Better! Cities & Towns: 

The new incrementalism

Blog post by Howard Blackson on 22 Oct 2012

The latest design trend appears to be designing a place to be realized in very gradual stages. Not in terms of planning for phases of development pods, built-out in a predetermined sequence, but about individual lots changing — evolving — over time. Very rarely now are we designing to build immediately for a project’s absolute highest and best use or, as Nathan Norris calls it, its “climax condition.” This new incrementalism focuses on how lots change — how they’re built upon and reconfigured over time before, ahem, reaching their climax.

I see this slow urbanism as having three typologies, based on time, from less permanent to more permanent structures:

1. Blow-up architecture: A movable, removable or deflatable architecture that is the most temporary of any building type. While it may last too many years for its neighbors, the tent, mobile trailer, and inflatable jumpy are easily put up and removed with very little regard for site preparation, such as grading, and utilities beyond an extension cord. Portland, Oregon’s Mississippi Avenue Market Place is a favorite of John Anderson, of Anderson+Kim in Chico, California. Tom Weigle of TownMakers has built a successful business model around his temporary Market Hall project first set up in Hercules, California.”

Photo: Market Hall (Image courtesy of Tom Weigel)

“A 3D Play for Citizen Planning

Nate Berg. June 26, 2012

The city of Gothenburg, Sweden, has taken a novel approach to getting locals involved in the planning process. Instead of relying only on public meetings and design charrettes, the city has developed an interactive and photorealistic 3D map that residents can use to drop in suggestions and ideas for improving their city.

MinStad, or “MyCity,” is a localized version of Google Earth where residents can zoom in and around the city to identify places where better transit access is needed, or where additional housing should go, or even where a dilapidated building should be torn down. With a population of more than 500,000, Gothenburg is the second largest city in Sweden and it’s actively trying to get more of its citizens involved in thinking about how the city should evolve.

The map highlights 10 specific neighborhoods, though the entire metropolitan area is included. Categories include walk, public transport, sporting, living, cycling, work, swimming, eat, nature, preserve, culture, sunbathing, and tear down, and suggestions so far have run the gamut. More than 200 have already been added since the site went public at the end of May.”

Via: The Atlantic

Photo: MinStad