Urban Designer Answers More City Planning Questions | Tech Support | WIRED

City Planning Support Rd. 2 (0s)

• Alexandros Washburn is a former Chief Urban Designer of New York City. (0s)
• He is answering questions from the internet in this segment. (4s)
• The segment is titled "City Planning Support" and is hosted by Mary Morris Marti. (5s)

How to accommodate electric bikes in cities (15s)

• Electric bikes merit their own on-street travel lanes due to their speed and weight, which differentiates them from pedal bicycles (16s).
• Electric bikes are the fastest-growing form of transportation, but their speed and weight also pose a risk to pedestrians, necessitating a separate accommodation (25s).
• A potential solution could be a third level of infrastructure, separate from pedestrian and bike lanes, to allow electric bikes to move at their desired speed (39s).
• Another idea is to create a miniature interstate system with ramps and flyovers, similar to those used for cars, but on a smaller scale for electric bikes (43s).
• The integration of electric bikes into city infrastructure requires thinking outside the box and exploring innovative solutions to stitch the city back together (1m0s).
• The question of how to accommodate electric bikes in cities is raised by Patrick Troger, prompting a discussion on potential solutions (1m2s).

Gentrification (1m5s)

• Gentrification is the process in a city where existing residents are displaced by wealthier individuals moving into their neighborhood, a phenomenon that has been occurring for as long as people have lived in cities (1m5s).
• Typically, renters are the ones who get displaced, while homeowners either stay and enjoy the improved neighborhood or sell their property for a profit (1m20s).
• To mitigate the displacement aspect of gentrification, it's essential to build more housing, which often requires increased density, a concept that many people are initially hesitant about (1m46s).
• However, if done correctly, density can be beneficial, as seen in cities like Singapore, where old and new buildings are integrated to maintain street life and promote diversity (1m52s).
• The ideal solution to gentrification involves creating cities with diverse populations, where people of all economic backgrounds can coexist in the same neighborhood (2m9s).
• According to Aaron Lubeck, more than 75% of every city has not solved the gentrification problem, making it a challenging issue to address (2m26s).

Living in the sprawl (2m29s)

• A significant portion of urban planning, architecture, and landscape architecture programs should focus on sprawl repair, as most people live in suburban sprawl, with the ideal goal of transforming it into the 15-minute city concept, similar to what is seen in Paris (2m29s).
• Sprawl is defined as expansion without thought, and changing this requires retrofitting car-centric environments to make them economically viable and functional, while also incorporating mixed-use spaces (2m42s).
• Old, disused malls can be repurposed into mixed-use areas, featuring housing, streets, and other amenities, as seen in some newer developments, such as the Esplanad at Aventura in Miami (3m0s).
• The Esplanad at Aventura in Miami is an example of a brand-new, pretend street created within a shopping mall, designed to be a pleasant walking space, rather than a functional street for transportation (3m13s).
• However, even in well-designed spaces like the Esplanad, issues such as excessive music from individual stores can detract from the overall experience (3m31s).
• Addressing urban sprawl may also involve finding solutions to related problems, such as excessive noise pollution from music in public spaces (3m35s).

Can urban planning reduce crime? (3m43s)

• Urban planning can neither reduce nor prevent crime, as it has been attempted numerous times in the past (3m44s).
• A past approach to preventing urban crime involved removing columns from buildings and replacing them with overhangs to prevent individuals from hiding behind the columns (3m50s).
• Architecture is not considered the cause or solution to urban crime (4m2s).

Booooring (4m8s)

• The Boring Company's idea of building single-lane tunnels to solve traffic issues sounds like a money-laundering scheme, as it doesn't seem to be an effective solution to the problem (4m8s).
• The company's tunnels are designed to transport people rapidly from point to point, but this approach is seen as cheating in urban design because it only connects two points, similar to a subway train (4m14s).
• There is speculation that the Boring Company is preparing for a future form of rapid transit, which could be self-driving car trains that combine the speed of electric trains with the ease of cars (4m27s).
• These self-driving car trains would allow users to type in their destination, merge with other cars, and travel quickly along a route before splitting off to reach individual destinations (4m33s).
• This concept combines the speed of electric trains with the convenience of cars, offering a potential future solution for rapid transit (4m48s).

Trees (4m58s)

• Trees are considered one of the greatest things that can happen to a city, as every tree provides oxygen for between two and five people (4m59s).
• A tree-lined street can be 10° cooler than a street without trees, making trees wonderful natural machines that improve every aspect of city living (5m9s).
• Trees can be thought of as natural machines that make every aspect of living in a city better, providing benefits such as shade and oxygen (5m15s).
• There are examples of city planning that did not use trees, such as in 18th century Nordic cities, which featured well-planned architecture but lacked trees in the streets (5m25s).
• The lack of trees in these cities can be attributed to the fact that 95% of the population lived in rural areas at the time, and it wasn't until cities grew that the importance of trees was realized (5m36s).
• Cities such as London and New York have since incorporated trees into their planning, with London seeing a significant increase in tree planting over the past 40 years (5m44s).

