TOWN PLANNING

Brasilia The capital city of Brazil Socio Economic Dynamics of Urbanization in Town Planning

Submitted By: Ali Reza Naqvi Irfan Haider Khan B. Arch. IV Year 2010 11

BRASLIA
PLANNING OF THE BRAZILIAN CAPITAL

BRASILIA: WORLD HERITAGE CITY (1987)

Conceived in 1956, the site chosen for the capital was centrally located in Brazil, 1015km from Sao Paulo, and 1148 km from Rio de Janerio. The nearest railroad was 125km distant, the nearest paved road was 640 km away, and the nearest airport was 190km from the site. In 4 years, by 1960 Braslia had become a large, working capital city limited by the Preto River on the East and by the Descoberto River on the West. Divided into 29 administrative division, total area of the Braslia federal district is 5817 sq.km. Plano Piloto is about 13.5 km long, 11 km for residential and rest corresponds to the downtown areas.

The city was planned for 600, 000 inhabitants that had grown to 1, 817, 000 in 1996 already, and touched over 21 lacs by 2003 (12.9% growth).

BRASILIA: LOCATION AND STATISTICS

Federal District

BRASILIA

Territorial Area
Population

5,8 thousand km
2,5 million

Cities
Economic Areas

29
33

BRASILIA: WORLD HERITAGE CITY (1987)

Brasilia is the only city in the world constructed in the 20th century to have been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Brasilias Urbanistic Plan, conceived by Lucio Costa, focusing in social and environmentally friendly values is divided into four scales:

MONUMENTAL
SCALE Represented by the Monumental Axis

GREGARIOUS
SCALE Represented by Convergence Sectors

Commercial, financial, medical and transportation areas)

RESIDENTIAL
SCALE Represented by the Superblocks

BUCOLIC
SCALE Represented by Leisure and Landscape Green fields, squares, gardens, lakeside and city park

BRASILIA: PLANNING
THE PILOT PLAN The Pilot Plan was based on the shape of an airplane. The basis of the city is a Monumental Axis, or fuselage of an airplane, intersecting in the center of the city with a Residential axis, or the wings of an airplane. Costa designed the city in four scales of design:

Monumental Scale, Residential Scale, Gregarious Scale, Bucolic Scale

One of the greatest accomplishments of the Pilot Plan was the vast highway network which was built to provide access to Braslia from practically everywhere in Brazil. The longest highway in this network is the 2,276 km Belem-Braslia highway, linking Braslia to Northeast Brazil. The construction of these highways insured that Brazils new capital would be accessible to the entire population of the country.

BRASILIA: PLANNING
The Monumental scale was intended to provide Braslia with the dignity of a capital city. This was achieved with wide avenues of six lanes in each direction, the Esplanade, where the ministries and public buildings are located, the bus station, where the two axis cross, the Cathedral, and the Plaza of Three Powers. The Residential scale contained orderly superblocks with a uniform height of six stories, no high rises, and vast motorways providing an excellent transportation system. The superblocks also had ample parking for vehicles, low population density, and plenty of wide open green space for people to enjoy. The Gregarious (or social) scale consisted of the bus station, and special sectors of the city, like the entertainment, commerce, and retail sectors. The Bucolic scale showed Costa's intent for Braslia to be a park city, where everything was separated by vast green spaces and parks.

BRASILIA: PLANNING
The Pilot Plan was built to conform to Le Corbusier's Letter of Athens, which embodied the ideal qualities of a city (at least according to the Modernists). The Letter had four basic tenets for the ideal city: Well ventilated residences near green spaces The separation of residences from workplaces, with industries excluded from the city proper Exclusive space for cultural activities, near residencies The separation of the circulation of vehicles and pedestrians The Monumental Axis 1. Congress Complex 2. Supreme Court 3. Planalto Palace 4. Plaza of Three Powers 5. Ministry of Foreign Relations 6. Ministry buildings 7. Cathedral 8. Theatre 9. Main Traffic Interchange (bus station)

BRASILIA: PLANNING

BRASILIA: PLANNING
RATIONALE Two axes crossing at right-angles in such a manner so as to gain maximum out of the local topographical conditions, the natural drainage of the area, by designing to suit the best possible orientation. Fig. 1 EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE The curved axis crossing the monumental axis because of the geographical constraints (to fit in triangle). Fig 2. FREE PRINCIPLES OF HIGHWAY ENGINEERING No intersections. Fig 3.

