Elements of Urban Physical Form

(Elements of Urban Design)

Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)

• Urban design is a part of planning process that

deals with the physical quality of the environment.

Elements of Urban Physical Form=Elements of Urban Design

Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)
Shirvani (1985):

• Urban area should distinguished among eight

physical elements ,……. identified
according to the problems& opportunities
of area under study

• These elements must addressed in

developing policies , plans, guidelines and
programs).
Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)
•Eight element of urban physical form( Hamid
Shirvani (1985)):

1. Land use
2. Building form
3. Circulation and parking
4. Open space
5. Pedestrian ways
6. Supporting Activities
7. Signage
8. Preservation
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
1. Land use (Elements of Urban Design)

• The type of activity or development that

occupies a parcel of land. Common land uses
include residential, retail, industrial, recreation,
and institutional.

• Land Use Principle is the arrangement of land

uses to determine the best choices in allocating a
specific function.
 1. Land use Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)

• Land use plans are the basic 2D plans on which 3D

spaces are to be created, land use planning is assigning
appropriate functions to specific area. Zoning
 1. Land use Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)
• Land use plan A guide for future development for
City. It typically separates uses that are incompatible
with each other (such as residential and industrial uses).
 1. Land use Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)

• A land use plan also locates uses in proximity to

supportive infrastructure, such as placing industrial
development along rail lines.
• Zoning is one means of implementing a land use plan.
1. Land use Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)

• Land use decisions establish the relationship between

circulation or parking and density of activities.

• Land use plan is developed under Land use polices.

 Elements of Urban Physical Form
1. Land use (Elements of Urban Design)

 Major Problems of land use:

• Lack of diversity of use in an area (Mixed Use)
• Failure to consider environmental and natural
physical factors.
• Infrastructure problems.

Mixed Use
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
1. Land use (Elements of Urban Design)

Important issues for consideration in

Future land use:
• Mixing uses in urban area.
• Preservation of the natural environment.
• Modifications of existing land uses pattern.
• Land uses and associated pedestrian activities.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)
2. Building Form & Massing
• Building form & massing are traditional zoning
ordinances deal with aspects of physical from by
setting specifics of height, setbacks, and
coverage.

• Is determined by the height and size of buildings,

building mass, scale, materials, colors, textures, the
facade forms…
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)
2. Building Form & Massing
Façade Articulation Colors

Entries

Roof Type Openings

Architectural Details
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)
2. Building Form & Massing

• City of Seattle
Setting specifics of height, setbacks, and coverage.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)
2. Building Form & Massing

• Chicago City
Building height guidelines are used in the urban design plan to
indicate where low building should remain to enhance the hill forms
of the city.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)
3.Circulation and Parking
• Circulation is a tool for structuring an urban
environment .

• It can shape, direct and control activity pattern

in a city...

• Circulation can be a structuring principle

itself by defining and characterizing urban form
through Streetscape.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)
3.Circulation and Parking
• Major Principles of circulation:

1. Roads should be “positive visual open space

elements”.
2. Give the orientation to the driver and to make
the environment legible.
3. Public and private sectors should combine in
partnership to achieve these goals.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)
3.Circulation and Parking
Streetscape
• Is characterizing urban form and the design of
urban roadways, as they impact street users.

Sidewalk Sidewalk
café café
Before After
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)
3.Circulation and Parking
Streetscape
• Streetscaping recognizes streets as places
where people engage in various activities, not
limited to motor vehicle activity.

• Streetscapes are a component of public

realm which describes the public spaces
where people interact.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)
3.Circulation and Parking
Streetscape
• Streetscaping includes changes to the:
‐ Traffic management
‐ Sidewalk conditions
‐ Landscaping
‐ Street furniture
‐ Building fronts
‐ Material specifications
‐ Improving Signage
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)
3.Circulation and Parking
Transportation

• The general goals of current trends in

transportation planning:

Improving mobility in central business district

Discourage the use of private vehicle
Encouraging the use of public transport
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
3.Circulation and Parking (Elements of Urban Design)

Parking
• Automobile has made the need for
parking lots an essential part of
urban life.

• Parking Problems;
Ugly …. inappropriately location ….. poorly maintained

• The parking elements effects on environmental

quality:
‐ Survival of downtown commercial activity CBD.
‐ Severe visual impact on the physical form and city fabric should be
attractive , least visual impact to success.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
3.Circulation and Parking (Elements of Urban Design)

Parking
Ways of Handling Parking
1. Construction should be accompanied by regulations mandating
establishment of parking.

2. The ground level of parking garage can be set aside for retailing in
order to continue activity at street level.

3. “Multiple use program” which maximizes use of existing parking.

4. “ Package-plan parking”. Business with a large number of

employees may form a parking districts.

