URBAN

DESIGN
PRINCIPLES
Case Study : Central River Front Development
!amilton Country" Cin#innati
Su$mitted By
R%S% &i'nes( )umar
A%S%Arvint( Samy
&t( Semester
R%&%S% S#(ool o* ar#(ite#ture
Dindi'ul+,%
Contents :
1. Introduction
2. Urban Design Principles
a. Central River Front Urban
Design Case Study,
Hamilton Country.
i. Streets,
ii. Parks and Open Spaces,
iii. Highway Barriers,
iv. Parking,
v. cono!ic Develop!ent Sites,
vi. "ttractions,
vii. Public #ransportation,
viii. Scale o$ Develop!ent.
1. INR!DUCI!N:
UR"#N D$SI%N:
Urban design is the key to !aking places where
talented people will want to live, which will nurture
econo!ic success.
It is our hope that the Urban Design %o!pendiu! will
assist proponents and designers in creating vibrant and
dyna!ic neighborhood places within our co!!unity.
#he value in building &people 'rst( develop!ents is
wide ranging.
)ore!ost, it encourages a co!pact urban $or!, which
pro!otes alternative and healthy transportation
choices *i.e., walking, cycling and transit+, better use o$
!unicipal in$rastructure and !aintains the viability o$
neighborhood businesses.
Over the longer ter!, this style o$ develop!ent $osters
a distinct co!!unity character that builds a brand and
civic pride $or the %ity and its neighborhoods.
,. F#C#D$ #ND IN$RF#C$:
It is i!portant that all sections o$ a building contribute
to the continuity o$ the public real! and create a
consistent street wall.
le!ents such as corners, !ain entrances, unit
entrance, balconies, porches, patios, appropriate
signage, awnings and lighting are i!portant in the
design o$ a building.
"ll o$ these ele!ents rein$orce the public real!
*pedestrian environ!ent+, are aesthetically pleasing
and adds to the pedestrian e-perience.
.. "UI&DIN% S$"#C'S:
)or !i-ed use, retail or co!!ercial buildings, the built
$or! should nor!ally be located at or near the property
line to rein$orce the streetscape and create a /uality
pedestrian e-perience.
0ith residential built $or!, the setback is dependent on
the building1s type. )or apart!ent and townhouse
$or!s, the building should be located at or near the
property line to ensure the proper proportions are
created $or the public real!.
Opportunities should be sought to create $orecourts or
$ront gardens to so$ten the hardscape condition along
the street.
)or single $a!ily dwellings, the built $or! should be
located between .23! $ro! the property line.
#his setback ensures there is a proper growing space
$or trees rein$orces the streetscape and creates a
/uality pedestrian environ!ent.
1. (#R'IN%:
Parking is integral to the success o$ a pro4ect5 however,
its location on the site is also i!portant to the success
o$ achieving a sense o$ place $or the neighborhood and
the subse/uent public real!.
)or larger building type *i.e. apart!ents, o6ce buildings
or !i-ed use buildings+ the parking should be situated
underground or at the rear o$ the site in a sur$ace or
structured $or!at.
By placing the parking in these locations, it allows $or
the built $or! to be at or near the property line
ensuring both a positive streetscape and pedestrian
environ!ent are created.
%oupled with the building location noted above, parking
underground or to the rear o$ the site also per!its
active uses at grade5 this $urther assists with creating a
vibrant and dyna!ic public real!.
In s!aller building type *i.e. single $a!ily dwellings and
townhouses+, parking or garages should not be situated
in $ront o$ the built $or! line, parking at the rear or side
o$ the house is appropriate.
7ear laneway situations could be considered $or these
types, in order to !ove the parking co!ponents to the
rear o$ the property5 this allows $or an enhanced public
real! and pedestrian e-perience.
). *#SSIN% #ND SC#&$:
#he !assing o$ a proposed develop!ent, as noted
above is conte-tual in nature and should !aintain a
hu!an scale.