MONUMENTAL AXIS Civic and administrative centers (transverse axis), cultural, entertainment and sporting centers, municipal administration facilities - barracks, the storage and supply zones, small local industries and railway station. Fig 4. INTERSECTION Appertaining functionally and in terms of urbanized composition to the monumental axis. Placement of banking, commercial districts, offices for private business, liberal professions and retail trade.

BRASILIA: PLANNING
PLATFORM Monumental axis is on a lower level. The intersection of the monumental and the highway residential axes creates a broad platform where only parking and local traffic would be permitted. This also creates the location of the entertainment center for the city and interstate bus station. Fig 5. ROAD LEVELS Through traffic passes along the lower ground level under the platform, in one way lanes. The platform being closed at its ends open on the two broader sides. Inter- urban bus station has been placed there and is accessible to passengers from the upper level of the platform. Fig 6. When the transversal axis reaches the platform its central lanes go underground, beneath the lower ground level, at which local traffic continues to circulate and which slopes gently down until it levels with the esplanade in the ministry district.

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT Three separate clover- shaped turn-offs on each arm of the highway axis. Lower level crossings, automobiles and buses circulate both in the central and the residential districts without any intersections. For heavy vehicular traffic a secondary independent road system with point crossings, but without interfering with the main system, except above the sports district. This secondary system has access to the buildings of the commercial district at basement level, goes around the civic center on the lower plane, and is reached through galleries at ground level. Fig 7 PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC With the general network for automotive traffic thus established, independent paths for local pedestrian traffic were created both in the central and the residential districts, ensuring free circulation. Fig 8

BRASILIA: PLANNING
ADMINISTRATIVE ZONE The fundamental powers are three in number, and autonomous. The equilateral triangle seemed the elementary form to enclose these buildings. A triangular terraced embankment was created supported on retaining walls of rough stone, rising above the surrounding countryside. Each building was placed at each angle of this plaza Plaza of the Three Powers

Government House and the Supreme Court occupying the base of the triangle and Congress at the apex. The latter faces a broad esplanade on the second terrace. The application of this ancient oriental terrace technique.

BRASILIA: PLANNING
RESIDENTIAL ZONE - SUPERBLOCKS The Pilot Plan was built to house people primarily in superblocks. These superblocks were large groups of apartment buildings, grouped in a very orderly manner. Each group of four superblocks was supposed to serve as a single neighborhood unit. Each building was only six stories high, the buildings rested on massive pillars, so there was an open area beneath the building for free movement of pedestrians and for children to play under. The intent of these superblocks was to create single neighborhood units with all the necessary services located close at hand. This would negate the absolute need for a vehicle to perform daily functions like running errands, and make Braslia a more personal, community oriented city. Perhaps the most important aspect of these superblocks was that they were intended to be egalitarian, so that people of all income levels could live together and would interact on a personal and classless level.

