CBD 2050 : A NEW VISION FOR INTRA-CITY TRANSIT ORIENTED DESIGN

Abstract

Congestion is a huge problem in major city centres today, and with population levels rising, this problem is going to get worse. Increasing technologies enable us to travel vast distances at faster speeds, but are unable to relieve congestion at a city scale.

This thesis will begin by understanding what defines a sustainable city in terms of transportation, through looking at various existing cities and case studies, as well as going through the LEED for neighbourhood, and BREEAM for communities, the 2 major green rating tools for city development.

Various city forms are then tested against certain evaluations, included 3 customised nodes, sky-view factor, unobstructed view factor, and unobstructed space factor. With the optimised city form further developed, a new type of transit mode is introduced, one where commuters travel in pods that stop directly at the heart of a building. A new building typology is also introduced; one that only exists because of this new masterplan infrastructure, and vice versa.

While not all the technologies required for this utopian vision exist, they could become a reality in the near future, and this scheme helps to visualise the possibilities of utilising such technologies to improve the quality of life especially with regards to congestion in the city.