If you build it will they come? (5m51s)

• Most cities took centuries to build, and it is rare for a city to be built before people start living there in a particular manner (5m51s).
• China has attempted to build cities before they are populated, resulting in the creation of "ghost cities," which has led to a collapse in the country's real estate industry (5m58s).
• China experienced the greatest urbanization spurt the world has ever seen over the last generation, which may have led to an overshoot in city development (6m2s).
• The fundamental answer to whether a city can be built in anticipation of its citizens is no, as citizens play a crucial role in building and shaping a city (6m13s).
• Cities are not static entities, but rather living organisms that change and grow over time, with the best cities being shaped by the people who want to make them better (6m30s).
• The growth and development of a city are often driven by the vision and efforts of its citizens, who work to make their city a better place (6m38s).

The future of public transportation (6m42s)

• The distinction between public transportation, such as a public train, and private transportation, like a private car, is expected to change in the future (6m43s).
• Cars will likely be shared, come in different forms, and be smaller, with a focus on self-parking rather than self-driving capabilities (6m54s).
• The immediate future of transportation may involve self-driving cars that can park themselves, allowing users to enjoy their destination without worrying about parking (7m1s).
• This shift in transportation technology could significantly impact urban spatial planning, as the need to build parking spaces near popular destinations may be reduced (7m15s).
• The reduced need for parking could allow for more efficient use of space in cities, as cars would be able to park themselves in designated areas (7m20s).
• The Big Dig, a major infrastructure project, is considered worth it 20 years on (7m24s).

The Big Dig was a Big Dub (7m25s)

• The Big Dig was a successful urban planning project in Boston that involved putting a highway underground in a tunnel to reduce the negative impact on neighborhoods (7m27s).
• The city of Boston was originally planned in the 17th century, but in the 20th century, transportation planners built giant highways and interstates that cut across the city and disrupted its neighborhoods (7m33s).
• The idea for the Big Dig emerged in the later part of the 20th century, with the goal of taking the highway that was cutting Boston in two and putting it underground (7m46s).
• The Big Dig has been successful in reducing the negative impact of the highway on the city, and has allowed for the creation of new parks, streets, and urban growth in the area (8m2s).
• The project has also enabled the city to heal and repair the damage caused by the original highway, turning what was once a scar into a positive feature of the city (8m11s).
• The success of the Big Dig suggests that similar projects could be beneficial in other cities (8m19s).

Sustainable cities (8m24s)

• A sustainable city is about survival, and its concept is viewed through the lens of the risk equation, which is the multiplication of probability and consequences, to assess the likelihood and potential impact of adverse events on the city (8m33s).
• The risk equation considers two main factors: the probability of something bad happening to the city and the consequences of such an event, including the extent of the city that would be affected (8m38s).
• A sustainable city must be a resilient city, capable of surviving before it can thrive, particularly in the face of increasing weather events hitting cities worldwide (8m52s).

Why do taxpayers subsidize stadiums? (8m59s)

• Taxpayers subsidize stadiums to increase business in a city, which in turn increases taxes, by attracting large crowds and generating growth in the surrounding area (9m4s).
• A stadium can be an effective investment if it is located in a downtown area that needs an upgrade, allowing it to attract 20-30,000 people 200 nights a year and stimulate local economic growth (9m14s).
• The success of a stadium as an investment depends on its location, with downtown areas being more beneficial than isolated locations surrounded by large parking lots (9m50s).
• A stadium's potential for economic growth is maximized when it is situated in a neighborhood where people can build shops and restaurants, rather than being isolated (9m38s).
• The number of days a stadium is used per year also affects its value as an investment, with stadiums used frequently being more beneficial than those used only a few times a year (9m32s).
• Cities should carefully consider the location and potential economic impact of a stadium before investing taxpayer money in its construction (9m52s).
• Washington DC is cited as an example of a city that successfully used a stadium to revitalize its downtown area and stimulate economic growth (9m25s).

