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1 Introduction Our final project for Elements of Natural and Built Environment is all about built environment. We, the students, are given an assignment entitled – “Better Livable

Town”. In this project, we have to act as a mayor and propose a new layout of a new town. We have to prepare a report and proposal of a new town which is called “X

town”. The people of X town are Malaysian and the town is in Malaysia. The proposed town should either be one of the following:

An underground town

An underwater town

A floating on water town

A town in the air (or sky scraper town)

On land next to a river and sea

In the report, we are required to understand, investigate and collect data about the ‘city’ through investigation and examining ancient and old cities, present cities and

future cities. We also have to investigate the type of city that my group selected. Besides, we also need to look into documents, articles and issues regarding planning a

better future town as a guideline for us in planning our town. And finally, we are required to include a brief proposal for the “X” town through diagrams, images from online or book, some sketches and illustration.

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2 A Town

2.1 Definition

According to Oxford Dictionary, town is defined as a built-up area with a name,

defined boundaries, and local government, which is larger than a village and generally smaller than a city.

City and town always being compared when define them. There are some differences between city and town. They are differentiated primarily by two aspects:

Demography

Geography

Function

Demography

The classification of an area as a town or a city is related to its population. Cities are more densely populated than towns.

Geography

Cities cover a wider area than towns and as cities advance, they may sometimes incorporate or merge with surrounding areas. Towns on the other hand do not

generally expand into other areas in the same way as cities.

Function

Unlike towns, most cities are the seat of most a region’s administrative functions, that

is to say, most of the important administrative offices are situated in the cities. The governance of cities is handled by corporate bodies whereas municipal bodies rule the

towns. Generally, a mayor is the head of a city corporation, while a chairman is the head of a municipality. The centre of power mainly rests in cities and not in towns. Cities are generally well planned and have proper sanitation, drinking water, roads

and other modern amenities. The first towns were those where people no longer did farming but were engaged in other occupations and trade. As towns expanded, this led

to the formation of cities.

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2.2 Evolution of town

The first true urban settlements appeared around 3000 B.C. in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt and the Indus Valley. Ancient cities displayed both “organic” and “planned”

types of urban form. These societies have elaborate religious, political and military hierarchies. Precincts devoted to the activities of the elite were often highly planned

and regular in form. In contrast, residential areas often grew by a slow process of accretion, producing complex, irregular patterns that we term “organic”. Two typical features of the ancient city are the wall and the citadel: the wall for defense in regions

periodically swept by conquering armies, and the citadel – a large, elevated precinct within the city – devoted to religious and state functions. Greek cities did not follow a

single pattern. Cities growing slowly from old villages often had an irregular, organic form, adapting gradually to the accidents of the topography and history. The Romans engaged in extensive city-building activities as they consolidated their empire. Rome

itself displayed the informal complexity created by centuries of organic growth, although particular temple, and public districts were highly planned.

During the Renaissance, architects began to systematically study the shaping of urban space, as though the town itself were a piece of architecture that could be given an

aesthetically pleasing and functional order. Many of the great public spaces of Rome and other Italian towns date from this era. Parts of old towns were rebuilt to create

elegant squares, long streets vistas, and symmetrical building arrangements. Toward the latter half of the eighteenth century, new towns were founded.

Towns have changed more since the Industrial Revolution than in all the previous centuries of their existence. Millions of rural dwellers no longer needed on farms flocked to the cities, where new factories churned out products for the new markets

made accessible by railroads and steamships. In the United States, millions of immigrants from Europe swelled the urban populations. Increasingly, urban

economies were being woven more rightly into the national and international economies. Technological innovations poured forth, many with profound impacts on urban form. Railroad tracks were driven into the heart of the town. Internal rail

transportation systems greatly expanded the radius of the urban settlement: horsecards beginning in the 1830s, cable cars in the 1870s and electric trolleys in the 1880s.

Early American factories were located outside of major towns along rivers which provided water power for machinery. After steam power became widely available in the 1930s, factories could be located within the town in proximity to port facilities,

rail lines and the urban labor force.

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2.3 Elements of a town Town planner must weave a complex, ever-changing array of elements into a working whole: that is the perennial challenge of town planning. The physical elements of the

city can be divided into four categories: network, buildings, landscape and open spaces. Many alternative arrangements of these components have been tried

throughout history, but no ideal town form has ever been agreed upon. 1. Network

Every modern town contains an amazing array of pathways to carry flows of people,

goods, water, energy and information. Transportation networks are the largest and most visible of these. Ancient towns relied on streets, most of them quite narrow by modern standards, to carry foot traffic and carts. The modern town contains a

complex hierarchy of transportation channels, ranging from ten-lane freeways to sidewalks. Modern towns rely on complex networks of utilities. When towns were

small, obtaining pure water and disposing of wastes was not a major problem, but towns with large populations and high densities require expensive public infrastructure. Transport systems connect the parts of towns and help shape them and

enable movement throughout the town. They include road, rail, bicycle and pedestrian networks, and together form the total movement system of a town. The balance of

these various transport systems is what helps define the quality and character of towns, and makes them either friendly to pedestrians. The best towns are the ones that elevate the experience of the pedestrian while minimizing the dominance of the

private automobile.

2. Buildings

Buildings are the most visible element of the town- they shape and articulate space by

forming the streetwalls of the town. Well-designed buildings and groups of buildings work together to create a sense of place. Residential structures occupy almost half of

the land, with the building types ranging from single-family homes to dense high-rise apartments. Commercial buildings are clustered downtown and at various subcenters, with skyscrapers packed into the central business district and low-rise structures

prevailing elsewhere, although tall buildings are becoming more common in the suburbs. Industrial buildings come in many forms ranging from large factory

complexes in industrial districts to small workshop. Town planners engage in a constant search for the proper arrangement of these different types of land use, praying particular attention to the compatibility of different activities, population

densities, traffic generation, economic efficiency, social relationships and the height and bulk of buildings.

3. Landscape

The landscape is the green part of the town that weaves throughout- in the form of gardens, parks, street trees, plants, flowers and water in many forms. The landscape

helps to define the character and beauty of a town and creates soft, contrasting spaces and elements.

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4. Open Spaces

Great open spaces are the living room of the city- the place where people come together to enjoy the city and each other. Open spaces are sometimes treated as a

leftover, but they contribute greatly to the quality of the town. Open spaces make high quality life in the town possible- they form the stage and backdrop to the drama of life. Open spaces range from grand central plazas and squares, to small, local

neighborhood parks. “Hard” spaces such as plazas, malls and courtyards provide settings for public activities of all kinds. “Soft” spaces such as parks, gardens, lawns,

and nature preserves provide essential relief from harsh urban conditions and serve for recreational activities. These spaces influence the town to be a desirable place to live.

