The second state of development occurs on the site of Land purchase and
survey, if not accomplished before is the first task. Together with this
comes the detailed plans made in the first stage for the specific site.
From the outset,
construction techniques must be employed which create as little impact on
the natural ecology as possible. To monitor this one of the priorities of
construction shall be an institute of environmental studies whose aim will
be the evaluation of the impact of the developing city and the attempt to
set it in balance with its surroundings. Along with this will be advanced
hydroponics greenhouses plus dairy and poultry farming.
As the community grows, the programs developed in the research stage shall
be initiated and slowly adjusted according to the needs and responses of the
community. The goals of this stage shall be to become self-sufficient in
basic necessities; to place a continual monitor on all experimental
programs; to establish directions and limits of the growth of the city; to
plan the details of the next area of growth; to continue information
coordination, including information inputs received directly from
experiments.
The length of time
for this stage. will be. generally outlined in the research and planning
stage, but will depend largely on the speed and course of development of the
module itself. When the module has reached a full integration of its new
programs and technologies with an environment in dynamic equilibrium, growth
of the city may continue.
1.) The
Human Experience of the Module
The main component of the urban system
- the street - is the. vehicle where the vitality of the EUM is expressed
through people and where people can constantly recreate and experience
(live) that community. Therefore the streets must be planned mainly for the
circulation and communication of the walking person.
2.) The
Meeting Places and Plazas
With the streets the plazas will be the
other important component of human recreation of the urban space They will
represent in space a larger area of occupation, one turned towards a centre
or pole of; attraction In time they will correspond to slower flows of the
citizens traffic and to an increase of spatial participation, communication
and presence of people. Around the plazas will be located community centres
and activities, the landmarks of the city, and the foci of social
expression. The plaza in itself can be a monumental space in the sense that
it will be the necessary medium to carry forth sets of recollections and
experiences.
3.) Heights
In order to give economy of energy by
eliminating unnecessary mechanical lifts, and to consider psychological and
spatial benefits of the closeness of people to the earth while maintaining
above average density of 50-100 persons per acre, we would not plan to build
higher than four stories.
4.)
The Clustered, Terraced, Built-In-Spaces
Fundamentally but
not exclusively the dwellings in this module will be clustered in various
degrees of privacy not directly situated over the urban network of
communication (streets, plazas) . They will contain a number of community
facilities and most important, contain a certain variety of other activities
of a creative and productive type (such as cottage industries and crafts)
and some services.
5.)
The Climate Protection Devices
In projecting to build for extreme
climatic conditions within a low level of energy expenditure while
attempting to maintain a high, enjoyable use of urban space, the local
climatization : these areas has to be considered. Winter snows can he
eliminated where they are undesirable by a judicious coverage of the space
with a system of retractable structures. These structures, also giving
protection from rain, could be withdrawn in fair weather. Such a system is
not very advanced at present, yet is indeed one of our basic requirements,
and would save the city economy considerable expenses of snow removal and
pedestrian ice injuries, etc.
6.) The Easy
Access and Closeness to Green spaces and Parks
While such a city
will have to achieve a symbiotic relationship with the natural environment
from where it springs. it will, as well, have to contain within itself a
full gradation of human treated natural spaces, from enclosed winter gardens
to arboretum and other gardens for personal use.
7.)
The Association of International Life-Styles
In Borealis we would intend from the
outset that experimental steps include a full sample of a composite social
group unified only by their willingness to try out through social
interaction alternatives to their present ways of life. The stress will not
be on conventional economics but on the mutual discovery of man.
8.) The
Transportation System
When the city will start
growing, a coherent system of transportation will have to be started of
which the general lines are shown in the plan. A compromise might have to be
established in the beginning with a transitional link giving to the outside
region since the main orientation is of a totally new system not dependent
on fossil fuels and strictly confined to specialized ducts in the urban
grid. There will be one main duct for fast inter-urban transportation
(connection with another large urban centre), and another network of
personal rapid transit links serving the whole city. The interference and
invasion by these transportation links of the pedestrians' realm (streets,
plazas) would be negligible, if even present, yet they would always be
easily accessible. On the pedestrian circuits, special dispositions will
have to be made for a certain degree of mechanized movement such as
bicycles, escalators, moving belts, etc. In short, the transportation system
is one to be thought of in very flexible and careful steps, so that it does
not become an aggression and threat to the entire community.
9.) The
Southern Orientation
For this first
experimental module, and as a basis of future discussion, we propose the
occupation of a southern slope for the best conditions of insulation. Such
insulation and protection, besides rendering the space more ready for
occupation will permit the best conditions for caption and accumulation of
solar energy and save energy expenditures.
10.) Land
Ownership
The experience of the few other
experimental cities in the world, not to mention that of our present- ones,
indicates that it is absolutely necessary that the land for the total city
area plus green belt be purchased (or leased) before any construction occur
on the site. Therefore, the land shall always be held by the city in a
municipal land bank which then leases sections for private use in accordance
with the total urban plan and its priorities..
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