Showing posts with label DenHaag. Show all posts

Nov 2, 2023

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

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When the economy has to serve its purpose!

🏭When not producing anything is not an answer and when shutting down industries, businesses and operations may not be an option!

Then we need a statutory mechanism, moral pivot, and disruptive but viable business model, where every new and existing industry and business may still continue to function, but upskill themselves at the facility scale (and sectoral level) and devote up to half (not a token) of their capacity, resources, and skills to make things right, neutralizing the externalities that another half of their current business model or establishment generates. To be achieved either through circular procurement, reverse logistics, repurposing production, decarbonization, resource efficiency, or carbon offset.

This is highly important in today’s race of production and overproduction, as by any estimate for example, as on date -

👔There must be enough clothing stacked in the warehouses, stores, wardrobes, second-hand market, and on the way to landfill, that may serve what the entire world population requires for the next month or even a year or more

🏢There must be enough sum total square feet of real estate inventory, to give a respectable unit area of habitation to everyone in the world, considering all the vacant and under-utilized residential stock, all the extravagant properties, and all other land use that sits idle half of the time.

And more.

All of this that is currently being done, to serve inflated demand, and due to lack of a mechanism to recirculate material that is considered waste, and the inability to manage mismatched resources.

A new way of industrial and business operation will be a welcoming change!

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 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

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#Circulareconomy #urbanplanning #urbanmanagement #urbandevelopment #economics #finance #industries #comemrce #World #EU #Europe #netherlands #Amsterdam #Rotterdam #Hague #DenHaag #Delft #Lieden #Sustainability #Resislience #Climatechange

One of the most important and underrated aspects of material flow.

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

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The conservation and (re)utilization of embodied energy - from the scale of the product to the built environment.

Yes, materials have been extracted and refined, and the products have been made, and transported for intended use, with all its embodied energy, the product that went through energy-intensive processes, leaving environmental externalities. What next?

It will be unreasonable and illogical to keep producing, while not knowing what to do with the product or refined material after the end of its first functional or fashionable life. The thing we know and focus on today is to grind and smelt products back to their granular, sometimes molecular constituents, or ship them to grey markets and landfills of less well-off places, after sometimes their deliberately short, designed, perceived, and valued life. Maybe it’s the only choice for some in their given context, maybe it’s a problem of not knowing whose Lifecycle responsibility it is after the product leaves the factory.

In any case, the post-perceived functional life of products, it becomes a problem of “compound” embodied energy associated with refined materials and products at a global supply chain level.

Once a product or refined material enters into local geography through a global supply chain, with all its embodied energy associated with processing, transportation, etc., it is the responsibility of the local economy, regional industry, and governing institutions to create enabling grounds for maximizing the use, reuse, and repurpose of refined materials/components and products at varying scale, be it extension of life, second, third and fourth life or reinvented multi-functionality of such products. Just because we have figured out how to make new products or refined material from scratch, doesn’t make it necessary to discard old and create new at the pace at which it is being done, just because you can.

Be it paper, plastic, cardboard, and glass products, packaging and residues (which hold high circular potential due to their numeric strength), or of course concrete (that holds circular potential due to sheer scale), or discarded EV batteries, chemicals, PV modules, wind turbine components (that holds less explored circular potential in the need of hour).

A product or refined material of any scale, at any historic or contemporary timeline, once produced, with or without thought of the future or post-functional life, becomes immensely valuable due to all the efforts, time, and embodied energy associated with it, and its never too late to reassess the real value of such product, to explore how these can be put to best use tomorrow and in times to come, especially within the local geography.

Author: Anoop Jha

Image: Author

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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

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#circulareconomy #urbanplanning #resourceeffeciency #materailflowanalysis #LCA #climatechange #systemthinking #designthinking #Amsterdam #Rotterdam #Utrecht #Netherlands #EU #Europe

The dilemma of oversized urban houses.

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

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Yes, they live in oversized houses, as they gradually reached there, as they wanted to, as they needed it, and as they could afford it at one point in time. They still continue to live in oversized houses even if they don’t want to as it becomes unmanageable with age and weakening abilities, even if they don’t need it as they become empty nesters, and even if they can’t afford it at another point in time, with drying wherewithal and acclivitous expenses.

