PlanningUrbanORegional: Amsterdam

Showing posts with label Amsterdam. Show all posts

Mar 19, 2023

What may be missing in the way we plan and discuss cities?

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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Taking example of a street

Lets see the possible levels of articulation of urban streets, in increasing order of sensitivity/ relevance. It is noteworthy that city administration in different parts of world simetimes choose to stop at any given stage of sensitivity depending on their statutory mandate, resource and motivation.

1. Basic street or road design, that can simply be achieved by adhering to standard engineering practices (dry, wet underground/ surface utility), following road design code book, following landuse regulations, and following design standards for different hierarchy of roads. Above is mostly possible without traffic modelling, without bespoke landscape design input and even in absence of urban design guideline.

2. Further, a good street design can be considered one that takes traffic modelling into consideration. Street that has urban design guideline in place and follows streetscape guidelines, also one that utilises tailored landscape, street art, street activation etc.

3. A better street design is possibly one that follows emerging good practices of low impact development, blue-green infrastructure design principles, urban heat island mitigation measures, rewilding, wind flow and shadow analysis etc.

4. Even better street design is the one that takes context into consideration i.e., adjoining laduse typology based activity intensity, local community needs, user ability and comfort, recreational needs, prioritization of road users including hierarchy of transit modes, adapting activity over the day.

5. Also those streets that considers, safe way to school, vision zero, disaster preparedness etc.

6. Then there are those streets which consider reclaiming rights of certain types of users (sometimes bottom up and radical),

7. Further there are those streets which are adapting itself to autonomous and EV transit regime, predictive monitoring, IOT based experience, AI algorithm, VR utilities, and ground for ML,

8. Also there are those which just started to consider following elements in street design, like psychological impact of street on different demography, perception by cultural groups, adapting streets to different demographic traits (age, gender), equity etc.

9. Then also those streets which may be adapted to requirements of wider spectrum of special needs and aspirations of previously subdued and unrecongnised social strata.

Realising the complexity and granularity that may exist in design of a street (and cities in general), seems that the current narrative, discourse and debate on street (and cities), still remains quite fragmented. A broader outlook and comprehensive approach may help plan better.

Author: Anoop Jha

[Recent update

Starting 2024, launching urban management, interior design, home decor and commissioned artwork services in the Netherlands, serving local as well as international remote clients.

Please Note, that I am also conducting a FREE 45-minute online individual consultation on your interior design and home decor needs and aspirations if you are in the Netherlands or even internationally. Drop me an email at anoop.jha@gmail.com

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

Instagram interior design page @urbantenets

Instagram fine art and illustration page @urbanoregional

My LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anoopjha/

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#urbanplanning #urbandevelopment #urbanmanagement #urbandesign #smartcity #Amsterdam #Utretch #Hague #Delft #Eindhoven #Rotterdam #Netherlands

What could be the barometer to know if a city is doing well?

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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You may be able to figure out if a city or even country is doing somewhat well for community and visitors alike, by observing or experiencing some of following traits.

If you are feeling safe at all time of the day and night in a city. That may mean, your anxiousness doesn't increases (as a function of safety perception) as the night approaches. That is possible when you know there is next bus, tram, metro or train to make sure you reach your eventual destination, and if you could remain assured, that you can be rescued from an unsafe or unwarranted situation.

If you are still able to make sense of place any hour of day and night. That may mean, you are able to orient yourself in space and time throughout the day and night, at any location within city. That is possible when space is easily legible and well illuminated, for you to spatially position yourself in any part of city.

Making city work well is a constant quest for city administrations, urban planners, researchers and many. Targeting above may be a good starting point for any city, as there is always scope of making things good to better and more.

Author: Anoop Jha

[Recent update

Starting 2024, launching urban management, interior design, home decor and commissioned artwork services in the Netherlands, serving local as well as international remote clients.

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

Instagram interior design page @urbantenets

Instagram fine art and illustration page @urbanoregional

My LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anoopjha/

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#urbanplanning #urbandevelopment #urbanmanagement #urbandesign #smartcity #Amsterdam #Utretch #Hague #Delft #Eindhoven #Rotterdam

Mar 13, 2023

How cities may use modular concepts to maximise efficiency, ease and circularity

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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Resource constraint, material scarcity, frequent maintenance needs and multiplicity of stakeholders, require “modularity” to be adopted as “a uniform conceptual model” and a “universal language” for spatial development, urban management and O&M.

Modular by design:

Modularity by design permits infrastructure and built environment to be easily expandable, scalable and replicable. We see application of modular design concepts starting from modular pavement tiles, to modular water and waste water treatment plants, to modular housing units, to modular land and zoning parcels.