2.4 What is town planning? Town planning is the planning and control of the construction, growth and

development of a town or other urban area. It is also an art of shaping and guiding the physical growth of the town creating buildings and environments to meet the various needs of people such as social, cultural, economic, recreation and infrastructure etc.

Town planning is to provide a healthy and comfortable environment for everyone from different social stratification who is rich or poor to live, to work, to play, to

enjoy, and to relax. Town planning brings the following advantages to us:

Well-balanced social and economic development

Improvement of life quality

Responsible administration of resources and environment protection

Rational use of land

Town planning can be divided into six aspects:

1. Physical -Built environment

2. Social -Man’s interrelationship and behavior

3. Cultural

-Spiritual environment 4. Economic

-Financial environment 5. Political

-Ideological environment

6. Ecological -Natural environment

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2.5 Town Issues

High-efficiency plays an important role in urban development undoubtedly. Wide roads come along and became the necessities for the town. Under the circumstances

of huge-scale of road network, the town cannot afford the traffic capacity anymore. Traffic congestion is the main issue of a town. Urban development directly impacts

the lifestyle of the residents. The numbers of population and vehicles are rising rapidly on parallel lines.

Pollution has also become a big problem within the development of the town. The large number of buildings and roads occupy public green space. Excessive vehicle

congestion caused serious air pollution. This will in no doubt effect the health and safety of the city and its residents. For the purpose of efficiency, urban space forced the city to demolish ancient architectures. The expanding of urbanization oppressed

residents’ living space. People spend a lot of time on the road everyday, but they are not enjoying it. In the meanwhile, they have to endure the poor environment. On the

long run, people have to become accustomed to pursuit the efficiency and material, and forget life itself. This phenomenon will trigger a series of social problems.

Besides, overpopulation also contributes to the town issues. Nowadays, a town is too crowded with people and it leads to poor housing. There are not enough houses for

residents. Overpopulation also caused food insecurity. There might be a phenomenon that food supply is insufficient for residents as there are too much residents in a town.

There is also problem of inadequacy of infrastructures. Town planners do not plan the town based on the resident’s needs. The infrastructures are insufficient for the residents.

Next, problem of deterioration of the architectural heritage occurred which caused

by construction. Government demolishes the architectural heritage to build skyscrapers, residential area or commercial area.

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2.6 What makes a good town?

“A vital town successfully fulfills the biological needs of its inhabitants, and provides a safe environment for their activities.” -Kevin Lynch-

What is the good town? We are unlikely to arrive at an unequivocal answer; the

diversity of human needs and tastes frustrates all attempts to provide recipes or instruction manuals for building of towns. However, we can identify the crucial dimensions of town performance, and specify the many ways in which towns can

achieve success along these dimensions.

Kevin Lynch offers five basic dimensions of town performance: vitality, sense, fit, access and control. To these he adds two ‘meta-criteria’, efficiency and justice. A sensible town is organized so that its residents can perceive and understand the town’s

form and function. A town with good fit provides the buildings, spaces, and networks required for its residents to pursue their projects successfully. An accessible town

allows people of all ages and background to gain the activities, resources, services and information that they need. A town with good control is arranged so that its citizens have a say in the management of the spaces in which they work and reside. Finally, an

efficient town achieves the goals listed above at the least cost, and balances the achievement of the goals with one another. They cannot all be maximized at the same

time. And a just town distributes benefits among its residents according to some fair standard. Clearly, these two meta-criteria raise difficult issues which will continue to spark debates for the foreseeable future.

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2.7 Characteristics of a sustainable town

Use of technology in appropriate way to serve both natural environment and human nature resources

Placement of high values on quality of life Respect of the natural environment Infusement of technology with purpose Optimization of key resources Maintenance scale and capacity Adoption of a system approach Support of life cycles Value for diversity Preservation heritage

More Sustainable Less Sustainable Compact forms of

residential development Low-density, spread-out residential

development

Mixed land use; homes, jobs and shopping in close proximity

Segregation of land uses: homes, jobs and shopping separated into uniform tracts or

concentrations.

Employment based primarily on

education and skills

Employment based primarily on

environment polluting or non-renewable resource based industry

Movement on foot and by bicycle and transit

Heavy dependence on private cars

Wind and solar energy Thermal and nuclear energy

Tertiary treatment of sewage; use of natural means of sewage treatment

Discharge of sewage into water bodies or water-courses untreated or with low level

of treatment

Protection and use of natural hydrologic

systems.

Hard surfaces preventing infiltration;

channeling natural water-courses

Natural open space; protection of

wetlands, woodlands, stream valleys, habitat, etc.; use of manure, compost,

integrated pest management, etc.

Destruction of natural landscape;

"manicured" parkland with exotic species; heavy use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides.

Reduction of waste; recovery, re-use and

recycling of waste materials

Landfills, incinerators

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2.8 Future Town

Do you ever wonder how will our future be after 10 years or 20 years? The

technology nowadays is moving way too fast.

So, our future town will probably cover the following characteristics:

Energy efficient

Information-centered town

Eco-friendly

Efficient town planning

Smart sociality

Well planned transportation system

Well-functioning town

Well-organized infrastructure system

Smart land use strategies

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3 Investigation & Data Collection

Ancient Town 3.1 Location

Shibam, Yemen – the Manhattan of the desert

Shibam is located at the southern edge of the Rub’al-Khali Desert, Shibam was on the caravan route of the incense trade. Erected on a hillock of the Hadramaout Valley, it

is at the confluence of several wadis and on the site where then main wadi, the Hadramaout, narrows. Shibam is surrounded on three dies by a palm grove.

3.2 History Shibam is considered to have the world’s oldest skyscrapers. It has about 7000 inhabitants. It is a walled town of approximately 500 houses which rise up to ten

storeys from the wadi floor. Shibam was destroyed twice- once in the 13th century and once in the 16th. It was rebuilt in the mid 1500’s and has seen very little architectural change since, for reasons noted. Once situated smack in the middle of prime spice and

incense trade route, Shibam was a very prosperous town with regular visitors form South Arabia and beyond. Its popularity lasted for only a few centuries, after which it

seemed as though Shibam was completely forgotten. Towards the end of the 19 th century Shibam was visited by two English tourists named Mabel and Theodore Bent. They fell in love with the area and were quick to draw attention from the West

towards the city and its people. Over time, Many of the residents of Shibam emigrated to other areas and those who stayed behind depended, on their family members and

loved one to send money back for their survival. During World War II a crisis in the Hadramaut area brought a stop to the transfer of funds to those still living in the area. Their family members in Java, Singapore, and other areas were no longer able to

reach them.

