Cl I GREEN ISSUE #13 Cera Manet eas) ira ae) MSM ue amy aa Seas Ciao) Olea at ri eee oat anc ox = iti! EXPLORING CUGE CONNECTIONS ECOSYSTEMS, AND HUMAN HEALTH.COMMENTARY Planning Sustainability: The Evolution of Green Urbanism Test by Dean Salta Images as creditea A distinct and original cradle of civilisation, Indus Valley societies implemented systematic urban planning as manifested by orthogonal gridding and formal gateways into the city. Urban greening took the form of sophisticated infrastructural innovations in water management that served sanitation and human health. 6 itapnce Oreo ne nes may ele meter wn core tne Coney ara Sere Docgare fet nee 1 ts tage seco 2 tne of occ To ‘This commentary considers the evolution of urban planning fram the standpoint of “Green Urbanism.” It takes @ perspective that is archasological and cross-cultural, Nine sigificant episodes in graen planning history are described These episoces cover the period of 5000 years ago to the procont, and geographies that span ‘the globe. Thus, unlike most ether representations: (including the one pictured in Image 1) it casts widely across time and space. | close with 4 consideration of the relevance cf this historical and cross-cultural knowledge for dealing with the ‘challenges of 21*century city bulaing ‘A few caveats belore proceeding. Picking big moments in planning history is an inherently ‘subjective exercise. My choices ate geared to the Interests of CITYGREEN readers. | focus on people ‘and ideas that had broad influence and, far better |a physical impact on cities. My choices ‘Would be diferent tthe concern was for another kind of urbanism: for example, one that priortises social equity. My ist is of course inevitably partial There are many people and ideas to choose from when looking at the history of tne green, sustainable city. | present my selected pisces Chronslogicaly, but | use the term “evolution” loosely, Each opisode has a specific historical context. The nine episodes do not necessaily build on each other in ways that reflect a simple linear trajectory leading from sudimantary to the advancedew Giambatista Noli a practice prtayingentis ces oe [howosithowta ning foe point Bl 1903 et Ebenezer Howard D Howard want design an beara ted induril ties th a Erscentury.andiscation cntord as duets the bet cfs cty and fexniry ng exam ie Sectreta 0 to 100 wide ow 1 pring of eighiorioote woot evel 1th Eoin o Un Pini BOY rane onset ree— PICS fl 1982 et Frank Lloyd Wright Bran Uy Wet tc ihe prey Sion oro oi rhe ly a Iiengon an acre of town Theor deat wold ave cently oped eure rere feonrinonnd balding un noon His sdoalatee eaprearedin the dequeue peitcheusing prgecteinthe LS nthe ars Vaden ronal SD os tysch 4 These speroadh aloe gery to ane ensues npinoang eno StomneryenenceandiapatEP vs et Jean Gotan,commentaay Original Urbanism: Mohenjo-daro My history starts pretty close to the beginning of urbanisation with the Indus Valley (Pakistan land Western India) cles of 2300 BC. A distinct ion, Indus Valley societies implemented systamatic urban planning ‘85 manifested by orthogonal grding ane formal {gateways into the city, Urban greening took the form of sophisticated inrastivctual innovations in water management that served sanitaion and human health, Mohenjo-daro in Pakistan is an exempiar* Neary all houses contained bathing factities, and streets incorporated numerous welle and efaine Tho lattor moved wate out of the city va brick ined channe's. Water management also figured in the architecture of social and raligious Integration, Mohenjosdaro's central Citadel—an acropolis of rod brick—featured the Great Bath (see Image 2) that likely played a role in public cleansing «tale Thus, i¢ reasonable to regard Mohenio: ddaro as our oarlict example of the *Eco-City.” Certainly, its system of water management Is as historically significant as the 19° century ‘and original cradie of elvis inftastructurl improvements made in Pars under Baron Georges-Eugéne Haussmann—which | wil ‘laborate on belon-or in London under Joseph Bazelgetto. wnat 1¢ equally i not more striking |e that groon ursanism at Mohenjo-daro was accomplished under a system of civic governance that combined centralised authority—whase leaders are unknown to us—with strong ettizen autonomy st tne local neighbourhood level The latter produced @ more irregular, organic pattern of streets and passageways. The whole, however, was bound together by @ shared civic ethos.