While there is already increasing standardisation in terms of industry supplied components (product level); there is still room for modularity in terms of i) creativity (currently limited to individual projects), ii) open-source environment (currently there is asymmetry of information) and iii) statutory obligation (currently it remains mostly optional/ a choice).

Modular for interoperability:

Modularity in terms of interoperability makes built environment components to be easily replaceable and interchangeable. We see the concept in action mostly in terms of maintenance where, “more the level of modularity, faster the maintenance process” (replacing/ swapping of components) e.g.

There is still enough scope for interoperability in terms of modular concept within the built environment, which means built environment increasingly to be designed with replaceable/ swappable components, so that the output of maintenance work should not compromise the integrity of built environment and doesn’t remain just a makeshift arrangement, patchwork or eyesore.

Modular for operations:

Modularity for operations offers agility, elasticity and adjustability. For instance, level of urban services delivery that corresponds to fluctuating daily, diurnal and seasonal demand (adjustment of transport services, traffic regulation, power load management etc).

There is still room for agility in terms of modular operation like system at built environment level that may go to hibernation when not in use (Sensors/ automation/ IBMS), real-time readaptation of spaces (temporal and temporary usage), real-time spatial concertation/ relocation of services matching demand (interoperable office or commercial space/ resource/ energy management based on real-time demand).

Modularity for cognition:

We see modularity in terms of cognition at city scale, like urban way finding signages with a common theme and scheme across city which makes it easier to navigate. As our brain reduces information to smaller, familiar and recognisable modules (symbols, patterns) for easy processing, same is true for city scale modularity in terms of cognitive processing.

Author: Anoop Jha

Image source: Author

[Recent update

Starting 2024, launching urban management, interior design, home decor and commissioned artwork services in the Netherlands, serving local as well as international remote clients.

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

Instagram interior design page @urbantenets

Instagram fine art and illustration page @urbanoregional

My LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anoopjha/

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#modular #modulardesign #urbanplanning #builtenvironment #urbandesign #circulareconomy #Netherlands #DenHaag #Hague #Amsterdam #Rotterdam #Leiden #Delft #Eindhoven

Mar 12, 2023

Possible means to expedite circular practices in building construction industry

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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Following may be the possible means to expedite circular practices in building construction industry

On job training:

Urgency of transitioning to circular economy practices is such that, construction industry can’t really wait for handful of new circular experts to graduate in coming decades in the business-as-usual case. For 100X or more increase in skilled manpower in next five years, civil and structural engineers, architects and draftsman are expected to go through on-job training and have a hands-on learning experience through trial and error on real circular building and construction cases, in an experimentative environment, permitted by client.

Removing bidding barrier:

For 10X to 100X participation, both public and private clients are expected to reduce the barrier for new entrants in circular construction business, by allowing firms having no prior demonstrated case of circular building, showing trust in professional competency of architectural firms while keeping some extra time cushion for learning curve. This is possible if client and firm both aspire to adopt and transition to circular economy practices in their vision. Means to delivering circular projects can always be worked out by professionals without compromising on integrity of building structure and aesthetics.

Software patch:

For exponential diffusion and 100X to 1000X adoption of circular architectural practices the most popular and widespread architectural, structural and simulation software like AutoCAD, Revit, Sketch Up, Bentley, 3DMax, Lumion etc. may require to give a huge circular patch upgrade to their software (including software commands and effects, circular element template and 3D library/ warehouse) and training material/ programme, allowing for on-job-learning and training. Construction industry can’t simply rely on new workforce trained (only) on new/ yet to emerge circular architecture/ structure software for its circular transition.

From junk to vintage:

There is a fine line between what is discarded as junk and what is embraced as vintage, creative industry, academia and mass media can always help wider diffusion and faster adoption of harvested material in new building.

Biomass and bio-based industry working together:

As they compete for same biomass-rich feed/ raw material; construction industry must work hand in hand with biomass energy players, to divert biomass for their first usage in construction industry before getting converted into energy.

Author: Anoop Jha

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[Recent update

Starting 2024, launching urban management, interior design, home decor and commissioned artwork services in the Netherlands, serving local as well as international remote clients.

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

Instagram interior design page @urbantenets

Instagram fine art and illustration page @urbanoregional

My LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anoopjha/

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#circulareconomy #circulartransition #construction #architecture #BIM #Netherlands #DenHaag #Hague #Amsterdam #Rotterdam #Leiden #Delft #Eindhoven #dcarbonise #climatechange #urbanplanning #builtenvironment

Mar 5, 2023

Meaning and benefits of public transport goes beyond what is usually understood or quantified.