In the late 1980’s Ali Nasser Mohammed became president of Yemen. He recognized the unique position held by the 100,000 people living in Shibam and took action to protect the area- the town is situated on the pathway to Saudi Arabia. Shibam and

Wadi Hadramaut are now listed on Unesco’s World Heritage List and there are now plans in place to ensure for the renovation and preservation of the town. There is an

urgent need to begin repairs immediately. The most important task at hand is

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temporary repairs to the town walls and patches to the Muza dam. If the dams are not repaired, flooding will continue to plague the town and the buildings constructed of

mud will be destroyed. The flooding has brought a general dampness to the area, and if it is not controlled there will be no chance of actually saving the town from future

ruin. As of today, inhabitants continue to rely on emigrants sending them food, supplies, and money.

3.3 Layout

The dense layout of Shibam surrounded by contiguous tower houses within the outer walls expressed an urban response to the need for refuge and protection by rival

families, as well as their economic and political prestige. The buildings are close together, means they provide shade for one another and also shade the ravine like

streets in between. After a long and still continuing experiment “western” construction the Hadhramis have recognized the inherent qualities of their mud brick buildings, and although the latter are more labour intensive and shower. The building

height not only increased land-use efficiency, fitting more people onto less land, it also conveyed the wealth of the town and provided defense from marauders.

3.4 Methods of construction

The mud brick buildings have thick walls often a metre and a half at the bottom tapering to half a metre at the top. The mass of the walls is ideal for keeping the inside

of the building cool. Window openings are kept small and located to avoid direct sunlight and have ornate wooden lattice which provide shade as well as privacy. Taller buildings also have a shaft adjacent to the main staircase which acts as a

chimney for a “pulling” a breeze through the building, cooler air at ground level being drawn up though the building. The earth for the mud bricks comes from the wadi floor

ready saturated after the rainy season: concrete construction uses imported cement which takes energy in both the processing and the distribution. The mud is mixed with chopped straw and water and then spread into simple wooden moulds on the ground

to bake hard.

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Mud bricks drying

The bricks are more like flat cakes approximately 45 centimetres long by 30cm wide, narrower bricks are made for the upper storeys. They are 75cm to 100cm thick. To

make a wall they are laid interlocking with a mud mortar and then rendered with a finer mud layer to make the wall smooth. The type of earth stops it being wahed away which is the right combination clay and slit and sand- it just sets very hard and

although a thin outer layer may get washed off during the rainy season it is basically waterproof. The roof and parapet walls at the top of buildings are the most vulnerable

area- an earth building needs “a good hat and boots”- the boots are a stone built plinth, often the first two metres of the building above the ground, which stops moisture in the ground rising up and provides protection from abrasion by people and animals.

The roof is also covered in mud, with vulnerable parts such as parapets coated with a high quality lime render called “nurah”.

3.5 What makes it a significant town

The mud houses in the town have been built thoughtfully. The lower floors are generally windowless and are mainly used for storing grains for other domestic usage.

The floors above that have good ventilation and are used for residing and leisure. There are separate floors for women to socialize and entertain themselves on the third and fouth floors, meaning that there are different uses of each different floor of the

building.

The defensive character of Shibam with its dense conglomeration of many-storeyed buildings with almost no fenestration at ground level is an exceptional testimony to the strong competition that existed between rival families over this region.

Surrounded by a fortified wall, the historic town of Shibam is one of the oldest and

best examples of urban planning based on multi-storeyed construction. It represents the most accomplished example of traditional Hadrami urban architecture, both in the grid lay-out of its streets and squares, and in the visual impact of its form rising out of

the flood plain of the wadi, due to the height of its mud brick tower houses. These illustrate the key period of Hadrami history from the 16th to the 19th centuries, when

local traders developed economic and political prestige through travel and trade abroad. Located between two mountains on the edge of a giant flood wadi and almost completely isolated from any other urban settlement, Shibam and its setting preserve

the last surviving and comprehensive evidence of a traditional society that has adapted to the precarious life of a spate agriculture environment.

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Within the city wall, all the physical elements, features and urban fabric that form the

significance of the property are present largely undamaged and mostly in good condition. Also, the oasis, its functioning and relationship with the city is still intact,

and deserves protection. The social, functional and visual integrity are still valid even though visual and structural integrity are indirectly threatened by new constructions and concrete structures in the surrounding environment.

Shibam bears witness to the cultural identity of the people of Wadi Hadramaut and

their former traditional way of life. The attributes that carry Outstanding Universal Value including the town layout, town skyline, the traditional buildings and the relationship between the city and its surrounding landscape continue to be maintained.

The impressive structures for the most part date from the 16th century, following a devastating flood of which Shibam was the victim. However, some older houses and

large buildings still remain from the first centuries of Islam, such as Friday Mosque and the castle.

Castle Friday Mosque

3.6 Conclusion The concept of building the traditional skyscrapers depends on realizing a natural regulated interior environment, while being locked out to the exterior environment in

order to achieve the desired human comfort. In addition, the mud-brick, as a natural building material provides a considerable insulation from the heat of the sun.

However, these skyscrapers represent an early introduction to the principles of environmentally sustainable design and green buildings. A traditional material can be adapted to new uses and can incorporate modern systems such as mud can be used to

construct skyscrapers. From an ecological perspective it is the most versatile of materials. It uses the suns energy in its processing and if when the building is

redundant it does literally return to the earth without leaving any ‘footprint’ at all. Mud brick offers a more gentle and satisfying way to build and develop in the modern world than people perhaps realize.

3.7 Elements that can be used in X town

Idea of eco-buildings

Proper town planning: rectangular grid plan of streets and squares

Usage of renewable energy such as solar energy

Impressive landmark to attract visitors

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4 Investigation & Data Collection

4.1 Present Town

Hammarby Sjöstad, Stockholm, Sweden

4.2 Location

Hammarby Sjöstad is located at south-east of the Stockholm city center. It sits close

to the denser urban core, but because the area was previously used as an industrial manufacturing and shipping area, it had never been proposed connected to the rest of

the city.

