Fused Grid

Fused Grid ( German as: Grid merger) embodies the synthesis of two North American perspectives regarding urban planning, namely, dating from the 19th century usual checkerboard grid with the meandering, curved streets and blind alleys of modern suburbs.

This synthesis is accomplished by the acquired traditions practical application of the straight line orthogonal geometry, the main characteristic of the grid, and the use of two of the curve geometry associated with road shapes.

The development of quality, the second basic feature of the grid is restored by pedestrian zones, which allow other ways of moving. These pedestrian zones represent a third component and complete the "system". The pedestrian zones are usually conducted through open spaces, which are the focus of residential cells. In this way, the road network of the residential area is characterized by a mixture of pedestrian areas and road sections. Although the complete system appears unfamiliar, the underlying elements are known and are often used.

It is the goal of the Fused Grid to establish a balance between the vehicular and pedestrian traffic to provide safe roads that promote sociability of its inhabitants, and facilitate access to public facilities. These characteristics and the advantages of the conventional traffic planning can be achieved in the fused grid which is in contrast to the traditional frame. The straight -orthogonal grid, which largely shaped the North American city planning of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, can ( 498 BC to 408 BC) returned to living in the 5th century BC city planners Hippodamos be. He turned to the so-called Hippodamische system for the redesign of Miletus.

The Fused Grid consists of a large-scale, open grid of feeder roads which carry the moderate to fast cars. The shaped by this grid residential blocks are usually about 16 hectares ( ie approximately 400 meters by 400 meters) tall. Within each block, the residential streets are arranged by crescent-shaped streets and dead ends so that the through traffic is prevented. In addition, a continuous network of footpaths provides the access to public transport, shops and public facilities. Residents can pass through a block in about five minutes. The most intensive land uses, such as schools, public buildings, areas with dense housing and retail from the preferred areas are created centrally in the plan. These areas are accessible by two-lane feeder roads which are in turn connected to more distant destinations of the residential area.

The plan allows the rapid vehicular traffic, without compromising the safety and convenience of pedestrians. In the residential area, the pedestrians are preferred, because the path is more direct than the infrastructure. Also bike paths are possible because the passage for cars on these roads is less advantageous.

This neighborhood features have been articulated and codified by various plan economists of the 20th century, for example, by Christopher Alexander in his book A Pattern Language ( a pattern language ). In this book you will find a collection of design patterns, such as design patterns 49 ( curvy ), design patterns 51 (Green Street ), design patterns 52 (path networks and car networks) design pattern 23 (parallel lines ), design patterns 61 ( small squares ) and design patterns 100 ( pedestrian ). These patterns can be found in each grid square of the Fused Grid.

The Fused Grid also assumes Clarence Perry's proposals for a residential area of ​​64 hectares and a ten percent share of the total area for open spaces and leisure and recreation. In contrast to the monotonous grids of older cities, a residential cell, which was designed in the model of the Fused Grid, have 16 acres of different configurations. Although each cell is different from the others in the design, each configuration retains all the its intended properties.

A retroactive application of the Fused Grid can be observed in the inner cities of old European cities such as Montpellier, Munich, Essen and Freiburg, as well as in the suburbs of the cities Vauban, Freiburg and Hooten in the Netherlands. If one takes into account the limitations of the built environment with which the road traffic in the center -inflammatory grid merger and the transfer of the pedestrian network on the remaining screens are evident in most cases. In Canada, is being driven ( Canadian Federal Agency for the residential and construction), the Fused Grid by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

A similar debate is taking place in Europe, especially in the United Kingdom, where the term filtered permeability (filtered permeability ) was launched. This term describes urban maps but which stimulate restrict the movement by pedestrians and cyclists the use of motor vehicles. See also: Permeability ( spatial and transport planning).