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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Public transportation system is versatile and agile, not only as a mode of communication, but it also presents an opportunity-scape that resembles city itself. Public transport can also be seen as a public space in motion, having several traits like a public square or public plaza. Transport system or rolling stocks also serves complementary urban landuse functions. For instance sometimes like "office", as so many business calls are made and emails are send from within the fleet system of public transport, on a daily basis, across the world. "Institutional", like Library, considering all the book chapters completed by scores of commuters while travelling in metro, tram and buses. "Commercial" considering all the money spent on online shopping and e-commerce while completing journey in public transport. Also "dining" for example, scrolling through menu and placing food order online while travelling in metro and tram, timing order and tracking delivery perfectly, so that your hot meal also gets delivered by the time you reach home. Or “theatre” considering all the movies streamed during travel in public transport, not to mention in a rather very different ambient setting than typical original landuse.

Public transport sometimes also challenges the notion of "what should be" when it comes to design of architectural spaces, for instance "library” is always designed with an idea of maintaining 'pindrop silence' within the space, considered conducive for study, then what about millions of books being read by people on the go world over, while commuting in the public transport, reading digital or hard cover book, few para or a few pages a day to slowly complete the book, be it fiction or science, that too right within the bustling chaos and white-noise of public transport.

Public transport can be considered a microcosm and miniature reflection of city in which it is situated. Taking clues and inspiration from multi-functionality and multidimensionality of public transport system, it would be worth revisiting traditional design and planning role and values around public transportation system.

Author: Anoop Jha

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[Recent update

Starting 2024, launching urban management, interior design, home decor and commissioned artwork services in the Netherlands, serving local as well as international remote clients.

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

Instagram interior design page @urbantenets

Instagram fine art and illustration page @urbanoregional

My LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anoopjha/

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#publictransport #urbanplanning #urbandevelopment #urbanmanagement #urbandesign #architecture #smartcity #Amsterdam #Utretch #Hague #Delft #Denbosch #Alkmaar #Leiden #Noordholland #Northholland #Tilburg #Eindhoven #Rotterdam #Netherlands

Effective use of vacant real estate inventory and land use interoperability as an innovative shared economy model.

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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The ~2.5% to ~25% of vacancy rate witnessed across world in range of real estate inventories including residential, to offices, to commercial, to hospitality, suggests to have a new business and governance model and calls for emergence of a niche "integrator sector", that is as impactful as real estate and as efficient as shared mobility sector. We see algorithm at work when cab services, rideshare or MaaS make use of technology to match demand and supply to maximise the use of inventory, there is no reason why same logic can’t be applied in the real estate inventory case, except for the self imposed, static and limiting regulations of land use. Making effective use of this last quarter vacant inventory may prove to be the one missing piece of puzzle towards sustainable use of resources and circular economy. Need of this new integrator sector or functionality, either private or public, emerges as traditionally fragmented sectors of real estate and hospitality has been unable to fill this last mile vacancy gap.

Another missing piece of puzzle is the short to medium term interoperability of land use. That basically means, residential demand (rental, student housing etc.) is not necessarily to be fulfilled only by residential land use but may possibly be served by vacant office or commercial spaces as well and visa versa, that further implies revisiting and reinventing the structure, definition and statutory construct of land use, which may choose to allow room for swift, smooth and temporary interoperability i.e. near real time to quick on demand land use changes, which theoretically seems plausible. Land use here may mean a unit, to floor, to facility to altogether a neighbourhood. The only actual time lag that is there, is the time required for remodeling one land use space to another purpose, contractual and operational arrangements. There are great examples across the world where horizontal or vertical or mosaic mixed use spaces coexist in harmony.

What is required, is to have a centralised real-time stock of vacant inventories, stock of upcoming availability based on contract tenure and predicted vacancy modelling, and need of one integrator or consortia of integrators managing same.

City administration individually or collectively at a city, metropolitan or regional level are technically most equipped to bridge this demand supply gap and to do the associated regulatory adjustments as required.

Hoping the next phase of urban digitalisation may be able to solve the puzzle, and reap the benefit of shared economy at urban built environment scale.

Presented as a universally applicable conceptual model.

Author: Anoop Jha

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[Recent update

Starting 2024, launching urban management, interior design, home decor and commissioned artwork services in the Netherlands, serving local as well as international remote clients.

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

Instagram interior design page @urbantenets

Instagram fine art and illustration page @urbanoregional

My LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anoopjha/

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#urbanplanning #realestate #smartcity #infrastructure #architecture #smartcity #Amsterdam #Utretch #Hague #Delft #Lieden #Eindhoven #Rotterdam #Netherlands #circulareconomy

Cities in search of identity - why its a good idea and where to start from!