Hyperloop/Maglev (9m59s)

• The concept of the Hyperloop is not new, but rather the current incarnation of magnetic levitation transportation, also known as Maglev. (10m2s)
• A Hyperloop is a train that travels in a vacuum tube on a magnetic cushion, but its long-term viability is uncertain. (10m9s)
• Magnetic levitation can achieve high speeds with smooth rides and low energy consumption per person. (10m24s)
• The only functioning Maglev system is in Shanghai, connecting the airport to a downtown subway stop, reaching speeds of 300 km/h with minimal perceived motion. (10m35s)
• The combination of local stopping ability and high speeds makes Maglev a powerful tool for linking cities together. (10m52s)

Concrete was a poor choice (11m2s)

• Many rivers worldwide have been lined with concrete for flood control, but this approach has been criticized as a poor choice (11m3s).
• The idea of using concrete for flood control is a legacy of the 1950s "orgy of hard engineering" that prioritized hard infrastructure over more natural and sustainable solutions (11m17s).
• A project is underway to transform one such river into a more park-like corridor, which is seen as a positive development (11m24s).
• Unfortunately, the design of this river, which features a concrete lining, has been replicated in many other cities around the world, including Athens, Greece, where the Ilissos River was turned into a concrete ditch (11m31s).
• In Athens, a highway was also built on top of the Ilissos River, further degrading the area (11m42s).
• A more effective approach to flood control is to leave room for the water to flood, as seen in the concept of a "sponge city" in China, where parks and green spaces are designed to absorb and manage floodwaters (11m52s).
• This approach is also being explored in Brazil, where recent floods have prompted the development of innovative solutions for managing floodwaters and creating parks that can temporarily flood (11m56s).
• Parks can play a crucial role in flood control by providing a safe space for water to flood, and then draining back down, making them a valuable component of urban design (12m2s).
• Rather than lining rivers with concrete, cities should prioritize creating park systems that can both manage floodwaters and provide recreational spaces for residents (12m11s).

Windmills on every building (12m23s)

• Buildings cannot effectively utilize wind gauges or spinning road signs as windmills to generate power, but a combination of these and solar power could be considered (12m23s).
• The idea of using windmills or turbines on top of buildings to generate power was explored, with the goal of changing zoning restrictions and regulations to promote buildings generating their own power (12m35s).
• The concept of urban turbines was investigated, but public outreach revealed that the main issue with placing spinning windmills on top of buildings is the noise they produce, resulting in squeaky sounds (12m51s).
• As a result, there was limited enthusiasm for windmills at the scale of individual buildings (13m0s).

Superblocks/Tartan Grid (13m8s)

• Barcelona has implemented "super blocks" where streets are combined to reduce division between blocks, and some streets are turned into housing with bike lanes and pedestrian access (13m9s).
• The concept of "super blocks" in Barcelona is an example of innovative urbanism, where the city has decided to bring blocks together to reduce street divisions (13m22s).
• An alternative idea is the "Tartan grid," a grid system where each street has a different mix of car lanes, bike lanes, and pedestrian paths, similar to the plaid pattern on Scottish kilts (13m42s).
• In the Tartan grid system, one street might have narrow car lanes and large bike lanes and pedestrian paths, while the next street over has a different mix, such as a lane for electric bikes (13m54s).
• The Tartan grid system would allow for different transportation balances, giving users a choice of experience while still benefiting from the network of a grid system (14m15s).
• The benefits of the Tartan grid system include allowing truck drivers to use car-friendly streets, bicyclists to use bike-friendly streets, and pedestrians to use pedestrian-friendly streets, all while generally going to the same place (14m19s).

Looks familiar! (14m40s)

• Many countries have buildings that look similar, but this is not due to hiring the same designer, engineer, or architect, as they often follow the same code, known as the International Building Code (14m47s).
• The International Building Code forces buildings to have a similar design, with one example being a code provision that states operable windows are not necessary in commercial or office buildings (14m55s).
• This code provision has led to the widespread construction of glass towers, which is part of a long-standing movement that began with the modernists in the 1920s to impose a single way of building everywhere (15m7s).
• This movement is not favored, as it is believed that places should look different and reflect their unique character, especially as new buildings are constructed and the area grows (15m12s).
• To achieve this, it is necessary to examine and potentially modify the existing codes, rather than simply hiring a new architect (15m25s).

Can a city reach capacity? (15m31s)

• A metropolitan city reaching a reasonable capacity can be considered an acceptable thing, a question that humanity has been trying to answer since the beginning of civilization (15m38s).
• Historical examples of large cities include Rome, which had a population of one million people and still wanted to grow, and Tokyo, which is currently the world's largest city with 30 million people (15m47s).
• Despite the large sizes of cities like Tokyo, there may be limits to a city's growth, but these limits are more related to the neighborhood scale rather than the city scale (15m54s).
• The key to creating a great city is determining the largest size that a neighborhood can be while remaining viable and pleasant, and then combining these neighborhoods effectively (16m6s).
• The concept of a city's capacity is also related to how neighborhoods can be "stitched" together to form a cohesive and functional urban environment (16m10s).

