LAYERCITY
a study of Layer Structure for Smart People
the Layer Structure
We tried to identify the elements of the structure of the city, and first of all we came up with a clear distinction: today’s city is made op of PHYSICAL layers and ABSTRACT layers.
Society is seperated by many factors: age, profession and so on. There is almost no connection between each layer but there still exist some factors that could combine this layers: common interests. Ages and professions are totally different. Inside groups, people can exchange information, experiences and build relationships. The more common interests the more communication. The common interest groups could regroup the society. Thus it will improve social cohesion for a smarter society.
Society was born with social structure. Different layers have different duties. If the city wants to be flexible,there must be enough layers to remit social stress especially during economic crisis. If there are two layers, people in the first one can jump to the lower one, but those who are in the second layer couldn't learn a higher skill in short time. Suppose there are more layers, all could support each other, and it will be much easier for job-hopping. Society would be more flexible
Cyber space is almost a parallel world. Here, people can exchange, upload and download information which could be collected and analyzed. With such big data we could forecast the future in a more reasonable way. Cyber space also provides a lot opportunities for people who want to do poineering work, because they could easily get the information that they need and share it with their friends. Cyber space puts people together to create a more flexible world in the way of sharing and supporting.
FLEXIBILITY
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Given multiple mobility systems, citizens can be benefited from more flexible opportunities and alternatives to transfer vehicles depending on their destinations. Beyond that, with different networks organized vertically, efficiency and safety of mobility is likely to be enhanced. Each layer can be changed separately in the future without disturbing other networks, and residents can enjoy an easy access to different transport layers with elevators.
Hybrid communities provide residents a flexible living environment. Compared with some modern functionalism cities, such communities ensure every citizen the equal opportunity to obtain social services. Function Layers can also be organized vertically. Such pattern is likely to realize multi-function mega-complex within limited land while guaranteeing the boundary between private and public. Function layers can be also interpreted as function changing with time passing (reuse of buildings).
A city with various infrastructure layers or alternatives can reduce vulnerability in disasters. Mostly, new energy can be indispensable to create zero-carbon and waste free city. Different energy networks can be integrated to form distributed energy stations( the service radius can cover 1km or more), which realize the possibility of autonomy of communities. Beyond that, the layers inside the network also provide environment resilience for the city during natural and climate condition changing.
“Landscape” may include natural, agricultural, urban artificial landscape, etc. Not only may Each system include ample elements, but systems can be combined in urban context and domain to realize different landscape functions. Landscape layers can also function as urban GREEN infrastructure to provide leisure, entertainment, green habitat, flood dischargee, irrigation for city. Such concept has been demonstrated in theory of landscape urbanism and agriculture urbanism.
For each element we focused on what features it should have to be flexible.
COMMON INTERESTS
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information exchange beyond social groups
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overlapping of social groups
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social cohesion
SOCIAL STRUCTURE
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multi-class group, so to support each other when economy fluctuates
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various employment
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job-hopping (change of "layer")
CYBER SPACE
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information exchange beyond the obstacle of physical space
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BIG DATA (forecasts)
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CLOUD (share and support)
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career adaption
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sharing of risk
MOBILITY LAYER
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different ways to travel have different routes
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vertical separation
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different horizontal networks
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opportunity to choose and change ways of travelling
FUNCTION LAYER
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functional un-differentiation of different categories of space
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possibility for a certain space to become different things with the aid of urban elements
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equalization of accessibility everywhere
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reuse of architectural elements
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integration with mobility layer
INFRASTRUCTURE LAYER
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integration with function layers
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modernization of technologies
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possibility of autonomy
LANDSCAPE LAYER
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integration between environment and built space
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interchangability of landscape use