4.3 History

Hammarby Sjostad is located in the south-central inner city of Stockholm. It is

situated along the lake (Sjo) Hammarby, and its name literally means ‘Hammarby Waterfront Town.’ Initially an agricultural region, industrialization and the associated

urbanization spread to the area in the late 19th century due to its proximity to the central city. The city planning office in Stockholm was instituted in 1636, which helped control the rage of industrialization in the Swedish landscape. After the

transition from national to municipal planning in 1904, Stockholm commenced a land-buying program, where, in the first three decades, “the city territory grew from

thirteen to forty-four square miles”. Portions of Hammarby Sjostad were purchased in 1917. A canal was then built in the early 20th century to connect the lake to the Baltic Sea, facilitating industrial development in the area. Rail lines were also built to

booster heavy industry such as the General Motors automotive factory and the Luma bulb factory. Over the years, light industry also located in this area, “activities of a

type for which the City always has great difficulty planning”. In the early 1990’s there was a strong demand for housing in Stockholm, concurrent with the economic boom. Hammarby Sjöstad had reputation for being a run-down, polluted and unsafe

industrial and residential area. Through the city’s forethought in land acquisition, and willingness to pay for the remaining parcels, the city planning department was able to

coordinate transportation, landuse and development for Hammarby Sjostad in a very efficient manner.

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4.4 About Hammarby Sjöstad

Hammarby Sjöstad is an eco-town which contains a lot of green features and infrastructures. The town’s goals are shown as the following:

80% of residents and employees journeys to be made by public transport,

cycling or on foot

100 litres of water consumption per day instead of the 200 litres per day that

Stockholm city residents average.

Cleaner waste water

Residents will themselves produce 50% of the furl used in production of

heating, cooling, electric power and biogas.

26,000 residents, with around 36,000 in total either living or working there

4.4.1 Transportation

Transportation imposes a heavy environmental burden in a densely built-up city

district which is why Hammarby Sjöstad offers energy-saving and attractive alternatives to private car usage. This town includes a sustainable local transport system include an attractive pedestrian and bicycle network, a large carpooling system,

a popular ferry connecting the Hammarby Sjöstad with Stockholm Downtown’s South Island. This is to encourage use of public transport by making it a convenient

alternative to private vehicle transport. Light rail link

Substantial investments have been made in public transport in the area, both in the form of the new light rail link “Tvärbanan” and bus traffic. Public transport has a central route running through Sjöstaden, with four stops along the avenue that

connects one side of the city district to the other.

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Ferry

Sjöstaden has ferry links. The ferry, which traffics Hammarby Sjö between the

southern and northern sides of Sjöstaden, is run by the City of Stockholm and is free to use. The ferry runs 365 days of the year from early in the morning to late at night. Two ferries across Lake Hammarby were established to serve the needs of the

community and are on a 10 to 15 minute interval.

Carpool

Residents can have access to the “City Car” carpool for daily use. A carpool open to

both residents and those working here has been launched in the area. Around 10% of households have joined the carpool to date, and there are 25–35 carpool cars parked in

the area, with the number varying according to demand. Around 75% of the cars are bifuel cars. The aim is for at least 15 % of households and at least 5% of the Hammarby Sjöstad workplaces to be signed up to the carpool.

4.4.2 Wastewater

Wastewater is treated locally. The sludge produced by the treatment process is recycled and used for fertilising farmland and forestry land. The waste releases biogas

during processing. The biogas is used as fuel for vehicles such as buses, taxis and waste collection trucks, and to heat 1000 homes in the area. Heat is extracted from the

treated water in the treatment plant which is then used for district heating. With a spread in temperatures ranging between 10°C and 20°C over the whole year, the wastewater is highly suitable for both heat and cold extraction. In summer, the cold

water can be used for cooling.

4.4.3 Rainwater

Rainwater infiltrates the ground directly or is drained off through canals. The many small canals are part of the design of the urban landscape. Some of the roofs have

been designed as green roofs that buffer much of the rainwater. Runoff from roads is captured separately and drained off to treatment pools before being allowed to infiltrate the ground. It shows that wastewater can be used in multiple different ways

and the rainwater can be returned to the natural cycle.

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4.4.4 Energy Supply

The main source of heating in Hammarby Sjöstad, a town within the municipality of Stockholm, is district heating. 34% of this heat comes from purified waste water, 47%

from combustible household waste and 16% from bio fuel. When the heat has been extracted from the warm, purified waste water, the remaining cold water can be used for district cooling.

Hammarby Sjöstad has different solutions for its energy supply. For example, two

buildings with solar cells can be found on the street called Sickla Kanalgata. The solar cells supply part of the electricity needs of the building’s public areas. One large residential building has been fitted with various panels. These supply the residents

with 50% of the hot tap water they annually use.

The fuel cell could be described as a battery which, instead of being charged, runs of fuel (eg. Hyrdrogen gas) This fuel cell generates electricity and heat. Approximately 900 flats in Hammarby Sjöstad now have biogas cookers. The biogas comes from the

residents themselves. It is formed when sludge from the waste water treatment is digested. The amount of biogas produced by the average family is close to that which

they use for cooking. By replacing electric cookers with ones that run on biogas, the electricity consumption has been lowered by 20% in the buildings.

Integral energy, waste and water system

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4.4.5 Buildings and Housing

Hammarby Sjöstad has been planned with a dense settlement structure with typically 4-5 story buildings in a compact neighbourhood outline, but with reasonably spacious

green courtyards. The moderate height of the houses and the sufficiently spacious neighbourhoods allow for both wind-shielded and sunny inner courtyards with ample possibilities and incentives to develop both inviting entrance green and common

courtyard green and facilitating small-scale cultivation in micro-garden plots or small greenhouses. All materials used inside and outside the buildings were carefully

selected based on environmental considerations. The philosophy is to use proven, sustainable materials and products with environmental declarations and to avoid chemical products or building materials containing hazardous substances.

4.4.6 Waste management

In Hammarby Sjöstad, there are three different levels of waste managemt: building-

based, block-based and area-based. Building-based separating at source

The heaviest and bulkiest waste is separated into fractions and deposited in different

refuse chutes in or adjacent to the buildings.

Combustible waste. Things made of plastic, paper and other forms of non-

packaging are placed in ordinary plastic bags.

Food waste. Food product waste is placed in bags made of corn starch which,

unlike plastic bags, are biodegradable.

Newspapers, catalogues, paper, etc. They are left loose, not packed. Not for

the mobile automated waste disposal system.

Block-based recycling rooms The types of waste that do not belong in the building-based refuse chutes can be left

in block-based recycling rooms:

Glass, paper, plastic and metal packaging.

Bulky waste, i.e. old furniture.

Electrical and electronic waste. Items that require an electric socket or batteries to function, as well as light bulbs, fluorescent tubes and low-energy

light bulbs.

Some of the recycling rooms also have containers for textiles.