Favelas (16m14s)

• Favelas are areas, such as those found in Brazil, that are haphazardly built and not fully integrated into the city, but they are still a part of the city with their own form of organization (16m18s).
• Many people view favelas as places of crime to be avoided, but this perspective is not entirely accurate (16m26s).
• Favelas can be seen as one end of the urban spectrum, with the other end being a more affluent area, such as a fancy shopping street (16m38s).
• São Paulo is an example of a city with both large and sophisticated favelas and upscale streets, but there is limited interaction between people from these different areas (16m47s).
• Increased interaction between people from favelas and those from more affluent areas could help build social trust and promote a greater understanding that cities can have diverse appearances while still being cohesive (17m2s).

please bro, just one more parking lot (17m12s)

• A significant portion of downtown Detroit, approximately a third, is dedicated to parking, which is often seen as a solution to urban problems, but adding just one more parking lot is unlikely to fix the issues (17m12s).
• In the 1950s, many American cities were walkable, but the trend shifted towards tearing down buildings and constructing parking lots, which had a devastating impact on urban landscapes (17m18s).
• The decline of downtown Detroit can be attributed to a combination of factors, including people moving to the suburbs and policies aimed at redeveloping the area, which led to the demolition of buildings and the construction of parking lots (17m35s).
• The government played a role in encouraging the demolition of buildings through tax codes, with the hope of revitalizing the area, but this effort was largely unsuccessful, as seen in the case of the Renaissance Center in Detroit (17m46s).
• Despite its challenges, Detroit has made significant progress in recent years, but its success is not due to the presence of parking lots, rather it is attributed to the influx of young people with a vision for the city's future (18m5s).
• The story of Detroit's resilience serves as an example of the ability of cities to recover and thrive, even in the face of significant challenges (18m15s).

NYC housing costs (18m22s)

• New York City has been experiencing a housing crisis for a very long time, with rising costs making it expensive to live there, a problem that has persisted since at least the 1920s (18m28s).
• Various solutions have been attempted to address the issue, including building public housing at a large scale, such as the housing blocks built during Robert Moses' time, and expanding into new neighborhoods (18m38s).
• Despite these efforts, the rent remains too high for each generation, and it seems to be a problem that is part of New York's growth (18m50s).
• Every year, hundreds of thousands of people move to New York City in search of their dreams, while around 100,000 people leave the city, having had enough, which is actually a healthy dynamic for a city if it can continue growing (18m59s).
• New York City has historically had other problems that have been solved, such as the crisis of 1910, which was caused by an excessive amount of horse manure in the city, giving hope that the current housing crisis can also be addressed (19m17s).

Congestion pricing (19m25s)

• Congestion pricing was a crucial part of a plan to generate revenue needed to fix the subways and fund various necessary transit projects (19m27s).
• Congestion pricing has been successfully implemented in several Nordic cities and in London, which is the closest example in terms of scale (19m35s).
• The concept of congestion pricing is based on making cars pay a fairer share of the overall transportation costs (19m42s).
• Despite investing in the necessary infrastructure, the congestion pricing plan was ultimately not implemented (19m51s).

Hall of Fame: Brasilia (19m58s)

• Brasilia, the new capital of Brazil, is considered a failed experiment in urban planning history, built in the 1950s as a monument to its architects' sense of self, rather than a functional city for its inhabitants (19m59s).
• The city is designed to be seen from the sky and photographed, making it difficult to navigate on foot, with its layout being an impossibility to walk (20m15s).
• Despite being the capital of Brazil, Brasilia has become a wretched city to get around, with its design prioritizing aesthetics over functionality (20m25s).
• Over time, the city has filled up with people, and growth has occurred around it, resulting in the development of edge cities that are vastly different from Brasilia (20m33s).
• The edge cities surrounding Brasilia are built in a way that reflects the kinds of places people would rather live in, highlighting the failed experiment of Brasilia's image-making approach to urban planning (20m42s).
• Brasilia stands as a failed experiment in urban planning, with its design not meeting the needs of its inhabitants, and instead serving as a monument to its architects' vision (20m46s).

Running out of water (20m55s)

• A city cannot survive without water, making it the single most important resource for a city to become livable, and authorities must do everything they can to provide a water supply (21m0s).
• New York City has a third water tunnel under construction and an enormous Upstate Network to gather water and provide for it, which has been worked on diligently for over a century (21m11s).
• São Paulo recently faced a difficult choice during a drought when their reservoirs were drained due to using water to create electricity, forcing them to decide between turning off the lights or turning off the tap (21m22s).