5. Urban-edge parking. City or private developer can with the aid of

the city develop parking areas or structures on the periphery of
congested urban area.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
4. Open Space (Elements of Urban Design)

• Open space can be defined as all landscape

elements (hard & soft) including hardscape,
parks, and recreational space in urban area.

• The example
of hardscape is
roads,
sidewalks,
and the like.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
4. Open Space (Elements of Urban Design)

Open space elements:

• Parks, • Paving
• Urban Green Space • Kiosks
• The tree • trash receptacles
• Benches • drinking fountains
• Planters • Sculptures
• Water • clocks
• Lighting • others element…
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
5. Pedestrian Ways (Elements of Urban Design)

• It is a very important urban element solving

traffic problems organizing cities.

• Pedestrian ways is an essential design element

and they are not just part of a beautification
program.

• They are a comfort system as well as a support

element for retailing and vitality of urban spaces.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
5. Pedestrian Ways (Elements of Urban Design)

Benefits of Good pedestrian ways:

• Reduce the dependence of motor vehicles .

• Improve environmental quality .
• Create retailing activity
• Promoting human scale system
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
5. Pedestrian Ways (Elements of Urban Design)

Pedestrian way criteria

• The pedestrian element should interact with

other urban design elements.

• Should relate strongly to the existing built

environment and activity pattern.

• Should fit in effectively with future physical

change in the city.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
5. Pedestrian Ways (Elements of Urban Design)

• To improve walking, public amenities

offered with pedestrian movement / to
attract people like:

1.Benches
2.Street furniture
3.Planters
4.Lighting…
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
5. Pedestrian Ways (Elements of Urban Design)

• Pedestrian Way Models

•Basic models for pedestrian streets

are Single street, Cross street,
Labyrinth, Disconnected street.

•The single street model is the most

common one.

•Good locations:
Best located in the central shopping
district of a town and historical
centre as well.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
5. Pedestrian Ways (Elements of Urban Design)

• Pedestrian Way Design

–The width of pedestrian streets is usually 15 meters with an interval

ranging from 6 to 30 meters.

– The streets are usually divided into three parts, The middle part is
reserved for the flow of pedestrians while the sides are used by
cafés and shops. The division is done either by patterns in the
street paving or with street furniture and plants.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
5. Pedestrian Ways (Elements of Urban Design)

• Pedestrian Way Design

–Some very wide pedestrian streets have been divided into

more than three parts and the appearance of a wide space
has been reduced by plants and benches.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
6. Supporting Activities (Elements of Urban Design)

• Not only including the provision of pedestrian ways, but

consideration of major function use to generate
activities as well.

• Supporting activities are all building functions and

activities that support the public space of an area of
town.

• The support activities including parks, recreation,

shopping, cultural parks, libraries, civic center, pedestrian
areas and street retailer...etc
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
6. Supporting Activities (Elements of Urban Design)

Benefits of Supporting activities :

• help strengthen urban public spaces

• Integration in/outdoor activities
• Interdependency of space
• Include all user
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
6. Supporting Activities (Elements of Urban Design)

Street of Bonaventure
hotel, los Angeles

 Do not consider
activity support in
and near the building

 Problem :
• Cold and useless
pedestrian plaza without
retailing.
7. Signage Elements of Urban Physical Form
(Elements of Urban Design)

–Signs [advertising, information, direction]

–Billboards [attraction:massages or.. Marketing]
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
7. Signage (Elements of Urban Design)

• Symbols and signs used for road directions, directions to a

specific region on the highway or on the road areas of city.

• The size and design quality must be regulated in

order to establish compatibility , reduce visual
impact, and reduce confusion and competition.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
7. Signage (Elements of Urban Design)

Signage Design affects :

• The character of the facade of buildings and in turn the
streetscape
• Communicating information.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
7. Signage (Elements of Urban Design)

Functional criteria for signage system

• Assure their legibility [regulate size , spacing,

location..etc]
• Geared both to direct and indirect communication
• Simplicity
• The use of sign to reflect character of area
• Adequate spacing between signs
• The use of signs harmonious with architecture and
build environment
• Restrictions on flashing signs
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
8. Preservation (Elements of Urban Design)

• Is directed to the protection of existing settlements ,

urban places (existing neighborhoods , squares, plazas,
shopping areas..etc),and historic structures and
places.......and to maintain the activities that take place in
that place.

• Preserve structures as long as they are economically

vital and culturally significant, temporary or
permanent, and to maintain the activities or find
the best fit to the structure.
 Elements of Urban Physical Form
8. Preservation (Elements of Urban Design)

Benefits of Preservation
1.Cultural
• historical resources

2.Economical
•increase of property
• increase of retail sales and
commercial rents
• increase tax revenues

3.Social and planning

•Community benefits