Yes, it’s not that easy to reconfigure something made of brick and mortar, at the unit scale and at the neighborhood scale. It’s difficult with architectural rigidity that doesn’t consider modularity in its inception. It’s harder still with binding urban design regulations that don’t consider such future reconfiguration requirements and possibilities in the first place. Even more difficult with land use restrictions, that don’t consider real-time land-usage convertibility, and are nearly impossible amidst stringent building bylaws that are dictated by the idea of dimensions.

Having a choice is fundamental. We are discussing reconfiguration, from a house to a neighborhood scale, not with the conventional idea of accommodating more people per unit or per acre, not with the sole idea of co-location or sharing; but to offer inhabitants a choice that they deserve, the choice to sequester their operations in the humble Sqft of area, carved out of their own house, that is still respectable for a home, that is manageable, and affordable with growing age. If we end up gaining room for more inhabitants per acre through the reconfiguration of houses and neighborhoods that is a byproduct.

In any part of the world, it’s counterintuitive even from a policy perspective, surrounding this phenomenon of living in oversized houses at a growing age, with household size considerably reduced, when many of them may not require it or want it but still live there in the absence of choices. Counterintuitive, as administrations may choose to offer money as a social welfare gesture only to take some of it back unintentionally in the form of higher energy bills generated and associated higher property taxes due to those additional sqft of area which many residents might not require.

While the discussion around retrofitting and circular built environments is gaining traction, we should further move beyond the idea of material trade-offs, and, design, plan, and strategies to consider the matter of mutating requirements and choices and focus on this much-ignored immutable fact that human spatial needs drastically change with time. Technologically, reconfiguration and retraction of the buildings and larger built environment is not impossible, possibly focus has to be on statutory reconfiguration and policy reengineering.

Author: Anoop Jha

Image: Author

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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

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#urbanmanagement #urbanplanning #urbandesign #smartcities #circulareconomy #Rotterdam #Amsterdam #Utrecht #Netherlands #EU #Europe

What makes a great city?

Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/
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Luck, inheritance, coincidence, distinct leadership, resourcefulness, and experimentation

LUCK

· Geographic positioning – less susceptible to seasonal and weather extremities, and diurnal variations

· Environmentally guarded geography – less vulnerability to climate change catastrophe

· Regional positioning (sea coast, river bank, hills, valley) - economic and ecological potential

· Natural resources (minerals, ecological assets)

COINCIDENCE

· On a trade route – economic edge

· Twin city or polycentric regional setting – symbiotic advantage

INHERITANCE

· Heritage – something to nurture and to build on

· Legacy institutions (industries/ businesses/ hub of public and private institutions)

DISTINCTIVE LEADERSHIP

· Transformative vision (planned spatial growth and development blueprint, policy formulation, sectoral roadmap, city branding)

· Creating economic and knowledge ecosystems (anchor industries and MSME, commerce, startups, universities)

· Tackling socio-economic challenges (poverty, inequality, crime)

· Controlling demographic indicators (education, gender ratio, vocation, etc)

· Mitigating environmental impact

· Preparing for climate resilience

RESOURCEFULNESS

· Finding means of revenue generation

· Attracting investments

· Assuring funding

· Attracting human capital

· Attracting footfall

· Creating a network of global and regional partnerships and a support system

EXPERIMENTATION

· Living labs

· Districts of experimentation

The above factors and possibly a few others, dictate the present and future of metropolitans, cities, towns, and “would-be cities”; these are interdependent factors. While luck, inheritance, and coincidence have their own place, and sometimes cities have no choice; going beyond, theoretically and technically any city can be a great city if it decides to be one, if it focuses on leveraging what is coincidental, building on what has been inherited, finding right leadership, being resourceful and experimentative!

Author: Anoop Jha

Image: Author

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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

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#urbanmanagement #urbanplanning #smartcities #urbandesign #landscape #ecology #economy #heritage #tourism #municipality #Amsterdam #Utrecht #Rotterdam #Netherlands #EU #Europe

Individual tax reform - empowering citizens to help build community they want to live in.