BRASILIA: PLANNING

HOUSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

LANDSCAPE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

BRASILIA: PLANNING

PLACEMENT OF PUBLIC FACILITIES/ UTILITIES Far side of the blocks runs the service street for heavy vehicles, and a strip along the other side of the highway reserved for the installation of garages, repair shops, wholesale warehouses. A strip of land is set aside for flower and vegetable gardens and orchards. Churches, secondary schools, cinemas and retail placed on broad strips joining service and residential axis highways at intervals layout as per type or nature. The market, butchers, grocers, green grocers, hardware stores etc., are located in the sections of the strip nearest to the service lanes while the barbers, hair dressers, dress-makers, cake shops, gas stations are in the section nearest the traffic lane used by cars and buses. Shops are set in ranks, with display windows and covered walks facing the pedestrian approaches, wooded belts surrounding the blocks, parking on the opposite side of the shops, adjacent to the traffic lane. The Local Church placed where four blocks meet, behind it are the secondary schools. Cinemas are located on the service strip facing the highway. Large free spaces between the shops and the cinemas have been reserved for youth clubs, with playing fields and play-grounds.

BRASILIA: THE GLOBAL CITY Brasilia: Metropolitan city without typical problems of traffic and violence.
RESTAURANTS 3.500 MUSEUMS 65

THEATERS 70

BARS 7.000

CLUBS 40

MOVIE THEATERS 92

BRASILIA AN OVERVIEW A STRATEGICALLY POSITIONED HUB

Braslia is already an air and roadway hub. Integration with North-South and East-West railways will add another modality

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Brasilia International Airport is on the top 3 in the country in number of passengers. Direct flights to all of Brazilian capitals, to Europe and USA.

HIGHWAY INTEGRATION
Brasilia is integrated with all the regions of Brazil through roadway systems.

RAILWAY INTEGRATION
Middle-Atlantic Railway (FCA) covers seven states: Minas Gerais, Espirito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Sergipe, Goias Bahia, So Paulo, and the Federal District.

BRASILIA AN OVERVIEW
BRASILIA Brasilia is a peculiar city regarding its territory occupation. It is one of the most dispersed cities in the world and its population density, unlike other cities, increases as we move away from the center. This center is where 82% of formal jobs and 44% of total jobs in the city are concentrated. In addition, only around 15% of the population lives in a radius of less than 10Km away from the centre, which results in great commuting distances.

SHORTCOMINGS Housing prices are very high, compared to other Brazilian cities. Public transportation is inefficient. The urban bus system has a lot of deficiencies; the construction of Brasilia's subway is going slowly because of funds shortage. As a consequence, most of the people commute by car. Only few people are to be found on the streets, and the great distances between the buildings. The newer satellite towns have very few green areas, unlike some other satellite towns and the Pilot Plan itself. Many of the famous buildings are beautiful but not functional.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DYNAMICS OF URBANIZATION IN TOWN PLANNING

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DYNAMICS OF URBANIZATION IN TOWN PLANNING

URBANIZATION
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change.. The population size of urbanized areas varies among different countries, therefore urbanization is attributed to the growth of cities. Urbanization is closely linked to modernization and industrialization. When more and more people leave villages and farms to live in cities, it results in urban growth. The rapid growth of cities can be attributed largely to people from rural communities migrating there.

Percentage of population which is urbanized, by country, as of 2006

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DYNAMICS OF URBANIZATION IN TOWN PLANNING

Urbanization occurs naturally from an individual and corporate efforts which improves opportunities for jobs, education, housing, and transportation. People move into cities to seek economic opportunities. In rural areas, often on small family farms, it is difficult to improve one's standard of living beyond basic sustenance. Farm living is dependent on unpredictable environmental conditions, and in times of drought, flood or epidemics, survival becomes extremely difficult. Health is another major factor. People, especially the elderly are often forced to move to cities where there are doctors and hospitals that can take care of their health needs.

CHANGING FORMS OF URBANIZATION

Different forms of urbanization can be classified depending on the style of architecture and planning methods as well as historic growth of areas. Massive urbanization in cities result in tremendous strain on the infrastructure. When the residential area shifts outward, it is termed as suburbanization. Rural migrants are attracted by the possibilities that cities can offer, but often settle in shanty towns and experience extreme poverty. Most of the urban poor in developing countries able to find work can spend their lives in insecure, poorly paid jobs. According to a research pro-poor urbanisation will require labour intensive growth, supported by labour protection, flexible land use regulation and investments in basic services.