* Old Urbanism: Sennacherit’s Ninevah Ancient Mesopotamia was the birthplace of cites Urbanisation occurred here even earlier than the Indus Valley, beginning with Uruk at 3600 BC Growth wag largely organie for tne fist soveral millennia, as cities pulled people out of the countryside and into high-density concentrations in major rivar valleys. Formal planning occasionally broke out inthe form of walls, gates, processional ways, and well-ordered ceremanial precincts However, it is with much later Assyrian cites ‘governed by named rulere that we eae concerted Investmontsin ursan planning. The most compelling examples Ninevah under the reign of Sennacher, 704-681 BC. Gwendolyn Leick” suggested that Senmacherib’s “restless experimentation” with innovative technical solutions to urban problems ‘and his use of “Ylexible strategies” in urban {sign make him an unusual ruler and, for sur, ® pioneering wrbanist. At t run-down city, Sennacherib widened Ninevan’s public squares ana straightened her steeis ta orng in more light. He also undertook a programme of historic preservation, restoring clapidated tompl ta previous glory. Sennacherib's key green technological Innovation was the sophisticated hydraulic engineering works that brought watar ta the city from mountains 80 kilometres away va cansis ang gueducts. He expanded the amount of arable land around the city and built parks, orchard, and 12d marshes. Innovative water serewe brought water 10 higher levels, creating the “hanging gardens": trees suspended on terraces watered by fan aqueduct (see Image 3). These garden have long been things of legends, typically associates with the contemporary elly of Babylon, However Stephanie Dalley! made a compelling case for locating the Hanging Gardens in Nineveh These gardens almost cerlainly served funetons comparable to today’s “green roots" fitering dus, ‘absorbing CO,, and recucing heat, But Dalley noted that they also serves an ideological function: Ing “o-creaton of paradice, the Garden of Eden.” And most likely a politcal function: they publicly projected Sonnacherb's power in making the arid eser bloom, time a small andfee Get ah ne apr Sacra Stnesne, was by Eco-Social Urbanism: Jenné-jeno The ancient Egyptian city has iong been a focus of interest, especially Aknonaton’s imperial capital ‘of Amarna dating to 1340 86. On the other hang, Atria south ofthe Sahara hae always been a blind spot in global histories of cities and urbanisation, “The West African (Mal? city of Jenné-jena, dating to AD 400-800, is important and instiuciive as ‘an early example of an ecologically anc socially conscious urbanism, The Jennéjono urban communities distributed within a fourkilometre radius along the margins of the Niger River.” Its population totalled up to 40,000 people, ‘The mound centres appear ta have ban ethnically distinct but functonaly interdependent, guided by principles of specialised erat proguetion and the reciprocal excnange of goods and services within a generalisod economy. This made great ecological senge in a dynamic end unpredictable environment characterised by high inferannual varabilty in subsistence production. Unike Ancient Egypt, however, Janné-jeno lacked strong political etatfication, Evidence of dominating ruling class has never been found Instead, scholars believe that the Janné-jeno polity shared power horizontally between corporate groups. This i ellected by the clustared organisation of mound cenites, That ie, power was organised “neterarchically” rathor than hierarchically." it ie unikely that Jenne jana's unique “clustered cites" made! of urban polticl ‘economy ean be transferred wholesale to today. But the examole reiains some relevance for Imagining how eco-social interdependence might be better constructed within contemporary ches. complex consists ot mound-based Indeed, we might be seeing retectons of this «thos in the set organising qualities ofthe informal Urbanism" that characterises today's mega-cities ofthe Global South Baroque Urbanism: Haussmann’s Paris Baron Haussmann's 1853 and 1870 was precedent setting for its greening of tne ‘medieval cites of Europe. Working under Emperor Napoleon Il, Haussmann used baroque” planning principles—straight, tee-lined boulevard squares, parks, and terminating vistas tocused on public monuments and civic buiiinge (s00 Image 4). Like his anonymous predecessors