture at Florida's International Society of Arboriculture. Oliveira has completed dozens of landscape design projects in partnership with Studio MK27, Isay Weinfeld, and Felipe Hess. Learn more about his work here.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| From China to Colombia, 5 Cities That Made Their Streets Safer With Urban Design Posted: 07 Sep 2018 11:00 PM PDT  Joel Carlos Borges Street, in São Paulo, was transformed overnight to improve road safety, including enlarging the pedestrian area. In 2015, the world community pledged to decrease half the number of deaths and grave injuries caused by traffic accidents by 2020. However, more than 3,200 deaths caused by collisions occur every day, and with the growing number of vehicles, that number can triple by 2030.  As is expected, cities with poorly designed streets have the highest rates of injuries and deaths. In fact, 90% of these collusion-related deaths happen in low to middle-income countries, and these incidents have serious consequences. Economic productivity decreases and the quality of life suffers. Luckily, we are witnessing a global movement in the rethinking of street design. The idea of making urban spaces safer used to be limited to European cities, such as Amsterdam or Copenhagen, places where good urban design has been practiced for over 40 years. Today, improvements have been felt everywhere. We selected five cities in Brazil, China, Colombia, and India that are changing the way people navigate urban spaces. Each has implemented innovative design interventions based on the Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety. Sao Paulo Before and after of Joel Carlos Borges Street. Image: Daniel Hunter and Pedro Mascaro/WRI Brasil Joel Carlos Borges Street connects the Berrini train station to the city's financial center. Thousands of people pass through the station every day. Before September 2017, the street had narrow sidewalks that couldn't safely accommodate the heavy flux of pedestrians (around 22.5 people per every vehicle during rush hour). As the street is the main pathway to the station, it creates a high level of risk for pedestrians. The city decided to redesign the street to include more space for pedestrians, better signalization, reduce speed limits, add urban furniture, and green infrastructure. Now the sidewalks are over 3.5 meters wide, offering ample space for pedestrian traffic. Widening narrow sidewalks and narrowing the traffic lanes reduces speed and creates a safe and pleasant experience for all. This new and improved design for "complete streets" not only provides a blueprint for safer streets but also reminds drivers that pedestrian safety is crucial and must be their first concern when driving. This was the first temporary intervention in São Paulo and was well received by the public. The city is now considering similar enterprises in other places. Fortaleza Before and after of Cidade 2000. Images: Rodrigo Capote/WRI Brasil Cidade 2000 is a residential neighborhood during the day and a vibrant zone at night. Despite the high number of pedestrians, the street was dominated by vehicles, leaving pedestrians and cyclists vulnerable. To improve the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, the city of Fortaleza announced a “Calm Traffic Area” in 2017, transforming 1,200 square meters that were designated for parking and traffic lanes into a functional pedestrian square. In 2017, the neighborhood received its first temporary transformation, called “Cidade da Gente” (City for People). It included the removal of a traffic lane, a speed reduction to 30 km/h, sidewalk widening, curb extensions, and five new pedestrian crossings. The transformation also included street art, green infrastructure, and street furniture to clearly designate pedestrian space. The project showed residents how tactile urbanism can bring life back to degraded streets. Due to the positive feedback, the temporary intervention is becoming permanent. The mayor has also announced similar low-cost interventions in other areas. Mumbai Intersection in Nagpada. Image: WRI India The Nagpada intersection is chaotic and challenging for all its users, motorized or not, as are many others intersections in Mumbai. The triangular junction connects six main roads and serves many school districts. However, it hosts 3,000 vehicles during rush hour, resulting in heavy traffic. Pedestrians had little to no space, and what existed for sidewalks was degraded. These factors created an inefficient, dangerous, and confusing intersection. Accident data showed that Nagpada was responsible for a third of all traffic deaths in Mumbai. In August of 2017, the triangular geometry was temporarily changed to channel the traffic and allow for safer new paths for pedestrians. The crossing distances were reduced and new crossings were made on all sides. The project has also redesignated ground from illegal parking into a square. The chaotic intersection has become a place for new encounters. The new arrangement has also made managing the intersection easier for the traffic police of Mumbai. Nagpada’s success convinced the city to commit to a permanent change. Bogota Intersection at Carrera 80 with Calle 43 Sur. Images by Carsten Wass, José Segundo López/WRI Bogotá's Kennedy district is well known for its heavy pedestrian and cycling traffic. For many residents who live on the outskirts of the city, cycling is usually the most convenient transportation method to go to and from work, school, and home. Between 2013 and 2017, 61 traffic accidents and one death were registered at the intersection of Carrera 80 and Calle 43 Sur. Pedestrians and cyclists were in danger due to the lack of signalization, access ramps, and traffic lights to ensure safe crossings. The poor design also directed cyclists to ride opposite of oncoming traffic which resulted in conflicts with pedestrians. To ensure safer conditions for all, the city redesigned the intersection in January of 2018. The renovation included reducing lanes, adding cycling lanes, pedestrian crossings, better access ramp, and pedestrian traffic lights. It resulted in a safer route for cyclists and an improved safety for pedestrians. Shanghai Zhengtong Street. Image: WRI China Zhengtong Street connects the commercial district of Yangpu to a high school and the Fudan University campus in Shanghai. The 15-20 meter wide street serves a heavy influx of pedestrians with a mid-range amount of traffic. Zhengtong didn't have a pedestrian or cycling infrastructure, hindering the uses of both. Another concern was the crosswalk in front of the school that endangered pedestrians. To promote a safer environment, the Yangpu District implemented separated bike lanes and improved sidewalks. They also narrowed the road (which facilitated crossings), added reflective materials to solar panelled stop signs, and street signalization. The transformation was well received by district workers, local cyclists, and students. Zhentong Street now serves as an example of road safety for other Shanghai districts. While urban streets are fundamental public spaces, they are also one of the most neglected. What was before a privilege for high-income economies, is now becoming a necessity for countries throughout the world. About the authors: Nikita Luke is a Research Assistant for Health and Road Safety at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. Via TheCityFix Brasil.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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