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

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We increasingly see people getting more and more aware, vocal and affiliated with one and many causes they care about. Many have accordingly started to make their choices, adapt their behavior and shape their lifestyle. It would have been great if they had actual say, tangible control, and power to influence level of impact, for the causes they care about.

In different parts of the world, you see homeless people on street and want to bring them out of that situation, you see poor uncared or abandoned animals on street and want to do something about it, you care about safety in your neighbourhood and want to do something about broken or absent street lights; you see mound of waste on street and want to see your city clean, you see your city getting flooded every year and want to do something about it.

The tax money one pays goes into solving these issues anyways, but the priorities and fund allocation against each issue is decided by someone's else, i.e., by government. By paying the tax money you acknowledge your contribution to making a livable city and a reasonable society, but you dont feel the satisfaction of actually, in tangible ways, contributing to the specific cause you cared about, through your tax contribution.

There is a possible way that you may have actual control on directly contributing to cause you care about, if we do a creative reform in the individual taxation. If you as an individual are given the choice, power, and means to assign and distribute part of, say 50% of your applicable tax amount to one or many causes you care about, from a long list of possible issues, where you want your part tax money to go. Also having the choice of whether your part tax money goes to national or regional or local tax reserve, depending on the scale of issue and nature of cause you care about.

This way you assure that you made the direct financial contribution to the cause you care about, get the sense of satisfaction that you helped ameliorate the specific situation within your community, neighbourhood and country, that bothered you for long. You can even measure the direct impact you made there through observation over time.

If central, regional and local government, and tax authorities, in any part of the world, in any country, in any city, jointly decide to do such tax reform, and if they do the math, the sum total of funds available for various investment priorities, should theoritically remain same as they projected upfront, despite citizens making random choices about their part tax money distribution. If not so, it only shows that citizen and community priorities are different than what government and city adminstration thought, which will in turn further prompt alignment of national/ regional/local priorities with citizen aspirations.

Author: Anoop Jha

Image: Author

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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

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#Amsterdam #Utrecht #Rotterdam #Hague #Netherlands #EU #Europe #India

Apr 24, 2023

Information, connectivity and networked life as understated but intrinsic qualities of smart cities.

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

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The flow of information has evolved from farmers reading the sign of nature to estimate rainfall, to kingdoms relying on harbinger posted on hilltop communicating warning signs about approaching enemy convoys, to messages critical getting delivered through telegraph using Morse code, to modern-day ICT and mass media revolution.

Connectivity has not just emerged in terms of shortening the physical distance but assumed a new role and meaning that simply didn’t exist centuries back i.e., virtual connectivity.

Networked life, though has existed from the very beginning of societal structural formation, the emergence of trade activities, and evolution of economic ecosystem; it was never as organised, resilient, and transitory as today.

The way social and technological evolution occur, like an almost unstoppable but invisible force; it remained almost unnoticeable, until recently. While we assume that getting timely information, availing universal connectivity, and living a networked way of life is fundamental and intrinsic to society, almost like the presumed service rights; only until we encounter paucity of information, obstruction in connectivity or experience friction or blockage in network.

What it takes for cities to offer a seamless flow of information, ubiquitous connectivity, and resilient modern networked life? Almost all of the above values and conveniences of modern life can be encapsulated under the ambit of the smart city concept; with the concerted efforts of multiple stakeholders.

The city administrations, city managers, and urban planners have to leverage all of these in a holistic, inclusionary, and cautionary manner while creating a fail-safe provision for system redundancy. The discourse around amorphous and shape-shifting “smart city concepts”, yet seemingly an unstoppable force, is increasingly required to be directional and formulative (instead of divisive) to be constructive.

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

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#smartcity #urbanmanagement #urbandevelopment #ICT #Digitalisation #governance #egovernance #publicpolicy #ml #machinelearning #iot #Rotterdam #Amsterdam #DenHaag #Delft #Alkmaar #DenBosch #Eindhoven #Utretch #Hague #Netherlands

Idea of time-space in city making: the two realities.

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

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Those in project management understand single concept of time, i.e. time by clock and calendar. Project executed as per work schedule, days, month etc., there is no other reality. There is also single reality of space here i.e., per unit distance or area, at different spatial scale, meter, km, sqft, sqkm etc.