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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Cities as a dynamic entity are not regenerative or replenishing on its own, and the pressure on its infrastructure and resources tend to grow with time due to natural growth reasons. Which also means that left on continued business as usual track city may only last for couple of years until it may require a drastic overhaul to keep pace with new demands and new realities, hence the need of sustainability. Not just that, cities also require to prepare for future and unforeseen challenges like shocks, hence the need of agility and resilience.

Part of cities development is usually already guided by policy mandates form proactive regional and national authorities. Also fuelled by grants, funds and private investments and regular annual budget based on immediate priorities. This is not much different than business as usual case and even considering this scenario, cities may still struggle in long term.

What is noteworthy here is that if cities simply follow the blueprint of someone else, especially just follow top down policy mandates or statutory mandates, it may still do well technically, in terms of economy and operations, but may be at the risk of being an average or mediocre city.

That means cities and city administrations may require to think beyond mandates, to unlock its true potential and taking control of its own fate. This approach i.e. "having its own development plan and own identity" is driven from within, may be result of community based bottom up initiatives, political ambition, regional competitiveness, community ethos etc.

This self driven initiatives of city, in alignment with regional and national directives may be essential for a city to be resilient and distinctive, building on its distinct potential, unique strengths, characteristic resources, peculiar demographic compositions, unique historic and ecological context etc.

Such cities which may act on its own will and motivation, beyond the statutory mandates, are not just able to provide a better quality of life to its inhabitants, but also gain much deserved visibility, harness previously unimagined support, unexpected external aids and attract investments and skillsets like a magnet, while enjoying this new position.

All its takes is either a reinvented leadership or a sufficient build up of bottom-up initiatives or a score card or sometimes a setback.

This process of search for a new identity, for cities, may start with as basic catalyst as creation of a dedicated web portal or social media initiative by city administration, or inviting community members to town hall, or creation of a think tank, for community, professionals from different walks of life, businesses, industry and academia, to share their ideas.

Author: Anoop Jha

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[Recent update

Starting 2024, launching urban management, interior design, home decor and commissioned artwork services in the Netherlands, serving local as well as international remote clients.

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

Instagram interior design page @urbantenets

Instagram fine art and illustration page @urbanoregional

My LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anoopjha/

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#smartcity #infrastructure #architecture #smartcity #Amsterdam #Utretch #Hague #Delft #Eindhoven #Rotterdam #Netherlands

Feb 23, 2023

Possible pathway for resilient public transportation system:

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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A resilient transportation system is one–

a) that is made of entire low capacity to high capacity public transportation system, and has such system under single apex governing entity, for better control, cross-subsidisation, and better access to fund due to critical mass (applicable in both mono and multi-stakeholder arrangement)

b) that includes even last mile connectivity in its project scope, offering matching service experience (often excluded and usually only limited to feasibility studies or sometime complemented with poor last mile fleet services)

c) which still plans for future growth and expansion even when battling with low ridership at any moment

d) mobilises sound instruments beyond transit infrastructure, rolling stock and fleet, like TOD, value capture, rail and metro station real estate lease, advertisement space lease, monetising experience etc.

e) which forms partnership with other forms of complimentary transportation service providers and competitions like app based cab service, rideshare, micromobility services, bicycle rental; especially for seamless connectivity, healthy mutually rewarding competition, and making use of anonymised data for passenger flow modelling, network analysis and empirical predictions

f) which has opted for digitalisation of governance and operations from customer centric services, to network management, to unified cashless ticketing system, to fleet management and tracking, to predictive maintenance, to fleet automation, to on-demand services

g) which focuses on customer service, customer acquisition and customer retention in all separate target age, gender and ability groups and creates channels to actively seek passenger and anonymous feedback

h) which has excellent online and offline information dissemination and audio-visual display system and hence can devise flexible network configuration and flexible coach configuration without disappointing customers, required to respond to fluctuating demand, many a times experienced due to seasonal and diurnal variation, route characteristics and force majeure event; required to stay financially afloat (system that not just focuses on expansion, but one that is able to sequester as well)

i) finally, public transportation system, which may consider to experiment with real time flexible ticket pricing based of fleet occupancy level using gamut of technological aids like sensors and analytical cameras.

Additional thoughts on real time pricing for public transport system can be found in my other Linkedin article here [https://lnkd.in/eaa28zat]

Author: Anoop Jha

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[Recent update

Starting 2024, launching urban management, interior design, home decor and commissioned artwork services in the Netherlands, serving local as well as international remote clients.