Area-based hazardous waste collection point

Waste that constitutes a danger to people and the environment, such as paint, varnish and glue residues, nail polish, solvents or cleaning agents, batteries and chemicals

must never be placed in domestic waste or poured down the drain. It must be separated out and handed in at the hazardous waste collection point in GlashusEtt, the area’s environmental information centre.

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There are two waste disposal system at Hammarby Sjöstad :

i. Mobile automated waste disposal system.

The waste collected in the mobile automated waste disposal system ends up in underground tanks that are emptied by a refuse collection vehicle equipped with a vacuum suction system. There are separated tanks for each fraction: combustible

domestic waste and food waste. The refuse collection vehicle stops at docking points where several buildings’ waste tanks are emptied simultaneously, but only one

fraction at a time per collection round.

ii. Stationary automated waste disposal system

All refuse chutes are linked by underground pipes to a central collection station to

which they are carried by vacuum suction. The collection station houses an advanced control system that sends the various fractions to the right container. There is a large container for each fraction: combustible domestic waste, food waste and newspapers.

The systems reduce transports in the area, which means the air is kept cleaner than when traditional refuse collection techniques are employed. In addition, the work

environment for the refuse collection workers is improved when heavy lifting is avoided.

4.4.7 Green spaces

It is linked to one of the green wedges – the Nacka Wedge with a large ski-slope, vast forests, small fields and several lakes. Other important district green areas are the

Luma-park, the Oak Park and the Sjöstads parterre. In Oak Park there are quite a few very old oaks trees which have the highest historical, ecological and aesthetical values. The Sjöstads parterre is an important common open space – even if it is

mainly restricted to adjacent neighbourhoods and lacks several pedestrian path qualities with cafés and shops.

Green spaces

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4.5 What makes it a significant town?

Designing a building for low energy consumption when it consists of three glasses and one concrete facade is asking a lot of the planning and design team. A range of

cutting-edge technologies and carefully selected materials, often on the grounds of their eco-friendliness, have contributed towards the successful results. The aim throughout was to achieve a good indoor climate with low energy consumption.

Double-glazed facades linked to an advanced control system should cut energy consumption to 50 % of that of an equivalent building with glass facades. The

double-glazed facades reduce the need for artificial light and the energy requirement for heating, cooling and ventilation. Low-energy lighting has been planned for the entire building. The advanced control system adjusts lighting and ventilation in line

with current activities, the amount of daylight etc.

Eco-technology on every floor

On the roof, Sedum plants have been planted to act as a compensation basin

during heavy rainfall. A solar power plant, a control system cabinet for the alternative energy system, a weather station and a tank containing hydrogen

for a fuel cell are also here.

The upper floor houses most of the building’s technical installations, such as a

fuel cell and its associated equipment, electrolyser, biogas boiler, an accumulator tank for hot water, control systems for the building’s ventilation,

etc. A small group meeting room, with a kitchenette equipped with a biogas powered stove, is also on this floor.

The middle floor is designed as a conference facility where interested parties

can be invited and learn more about the project’s interested parties and their environmental work.

On the ground floor, which is open to the public, visitors can see how the unique Hammarby Model works, both on computer screens and in the form of

exhibitions.

The Basement contains a sewage pumping station, a vacuum-based refuse

collection installation and a mains power substation. Hammarby sjöstad also features many aesthetic qualities: the traffic planning has

created a good soundscape with a low level of noise, allowing attractive sounds to enrich the residents’ living environments. The first phases of the Lake City

neighbourhoods are both wind protected and offer sunny courtyard and public space areas. The local areas in Hammarby are easy to keep clean and the whole district has an attractive background fragrance due to lack of garbage, much green structure, soil

surfaces, lake and designed streams.

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The absence of fences and the presence of public spaces with footpaths yield a district with various different atmospheres. The district’s density, which is comparable to that

of Stockholm’s city centre, gives it a trendy atmosphere and offers a high quality of life.

4.6 Conclusion

Hammarby Sjöstad is a good example of the Swedish “green welfare state” and how it

can “promote sustainable development, new jobs, growth and welfare” into the future. It is very socially ambitious because of the government mandate that all citizens be

provided a decent, safe, affordable home that will be sustainable in the long term. This town attributes such as pedestrian friendliness, building scale, mixed uses, multi-modal transport, green spaces, access to water and light, all framed within the

mandate to minimize the project’s impact on the environment, define a community that is potentially sustainable on multiple levels. Also, by blending itself into the scale

and urban fabric of the old inner city, the new development has ensures that there is a dynamic interrelationship between parts of the city. People, traffic, goods and services can all flow between areas without feeling the stress of a complete change in urban

character. Another achievement of the town is its level of environmental awareness.

4.7 Elements that can be used in X town

Wide range of public transports

No harmful materials of buildings construction allowed

Sustainable renewable energy

Healthy environment for residents, encouraging better health

Proper waste management

Strategies of mix-used of lands

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5 Investigation & Data Collection

Future Town

5.1 Why Future Town?

Earth, with 7 billion people, is continuously increasing her load with three new babies born every second. With limited resources, the rapid growth of population has caused

many problems included environmental degradation, ocean acidification, ozone holes, lack of fresh water, and constant loss of biodiversity.

5.2 Chosen future town

5.2.1 Tian-shan-ren-jian – Heaven and Earth

The “Heaven and Earth” project is a utopia wonderland residing in the air which inspired by traditional Shan Shui paintings. This concept was created by Chinese

architect Wei Zhao. There are mountains, rivers, lakes, forests and animals. There are mountains, rivers, lakes, forests and animals.

Section of Heaven and Earth

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5.2.1.1 Concept of Heaven and Earth Zhao has proposed that the massive donut-shaped platform could hold magnets on its

underside that would repulse the earth’s magnetic field to hold the island aloft. Heaven and Earth is operated by the Maglev Technology to allow it to float in the air.

The repulsion caused by the aircraft’s magnetic system and the Earth’s magnetic field will control the floating city- there are a large number of molecular magnets distributed along the underside of the vessel. The floating platform would rotate,

generating energy as it spins and theoretically fueling a completely sustainable society. By changing the magnetic repulsion and attraction force between the container and

earth, the land could float as smoothly as the wind in the air. The rotation of the curve bottom can generate the power to provide the living on the land. The rotation could also maintain the balance of the flight. There are a large number of molecular magnets

distributed at the underside of the flight arc. Each molecule magnets combined with magnetic container, the container can be adjusted to capture the magnetic force from

the earth’s field.

