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Atmospheric | Towards a more liveable city

Part 2 Project 2013
Amir Talachian
American University of Sharjah | UAE
Streets are critical to the livability and sustainability of urban environments and are important places for people to meet and socialize.

The Atmospheric is an adaptable design, which can be easily being effective in other cities and climates. It is a system, not just an element. Each element in this system might not be effective if they were used individually. The key element of the design is the flexible canopies, which can be transform and change to work in any environment. The system formed by various existing forces of the site. It has being designed by controlling these forces to neutralize each other and use the advantage of each other.

The canopies are the most important element of the system, which is willing to transform the Green Street to a public domain; and is fundamental to the form and function of the urban environment. To increase social and civic activity on the street, we have to change our focus on facilitating vehicle movements and parking to a “shared spaces” with a diverse set of vehicular and pedestrian uses of the street. The Atmospheric system promotes a more balanced idea of street design that recognizes the need to accommodate public life and amenity as well as cater for traditional linking and transport corridor function.

The Downtown Green Street is a prototype, which provides sustainability, cooling, and water sensitive urban design (WSUD) that can be applied to all areas within the city of Dubai. The Green Street design will also encourage the use of roads and highways as an infrastructure to achieve more livable areas within the city as well as a coordinated and consistent palette of materials and long-term maintenance benefits.

“Walking sets eyes on the streets, it enhances public life and increases the local ownership and knowledge of the city. There is more to walking than walking: Walking is the first step - making invitations to stop, to linger, to talk, to watch, to participate and to perform are the others.”
J. Gehl, Public Space - Public Life, 2007

Amir Talachian

Tutor(s)

2013
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