at Mohenjo-daro, Haussmana’s pudie sanitation the renovation of Paris. between Georges. Eugene diagonals, fo open up the city 10 air and light works—subterranean pipes, sewers, and tunnels seived the cause of improved sanitation, fresh ‘water covery, andi human health. His emphasis ‘on “urban scenography"™ tuned the city Into @ site of visual spectacle, ‘conspicuous consumption. ‘And therein lies Haussmannisation.” royal display, and the flip side of His projects displaced poorer esident populations 0 outlying areas ‘and gentilied the urban core. Haussmann’s wide boulevards made it easier for authorities to quell civic unvest by quickly transporting armies to sites of social disturoance. Breaking popular fesistance to autocratic power might not have ‘been Haussmann’s fet priory, but such were the social effects of his work. There leno doubt about Haussmann’ international popularity. “Paris Envy spread among other European capitals, producing similar forms of urban renewal. inthe United States, the star architect Daniel Burnnam (*Make no litle Dlans: they have no power to str men’s blood") ‘e-imagined Chicago as “Paris on the Prairie.” New York's powerful planning czer Robert Moses studied Haussmann’s work and applied his tactics in ways that both greened and socialy segregated the city Working under Emperor Napoleon Ii, Haussmann used baroque planning principles—straight, tree-lined boulevards, diagonals, squares, parks, and terminating vistas focused on public monuments and civic buildings—to open up the city to air and light. ocommentary ANWING SU: Despite an admirable green sensibility, the Garden City concept remains an inducement to urban sprawl and in practice has trouble meeting its social diversity goals. Ebenezer Howard's Garden City Fichard Rogistor” identifed Ebonezer Howard's Garden Ciy"* as “the moment when the idea of the ‘ecocity appeared and was consciously, i paral ‘expressed and realisad." Howard's proposal was ‘irecty stimulated by the pollution, congestion and social dislocations of the industrial city It was also influenced by some time he spent fon 9 Nebraska homesteed." Howard sought to reunite people and nature, to hybridise “town and country.” Planning elements featured in his famous oncentic ring diagram (see Image 1) Included 2 cantial park, racial roads, single-amly nomes, neighdournoods, zoning for dit vast open space, and a greenbott Howard's model of the Garden City wat a powerful influence in first half of the 20" century spawning "New Town” movements in many countries. His influence faded after Warld War I, but mace 2 comeback in 1998 on the 300" anniversary of the original Garden Cy formulation through the work of Peter Hall and Colin Ward Their updating of Howard sought to reimagine cites that fufiled the Garden Ciy's foriginal aim to house @ diverse, mixed ineame, ‘ang seltsuticient chizeryy. A recent spacial issue ‘of the Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal Considers trese updated models a8 applied in Britain and the United States Dessite an admiabla Cereen sonsiily, the Garden City concept remain ‘an inducement to urban sprawl and in practice has {wouble meeting its social cversty goals * land uses, 70 Le Corbusier's Radiant City ‘The Swiss architect Le Corbusier drew on the twadlions of Haussmann and Howard to originate mat we know as “modern” urban planning in the late 1920 and 19908. Like Haussmann, Le Corbusier proposed opening up the city by eliminating sets in favour of broad arcrial roads and increasing parks and open space. Channeling Ebenezer Howard, he imagined an encircling band of Garden Chies on the urban periphery. His ely cantve would be vertical, distinguisned by superblocks containing tal glass-and stool towers In green setings. In some sense the entire city was conceptualised as one immense park. “Towers in the Park” would serve as “radiant prisms.” The RaglantCiy's crowds wouldve in peace and pure where nolge ie smothered under the folage of ‘eon trees." The influence of Le Corousier was considerable in the renewal of American cities Jn the last half of the 20° century. But the overall ctfest was not quite as intended, In the hands of hig follow modernists, Towers in the Park framed esolate, windswept, and alienating spaces. Diverse neighbourhoods gave way to expressways land residential segregation by race and class. Le Corbusier was thus vilified for killing the city (urbicide"), but the Radiant City concept Ccantiwies to have resananes today. The approach Is mirored In the planning of ecovcties In China and elsewhere; 0.9., Tianjin Eoo-City:* And Anthony Flint argued that we can stil loam from Le Corousiers commitment to (1) comorehensive long range planning where it comes to open space ‘and infrastructure and (2) pioneering thinking ‘about afficient nousing design (Fig. 5).35: Ty > tea od athe primary challenge for 21* century Green Urbanism is to better connect environmental and social justice goals; to unite the sustainability conversation with the equity conversation, 2 Frank Lloyd Wright's Broadacre City Like Le Corbusier, the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright was inspired by Howard's Garden City. But Wright radically decented it Instead of bulleing up, he proposed bulcing ou. expanding across the landscape. Brosdacre City lacked conventional centre he ety was nowhere, yet everywhere.” It grew out ofthe landscape, with fn organic aehitecture that exoreased the local environment and responded to the local climate Wright's famous “Usonian” houses employed ative materials, natural ight, ang passive solar heating. Farm and function wore united ae ono” Broadacre City received immense exposure in the American popular press during the 1990s. It had speci appeal because it comported wth fan American ideology of rugged invisualism and an emerging motorear culture that casted cilzens ever outward in search of prosperity Thus, suburban sprawi must be counted as part of Broadacre's legacy (see image 1). We've also seen a prolilration of the building types associated with Broadacre: low, hotizantal ranch houses, mobile homes, roadside markets, dive- through resiauranis, ana = ‘These abundant artetacte of Broadacre continue to bedsvil urban planners seeking & genuinely areen end sustainable urbanism. suburban mi North American New Urbanism New Uroanism and its progeny—emart grown, Iransit-orented development-—emerges in the 19005 to reintroduce traditional town planning in the Unite States, using both Garden and Brosdacte City principles. New Urbanism broke with Broadacre in calling for clear town centres land edges. But it argued, with Wright, that larehitecture ang landseape design should grow ‘tom local history, climate, and building practices The Charter for the New Urbanism” urges compact, mixed-use centres, walkebilty, human sealed buldings, treelined streets, and adequate freen space. lis ecological approach seeks to harmonise neighbourhood and ragion, Andres ‘Duany’s urban to rural transect is New Urbaniam’s signature image (see Image 1) New Urbanism has been ¢ commercial success in the United States, country’s default setting for urban renewal anc regeneration. However, it has alsa been a victim fof i own success, Critiques of New Urbanism fare abound: it can be reasonably argued that New Urbanism repackages the basic principles of Old Urbanism as exempled by citles like Ninevat”® land is the It does not always remedy automobile use or serve the cause of walkablity. ts nostalgia fr traitional town planning risks ossitying into something that sites creativity and innovation.» And while itis ‘committed to green principles, it nae not Seen ctfective in accommodating ethnic or income diversity or reducing socio-economic segregation in American cies” South American Social Urbanism My last episode is perhaps the most relevant fone for guiding efforts going forward. tt draws fon the historically neglected Global South and is ‘exemplified by the cites of Curitiba, Bogoté, and Modellin. Here, charismatic mayors drove targeted, experiment that served both the environment and society Jn Curtibs, Jaime Lemer created parkland to Contra! local flooding, planted milions of tres, ‘and recycled just about everything.” His Bus Fapid Transit system, wth iis stylish stations, \estigmatised bus travel so that more people would use publi transportation. Enrique Penlosa Sid the same for Bogota, paling his Teanemilenio bus eystem with one of the most extensive networks of bioycle lanes in the word. In Medlin, Sergio Fajardo built iconic libraries in parks [see Imago 8) and expanded the Metra cabie car system to connect the poorest areas of the ety to All three mayors exemplify experimental tloxibe, “top-down activism" in the tradition of Sennacherb, but without the autacratle ambitions Stil, Social Urbanism has not been