Those in urban planning affair, do understand above concept of time, as every urban development project is some kind of project/ programme management only, applied in a spatial context; but they also encounter another idea of time and space, different from clock, calendar and spatial unit, which is sometimes difficult to measure or interpret or even acknowledge. Here meaning of time and distance may differ for different individuals/ groups, depending on age, ability, gender, purpose, intention, aspirations, resources, geography, culture, familiarity, temporal reference, psychological conditions etc. This multifaceted idea of time and space is a reality different than minutes and meters; distinctly observable in urban planning affair. For instance, the centuries of idea of walkable distance or distance to be covered by bicycle or cart and time consumed in travelling such distance may logically and technically be measured in meters and minutes; but these distances and associated travel time may mean different thing to a child, old person, person with physical disability, people with special needs, person carrying weight or child, a jogger, fitness enthusiast, a pro native, a lost tourist, a person travelling to cinema and a person being taken to hospital while battling for life. This idea and perception of time and space is further different depending or use of powered vehicle, bike, wheelchair, horse cart or without these. Also different in context of metropolis, city, small town, or suburb. A 500 meter distance might be an easy distance for some and may feel like 10 miles to other.

Its important to acknowledge that the "unit time" by the clock or calendar which we are conditioned to use as a benchmark as an urban planner, city managers or project/ programme managers, is somehow a weighted average or a median of all aspects mentioned above, which are rarely widely discussed. Simply put 500 meter walking distance for example to be understood as average of what an athlete and an old age person can comfortably walk.

Irony is that there are possibly no scientific project management tool, method or explanation that acknowledge this "other" kind of spatiotemporal reality. Its just that urban planners, urban designers and landscape architects, instinctively acknowledge and factor in a different kind of time and space definition as well i.e. time beyond clock and distance beyond mile-stone; and they make provisions for same and alike, to make city a better place.

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

************************************************

#urbanplanning #Utrecht #hague #Denhaag #Amsterdam #Delft #Leiden #architecture #Alkmaar #Netherlands

Apr 8, 2023

Information, connectivity and networked life as understated but intrinsic qualities of smart cities.

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

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Connectivity has not just emerged in terms of shortening the physical distance but assumed a new role and meaning that simply didn’t exist centuries back i.e., virtual connectivity.

Networked life, though has existed from the very beginning of societal structural formation, the emergence of trade activities, and evolution of economic ecosystem; it was never as organised, resilient, and transitory as today.

The way social and technological evolution occur, like an almost unstoppable but invisible force; it remained almost unnoticeable, until recently. While we assume that getting timely information, availing universal connectivity, and living a networked way of life is fundamental and intrinsic to society, almost like the presumed service rights; only until we encounter paucity of information, obstruction in connectivity or experience friction or blockage in network.

What it takes for cities to offer a seamless flow of information, ubiquitous connectivity, and resilient modern networked life? Almost all of the above values and conveniences of modern life can be encapsulated under the ambit of the smart city concept; with the concerted efforts of multiple stakeholders.

The city administrations, city managers, and urban planners have to leverage all of these in a holistic, inclusionary, and cautionary manner while creating a fail-safe provision for system redundancy. The discourse around amorphous and shape-shifting “smart city concepts”, yet seemingly an unstoppable force, is increasingly required to be directional and formulative (instead of divisive) to be constructive.

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

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Good architecture and interior design never fails to amaze.

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

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It took sometime to notice the thoughtful and aesthetic design of handrail of wooden staircase in the apartment. It has close resemblance with sine curve or Bezier curve, a sign of harmony these may be called. This handrail was very comfortable, ergonomic and playful because of such design.

Also had opportunity to visit old style Dutch house earlier a couple of times, though was critical and puzzled at first, to see the steep narrow indoor staircase, narrow steps, short risers and low height handrails; different than those shown in pictures. Its almost felt like one needs to undergo a crash course to learn to navigate those staircases effortlessly and safely. While once again it took a while to get accustomed, one realises that those low height handrails goes very well with steep stairs. Not just that narrow staircase has space saving benefits, it also makes sense to have staircase designed in a more flexible, organic and fluid manner compared to modern popular geometric design as it fits in overall distinct architectural typology, especially pitched roof ones, where series or maze of steps may lead to different multilevel spaces, making it possible to make use of every possible space within the building envelope. And we are not even talking about sudden transitional quality of such staiways yet, which helps curb street behaviour while climbing the stairs.

