If you were to create your ultimate city (from scratch), what would be your main priority to make it successful?

[fieldsofdreams]

Originally Posted by Northsider

I dunno, maybe I'm alone...but I think Chicago is very close to perfection. It's gridded and logical. Great transit network. Super dense areas, medium dense areas, low dense areas, family home areas. Entertainment areas, industrial areas. Parks. Open space.

Sure, all of these could be improved on...but the basic idea is perfect. Honestly, I'd rather focus on intangible aspects of the city: crime, corruption, city inefficiencies, etc. But as far as layout, Chicago is where it's at.

How about if you have the chance to build your own city, what would you like to have in it? Similar to Chicago, but much better? I heard that the CTA has some 24-hour bus service, but it does not necessarily cover the entire city...

[Northsider]

Originally Posted by fieldsofdreams

I heard that the CTA has some 24-hour bus service, but it does not necessarily cover the entire city...

It doesn't need to cover the entire city. Not that many people are riding buses at 3am.

How about if you have the chance to build your own city, ... Similar to Chicago, but much better?

Well, whenever I'd make a SimCity, I kind of always defaulted to Chicago-esque styles and layout. It just makes the most sense to me.

[poshbakerloo]

Originally Posted by fieldsofdreams

I meant, is gentrification the trend in your community? Thus my thought.

Not where I live, as its a very desirable outer suburban/semi rural area. But Sheffield is a very good example of gentrification and development. The city centre has been pretty much rebuilt, and new things being done all the time.

[fieldsofdreams]

it seems like gentrification has become a recurring theme, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area, where certain streets or neighborhoods are being improved constantly over time to include newer buildings and shops. Can Tokyo be an example of gentrification too, but in a rapid pace?

[poshbakerloo]

Originally Posted by fieldsofdreams

it seems like gentrification has become a recurring theme, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area, where certain streets or neighborhoods are being improved constantly over time to include newer buildings and shops. Can Tokyo be an example of gentrification too, but in a rapid pace?

Well I'm not too sure with Tokyo, I wasn't aware that it was the type of place that would need it.

[M.R.Victor]

Well, if we're going to be thinking about "ultimate" city, why not dream outside the box a little. Some would go the high-tech way. I would go the low-tech way, as my ideal fantasy city would be a hippie heaven.

My ideal city would be located in a climate with very bearable and short winter, say somewhere in southern Europe of southern California. It would be located on a sea-shore and it would have plenty of arable land around it.It would be small to medium-sized and it's main purpose would be self-sustenance and spiritual freedom.

It would be a multi-level collection of re-purposed shipping containers, with some sort of underground plumbing available. The street network would be random and informal, and most traffic would occur by bike. The streets would be narrow and elevated footpaths between the various levels would create layers of transportation above the streets.

All sorts of eco-friendly measures would be implemented. The city's main contribution and contact with the global economy would be the exploration of alternative ways of doing things. Technologies for passive heating options, passive electricity generation, organic farming, recycling, etc. would be developed here. Eco-tourism, small scale manufacturing and sustenance farming would also be practiced.

In general, people would be allowed to do whatever they please, with minimal legal safeguards that would ensure the existence of co-operative efforts, democracy and would prevent social breakdown. The end

[fieldsofdreams]

Originally Posted by M.R.Victor

Well, if we're going to be thinking about "ultimate" city, why not dream outside the box a little. Some would go the high-tech way. I would go the low-tech way, as my ideal fantasy city would be a hippie heaven.

My ideal city would be located in a climate with very bearable and short winter, say somewhere in southern Europe of southern California. It would be located on a sea-shore and it would have plenty of arable land around it.It would be small to medium-sized and it's main purpose would be self-sustenance and spiritual freedom.

It would be a multi-level collection of re-purposed shipping containers, with some sort of underground plumbing available. The street network would be random and informal, and most traffic would occur by bike. The streets would be narrow and elevated footpaths between the various levels would create layers of transportation above the streets.

All sorts of eco-friendly measures would be implemented. The city's main contribution and contact with the global economy would be the exploration of alternative ways of doing things. Technologies for passive heating options, passive electricity generation, organic farming, recycling, etc. would be developed here. Eco-tourism, small scale manufacturing and sustenance farming would also be practiced.

In general, people would be allowed to do whatever they please, with minimal legal safeguards that would ensure the existence of co-operative efforts, democracy and would prevent social breakdown. The end

Hippie heaven, huh? You might envision your city to be like the Haight-Ashbury District here in San Francisco, Berkeley, or even Fairfax in my home Marin County... Be wary though of the number of joint and smoke shops you open: it might attract a lot of cops and undesirable guests.

Beyond that, I really like your concept of reusable shopping bags (a.k.a. Lanyards) wherein people can use those again and again when they shop at local shops, as well as bicycling wherein it's possibly one of the cleanest and greenest ways to get around. Plus, your concept of spiritual freedom is something I would like to explore myself because I am the opposite of yours: a heavy-grid city with lots of tall buildings, apartments, and malls... It would be a great thing to envision, the only thing is not a lot of people know about this.

And your concept seems to be the ideas being cultivated right here in the Bay Area too, as well as a number of cities in the US. I just don't know how widespread it can be, but I really hope it will happen because we need to preserve what we have while time is still with us.

[sebvill]

Efficient, attractive and eco-friendly public transport system for sure.

[fieldsofdreams]

Originally Posted by sebvill

Efficient, attractive and eco-friendly public transport system for sure.

I like your concept. What do you mean by attractive public transport system?

[Isopropyl]

Basically, all of the above but I voted for public transportation to give emphasis that it is the most important aspect of a city for me.

[fieldsofdreams]

So in your city, how would you develop your transport network? Would you start with pedestrian streets, roads, highways, or rail lines?