an unalloyed ‘success. Bus systems can be overcrowdet tratic and congestion are sill present, people have ‘boon cisplaced, and gaps between rich and poor romsin. But the principles and strategies of Social Urbanism stil have promise: replacing the “big plans" of Haussmann, Burnham and Le Corbusier With small urban projects, and using “urean Acupuncture” to produce interventions in the built ‘environment that generate greater social equity and prosperity Interventions. inthe urban fabricConclusion and Prospectus My commentary coes not directly adaress foday’'s developing tradition of "eco-urbanism. But it Ic evident trom this history that Eeo or Goon Urbanism has ancient, cross-cultural rots, Injrastuctural development at Mohenjoucaro resages what we see in 19" century Paris and London. Sennacherio anticipates Haussmann, Le Corbusier, and the South American mayors wino implemented strategies and mathods of Social Urbanism, Jonné-jano's leaders, located off the fof tracitional urban studies, integrated ecologleal and social concemne into 8 single, distinctive brand of urbanism, Today's Now Urpanism largely replicates what we see Jn Old Urbanism, Of tho better-known people in my history, Ebenezer Howard is being revived, Le Corbusier is still boing channelled, ang Frank Lioyd Wright continuas to cast along shadow ver the art of aulding organically. radar "Ey a, Te Enon of Un Panmeg in Daye ate ape 218, oown ye omeriy20121/ ‘eluant gang.) ai ert drm, ocr wate Magen “Tons ot Powe Geniooral st 200) 15, "Charest Dan ran rect, Peres ae aio ei 124, CITYGREEN #19 Thus, there are significant lessons tom the past that can inform planning for today’s green, sustainable city. The past is a 6eep repository of Feterence pains for considering the do's and don'ts ‘of contemporary urbanism. For me, the primary challonge for 21 century Green Ursanism Is to Dotter connect environmental and social justice ‘goals: to unite the sustainably conversation with the equity conversation, This ie a disconnect in many current versions of Eeourbaniem.” In eo ‘dong we should rethink the urban governance ‘madels that can bring us to an effective integration. We might be guided by the wisdom of the Civic leaders throughout history who exercised enlightened, top-down activism, shared planning power across corporate groups and coalitions, and ‘supported Bottom-up intiatves for change, © ace enum Oram Oe Sv Urner least Sas he rd rk spec, 2016), "rr Ud Wah Boar Cy: Now Camryn Acct ced 7 fejod ees Wor” acess Aum’ Doty Te Petia Eanory ot fea) 8020. 5.2016, hs/thrhutnrpZDi9OT1€” le Spice" Lew andN Smet. "Was Gah, Dem Ce: Sven tn scepter Toe Poles of eSpace Mw eR, eet Shae ihe i ener Sade Ganum, Beam Ces Seen ten Rowe, 208). Hatin 2096 as at Shae Wo ea Rha gst, Ec: Chart Hon Ute scene peat, 2018) ‘Cy Ps Mes Gin ating Ces face ith ate (Gar sa BE Cand Scety Aug 7.201, es: cn a ‘Gantry Pspciearam MO: Pans, 208, ‘Pao, ane: ‘area, 2002, "Eso Howat, Gt Geof The Digs oa Th Paring Ree 98 ‘Maria Sit, The cael of Tanorow Gowers Somenscran 860, O00) 48. Soames Jara Aetabpea) is 152) ‘ate Gan, ra Ce Ser tan fee 1606 3-12. "idem, Cam Ces: Sven nes hat Spee Ho ew Yr "nde Tne rat secs €8 (2013) 2632 "Gyno te espa Ton 21 9 ow gu, ‘Sephari Due An Meson ars ee rear he agg Geno Spe sted Gren ny 9s 1 try Ke, To Cy Aan ans a Arana ars ese en Thame Ha, 201), "posers nt Mao ger Liter are enon Lanes hen Cai ety ess 5 “Tha chug Se Steno ‘esa thes Cou yaces S e2 ‘area eseay'& Crea onion (Georgy ova, 20 "aslo, le Ces: ees Lat ‘ono: Yeo, 201 "Speaks Ie Gy Shape tae Pras an Weaegs Doo sry (adn: Trane rs ton, 19. one ‘eas at Sap he Mn len "Pr nf Cln Wag Soke Cs. Te te Cnty eta of te Sat ey Lena ery a Sen, 988) "an Sati ie ase don ‘eae, “arenes, Stein Rare ane Stconale nan avtopret | be mete Wt ro Un Fac an arenal9 218) 172 ‘ye Stat Fem arte co Uta. he Ot Suetrable Heahbraee veopret” Susnae snd Scat 202018) 118 ‘ects: The Ca anare ote Pig ew oe Pasa 152) coc? Aa taugnte Se Shag Tai e-Gy De 98 agecas, 2018, ype Shar em ae C8 19 Eco. TheOtetforSustrale Nespemooe Dome Stade (ie ag Sonny 20 (2016) 18 ‘Nisanlebork, face! Oe Aes str {sen 204). ‘Rew Ret, Enter: Abn Chis nas win Rare abla Cans aca atehr 208). isin cu, Rae Ces ees {ito snes Seen a iw ct, (does: ves, 201 sje Sar om ce Cy co-Ut Te Oeste Nagreotoed Dnaepet”Susaradie sae Soe 20216 16, oy Fs “Te aoe Bete tek Le Coase secre agus, 206 pen th care escnaita eats ui brat cau 43 8