Urban[sch]isms

4. Local material intelligence

If a new urban and design strategy is taking into account local material intelligence [Img. 01] it is more likely to be adopted and useful in a specific instance.

It is necessary to recognize current pattern of urbanization and define characteristic elements that drive current growth and urbanization.

By recognizing and understanding the key growth and formation processes we should be able to reformulate them in a way that they would be still autochthonous but would generate much better defined and structured fabric.

The first task therefore is to recognize key spatial elements; enhance and redeploy them as an integral part of a new urban strategy.

On the basis of current growth model we can begin to understand what kind of processes are at play in these peri-urban areas.

4.1. Growth model [Img. 02]

1.: Agrarian condition, pure agricultural production.

2.: New infrastructure is superimposed. It evades the existing villages. Industries start to attach.

3.: Villages grow toward the new infrastructure accommodating new low-end housing.

4.: Industries grow along the new infrastructure.

5.: Mid-end housing also develops along the new infrastructure sometimes replacing industry.

6.: Urbanization works on a basis of development of monofunctional areas.
There are no mechanisms in place that would enable development on smaller scale with better resolution.

4.2. Spatial proximities and adjacencies [Img. 03]

One of the more intriguing spatial features is proximity of different fabric organizations and their adjacent condition.

The unplanned development and interlocking character of fabric gave rise to a unique spatial condition, mixing together dwelling, industry and agriculture.

Certain close spatial relation between production sectors can be observed, very different from western ‘separational’ logic. This indicates that there is a way of making industrial and agrarian areas part of the new urban experience.

4.3. Production - dwelling separation [Img. 04]

There is a strong separation into industrial areas and dwelling areas.

Industry accumulates along infrastructural grid. It starts as a corridor and usually develops into monofunctional areas. This also pushes out agriculture that starts to decrease.

Dwelling ecology develops in between the industrial production corridors, spawning from existing villages. This, more loosely connected configuration, could be seen as a local dwelling system.

4.4.Regional corridor vs. local corridor

[Img. 05] On the basis of the fabric organization we can define two types of spatial morphology.

First, called the regional corridor accounts for freight transport and regional connections. It accumulates mainly production - industries, sometimes also linear mid-end housing. Elements are organized adjacently to the corridor.

Second, called the local corridor accounts for all the non-production activity and dwelling. Although badly connected it could be understood as a local armature for daily purposes. Elements are organized sequentially along the corridor.

[Img. 06] Corridors account for the differentiation between production and dwelling. When they intersect they tend to develop new organizations that usually account for rudimentary services and can be seen as beginnings of ‘urbanity’.

This mixing condition areas can be understood as nodes where both corridors can connect. Furthermore, they can be used as nodal elements through which both systems could be controlled simultaneously.

Int his way a mixing condition designed as a node can be redeployed as growth control mechanism of new corridors.

4.5. Local corridor

4.5.1. General [Img. 07]

Local corridor is a loosely connected ecology comprised of different parts. More distinct elements are: old villages, new ‘checker’ low-end housing, allotments, fish farms and rice paddies.The ecology has a strong directionality.

The continuity has moments of intermittence where different parts of ecology come together. Elements of intermittence work as intermediary parts that enable the ecology to connect different segments.

There is an infrastructural spine that is loosely stitching the elements into this local ecology. If this infrastructure is enhanced can function as local infrastructural network.

4.5.2. Intermediary parts [Img. 08]

The intermediary parts can sometimes be badly defined - they becomes a residue space of urbanization. In other occasions they are ponds or even rudimentary tertiary sector (primary school).

They only bring together similar elements - different typologies of housing. The area stays completely monofunctional.

If we would like to use this principle for construction of mixing nodes, the elements that come together should be much smaller, varied and more interconnected, to account for finer grain and resolution of space.

4.6. Regional corridor

4.6.1. General [Img. 09]

The principles of local growth patterns and organization of the dwelling ecology into sequential segments were adopted for the general strategy of the new urban development and creation of the new corridors.

For definition of the new mixing nodes that control these new corridor strategy, further exploration into local material intelligence is conducted.

Regional corridor tends to develop into monofunctional areas. It pushes any kind of other organization out.

The elements are adjacently organized and connected to the infrastructure.

4.6.2. Cluster organizations

[Img. 10] The prevailing organization is clustered enclosed organization of different parts.

[Img. 11] Although being enclosed and monofunctional, clusters are good organizations in ways how they bring together different parts and organize them around common open space. This is creating dense, varied and above all highly adaptable organization that can accommodate change easily.

Because of its compact size, grain and adaptability, clusters could be reused as organizational principle for the new mixing nodes.

4.6.3. Permeability of the clusters

Reusing industrial cluster means reusing the organizational principles and not the program.

[Img. 12] New clusters have to resolve the permeability and disconnection issue, to be able to connect and therefore create more varied organizations.

[Img. 11] Current cluster organizations do not engage the surrounding fabric and work as individual cells, resulting also in the grid intermittence.

[Img. 13] By changing the permeability of clusters and their orientation, the disconnected network could be reconnected and better organization of areas could be envisioned.

[Img. 13] The permeability would enable much more varied and interconnected environment where parts of different production sectors create ‘urban environment’ together whit housing and services.