[Rascar]

Well, if we're going to be thinking about "ultimate" city, why not dream outside the box a little. Some would go the high-tech way. I would go the low-tech way, as my ideal fantasy city would be a hippie heaven.

My ideal city would be located in a climate with very bearable and short winter, say somewhere in southern Europe of southern California. It would be located on a sea-shore and it would have plenty of arable land around it.It would be small to medium-sized and it's main purpose would be self-sustenance and spiritual freedom.

It would be a multi-level collection of re-purposed shipping containers, with some sort of underground plumbing available. The street network would be random and informal, and most traffic would occur by bike. The streets would be narrow and elevated footpaths between the various levels would create layers of transportation above the streets.

All sorts of eco-friendly measures would be implemented. The city's main contribution and contact with the global economy would be the exploration of alternative ways of doing things. Technologies for passive heating options, passive electricity generation, organic farming, recycling, etc. would be developed here. Eco-tourism, small scale manufacturing and sustenance farming would also be practiced.

In general, people would be allowed to do whatever they please, with minimal legal safeguards that would ensure the existence of co-operative efforts, democracy and would prevent social breakdown. The end

Aside from the plenty of arable land bit, you could actually be describing the vibrant Mumbai slum of Dharavi http://www.economist.com/node/103112...ry_id=10311293

Low rise housing, large recycling industry, plenty of informal entrepreneurship, narrow streets with foot and bicycle being the main modes of transport, limited government interference.

[fieldsofdreams]

Originally Posted by Rascar

Aside from the plenty of arable land bit, you could actually be describing the vibrant Mumbai slum of Dharavi http://www.economist.com/node/103112...ry_id=10311293

Low rise housing, large recycling industry, plenty of informal entrepreneurship, narrow streets with foot and bicycle being the main modes of transport, limited government interference.

Ah, very interesting! I would love to have that as a case study for what a slum can evolve into, if it is done by the people, not the government. Probably with entrepreneurial support and help from the local authorities, Dharavi can eventually thrive as a distinct neighborhood of Mumbai and become an attraction of its own.

[Suburbanist]

Slums deserve the wrecking ball, nothing more. They don't evolve in anything useful. They should be demolished not only to alter the urban form, but to eradicate any historical memory of them.

[fieldsofdreams]

On the contrary, slums actually provide a more in-depth view of what the city is all about. Those add color, diversity, and variety in an otherwise business-like nature of downtown areas. Plus, such communities tend to be open to most people, although be wary of some sketchy slum areas where druggies and gangsters hang out.

[èđđeůx]

My most important three:

Public transportation
Well-managed utilities
Dense residential neighborhoods

It would be much easier to maintain and upgrade infrastructure and just manage the city in general with these three in place. I despise urban sprawl. IMO the perfect city size would be somewhat similar to Miami, 400K, in 40-50 sq. kilometers at most.

[fieldsofdreams]

What makes you despise urban sprawl? And if you are for a compact city, what would you build in it to make it a livable place?

[èđđeůx]

Originally Posted by fieldsofdreams

What makes you despise urban sprawl?

The fact that often time it's dependent on the automobile. Now this isn't horrible unless other methods of transportation (BRT,LRT, etc) are neglected in favor of it.

And if you are for a compact city, what would you build in it to make it a livable place?

Dense neighborhoods with a mixture of residential and entertainment/commercial areas, and at least a few small parks. Tree-lined streets, bicycle lanes, an extensive metro and brt system, underground utilities, and if need be double/triple decker highways to minimize the amount of land usage. Polluting industrial complexes and waste management would be on city outskirts. Though even there I would have man-made forests so its not all hideous.

[Rascar]

Originally Posted by Suburbanist

Slums deserve the wrecking ball, nothing more. They don't evolve in anything useful. They should be demolished not only to alter the urban form, but to eradicate any historical memory of them.

I'm not sure how this is achievable, in a country like India they will just appear somewhere else. Without massive building of social housing people will either live in substandard accommodation for a while or remain in the countryside. I don't think slums are necessarily a sign of a malfunctioning market or society, but a stage of development to go through.

[ranny fash]

I don't have the time to write everything I want to say but in short:

A city must have a reason to be where it is and it's people must have a real sense of purpose to keep them happy and together. Most settlements begin life as a place where trade took place or maybe it was a river crossing or it had good potential for defences. Even though these reasons are obsolete centuries later, the city still needs purpose, which may have changed to a whole bunch of different things. People have to want to move there for whatever reason, and people have to want to stay there for whatever reason. It should be a place where things happen.

Diverse economy and industry is crucial, ask Detroit or Glasgow about that. Mixed neighbourhoods where meeting and living with people from different levels of wealth and backgrounds is normal. People need to believe that their skills and approach to life, whatever they may be, will be valued and wanted by someone somewhere, or everyone. I guess I'm trying to emphasise a supportive environment where people look out for each other and don't judge harshly.

I really like Berlin, the buildings and neighbourhoods there seem about right, on a human scale but dense enough, and well built. I think here in the UK our neighbourhoods are too segregated by 'class' (urgh hate that word) and this breeds ignorance of other people and their capabilities. I'm lucky to live in an area of Nottingham that is fairly well mixed in terms of income and background and actually my city would contain areas like this, suburban towns with low rise, medium density land use, and plenty of industry, parks, and thoroughfares. But mostly it would be like the medium-rise neighbourhoods of NYC or Berlin, with main routes and streets radiating towards a large city centre with lots of distinctive areas.

A place where people are happy to express themselves and use their skills and talents productively. I guess having diverse people, education, economy and industries is the key for me.

I would also want it to have a beach and be in a mediterranean climate, with plenty of mountain biking to be had, and at least a couple of rival football teams to choose from. ha!