Delhi: The planned Dwarka Sub City can be seen in foreground while the unplanned and congested residential areas of West Delhi are visible in the background.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DYNAMICS OF URBANIZATION IN TOWN PLANNING

POPULATION GROWTH FOR INDIAS LARGEST CITIES OVER TWO CENTURIES (IN 2000)

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DYNAMICS OF URBANIZATION IN TOWN PLANNING

EFFECTS OF URBANIZATION
Housing needs Slum development Transportation needs increase Water supply and sanitation issues Environmental pollution Insufficient provision for social infrastructure (schools, hospitals, etc ).

Urbanization is degenerating social and economic inequalities which warrants social conflicts, crimes and anti-social activities. Redirection of investment is recommended to develop strong economic base for small and medium city neglected so far. Urbanization is not always attributed to high density. In many cases, the cost of living has forced residents to live in low quality slums and shanty towns

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DYNAMICS OF URBANIZATION IN TOWN PLANNING

SOCIO - ECONOMIC EFFECTS

Research in urban ecology finds that larger cities provide more specialized goods and services to the local market and surrounding areas, function as a transportation and wholesale hub for smaller places, and accumulate more capital, financial service provision, and an educated labor force, as well as often concentrating administrative functions for the area in which they lie. This relation among places of different sizes is called the urban hierarchy. As cities develop, effects can include a dramatic increase in costs, often pricing the local working class out of the market, including such functionaries as employees of the local municipalities. Similar problems now affect the developing world, rising inequality resulting from rapid urbanization trends. The drive for rapid urban growth and often efficiency can lead to less equitable urban development. Urbanization is often viewed as a negative trend, but can in fact, be perceived simply as a natural occurrence from individual and corporate efforts to reduce expense in commuting and transportation while improving opportunities for jobs, education, housing, and transportation. Living in cities permits individuals and families to take advantage of the opportunities of proximity, diversity, and marketplace competition.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DYNAMICS OF URBANIZATION IN TOWN PLANNING

SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
Socio economic is the study of the relationship between economic activity and social life. Some of the factors to establish this relationship are : Income Education Occupation Income Income refers to wages, salaries, profits, rents, and any flow of earnings received. Income can also come in the form of unemployment or workers compensation, social security, pensions, interests or dividends, royalties, trusts, alimony, or other governmental, public, or family financial assistance. Income can be looked at in two terms, relative and absolute. Education A persons educational attainment is considered to be the highest level (grade or degree) of education they have completed. Education also plays a role in income. Earnings increase with each level of education. Higher levels of education are associated with better economic and psychological outcomes (i.e.: more income, more control, and greater social support and networking).

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DYNAMICS OF URBANIZATION IN TOWN PLANNING

Occupation Occupational prestige includes both income and educational attainment. Occupational status reflects the educational attainment required to obtain the job and income levels that vary with different jobs and within ranks of occupations. It shows an achievement in skills required for the job. Occupational status measures social position by describing job characteristics, decision making ability and control, and psychological demands on the job. Occupation is the most difficult factor to measure because so many exist, and there are so many competing scales.

AN OVERVIEW Urbanization can be planned urbanization or organic. Planned urbanization, ie: planned community or the garden city movement, is based on an advance plan, which can be prepared for military, aesthetic, economic or urban design reasons. Examples can be seen in many ancient cities; although with exploration came the collision of nations, which meant that many invaded cities took on the desired planned characteristics of their occupiers. Many ancient organic cities experienced redevelopment for military and economic purposes, new roads carved through the cities, and new parcels of land were cordoned off serving various planned purposes giving cities distinctive geometric designs. UN agencies prefer to see urban infrastructure installed before urbanization occurs. Landscape planners are responsible for landscape infrastructure (public parks, sustainable urban drainage systems, greenways etc.) which can be planned before urbanization takes place, or afterward to revitalize an area and create greater livability within a region.