5.2.1.2 Transportation Small, magnetic suspension aircrafts are used as the transport links between the land

and earth. They borrow the magnetic force from the land to reach the earth or the land.

5.2.1.3 Food supply

Food will be grown in different cabins, 24 hours of light will be provided for the growth. Organic food without the pollution from chemicals could be produced. Surplus food could be distributed to the low incomes on the earth. The fabric from

food plants could be made into cloth.

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5.2.1.4 Conclusion

“Heaven and Earth” is the physical manifestation of the traditional shanshui painting which aims to reach the ideal lifestyle. Everything consumed could be recycled to

realize the goal of zero emissions. The “Heaven and Earth” will at the end, stop the damage from human to earth and give earth time to recover.

5.2.1.5 Elements that can be used in X town

Transportation via aircraft to send people from land to floating town and vice

versa

Organic food for residents

No pollution

Maglev technology

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5.2.2 Sky Terra Tower Cities

It is designed by a San Francisco based designer named Joanna Borek-Clement. Her

inspiration is the shape of neuron cells. Sky-Terra towers consist of a narrow base with a deep and strong foundation. The towers rise to 1600 feet and expand into a flat

plaza layer with ample green space. The cities in the skies will be interconnected towers, so instead of skyscrapers blocking out the sun, it will be cities keeping the sunlight out. Unlike traditional buildings that block city residents from ever seeing

direct sunlight, the Sky-Terra towers allow people to get plenty of sun without dealing with the pollution below. The towers are supposed to reduce the urban heat island

effect. Rainwater will be used for landscaping needs. The towers will be built from modular parts to conserve resources and energy.

5.2.2.1 Infrastructure

The Sky-Terra towers offer many options from public parks, to greenbelts, playing fields, jogging paths, amphitheaters, pools or bath houses – all with the aim of

providing people with access to open space.

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5.2.2.2 Sustainable elements

The transportation system consists of interconnected foot paths, as well as 4 foot wide streets designated for bike or small electric cars. There have abundant foot paths and

tiny streets to ease congestion. It is to be constructed from modular parts that can be mass produced, thereby minimizing the use of resources. Anything that is not a pathway or road is meant to be green space which will assist in reducing urban heat

island effect. Rainwater collection will provide water for landscaping needs, and the towers’ building materials consist of modular parts that w ould be mass-produced to conserve resources and energy. Getting to the city will be done by elevator. An elevator is embedded in the core of each tower to bring people up to skyscraper plaza. Office commercial and possibly even residential space will occupy the fins that expand from the inner core of the tower. The plaza levels are designed with holes and spaces between the fins that allow light to beam down.

Designed with holes to allow sunlight to pass through

5.2.2.3 Conclusion Sky Terra Tower City is more sustainable to live within a city, innovative and create designs may provide beautiful and efficient solutions to give people access to healthy

recreational space. This project is a creative solution which at some point, may actually provide a real solution to the climate change problem.

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5.2.2.4 Elements that can be used in X town

Sustainable elements

A lot of green spaces

Abundant foot path to encourage walking

Minimizing the use of resources

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6 My future town

6.1 Study about grid plan

Ancient grid plan

By 2600 BC, Mohenjo-daro and Harappa, major cities of the Indus Valley Civilization (present-day Pakistan), were built with blocks divided by a grid of

straight streets, running north-south and east-west. Each block was subdivided by small lanes.

A workers' village (2570-2500 BC) at Giza, Egypt, housed a rotating labor

force and was laid out in blocks of long galleries separated by streets in a formal grid. Many pyramid-cult cities used a common orientation: a north-

south axis from the royal palace and an east-west axis from the temple meeting at a central plaza where King and God merged and crossed.

Hammurabi (17th century BC) was a king of the Babylonian Empire who

made Babylon one of the greatest cities in antiquity. He rebuilt Babylon, building and restoring temples, city walls, public buildings, and building

canals for irrigation. The streets of Babylon were wide and straight, intersected approximately at right angles, and were paved with bricks.

The tradition of grid plans is continuous in China from the 15th century BC onward. Three gates on each side of the perimeter lead into the nine main

streets that crisscross the city and define its grid-pattern. And for its layout the city have the Royal Court situated in the south, the Marketplace in the north, the Imperial Ancestral Temple in the east and the Altar to the Gods of Land

and Grain in the west.

Late 19th century to the present

Ildefons Cerdà defined a concept of urban planning, based on the grid that he applied

to the Barcelona Eixample. The Eixample grid introduced innovative design elements that made it exceptional at the time and even unique among subsequent grid plans:

a very large block measuring 113m by 113m (370 x 370 feet), far larger than the old city blocks and larger than any Roman, Greek blocks and their mutations (see drawing below);

a 20 m (66 feet) road width (right of way) compared to mostly 3 m in the old city;

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square blocks with truncated corners; and major roads, perpendicular and diagonal, measuring 50 m (164 feet) in width.

These innovations he based on functional grounds: the block size, to enable the creation of a quiet interior open space (60 m by 60 m) and allow ample sunlight and ventilation to its perimeter buildings; the rectilinear geometry, the wide streets and

boulevards to sustain high mobility and the truncated corners to facilitate turning of carts and coaches and particularly vehicles on fixed rails.

Superblock

Superblocks were popular during the early and mid-20th century, arising from modernist ideas in architecture and urban planning. Planning in this era was

based upon the distance and speed scales for the automobile and discounted the pedestrian and cyclist modes, as obsolete transportation vehicles. A superblock is much larger than a traditional city block, with greater setback for buildings, and is

typically bounded by widely spaced, high-speed, arterial or circulating routes rather than by local streets.Use of superblocks and related ideas in "neighborhood

unit" plan, which aimed to organize space in a way that is more, "pedestrian-friendly," and provided open plazas and other space for residents to socialize.

A one square km superblock sector in Milton Keynes framed by major roads on a grid

configuration. The road network within the sector uses cul-de-sac streets

complemented by bike and foot paths which connect the entire sector and beyond.

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Pedestrian and bicycle movement

Two inherent characteristics of the grid plan, frequent intersections and orthogonal geometry, assist pedestrian movement. The geometry helps with orientation and way

finding and its frequent intersections with the choice and directness of route to desired destinations.

Frequency of intersections, however, becomes also a disadvantage for pedestrians and bicycles. It disrupts the relaxed canter of walking and forces pedestrians

repeatedly onto the road, a hostile, anxiety-generating territory. People with physical limitations or frailties, children and seniors for example, can find such walk challenging. For bicycles this disadvantage is accentuated as their normal speed is at

least double that of pedestrians. Frequent stops negate the speed advantage and the physical benefit of bicycling and add to frustration. Intersections are not only

unpleasant but also dangerous. Most traffic collision and injuries occur at intersections and the majority of the injuries to pedestrians crossing with the right of way.

