Session 04

Planning Development Process

Urban Structure
Planning Alternatives

Urban Studies
- Analysis of the current urbanization through survey: land uses,
building heights, building conditions, building materials, services
(education, commercial, health, recreation, …etc), industry,
workshops, …etc.
- Analysis of urban problems (according to survey and field studies)
- Problems of the urban context and the surroundings
- Current problems (urban, services, economic, social,
environmental, security, ..etc.)
- City/ area analysis to its components (residential, centers,
commercial, industrial,… vacant lands, …ect)
- Prepare maps with overlay to analyze all problems simultaneously
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 • To start with the planning process, you need to know/
analyze the problems of the area under study (Use SWOT
analysis and/or Problem Tree Analysis)
• Define the replicable problems (see if it is shown
elsewhere)
• Define the specific problems of the area under study
• Setting planning objectives
• Settle repeated problems in order to avoid replicating
them with new planning
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SWOT Analysis
• Points of Strength: local potential on the city/area level. It can be
used by the urban plan to improve the situation.. Such as: having
an important road, sea view, vacant lands for expansion, …etc.
• Points of Weakness: local problems that might hinder achieving
development goals.. Such as existence of informal areas, bad
distribution of services, unemployment, …etc.
• Opportunities: outside the area of study, could be used to develop
the area, such as clear policy to attract investments, efficient
transportation system nearby, …etc.
• Threats: that might provide a danger to the urban plan, such as
unstable security, distorted policies to attract investments, high
rates of population growth, lacking job opportunities, …etc.
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 Problem Tree Analysis
• Analysis of problems facing the city/area of study through dividing the
problem into its main causes
• Focusing on the roots of the problem, not just the symptoms
Such as: traffic congestion and crowding problem.. What are the reasons?
• Bad conditions of road paving
• Design of roads
• Vehicle status
• Lack of committed drivers
• Law enforcement
• Exceptions
• …etc
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Urban studies for the Master Plan

- Prepare a Land Use Budget (numbers, figures and percentages)
- Prepare a descriptive report (with maps ad photos) of the current
problems
- Prepare a study of the urban tissue, rural, urban, informal, ..etc.
- Prepare a study of population densities
- Study the current services (with efficiency analysis)
- Study the future services (and vacant lands)
- Prepare a study of the existing roads and degrees (status of roads)
- Put all problems on one map

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 Urban and Services Problems
• In some areas; number of schools is OK (according to
standards)
• But schools are concentrated in one area, and other areas are
lacking the service.
• Some urban problems are resulted from bad distribution of
services
• Sometimes there are problems due to lacking accessibility
(crossing to highways, river, rail road, ..etc)

Planning Alternatives & Evaluation

• Preparing Planning Alternatives
• Depends on the urban structure and formation
• Distribution of service center(s)
• Also, depends on setting of road and transportation
network, integration with urban structure
• Depends on variety and distribution of land uses
within the city/ area

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 Main Determinants for preparing
Planning Alternatives
• Before preparing the planning alternatives, some questions have to be
answered:
• What are the site surroundings and boundaries? And determinants?
• What are the regulations related to land uses? Including road influence?
• What are the linkages/connections between land uses within the area? And
between the area and the city?
• What is the existing urban form of the area/city?
• What is the proposed/ or preferred urban form?
• What is the required urban structure?
• How to deal with service centers, existing and proposed?
• What is the suitable economic base (if any)?
• How would you deal with traffic and transportation problem?
• What is the required housing level(s) for the area?
• …. 9

Urban Structure
• Related to distribution of
city and area centers..
Urban Land Use Models
Varies from:
• Concentric/ Ring Model..
Concentrated city center
• Sector/Linear Model..
Sectors of city components,
or linear distribution
• Multiple Nuclei Model..
Dispersed components of
the city
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 Distinguishing the Urban Structures
• Concentric/ Ring Model
• Pros
• Economic in infrastructure.. Cost reduction
• Possible social integration
• Clear urban structure.. Identity
• Cons
• According to road design; high possibility for congestions, traffic jams,..
• When having an extension; it loses the identity.. It would need another
urban form to be added!!
• Not suitable for large metropolises
Concentric zone model
Commuter zone
Residential zone
Working class zone
Zone of transition
Factory zone
Central business district
(CBD)
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Distinguishing the Urban Structures

• Sector/ Linear Model
• Pros
• Flexible enough to absorb future changes
• Could deal effectively with future urban
expansions!!
• City center is not stagnant.. Flexibility to reach
services
• Reasonable walking distances to reach service
(compared to other models)
• Could be adapted according to needs from short
and long term plans

• Cons
• High cost for infrastructure
• Gives the feeling that the city will go for long
period under construction.. Open ended
• Loses identity and visual image
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 Distinguishing the Urban Structures
• Multi Nuclei Model
• Pros
• Depends on variety of service
nucleus, each of them has its own
economic base
• Each sector has an identity and
structure
• Cons
• Very high cost of infrastructure (due
to extended urban form)
• Gives the feeling of an urban region
not a city
City Center
District Center

Neighborhood Center
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