AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.09.2004, Side 23

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Increasing densities is a kind of
catchword in present day planning
discussion. But what does it really
mean? Increasing densities is basi-
cally to contain sprawl which is
manifest in large sites and low den-
sity development. Cities that have
been built in this way have a large
proportion of the inhabitants living in
suburbs, going shopping and seek-
ing services in large centres with
easy car access and abundance
of parking spaces. In these cen-
tres there are shops, offices and/or
services such as health services
and schools. In order for everything
to function quickly and safely, road
construction has to be extensive
to be able to accommodate the
ever-increasing traffic load. Land
use of this kind has been extolled
to some degree because it is largely
in accordance with what has for a
long time been considered natural
progress, i.e. development based
on increasing production and con-
sumption. In many ways this is a
logical and goal-oriented lifestyle
and in fact a cure for the imaginary
or real alienation which is thought to
accompany the modern way of life.
The individual has there a certain
type of "freedom” because he is not
limited so long as he keeps within
the web of the production system.
Unfortunately it has become
apparent that this way of life is very
unecological because the waste
of land is a kind of self-destructive
machinery. Large tracts of land are
taken for building, the main empha-
sis in traffic planning is on the use
of the private car with the resulting
traffic problems leading to social
inequality and isolation. Recent
research also indicates that low
density development has a direct
negative influence on the health
and weight of the inhabitants of the
western world.
Reaction to this development has
for example appeared in a policy
called “the new urbanism,” but
according to it we should look back
to the planning of cities in the past
where houses are built side by side
and social interaction of neighbours
and citizens is much greater than
when the main venue of people is
the supermarket. According to this
policy it is not necessary for people
to own a private car to shop or go
to work and therefore the role of
public transport obviously becomes
important.
There is also
an attempt
to mix hous-
ing types and
possible loca-
tion so that
different class-
es of peo-
ple can live
side by side
without the
social isolation
that always
increases prej-
udice and lack
of understand-
ing in society.
The regen-
eration of city
centres has
for a long time
been an íssue
in planning
science. This
issue is dif-
ficult to tackle
and will be so
long as the
waste of land
is justified by
being a nec-
essary and
natural part
of progress.
Many central
areas of cities
in the western
world that for a long time were the
jewel of each city have degenerated
during the last century. Much money
is now being spent on their renais-
sance both for cultural reasons and
for the reasons behind more dense
urban development.
In order to protect the qualities
of a living central area both the
inhabitants and the local authority in
question must join hands. The own-
ers of shops obviously aim to max-
imise the profits of their activities
and choose locations where land is
cheap with abundant and good car
access. While prices and taxes of
land do not take into account cultur-
al and ecological aspects, planning
continues its difficult battle with the
waste of land and declining central
cities. In the present development
plan for Reykjavík emphasis is put
on higher densities in the city. This is
in accordance with the regional plan
for the capital area 2001 -2024 but
the main emphasis of the regional
plan is on higher densities and pref-
erential treatment of central areas
with regard to development.
As the reader may have realized
from the discussion in the media,
increasing densities is a difficult task
because with it one is changing the
environment where people have
lived possibly for years or decades.
Notices from people and protests
against higher densities are almost
the rule rather than an exception in
Reykajvík. It is not surprising that
lcelanders like to enjoy the view and
have a nice garden where they can
make good-smelling hay during the
summer. A nation which for most
of its time has lived in the country
appreciates these benefits of coun-
try life. Our problem is that these
benefits can hardly be on offer for
those who want to live in cities. The
reasons have been stated above.
An understanding of the reasons
behind higher densities is therefore
necessary if we really want an urban
society in lceland. ■
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