Urban Planning Models: Ensanche & Linear City

Urban Planning Models

Ensanche - The Hippodamic Model

Early models for expanding cities with old layouts proposed a Hippodamic growth system. In Spain, this model was used in Madrid's widening plan and in Barcelona with Cerdà's plan.

Cerdà's Plan

Cerdà's plan proposed a smaller grid than the original Hippodamic model, with a hierarchy of roads. Over time, this evolved into the Salamanca district, which became obsolete. The urban development was regulated by legislation, including the types of buildings allowed in each block, establishing a social organization among buildings.

The approach was to create courtyards within blocks. Due to their small size, these courtyards were primarily for ventilation and suffered from scale issues over time. The size of the streets and plots was insufficient to support the city's evolution.

Improvements over the Original Model

Cerdà's plan, based on the same route, incorporated several improvements over the original model. It proposed larger blocks and chamfered building corners, increasing the width of intersecting streets and improving traffic flow. Courtyards were no longer solely for ventilation. Additionally, the plan included a separation of pedestrian and vehicle traffic, with designated walkways through building courtyards.

Finally, a wide diagonal grid was cut through the city, creating a fast artery for vehicles traveling outside the expanded area. This idea has remained effective to this day.

Linear City

The Linear City emerged from the fusion of interest in transportation and hygiene. First proposed in 1882, it was a type of garden city, envisioned as a long strip connecting two existing cities.

The core would be a 500m wide street with railroads running at different heights and speeds, proportionate to the city's importance. This street would also house urban services like water, sewage, and electricity.

Buildings would be placed on either side of the road, with houses surrounded by orchards and gardens. Community centers, inspired by trade and public services, would be established along the route, coinciding with train stations.

This idea later influenced urban development in the Soviet Union.

Land Surface

Geomorphology

Geomorphology studies the development of land relief due to geological forces. It has three main branches:

1. Mapping: Based on geodetic findings, this science uses various methods to create plans and maps.
2. Topography: This science aims to represent a portion of the Earth's surface on a plane, assuming it is flat due to its relatively small extension.
3. Geodesy: This mathematical science studies the shape and dimensions of the entire Earth.

Key Concepts

• Trig points: Permanently marked points on the ground.
• Ellipsoid of reference: The basis for topography and cartography.
• Astronomical-geodetic coordinates: All vertices are denoted by astronomical coordinates.
• Latitude: Measured from the Earth's equator, expressed in degrees.