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

Instagram interior design page @urbantenets

Instagram fine art and illustration page @urbanoregional

My LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anoopjha/

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#publictransport #metro #tram #bus #transitionpathways #transportplanning #automation #technology #micromobility #bicycle #rideshare #fleetmanagement #networkanalysis #ret #ns #urbanplanning #smartcity #Amsterdam #Utretch #Hague #Delft #Denbosch #Alkmaar #Tilburg #Eindhoven #Rotterdam #Netherlands

Feb 21, 2023

Live anywhere work anywhere city!

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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(Old post 2019)

Proposed model for a pilot city, a district of experimentation, a living laboratory or a city retrofit suitable for a particular demography.

Majority of people leave ancestral home, hometown, current house or current city as higher education, work or financial situation demands, and they don't mind doing so. Also given an option majority of people wouldn't mind migrating from current home to an all equipped star category accommodation managed by hospitality brand as a practical decision. Above is evidence that people can live anywhere, they don't have to return from work to the same home or house number every evening, home can technically be omnipresent.

Now, especially after covid19 mass WFH and long range remote working phenomenon it's also indisputable that work place can be omnipresent as well. They don't have to go to same workplace every morning, they don't have to go to same office or same coworking space rather they can work from any coworking facility. This city will require a central warehousing of personal belongings from where required personal items can be delivered on demand and you will require an app to locate the nearest vacant workstation for the day and nearest available home to spend rest of the evening and night!

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[Recent update

Starting 2024, launching urban management, interior design, home decor and commissioned artwork services in the Netherlands, serving local as well as international remote clients.

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

Instagram interior design page @urbantenets

Instagram fine art and illustration page @urbanoregional

My LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anoopjha/

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Running out of urban value capture ideas? A little tweak will help!

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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Urban Planning and design can create some serious financial opportunities previously missed by urban local bodies and developers.

At planning and design stage itself decide a threshold unit real estate price for any given commercial (landuse) street; price which is applicable equally for properties on both sides of street. Now shift entire carriageway to some extent towards one side to make typical cross section of Road ROW asymmetrical, hence making more room for pedestrians, users and recreational space on one side of street compared to other. Effectively not only improvising overall public realm, streetscape and (hence footfall) of given street but also adding more footfall on one side of road which is having wider pedestrian realm. Now you should easily be able to charge substantially more per unit commercial real estate cost for that side of road having wider frontage and expecting higher footfall. Price of properties on other side of road remains same as original threshold as still reaping locational advantage.

Theoretically idea can expand to any landuse and to any part of city!

Author: Anoop Jha

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[Recent update

Starting 2024, launching urban management, interior design, home decor and commissioned artwork services in the Netherlands, serving local as well as international remote clients.

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

Instagram interior design page @urbantenets

Instagram fine art and illustration page @urbanoregional

My LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anoopjha/

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Feb 20, 2023

Essence of a true egalitarian city in actual and figurative sense.

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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City is an embodiment of heterogeneity, a scintillation of aspirations and a crucible of democracy.

Metaphorically, a true egalitarian and utopian city will treat all it's inhabitants equitably, will provide abundant opportunity to everyone and will cherish indiscriminating spatial and build forms.

It's important question to ask here whether our current spatial and metaphorical dimension of city is egalitarian, unbiased, and equitable in true sense and built on values of democracy or it is still being built on edifice of aristocratic values as reflected in its built form, hierarchy and distribution of spaces in its struggle of power play. Is it that hierarchy and articulation of spaces as well as gradation, grandeur and power of built forms which help build image of city and which claims to celebrate the democracy are crushing the very egalitarian values itself.

From barbarian to kingdom to democratic set up, while social, political and economic structures have considerably changed over centuries and increasingly moving towards a flatter equitable world; structure and morphology of cities on the other hand unfortunately remained more or less unchanged; like capital complex replacing the castle, commercial and business district still occupying most prime zone and so on. Meanwhile lesser privileged and marginalized segment continued to made feel as dwarf in todays city as they used to feel in kingdom.

It is understood that all cities cannot follow a single template, but we must urgently think what could be model of a true egalitarian and utopian city where every citizen feels equally empowered.

To get a sense of what true egalitarian city may look like, government, planners and architects may try pushing capital complex to the fringe of city or making public buildings less imposing and less authoritative in its appeal or making low cost housing as a skyline and image of a city or making transit nodes at the core of high density lesser privileged neighborhoods where marginalised people walk to station and rich strata arrive using last mile transport mode or reserving most scenic and prime location of city for least privileged segment and public parks for example.