To serve pedestrians well, a rectangular configuration and high frequency of

streets and intersections is the preferred route, which the orthogonal grid geometry provides. To reduce development costs and environmental impact, lower frequency of streets is the logical path. Vauban serves well in pedestrian and bike mode share and

at the same time, in reducing negative development externalities.

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6.2 Case study about how realistic is the floating city of Columbia?

Columbia is the grand city of the skies. A metropolis that grazes the heavens as it majestically floats across America. Columbia has everything required to live a

civilized life: housing, medical care, parks, beaches, and even its own military and government. It’s the ultimate all in one package. Unfortunately, this dream city exists only in the fictional universe of Bioshock, a video game.

According to the game, Columbia resides at about a staggering height of 15,000 feet

above sea level. At this height, the average temperature would be about 5o F and oxygen levels would be significantly lower than at sea level. However, humans are capable of living in higher altitudes. At 16,732 feet, La Rinconada, Peru, is the city

with the highest elevation in the world. At this height, the temperature and oxygen levels are even lower, yet it is still able to sustain its population of 30,000. This means

that the citizens of Columbia are certainty capable of living normally. Let’s discuss about Columbia’s most important feature: how it levitates. Underneath

all of the building and mini islands are large balloons and propellers that seem to be keeping the city afloat. However, this would be an extremely impractical method as

high winds could easily flip the city over and the energy required to power the propellers would be enormous. However, there is a much more promising way: quantum levitation. It is a phenomenon when a superconductor is suspended in the

air indefinitely. A superconductor is a type of metal, such as lead or titanium, which can conduct electricity with zero resistance. This means if an electric current were to

go through a superconducting wire, the current would last forever. Well, not exactly forever. The problem with superconductors is that they only work if they are about -389o F. However, the most useful trait of superconductors in this case is its ability to

lock its position, even if above a surface.

This quantum locking is achieved only if there is a magnet present with the superconductor. The superconductor expels the magnetic field of the magnet away from itself, but if it is thin enough, such as in the form of a disk, very tiny amounts of

the magnetic field penetrate through, creating flux tubes, which then lock the superconductor in place. By building Columbia on top of large superconducting disks,

it is indeed possible to build a city in the sky! Despite the promising solutions we can get from the quantum levitation, we must

remember the problems that would. Columbia is at an altitude of 15,000 feet, meaning it needs an extremely powerful magnet to successfully levitate it. While it could use a

large array of magnets on the ground, it would be more sensible to take advantage of the Earth’s magnetic field. The most challenging problem is to constantly keep the

superconductors cold. While liquid nitrogen will cool it down enough to retain its

superconducting abilities, it would need immense amounts to be continually flowing with it.

Magnetic field

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6.3 ‘X’ Town – Dream Town

6.3.1 About ‘Dream Town’

How do I come up with this name- Dream Town?

I believed that everyone wishes to stay in the sky! My town with smart technologies, infrastructures and transportation is everyone’s dream town!

Introduction to my town

My town has an area of 40km² and a population of 150,000. My town has a theme which is Recreation & Leisure Tourism. My town is planned to attract the visitors to have a getaway at my town from the busy city. They can relax their mind and have

a good rest at my town as they can do a lot of recreational activities here which include indoor and outdoor or passive and active activities.

Besides, as a mayor of my town, I want my residents to have a healthy lifestyle and green environment to live in. ‘Green’ does not just mean planting trees and shrubs but

the requirement of overall concepts that support the improvement of town.

I planned my town by using Smart Growth principles. Smart Growth is an urban planning and transportation theory that concentrates growth in compact walk able urban centers to avoid sprawl. The principles are:

Mix land use

Take advantage of compact building design

Create a range of housing opportunities and choices

Create walk able neighborhoods

Pedestrian-and-bicycle-friendly design

Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place

Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities

Provide a variety of transportation choices

Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost effective

Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development

decisions

How to attract visitors to my town?

Beautiful or intriguing view of town

Fun things to do outdoor

A park which gets people gather

Festivals and events that celebrate local history, culture, harvest time, food, music or celebrities

Build attractions: monuments, amusement parks or theme park

Local business and retail stores where visitors can shop or be pampered

Has an attractive landmark

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6.3.2 Zoning

Legend

Commercial

Agriculture

Stadium

Office buildings

Energy supply and

industrial

Government building

Sports center

Community area

Residential

Educational

Park

Green belt

Port area

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6.3.3 Residential

The houses are arranged separately but not clustered at a certain place only. It is one of the mix-use land strategies which can reduce the need for extensive automobile

travelling. Residents can go to commercial area, educational area, park, office buildings easily.

Type of housing

All of the houses in my town are net-zero-energy buildings. Net-zero-energy building is a building with zero net energy consumption, meaning the total amount of energy used by the building on an annual basis is roughly equal to the amount of

renewable energy created on the site. Some advantages of these buildings are as follow:

Integration of renewable energy resources

Integration of plug-in energy vehicles

Implementation of zero-energy concepts

The community area

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Characteristics of net-zero-energy housing:

1. Home energy manager

-The central nervous system for the net zero energy home helps homeowners optimize energy consumption

2. Smart Meter -A communication gateway between the Smart Grid and the home

3. Geothermal Heat pumps -Reduces water heating energy requirements by 30%

4. GE Heat pump water heater

-Uses lesser than half the energy of a conventional electric water heater 5. GE water filtration

-Filters, conditions and monitors home water usage

6. Energy Storage - Battery storage for backup power and peak loads

7. Demand Response Appliances - High efficiency Energy Star Appliances shed load from the grid and help consumers

save money during peak demand 8. Energy Efficient Lighting

- High efficiency CFL, LED, and OLED lighting

9. Solar Photovotaic - 3kW to 4kW solar energy on the roof to meet energy requirements of the home

10. Small Wind -Supplementary renewable generation

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6.3.4 Agriculture

Agriculture is very important in town because it is the food supply for residents. It

includes a vertical farm in a tall buildings and farm. Specifically, my town has paddy field and oil palm farm.

Future technology for farming:

1. Robot milking machines - Save farmers time and give cows the freedom to be milked when they want

2. Robot livestock feeders -save farms money and consistently feed a herd

3. Aerial drones - Used to spot weeds, calculate fertilizer needs and scare pigeons

4. Combine harvester yield meters

- Monitor, display and record grain yield 5. Driverless tractors

- Not yet commercially available but could save farmers time

6. GPS Steering systems - Guide tractors in straight lines to save seed, fertilizer and fuel

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Vertical farm

A concept which converts skyscraper into crop farms that could help reduce global warming, improve urban environment and help to feed the town’s growing population.