While some may still find Dutch stairways, especially old ones, challenging to navigate, one thinks local/ traditional architects have mastered the craftsmanship of stairs and handrail making in many senses.

The obvious challenges associated with narrow steep stairs for instance related to age, abilities, and cargo handling are acknowledged, but that remains a separate topic for discussion.

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

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#Dutcharchitecture #Utrecht #hague #Denhaag #Amsterdam #Delft #Leiden #architecture #Alkmaar #Netherlands #interiordesign

Analyzing network characteristics.

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

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Networks often have two juxtaposed characteristics, one vulnerability, and the other redundancy/ resilience. Vulnerability in a sense that even a single or few weak links or blockages may interrupt the functionality of the network. Redundancy/ resilience because, due to multiple nodes and links, in case of disruption there might be multiple alternate paths that exist to continue the intended process.

Let’s take a case of business as a network. If there is a missing link or continued blockage in the supply chain, for instance, due to logistics infrastructure under-capacity, it may disrupt a business or even prompt some businesses to close down their operations. This is an example of vulnerability. On the other hand, if there is a policy change for instance that makes it impossible for a traditional business to serve a particular client base, in that case, the same business may either choose to serve a different market or mutate its business to offer another kind of product or service, using same logistics and supply chain. This is an example of redundancy.

If we acknowledge the dyadic nature and potential of the network from the very beginning, we may be able to plan better, may be able to plan in advance, we may be able to minimize vulnerability, and leverage redundancy, possibly through scenario building.

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

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#urbanmanagement #urbandevelopment #governance #egovernance #publicpolicy #Rotterdam #Amsterdam #DenHaag #Delft #Alkmaar #DenBosch #Eindhoven #Utretch #Hague #Netherlands

Apr 5, 2023

Analyzing network characteristics.

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

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Say if we visualize the transportation system as a network, if there is a missing link or persistent blockage (obstruction) in the bicycle route it may deter users to use bicycles altogether. This is an example of vulnerability. On the other hand, if your vehicle malfunctions at a certain place, you can always switch to an alternate parallel transportation mode like public transport. That is an example of redundancy within the same network of the transportation system.

Let’s take a case of business as a network. If there is a missing link or continued blockage in the supply chain, for instance, due to logistics infrastructure under-capacity, it may disrupt a business or even prompt some businesses to close down their operations. This is an example of vulnerability. On the other hand, if there is a policy change for instance that makes it impossible for a traditional business to serve a particular client base, in that case, the same business may either choose to serve a different market or mutate its business to offer another kind of product or service, using same logistics and supply chain. This is an example of redundancy.

We also see this juxtaposition at the societal level, if we consider society as a network. For instance, once the traditional rural fabric grows bigger to become a town and once the urban boundary is drawn, it tends to disrupt the social fabric on both sides of the urban-rural border. But using the same residual network, society on both sides of the border adapts to new socio-economic order within the newly established identity. i.e., the mutation in economic activities and readjustments in social characteristics.

If we acknowledge the dyadic nature and potential of the network from the very beginning, we may be able to plan better, may be able to plan in advance, we may be able to minimize vulnerability, and leverage redundancy, possibly through scenario building.

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

************************************************

#smartcity #urbanmanagement #urbandevelopment #governance #egovernance #publicpolicy #ml #machinelearning #iot #Rotterdam #Amsterdam #DenHaag #Delft #Alkmaar #DenBosch #Eindhoven #Utretch #Hague #Netherlands

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

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 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

Nov 2, 2023

One of the most important and underrated aspects of material flow.

The dilemma of oversized urban houses.

What makes a great city? Please visit my web page "Urban Tenets" at https://urbantenets.nl/************************************************

Individual tax reform - empowering citizens to help build community they want to live in.

Apr 24, 2023

Apr 8, 2023

Apr 5, 2023

Mar 13, 2023

Mar 12, 2023

Feb 21, 2023

Feb 19, 2023

What makes a great city?

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