Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CITIES
LACHMAN KATARIA
Architect & Planner
La arch plan private limited, New Delhi, India
ldkataria@hotmail.com
ABSTRACT: Vertical cities are desperately needed in view of increasing population and
environmental imbalance due to deplete of natural resources. There is urgent need to think of
radical solutions to reinstate balance in economic and physical environment by controlling
population and global warming. While the solution to the former is best achieved by universal
education, latter is being arranged on various platforms with no tangible global agreements.
Meanwhile unchecked urban sprawl due to economic pressures, life style, political instability
and inhuman behavior added in the problem of the certain areas. The role of Urban Regional
Planners and other professionals cannot be less emphasized in the current situation. It is
imperative to introduce verticality to the city for lesser foot prints & more green areas. Vertical
cities will disallow unauthorized expansion both horizontals and vertically. Through splendid
town planning, sustainability of cities in the scope of vertical cities can be achieved.
1 INTROCDUCTION
1.1 The chorology of human settlements exposes different solutions in different stages of
development of human society such as cave complexes to medieval towns with organic &
inorganic growth patterns. It was in the beginning of 20th century that new approach to the
design of buildings & human settlements commenced by many masters who started with a
clean state and broke away from the prevailing ethos in architecture and town planning and
other who gave new shapes to the skyline of the cities. There have been thinkers & creators
who propagated new frontiers by designing unusual complexes of mixed use high rise
structures over the coasted waters. Examples of Eiffel towers in steel areas first Reinforced
Cement Concrete communication Tower in Stuttgart needs to be referred as pioneer
creations. The technological achievements in building tall structures have shown the way to
tackle contemporary urban problems caused by a balanced in many parts of the world.
2 SUSTAINABILITY
2.1 This phrase has been in use for many year, applicable to individuals, Society, Physical
environment, Investments, etc. much has been written and said about this phenomena at
various platforms like Seminars, Media rallies, Government policies, individually or
collectively via U.N. In spite of all the efforts, very little has been achieved to re-create
balanced environment among human, animal and plant life on earth. On the contrary,
human activities are adding to the imbalance caused due to depletion of natural resources,
and hyper activities of production and consumption, loss of ethical values has driven the
human behavior to the extreme and therefore Sustainability goals keep farther and farther.
There should be a major change in attitude to development from a „GREED‟ model to
„NEED‟ based model.
3 WORLD ORDER
3.1 Universal co-operation in respect of economic planning, environmental planning and
efficiency in the use of sources is already in action in the last few decades through the
voluntary establishment of regional economic communities in all continents. Global
problems are discussed in world forums such as WTO, World Bank, etc under the UN
Initiative. The results of such co-operation are not always successful, but the absence of
such forums could be disastrous for this planet. There is scope for further co-operation in
governance through democratic process and reforms in political motivations to induct
humane solutions along with strict implementation of decisions along with strict
implementation of decisions through Regulatory bodies.
Figure 1
8 URGENT ACTIONS
8.1 We are now at a cross road to need to choose our path. Global warming and deletion of
natural resources such as agricultural land, forest, water and conventional energy sources
must be checked to avoid further imbalance in environment. We must choose a new
approach. The following measures need to be considered.
8.1.1 Establish new hierarchy of towns and cities for new development areas and formulate
new planning standards.
8.1.2 Prevent expansion of existing city limits.
8.1.3 Identify areas of redevelopment in existing urban areas.
8.1.4 Incorporate vertical city concept on the land so consolidated with a minimum area of
4,000,000sq.m.
8.1.5 Reduce foot prints in the design of vertical city as detailed thereafter.
8.1.6 Convert saved area into bio green areas & merge with agricultural area outside the city
limits.
8.1.7 Introduce urban farms within the city greens.
8.1.8 Use interlinked cluster of vertical cities.
8.1.9 Megacity urban renewal programme be gradually converted into several high rise
clusters, distributed & located at the distances where land permits & interlinked by mass
transport system.
8.1.10 The land so vacated, to merge with greens for used by specialized activities which
cannot be accommodated in the vertical cluster.
8.1.11 City clusters to be connected with underground trains.
8.1.12 Superfast intercity trains to go underground within the city limits& run over ground in
case of regional network.
8.1.13 Road areas to be reduced drastically to basically give increased space for commercial &
waste management vehicles and access to parking.
8.1.14 Footpaths & cycle tracks should be introduced for approach to the clusters.
8.1.15 Park & city forest to be located at walking distance from the clusters.
8.1.16 Maintain heritage buildings as part of urban renewal programme.
8.1.17 Locate industrial parks in satellite areas between regional cities & at short distance from
railway network and regional highways.
8.1.18 Waste management techniques be improved & laws enacted for strict applications.
8.1.19 Vertical movement technology to be updated to meet new situation.
8.1.20 Alternate renewable energy sources be empowered like solar farms, wind farms etc.
8.1.21 Energy saving devices be adopted such as automotive controls and use of fiber optics
more efficiently transmits signals etc.
8.1.22 Rain water harvesting techniques to be adopted for refreshing underground water
resources.
8.1.23 Recycling of waste materials and waste water.
8.1.24 Rehabilitation of slum areas.
8.1.25 Target for 100% literacy to be achieved.
8.1.26 Adequate administrative regulations & laws be enacted such as land acquisition, rent
counter security, financial incentives and other measures to encourage the
transformation of the balanced environment.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am grateful to all members of my staff who gave me logistical support in research and
presentation of this paper.
REFERENCES
Speer,A; Games, J; Jager, S; "A manifesto for sustainable cities, 2009;
Giradet, H; "Cities, people, planet, 2nd edition, 2008;
Institute of Town Planners, India;
38th Seminar JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, 2000)