How it would works?

Solar panel

-Energy is supplied by a rotating solar panel that follows

the sun, drives interior cooling/ heating system. Glass panels

-Clear coating of titanium oxide collects pollutants and makes rain slide down the glass where it is collected and

used for watering Design

-Circular design allows maximum light into center

Economy

-The plan combines farming with office and residential stories

Irrigation

-Filtered, sterilized wastewater from sewage system can be used for irrigatio

There are differences usage of each floor :

1. Ground floor: - Farm market and office. It is to let the people buy fresh vegetables and crops.

2. First floor and second floor

- Botanical garden which contains botanical glasshouse, green area. 3. Third floor and fourth floor

- Indoor farm area

4. Fifth floor - Technical area

- Aerobic waste treatment, water tanks, vertical axis wind generators, rainwater depuration system and photocoltic panels.

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6.3.5 Park

Visitors can do both active and passive recreational activities here such as cycling,

picnic, walking, jogging, playing aerodium.

This park is surrounded by residential area and commercial area for residents’s easy access.

Aerodium is an wind sports which is a vertical wind tunnel that allows you to soar in

the air just like in a free fall. A vertical wind tunnel is a specific turbine making strong wind. Lying down on this vertical wind flow, you can touch the sky with your hands,

perform various acrobatic movements. With the air flow of 200 kilometers per hour, feelings caused by the floating in the vertical wind tunnel are very close to those you can experience in a free fall.

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6.3.6 Energy supply and industrial

This area is basically generates energy for the whole town and also producing goods.

Renewable energy is used such as wind energy, solar energy and also hydroelectricity.

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6.3.7 Sports centre

In this sports centre, visitors and residents can enjoy recreational activities here. There are basketball court, tennis court, swimming pool, table tennis, fully-equipped fitness centre, dance studio and multi-purpose gymnasium. This is the main attraction of the

visitors as the sports centre do provide a wide range of recreational activities.

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6.3.8 Green belt

Green belt is included to give some green view of my town. Green belt also acts as a

buffer zone which dividing some certain areas. For example, a green belt is located around energy supply and industrial zone to prevent sound pollution of the machines. Besides, green belt is also a good camping and hiking site for visitors and residents

who like outdoor activities.

6.3.8 Port area

It is a place for the landing purposes of aircrafts. Small, magnetic suspension aircrafts are used as the transport links between the land and earth. They borrow the magnetic force from the land to reach the earth or the land.

Future magnetic aircrafts

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6.3.9 Stadium

Stadium acts as a venue for mostly outdoor sports, concerts or other events and

consists of a filed or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event. Stadium also acts as a place for gathering.

There are some special elements of the stadium which are:

Retractable roof

Crowd-noise-projecting design

Color changing farcade

6.3.10 Educational

Educational service is also included in town which located near the residential area

for easy access. There are primary school, secondary school and some tuition centres there.

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6.3.11 Government buildings

Government buildings are needed to control and manage the town. There are

Municipal office and town centre. Those buildings are located at a high population area for a easier town management.

6.3.12 Office buildings

Office buildings are located at a nearby commercial area and residential area. So, residents can go to work easily without turning around the town. The office buildings

are also using the net-zero-energy concept.

6.3.13 Commercial area

The commercial areas include the residents’ basic needs which are shopping mall,

convenience store, bank, hospital, clinic, religious centre and others. The commercial area is all over the town so that the residents can get their basic needs easily.

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6.4 Transportation

Transportation is a very important elements in town. There are some types of transportation available in my town. Public transports are much more encouraged than

using individual cars. It is to maintain the freshness of air and also for a heathy lifestyle. In this way, the residents can stop suffering from traffic congestion.

Types of transportation

Main road

Bike route, pedestrian path

Flying cars

- A flying car is hypothetical personal aircraft that provides door-to-door aerial transportation (e.g., from home to work

or to the supermarket) as conveniently as a car but without the requirement for

roads, runways or other specially-

prepared operating areas

SkyTran

- SkyTran pods promise to bring maglev transportation to the skies. Each private pod, suspended from an elevated guide

way, could carry three passengers and would use maglev technology to reach

speeds of up to 150 mph. SkyTran could bring passengers anywhere they wanted to go along the route of the guide way,

without making unnecessary stops for other passengers. It claims to be able to eliminate

congestion while reducing carbon-dioxide emissions and dependence on foreign oil.

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Bike route and pedestrian path

The goal of getting people to walk further in town is achieved by providing them with

a more enjoyable walkway via better shade landscaping along parking lots, narrowing

the street so that traffic slows and better illumination at night. A nice street view is

very important to encourage them cycling and walking to the destination.

Bike and pedestrian path is separated to prevent intersection.

Residents will start cycling or walking to their destination willingly with this great

view of street

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6.5 Sewage system

My town uses to net-zero water in managing the water. Net zero water status basically

means achieving independence from municipal water sources. In order to do this, the

design must follow best practices in water management, providing provisions to:

Capturing rainwater

Managing stormwater runoff

Re-using gray and blackwater

Concept of net-zero water

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6.6 How to keep ‘Dream Town’ floating in sky?

Dream Town works by using Maglev Technology. It works by repelling the Earth’s

magnetic field. Dream Town is like a giant, floating hovercraft in the sky. It is

controlled by large number of molecular magnets distributed along the underside of

the vessel. The rotation of the curved bottom can maintain its balance which is

probably pretty important since it is designed to support a town. The platform could

hold magnets on its underside that would repulse the earth’s magnetic field to hand

the town aloft. The large platform has to be in transparent to allow the sunlight to pass

through to the land under the flaoting town in sky. The magnets as a superconductor

has to be kept in low temperature to maintain the superconductivity. A lot of liquid

hydrogen need to be replce to keep the continuous flowing with it.

6.7 Conclusion

Sustainability is a very important in a town. Constructing a well developed town does

not mean that everything has to be structured but how much it can be sustainable for

the more years to come. Make sure that every elements in the town that is built will be

able to provide a better livable environment for the residents.

A town must be self-contained and sustainable in all aspects of social, physcial and

environmental issues. The plan must reflect an efficient layout for community living

and connectivity. Green technology, green buildings, renewable energy and sewage

system are essential to ensure the continuos survival of the residents.

From this project, I’ve learnt that different characteristics of the built environment by

researching the basic needs and elements in a town.

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