In in'll situations, the urban character already e-ists
and the !assing should be consistent with the
surrounding built $or!.
#his includes detailed design ele!ents, such as,
windows, orna!entation, !aterials and visual bulk.
)or !ore suburban situations, the !assing should
encourage a !ore urban character and !ay not
conte-tually 't in the i!!ediate ter!, but will over
ti!e as the area shi$ts $ro! a suburban character to
one with urban /ualities.
On taller buildings, step backs and roo$ treat!ents are
desirable to help achieve a better scale and visual
appeal $or the public real!.
Buildings with a height greater than $our storeys should
use step backs to reduce the i!pact on the pedestrian
e-perience.
#he stepbacks allow $or greater sunlight into the street,
a built $or! with a hu!an scale and a reduction o$ wind
e8ects on pedestrians.
In addition to step backs, roo$ top treat!ents are
desirable as they cap the building and provide an
architectural 'nish to overall co!position.
-posed !echanical penthouses and other devices do
not help to create high /uality city skyline.
+. SI$ &#,!U:
#he layout o$ the site is heavily in9uenced by the
characteristics o$ the site itsel$. In9uences on the layout
include, but are not li!ited to: topography5 e-isting and
potential routes *pedestrian, cycle, transit and
vehicular+5 parks and open spaces5 natural $eatures5
view corridors5 and site access.
#he overall site layout needs to success$ully integrate
with the surrounding land $or!s and $oster a positive
relationship with the surrounding built $or! and provide
a /uality streetscape to enhance the routes that
intersect the site $or pedestrians, cyclist, transit users
and vehicles.
-. "UI&DIN% ,($:
"long with !assing and scale, building type has an
i!portant role in creating a /uality public real!.
Building type includes a variety o$ characteristics, such
as the si;e o$ the building1s 9oor plate, its storey
heights, !eans and location o$ access and the
building1s relationship to e-ternal spaces at grade.
"ll o$ these ele!ents are in9uential in creating a /uality
public real! that is en4oyable $or all user types.
On larger building typologies *i.e. apart!ents and o6ce
buildings+, s!aller 9oor plates are desirable as they
per!it sunlight into the street and breaks down the
visual bulk o$ the large !ass that is usually created by
this built $or! type.
#he building1s relationship to the e-ternal spaces at
ground level is also i!portant.
#o ensure a /uality public real!, entrances to the
ground 9oor units, whether co!!ercial or residential,
should $ront the street5 otherwise the building will be
backing onto or 9anking the street.
<ehicular access to the site should be integrated with
the overall built $or!5 this access should not be
pronounced or do!inate the streetscape.
.. D$NSI, #ND *I/:
#he density and !i- o$ a building in9uences a variety o$
characteristics within a neighborhood, such as, people1s
transportation choices *i.e. walking or driving+, one1s
ability to age in place and the co!!unity1s ability to
support retail and co!!ercial uses within walking
distance5 density and !i- are also in9uential on
building type, site layout and neighborhood character.
#he intensity o$ activity should be relative to the place1s
accessibility and pro-i!ity to a range o$ uses.
0. *#$RI#&S:
#he !aterials chosen $or a pro4ect are the skin o$ the
building5 it is what ties all o$ the urban design ele!ents
together.
=aterials can &!ake or break( the success o$ a pro4ect.
0hen choosing !aterials, it is i!portant to understand
scale.
#he si;e and repetition o$ a !aterial can add a
di!ension to the built $or! and assist in creating a
positive streetscape.
=aterials such as stucco and concrete, which can be
applied as a sold !aterial with no relie$ is not a
desirable design response.
I. Streets:
Re-
establish the city grid to the river
a. #he e-isting river$ront road syste! is a $rag!ent o$ the
historic downtown street grid.
b. #he original street network e-tended $ro! %entral
Parkway on the northern edge o$ downtown to the
Public >anding on the river.
c. #he heart o$ the city was thus connected to the river.
