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The guide of Eco Efficient Cities

Eco-Compact Cities are based upon the Transect

Why ECO-COMPACT CITY is more efficient than SPRAWL CITY

  • it consumes less territory
  • it allows a correct density
  • it allows small retail to be on street and on square
  • it maximizes investment
  • it allows the creation of an efficient network of public utilities
  • it allows the creation of an efficient public transit system

ECO-COMPACT CITY
vs
SPRAWL CITY

San Sebastian

Modena


180.000 inhabitants
Urbanized Area: 2.000 hectares
Mall Surface: 55.000 m2
Retail Surface: 1.370.000 m2

180.000 inhabitants
Urbanized Area: 4.300 hectares
Mall Surface: 1.200.000 m2
Retail Surface: 176.500 m2


V.I.P.E.R.

VULNERABILITY INDEX for PETROL EXPENSE RISES

 

THE CATEGORIES OF THE ECO-COMPACT CITY

ECO-COMPACT METROPOLIS
Paris
PARIS, FRANCE

ECO-COMPACT CITY
Salamanca
SALAMANCA, SPAIN

ECO-COMPACT NEIGHBORHOOD

PLESSIS-ROBINSON, FRANCE

ECO-COMPACT DISTRICT

AKROKEN CAMPUS, SWEDEN

Metropolis
Main city of a Region or State as is from the ancient Greek language meter=mother and polis=city, that is "mother-city" in relation to other derived urban settlements by foundation or administration. It is a prominent city in terms of public function, but can be also any bigger urban settlement, indipendently from its anthropogeographic cathegory, with a population higher than a specific level, for example, a million.

City
A specific historic and social reality, but also giuridical-administrative physically organized according to a particular combination of open and built spaces, rich in facilities and capable to satisfy the needs of social life of a particular group of human beings numerically consistent. A CITY is made of an organic polycentric system of NEIGHBORHOODS, DISTRICTS, FAUBOURGS, AND VILLAGES.

Neighborhood
An organic portion of the polycentric city, with a certain functional and administrative authonomy. Rich in public spaces, both open and built, proportionally to the social life of the group of citizens residents there. A Neighborhood is always presenting a centre, defined by clear boundaries and articulated through a structure of streets, squares and urban blocks. A Neighborhood includes a balanced system of activities: commercial, residential, productive, lodging, administrative, educational, office.

District
Is an urban area specialized around a main activity. . Examples given are Theatre Districts, University Districts, Campuses, Fair Districts, etc. The structure of a District has to be similar to the one of a Neighborhood with an identified centre which facilities orientation and human relationships, while a system of clear and recognizable limits facilitates the creation of special managing organizations. The relationships with adjacent Urban Neighborhoods should encourage a pedestrian access. Districts should be inter-connected through a system of public transit and located within the urban area.

ECO-COMPACT VILLAGE

POUNDBURY, UK

ECO-COMPACT PLAZA

PLAZA DE JUNKAL, SPAIN

ECO-COMPACT BLOCK

RUE DE LAKEN, BELGIUM

ECO-COMPACT BUILDING

JANELAS VERDES, PORTUGAL

Village
Small settelment or group of buildings organically conceived as dependent from a bigger urban centre. It is often considered as basic unit with a specific character which names it: agricoltural, industrial, marine, mining, etc. but also defined by a particular activity carried out by its inhabitants: workers village, youth village, etc.

Plaza
It is an open public space organically connected with the surrounding urban fabric. It provides the urban neighborhood with a focal point for gathering. Each eco-urban neighborhood is structured around an eco-compact plaza usually surrounded by mixed-use buildings with commercial uses at ground floor. An eco-compact plaza hosts civic buildings such as Town Halls, Libraries, Theaters, Churches, etc. An eco-compact plaza is always compact in size with fronts rarely exceeding 100m.

Block
It is always defined by buildings aligned on street's edge, thus providing the block with one or several internal courtyards where kids or elder people can play and rest in a protected environment characterized by an intense green treatment. An eco-compact urban block has a clear hierarchy between the external public space and the private or semi-private inner one. Back to intro

Building
It is made of traditional regionl materials expressing the climate, geographical and cultural characters of the Region. It is always oriented towards the principles of bio-architecture, by using natural materials and construction techniques that minimize the consumption of energy.

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