ARCH 551 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Floor Area Ratio, Urban Density, Urban Design
22 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
ARCH 551: Topic 11
Shaping Urban Form: Density, Floor Area Ratio, and Form-Based Codes
02/16/18
Planning regulations mechanisms for controlling the use of urban land and the
physical form resulting from urban growth
oPolice powers of the state
Enabling legislation giving municipalities statutory powers
Due process of public debate for establishment of these mechanisms and
their periodic review
Tools for systemic implementation
Terms and conditions for exemption
Recourse for private parties (legal challenges)
Zoning codes
oEuclidean: segregation of land uses
oPerformance: effects based planning
oIncentive: rewards are given to meet urban development goals
oForm-based: determine patterns and appearances rather than their land uses
Ex- early 20th century Montreal
Density
oNorth American population densities reduced during 20th century, downward
trajectory
“the war on density” success
Sort of, still sprawl effects, commuter traffic
Density = very crude operative concept representing a relationship
between a numerator (population) and denominator (area in spatial
units)
oThree aspects of urban density that affect us:
Absolute density: real number of people in a given area
Perceived density: an individual’s sense of the number of people in a
given area, as indicated by various cues and the individual’s enculturation
Crowding: an individuals subjective evaluation of how stress-inducing a
context seems to be (on account of its perceived density)
3 measures of density: residential contexts
oNet density (in Canada): strictly defined
oStreet density (“rough net density”)
Includes street right of way necessary for individual to access dwelling
units
An effective measure of density from rear lot line to rear lot line,
including the public street
oGross residential density (Neighborhood density)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Shaping urban form: density, floor area ratio, and form-based codes. Planning regulations mechanisms for controlling the use of urban land and the physical form resulting from urban growth: police powers of the state. Due process of public debate for establishment of these mechanisms and their periodic review. Zoning codes: euclidean: segregation of land uses, performance: effects based planning, incentive: rewards are given to meet urban development goals, form-based: determine patterns and appearances rather than their land uses. Density: north american population densities reduced during 20th century, downward trajectory. Density = very crude operative concept representing a relationship between a numerator (population) and denominator (area in spatial units: three aspects of urban density that affect us: Absolute density: real number of people in a given area. Perceived density: an individual"s sense of the number of people in a given area, as indicated by various cues and the individual"s enculturation.