Traditions and philosophy of city planning, urban design and architectural built form needs to be revisited and some bold steps to be taken as a statement to make cities increasingly egalitarian in its reflection, functionality as well as in its spatial and built form.

Author: Anoop Jha

#urbanplanning #smartcity #Amsterdam #Utretch #Hague #Delft #Denbosch #Alkmaar #Tilburg #Eindhoven #Rotterdam #Netherlands

Possible pathway for resilient public transportation system:

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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A resilient transportation system is one–

c) which still plans for future growth and expansion even when battling with low ridership at any moment

f) which has opted for digitalisation of governance and operations from customer centric services, network management to, unified cashless ticketing system, to fleet management and tracking, to predictive maintenance, to fleet automation, to on-demand services

Additional thoughts on real time pricing for public transport system can be found in my other Linkedin article here [https://lnkd.in/eaa28zat]

Author: Anoop Jha

Feb 19, 2023

An organism called City!

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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A narrative.

While cities can easily be misunderstood as an efficient functional object or synchronised complex machinery, they are certainly worth more than there physical dimensions and material attributes. Cities born out of necessity, forged by time and sustained by human endeavor yet intricate and unfathomable enough to be comprehended in totality and measured by mind. With time cities assume a personified, organic and withering quality. Ever growing, pulsating and engulfed in its own nostalgic scent, familiar white noise and mirage of visuals; qualities which make image of a city. True cities are made of metaphysical qualities rather than just physical attributes. One has to have a right vision not just right tools to make a city of essence!

Projection for long range development vision- What are the limitations?

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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One of the inherent limiting factor of long range development vision, especially City or Metropolitan Development plan is "Projection". While multiple alternate growth scenarios - like in case of population projections- are assesses including business as usual, exponential case scenario etc. through a scientific, statistical and pragmatic approach, but soon afterwards while selecting the optimal case scenario out of handful of alternatives, science tends to get replaced by somewhat abstract sweeping logic and individual or herd preferences and usually a "bullish scenario" is selected unanimously, because "vision" is perceived to be bright and luminescent, and rest other scenarios are sidelined.

Now very much convinced with the assumptions and choice of decision, projected numbers (say derived future population) assume concrete significance and starts dictating physical planning and form of city (like BUA, FAR, PCU), but in actuality such numbers (say projected population) may or may not be achieved or may exceed projected numbers, only to be evident half a decade later or so. Over stressed city infrastructure and ghost cities both are results of over reliance on single final future scenario and discarding equally valid other possible scenarios.

It's worth acknowledging that a single market ready technological advancement in span of 3 to 5 years, has potential to disrupt 30 odd year vision plan just like that.

Vision and long range planning should be as agile, accomodative and resilient as possible; to be revisited, reinvented and reconfigured in short intermediate spans and it should also have a monitoring dashboard mechanism with a continuous feedback loop. Additionally, vision document must elaborate and articulate multiple scenarios, their impacts and concrete response measures, plan-B, Plan-C and so on.

Author: Anoop Jha

Statistical bias and insufficiency!

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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The problem with statistics other than it's 1) susceptibility to misinterpretation and 2) confirmation bias is that 3) the moment you try to universalise statistical outcome, it gets diluted and loses its granularity and significance and 4) if you hardly get any robust and substantiated temporal data of a specific region or set of subjects (with its innate challenges, strengths, context and conditions) to support your argument it anyway still remains too remote, meagre or ephemeral to be of any material significance to the other three fourth part of world.

e.g., wrt above numbers

1) #Commercial / #political interest statistics

2) #Agenda / #ideological driven statistics

3) encompassing subjects like #poverty #urbanisation

4) statistics wrt #ecology, #heritage, #bicycleusage

If not true for all sectors, segments or subjects; same has been recurring theme and daunting issue with majority instances of statistical interpretation/ outcome

Statistics to be presented with a note of caution and to be received with a dash of scepticism.

Author: Anoop Jha

#Statistics #modeling #projection #urbanplanning #governance #commerce

An inclusive city needs more than smart interventions!

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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Inclusiveness is not a function of smartness of the city. A city that is labelled intelligent still can't guarantee inclusion across spectrum of inhabitants or equity of service level across range of end users with varying needs.

Talking of smart citizen app for instance, we must deliberate who are the end users and whether digital benefits get distributed across citizens equitably or is it even accessible to all. Thinking of those homeless, those who can't read, those who don't own phone not to speak of smart phone, those who speak a different language, those whose needs are not listed in app, those who are too young or too old to use it, those who cannot access app due to health conditions, those who are not aware that such app exist, those who are running outdated app, those who do not have best data speed plan or access to internet itself and many others - a citizen app may mean different things to different inhabitants of city and meaningless to some.