#he construction o$ )ort 0ashington 0ay in the ,?@As
e8ectively broke this link by severing virtually all o$ the
northBsouth street connections.
d. #he water$ront was $urther isolated in the early ,?CAs
by the erection o$ %inergy )ield and its parking decks.
e. In order to reconnect the %ity to its Ohio 7iver address,
northBsouth Street connections to the 7iver !ust be
reestablished.
$. %entral, l!, 7ace, <ine, =ain, and 0alnut Streets
should all be e-tended to the water$ront to co!ple!ent
the lone e-isting connection at Broadway.
g. Pedestrian2$riendly streetscapes !ust acco!pany the
rebuilt streets to invite residents back to the water1s
edge.
II. (ar1s and !2en S2a3es:
Transform existing isolated parks into a
riverfront park system.
a. #he e-isting parks to the east o$ the central river$ront
$or! one o$ the world1s !ost inviting river$ront green
spaces.
b. Deat!an1s %ove, Bicentennial %o!!ons at Sawyer
Point, and International )riendship Park each re9ect the
correct pattern o$ river$ront develop!ent, in which a
park acts as a !ediator between the %ity and the river.
c. #he only criticis!s which can be !ade o$ these parks
are that they are disconnected $ro! downtown and
neighborhood pedestrian networks and isolated $ro!
residential and co!!ercial develop!ent.
d. 7edevelop!ent o$ the area between the %lay 0ade
Bailey and #aylor Southgate Bridges will trans$or! the
isolated parks into a river$ront park syste!.
e. "ppro-i!ately @Aacres o$ parking lots and warehouses
can be re!ade into a public open space as a new $ront
door $or downtown. =ehring 0ay will be recon'gured to
create a de'ned northern edge to the park.
III. Hig45ay "arriers:
Seize the
opportunity to remove Fort Washington Way as
a barrier to the riverfront
)ort 0ashington 0ay was built at the height o$
interstate highway construction in the ,?@As to connect
I2C@ to I2C, and to provide direct interstate access to
downtown %incinnati.
"lthough the concept see!ed correct at the ti!e, the
e-ecution o$ the highway design resulted in a tangled
syste! o$ ra!ps, bridges and intersections.
It also had the unplanned e8ect o$ cutting o8 the
physical and perceptual links between downtown and
the river$ront.
"n opportunity e-ists today to re!ove the ele!ents o$
)ort 0ashington 0ay1s design which !ake it a barrier to
the river$ront.
#he proposed reconstruction is designed to $acilitate
below2grade eastBwest through !ove!ents and to
restore the historic sur$ace street pattern.
Sidewalks and street trees will replace the e-isting
!a;e o$ highway e-its and unclai!ed spaces and the
highway corridor will be narrowed to be in scale with
typical city blocks.
7e!oving )ort 0ashington 0ay as a barrier is a key
principal $or the success$ul redevelop!ent o$ the
central river$ront.
I6. (ar1ing:
reate centrally-
located!
multipurpose
parking
" ,??E study o$
%incinnati1s downtown parking resources revealed that
although the %ity has an abundance o$ parking spaces,
!any o$ the! are located $ar $ro! where they are !ost
needed.
-cess capacity at the peri!eter o$ downtown currently
o8sets a severe shortage o$ parking in the %entral
Business District.
#he river$ront, with its over FAAA spaces, is a key part
o$ this e-cess capacity and an essential resource.
#o preserve the balanced parking supply, new
structured parking !ust be built to serve both
downtown o6ce and stadiu! users.
Since o6ce workers will typically only walk a /uarter o$
a !ile or less, new structured spaces should be
concentrated in the central river$ront andBor west o$
Broadway %o!!ons.
#he creation o$ a new shared parking reservoir is the
best insurance against downtown parking shortages
and unecono!ical re!ote garages.
6. $3onomi3 Develo2ment Sites:
"reserve sites #hich are linked to do#nto#n!
the stadiums! and parking for economic
development
#he river$ront and Broadway %o!!ons are the two
likely sites $or stadiu! and econo!ic develop!ent.
