Attitudes towards cities can go either way. Some appreciate them for their importance and ability to lead the way with innovation and initiatives. Other lambast them for being inefficient, badly planned, and harmful to the environment. Whatever you think, there are plenty of examples that show how good they can be, especially in terms of their resilience. We want to look at some of the best examples here. Then, if you need help from architects in London, you can speak to us.
Amsterdam
The interesting thing here is the city has embraced the concept of a “Doughnut Economy”. The core idea is the economics should not focus on growth. Instead, they should look at ensuring that people who live in the area have a good life all while limiting the impact on the environment. Amsterdam uses this idea to decide city-wide strategies and new developments.
Jakarta
The capital of Indonesia is facing a number of massive issues. It has grown so big there are huge concerns about pollution, traffic, and whether the infrastructure can meet the needs of residents. Even more worrying, 40% of the current city is below sea level and it continues to rise. The fate of the city is in the balance. So, there are different ideas for what to do. One is to build a new city and relocate. Another is to build a new green metropolis and move the administrative centre.
New York
This year has been an eye opening one for NYC. In September a huge storm brought over 7 inches of rain in a single day. As a result, there was extensive flooding. The storm put into focus the fact that the city has old infrastructure and an abundance of impervious surfaces. As a result, it is not able to handle large volumes of rain. The city needs to address this quickly because experts warn storms are likely to become more frequent in the coming years.
Hangzhou
The Chinese city was the host of the Asian games in 2022. In light of this, they had a plan to create a 116 acre Eco Park. The project showcases how cities can lead the way in creating responsive landscapes. Today, it is a green lung for the city, helping improve air quality. It also offers a green oasis for year-round recreation.
New Orleans
One thing many large cities lack is greenery. Sadly in a lot of cases trees and green space is lost as the city focuses on growth. New Orleans is one location that is looking to tackle this. Currently the city has the worst urban heat island in the US. Unfortunately, it also has just 18.5% tree cover, largely because so many trees were lost during Hurricane Katrina. The city is looking to improve and tackle the heat, planting trees in all neighbourhoods. The goal is to hit 24% by 2040.
Do you want help from architects in London?
Coffey Architects understands the requirements of designing buildings in cities. We look to ensure the designs help as many stakeholders as possible. Projects can look to help make the city more resilient too, considering the environmental impact and benefits of things like greenery.
So, if you want some help, feel free to contact us and talk to expert architects in London. We’ll give you the very best support with any work.