Urban design | EPFL Graph Search

Urban design is an approach to the design of buildings and the spaces between them that focuses on specific design processes and outcomes. In addition to designing and shaping the physical features of towns, cities, and regional spaces, urban design considers 'bigger picture' issues of economic, social and environmental value and social design. The scope of a project can range from a local street or public space to an entire city and surrounding areas. Urban designers connect the fields of architecture, landscape architecture and urban planning to better organize physical space and community environments. Some important focuses of urban design on this page include its historical impact, paradigm shifts, its interdisciplinary nature, and issues related to urban design. Theory Urban design deals with the larger scale of groups of buildings, infrastructure, streets, and public spaces, entire neighbourhoods and districts, and entire cities, with the goal of making urban envir

L'événement proxémique : étude des relations de circulation entre piétons aux heures de pointe à Delhi, Los Angeles, Paris et Tokyo

Lucas François Tiphine

In a context of traffic networks saturation related to urbanisation acceleration, this research is aimed at contributing to the scientific debate on this issue by building a model to describe dynamic pedestriansâ physical distances regulation behaviours in public places. The urban dimension of Edward T. Hallâs theory of proxemics is taken as an initial inspiration. This author argues that a correlation exists between the organisation of space at the macro level of Society and the micro level of individual behaviours. It leads him to a synthetic distinction between âcontact culturesâ and ânon-contact culturesâ. The former tends to prefer smaller distances at all scales of space organisation compared to the latter. This hypothesis is considered seriously in the research. Nonetheless, Hallâs macro culturalist anthropological area distinction (e.g.: the âArab Worldâ = âcontact cultureâ) is not relevant anymore in the urban globalization era. Therefore, a new âmicromacroâ theory, based on 4 macro orientations expected to have an influence on micro behaviours, is proposed: equality between urban citizens, individualisation, relative urbanity and urban planning regulation. Two other scalar correlation theories of spatial relations description are also tested. One, called âmicromesoâ, is based on Roger Barkerâs behaviour setting theory. It states that proxemical behaviours are correlated with intermediate units related to a specific place and time such as âthe subway at peak hoursâ. The other theory, called âmicroâ, states that any form of scalar correlation is an ecological fallacy. Accordingly, the description process has to remain at the very level of physical distance relations between individuals. These different theories are tested empirically in Delhi, Los Angeles, Paris and Tokyo which all answer differently to the macro orientations of the micromacro theory. Behaviours inside the metro and outside of it are observed (micromeso theory). In each condition, similar levels of spatial competition for places are taken into consideration (micro theory). The results lead to conclude that traffic relations between pedestrians are best described when considered cumulatively as micro > micromeso > micromacro by order of efficiency. Eventually, I defend the thesis that urban dwellers should debate of traffic relationships micro conditions improvements rather than focusing on micromacro and micromeso explanations of the networks breakdowns which can be found for instance in the competition promoted between individuals on civil behaviours.

EPFL2018

Unpleasant Design. Designing Out Unwanted Behaviour

Selena Savic, Gordan Savicic

Unpleasant Design is an aggregation of techniques and strategies in urban design where social control is an inherent property of objects and places. Unpleasant Design research recognizes the growing desire for controlled environments amongst different authorities but it also accounts for the way ifferent citizens react to it. Unpleasant Design is manifested in the form of “silent agents” which manage the behaviour of people without explicit presence of officials. Unpleasant Design is principally about the relationship of space, design and social interaction. Thus, it is not aimed at harming users of public space in general. Unpleasant Design usually discriminates against particular social groups in order to allow for another to exist. These groups are not always threatening our security, they are sometimes simply a minority or powerless (the teenagers, the poor, marginal groups). We continuously look for qualifiers for something to act as u unpleasant. Our data is an accumulation of field observations of deployed technologies; interviews with scholars and practitioners in the field of urban design. It also includes case studies of particular applications of Unpleasant Designs. Seeking to reveal power structures beyond surveillance and social control in designed interactions, we offer a critical perspective on emerging design patterns.

2014

Suburban Dystopia And Shopping As A Soap Opera

Selena Savic, Gordan Savicic

With an approach between theatre, urban analysis, mapping and deconstruction, this 'glide' through Brasilia is an attempt to understand its urban tissue, formed through architectural action and spontaneous appropriation. In the city laid out between a modernist utopia of the 60ties and a capitalistic dystopia of today, we are mapping our field research of this modernist heaven, through a dynamic dialogue. This theatrical experiment is performed on the street, in public and semi-public space. It is treating the existing urban tissue as found scenery, a stage design for everyday life. By engaging in a dérive through the city, the environment is analysed in spontaneous reactions to the surrounding. By doing so, the actors turn from passive observers into active participants and interpreters of an auto-instructed play, engaging with their body and mind with the flow of everyday life; transforming their dialogue into verbal research. Two main questions from the title circulate throughout their conversations. Shopping as a paradigm of contemporary life, can be seen as a shift from the ideological split between east and west to a collaborative relation in capitalising on citizens' consuming habits. Secondly, two satellite cities - Samambaia and Ceilandia - are investigated in this research. An invisible wall stands between the planned city and its satellite settlements. Established already in the building phase of Brasilia and reinforced by the UNESCO heritage protection programme, it prevents any contemporary intervention in Plano Piloto. This lack of spontaneity is observed on all levels in the city, inhabitants divided trough geometric rationalism and activity concentrated in commercial zones. On the other side, the surrounding cities built as temporary settlements are based on opposite premises. Nonetheless, with minimum urban design they exhibit similar uniformity of space while constantly growing.

2012

L'événement proxémique : étude des relations de circulation entre piétons aux heures de pointe à Delhi, Los Angeles, Paris et Tokyo

Lucas François Tiphine

EPFL2018

Suburban Dystopia And Shopping As A Soap Opera

Selena Savic, Gordan Savicic

2012