0ithin these two sites, the central river$ront between
l! and 0alnut Streets and the western tip o$
Broadway %o!!ons have the uni/ue $eature o$ being
si!ultaneously linked to downtown, the river$ront, the
stadiu! sites, and parking.
#his characteristic !akes these two areas the best sites
to preserve $or $uture develop!ent opportunities.
7e!oving )ort 0ashington 0ay as a barrier to
river$ront develop!ent is a critical supporting initiative
$or the river$ront strategy.
%reating a !ulti2!odal transit and parking $acility in the
)ort 0ashington 0ay corridor is also a key to attracting
new invest!ent.
Develop!ent on the Broadway %o!!ons site will not
only bene't $ro! supporting uses, but will in turn $uel
residential revitali;ation in the Over2the2 7hine
neighborhood.
By preserving the central river$ront between l! and
0alnut Streets and the western tip o$ Broadway
%o!!ons $or $uture econo!ic develop!ent, %incinnati
will be establishing the $oundation $or the only
opportunity to e-tend the downtown core.
6I. #ttra3tions:
$ink attractions to the do#nto#n retail and
o%ce core
a. " !a4or goal o$ the public invest!ent in the two
sports stadiu!s is to strengthen downtown retail,
entertain!ent, and cultural businesses and
organi;ations.
b. I$ cultural attractions, residential develop!ent,
andBor co!!ercial develop!ent are located on the
central river$ront, they should be linked to the )ourth
Street retail core, )i$th Street hotels, )ountain
S/uare, and the backstage cultural district.
c. #he new river$ront attractions can be seen as a
Gstring o$ pearls,1 a collection o$ valuable cultural
assets. #his Gstring o$ pearls1 runs $ro! the river$ront,
across the reconstructed )ort 0ashington 0ay, and
into the downtown.
d. #hus the developed river$ront beco!es 4ust one part
o$ a vibrant and sea!less downtown with a variety o$
uses, including stadiu!s, cultural attractions, retail,
hotels, entertain!ent, housing, o6ces, and parks 2 a
true .32hour city.
6II. (ubli3 rans2ortation:
onstruct an $RT or parking shuttle to link
neighborhoods and parking #ith do#nto#n incinnati
and &entucky.
a. " new light rail transit line to link the airport,
Horthern Ientucky, downtown %incinnati, the
University o$ %incinnati, and northern neighborhoods
has been in the conceptual planning stages $or so!e
ti!e.
b. #he pre$erred align!ent would include a new bridge
parallel to the %lay 0ade Bailey Bridge on the upriver
side. "n Ginter!odal1 hub below Second Street is
planned as the line1s key trans$er point to bus and
inter2urban rail networks.
c. "lthough the region1s transportation plan has !any
other i!portant pro4ects, the option o$ light rail *or
an e/uivalent parking shuttle syste!+ should be part
o$ the revitali;ation o$ the %incinnati river$ront.
d. One key argu!ent $or the >7# is that it would link
re!ote parking reservoirs with stadiu! and %entral
Business District parking needs, thereby reducing the
re/uire!ent $or new downtown structured parking
spaces.
6III. S3ale o7 Develo2ment:
"reserve the vie# from do#nto#n to the river
and
from the river to do#nto#n.
a. "!ong %incinnati1s greatest assets are the views
$ro! the %entral Business District to the 7oebling
Bridge and Ohio 7iver, and $ro! the Ohio 7iver and
the Ientucky river$ront back to downtown %incinnati.
b. =any citi;ens said that the %ity skyline as viewed
$ro! the south is %incinnati1s signature i!age. In
order to preserve this asset, new buildings in the
central river$ront should be scaled to the support
e-isting sight lines.
c. Building heights should step down $ro! )ort
0ashington way to =ehring 0ay, with stadiu!s
pushed as $ar to the east and the west as possible.
d. #his approach will guarantee that the !a-i!u!
nu!ber o$ the e-isting and $uture downtown
buildings will share the %ity1s !ost prestigious
river$ront address.