Likewise in case of smart public infrastructure, how many actually access and uses public wifi other than tourists and few motivated others; who all actually have time and mindspace to switch to public wifi to save a miniscule amount of money and why will they risk malware attack and phishing if they have to use it only once in a while and when their personal telecom provider already gives them enough data and bandwidth. Again benefits reaches to only limited segment, actually those who are already empowered.

Like health equipment market which is skewed in a sense that those who are already fit tends to buy or use it more to be more fit, similarly E-governance for instance is more empowering to those who are already privileged in some sense or other, while the life of most of marginalized or at fringe or having specific or special needs may still remain unchanged by the noble initiatives like E-governance and public wifi network.

A sense of inclusion, belongingness and well being in a city has a different meaning altogether than solving city functionality through digital intervention or otherwise.

So how do we make a city which accommodates everyone's need - digital way or old analog way or with a parallel system of high tech and low tech intervention or on demand digital services or near-omnipresent services delivery or tailored door step governance and service delivery especially for those forgotten, those having limited means, those in dier needs, those marginalized and those at the fringe to make an equitable society.

Author: Anoop Jha

#smartinfrastructure #municipality #digital #future #policy #governance #cityplanning #urbanplanning #townplanning #inclusion #socialscience

Feb 17, 2023

Solution of urban space constraints may possibly lie within existing spaces itself.

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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Part of the solution of urban space constraint lies in the shared use of space, infrastructure, amenities and real estate inventory. Problem that is apparently caused by selective temporal and diurnal use of indoor and outdoor spaces and associated opportunity cost of space, and solution that possibly lies in multifunctional use of space.

Decades of inertia in terms of concept of space based on segregation of function, activities and power hierarchy, makes it rather challenging to have a broader discussion on such subject. Only some emerging shared real estate space concepts are being realised here and there.

Starting with space module of residential unit, where there is no universally agreeable standard floor space threshold between the wide range of low income housing to multimillionaire mansions, and if we focus primarily on quality of residential experience instead of floor space area, it is evident that living experience of a compact star category hotel room, possibly having one fourth or one third of typical residential unit floor space area, might be considered far better than average residential unit. (To calibrate, you may think of last time you went on vacation and booked hotel). Which theoretically implies two things, one, that if hotel chains for instance could design and manage residential housing across city, they may offer better living experience in less floor space of residential unit and saved real estate space means better quality of living experience in same or less price; second that they can come up with interoperable residential arrangement and contract, that means while you are away working, travelling or on vacation, someone else can use that space, something in line of timeshare and shared living, but at mass scale, by creating and repurposing residential inventory.

Similarly interoperability of other land use functions can be devised like offices, malls and retail spaces which remains unused for two third to one third of the day. Something like creating or repurposing land use and built-up area for shared working and shared commercial purpose.

Likewise there is immense possibility of multi-functionality in city in terms of shared infrastructure, shared amenities and facilities, which can still also make social, environmental and commercial sense.

We need to slowly move towards thinking of 24x7x365 usage of entire land use categories, making most of every square feet of precious real estate and outdoor spaces in city. This may mean regulatory changes, a new architectural and urban planning approach, real estate business model innovation, lifestyle and societal changes.

Author: Anoop Jha

#realestate #architecture #hotel #circulareconomy #timeshare #coliving #coworking #architecture #smartcity #Amsterdam #Utretch #Hague #Delft #Denbosch #Alkmaar #Noordholland #Northholland #Tilburg #Eindhoven #Rotterdam #Netherlands

Why to make smart cities?

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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Thinking other way round, do we have choice not to make smart cities?

Thinking of all the inexhaustible technological breakthrough that is happening, the unimaginable pace of it and the ever-disruptive potential of technology; do we have purpose, choice or even capabilities to stop that?

Thinking of intellectual quest of minds, uncompromising force of commerce and vested business interests, that drives and support technological innovations, do we have intention, choice or even capacity to stop that?

Are there prolific examples in history, where forces of technological progress and commerce were challenged, disrupted or tamed, or weren’t they possibly the very latent or obvious force which throughout shaped the world in general and cities in specific?

So, as, innovations, backed by powerful businesses and capable investors are anyway going to exponentially continue, irrespective; then the question remains is that, where will they apply such novel concepts and emerging technology; the obvious prime choice in this case remains “cities”; cities of specific minimum threshold size, with optimum density and known economic stability, cities that provide ultimate testing ground for smart technology, a vast “living laboratory”!

Acknowledging the inevitability of proliferation of smart interventions in cities, even if in bits and pieces, even if in uncoordinated and scattered manners, that too without choice; it is apt and thoughtful to increasingly align our aptitude, our values and institutions to embrace such unstoppable changes, so that at least those technological efforts could be coordinated and channelised in a desired direction in any given urban environment, may be collectively labelling it "smart city".

If we already labelled them as smart city, that only shows awareness, proactiveness and receptiveness to this idea that smart city may not be a mere choice!

Author: Anoop Jha

#smartcities #smartcity #future #startup #university #sustainability #business #commerce #history #amsterdam #rotterdam #delhi #india #netherlands #urbanplanning #urbandevelopment #urbanmanagement

What it would mean to live in a Smart City 2035, for instance?

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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Thinking of a future time when basic efficiency has already been achieved through several rounds of smart interventions.

So, what comes to mind, when one thinks of living in a true smart city on a future time, is possibly the ease, efficiency, on-demand, quality life, that is there for inhabitants; while for institutions of all kinds, both public and private, it may mean better information, management and rate of return.

Will it be more flat or more hierarchical? Top down or bottom-up? Uniform or asymmetric? Need to deliberate more on “what would be?” Vs “what should be?”

Are there any trade-offs? Possibly yes, as it may have to do with “choices” Vs “(new) obligations”, “ease” Vs “dependency”, “security” Vs “infringement”, “carefree” Vs “competency”, “fragile” vs “fittest”; where each trade-off requires deep inspection, logical adjustment and subtle handling.

Thinking of belongingness; does that mean “those inside the smart city” Vs “those outside”, “those deserving to be inside” Vs “those better left outside”? Further to brainstorm, how do we assure its equitable and widely acceptable.

Will it reinstate the concept and need of city boundary, may be virtual geofencing, like a regression in time; boundary which took past several decades to get blurred on the contrary.

Subject like this which touches so many lives including several facets of life, requires a visionary introspection, lengthy collaborative thinking and sympathetic approach; a true smart city cannot simply be achieved through big data, disruptive technology and linear institutional thinking.

There seems to be a lot of room for debate, before we conclude on idea of smart city.

Author: Anoop Jha

#smartcity #urbanmanagement #urbanplanning #systemthinking #institution #smartsolutions #futuretech #design #future #technology #equility #sustainability #resilience #Rotterdam #bigdata #community #Netherlands #India #Delhi #iot #AI #5G #sensorfusion #connectedinfrastructure #autonomus #machinelearning

Cities as overlapping layers of supply chain networks.

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/

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Cities can be looked at as an overlapping layers of supply chain networks where city function is characterised by transfer and exchange of resources and commodities sometimes physical and sometimes virtual. Where physical supply chain network comprises of resource and commodity distribution namely supply of distributed labour to centres of production (work place) as well as from food supply chain to e-commerce delivery network, to retail supply chain to hierarchy of logistics distribution. Virtual supply chain network may be understood as communication supply chain where information is being transferred and exchanged as knowledge commodity through a complex network of embedded channels like social, professional and educational media. Hybrid nature of network is also witnessed like in form of print media, which still essentially deals with transfer and communication of knowledge, again a commodity.

That being said, there is immense untapped potential of these network of supply chain which can be harnessed in a city or region, in a business as usual scenario (though some innovative use of such network is witnessed in times of crisis). Two clear advantages are there, first if each of these network could do some improvement in its existing network configuration, making network suitable for repurpose to serve additional objectives without much expenditure. Second, if these networks (like a conduit) could leverage each others network strength in some part of its supply chain, it may immediately yield in optimisation, and better rate of return for businesses.

To leave with some thoughts, in a hypothetical scenario, WHETHER, businesses of similar nature and trade, widely distributed in a metropolis (with their individual labour supply network) will collaborate, brainstorm and swap/ exchange with each other, some of their employees who commute from a very long distance every work day, with those employees (with comparable qualification) who live in neighbourhood of these businesses; in a way that both set of employees swapped get to live and work in its original neighbourhood. It may be a win-win situation for both businesses and individuals.

Likewise for instance global aid networks (like those dealing in emergency food and nutrition), who have reach to remotest parts of world, can use their existing distribution network to support and exchange other noble global causes by joining hands - like supply of frugal innovation test kits, knowledge and awareness OR documentation of native cultural traditions and craft OR linking native art and craft to global market using its existing food supply network for instance.

Author: Anoop Jha

#urbanmanagement #urbanplanning #supplychain #network #smartcity #sustainability #resilience #future #innovation