A comparative case study of typical blocks in Helsinki and the urban project of Citylife Milano reveals two strategies of constructing urban blocks. One is defining the perimeter, while the other is creating an urban park. Both of the two strategies can be used in future adaptation of existing blocks, shedding light on the different needs in different urban scenarios.
The evolution of block typologies in Helsinki shows the trend toward openness in block design through urban development in 20th Century because of the increasing population and modern traffic. Historic blocks in city center are characterized by continuous facades and inner courtyards. Each building in the block follows the guideline of facades and contributes to an intimate street atmosphere. However, open space in the middle of the blocks seem to be residual spaces defined by building footprints. Following the classical principle emphasizing street walls, blocks in Töölö, Pasila, and Katajanokka demonstrate a growing concern on making the blocks more open and creating public space for the city, usually by interacting with adjacent blocks. Comtemporary densification of traditional blocks in Helsinki should follow the guidelines protecting the street wall. Meanwhile, the creation of superblock with a civic park can become a pioneering project in urban regeneration at critical location.
Previously the fair ground of Fiera Milano, Citylife Milano occupies the superblock with a city park and several free-standing clusters with new programs, including commercial tower groups, residential coutyards, and cultural facilities. Instead of filling the land with evenly distributed density, the mixed-use project achieves high density with the central skyscrapers, and provide intimacy with nature with the surrounding park. The park’s multi-layer landscape also enables the creation of 2nd-floor plaza, ground floor retail, and underground parking, providing all kinds of urban amenities. To avoid of becoming an isolated island, the new development of Citylfie Milano is well connected with adjacent residential blocks and convention centers by a continuous open space system, and well connected with the city through metro system. As a typical model of contemporary large-scale development, the urban strategy to create a park with towers meet the demand of high FAR and high OSR. More importantly, it achieves flexibility in the phasing of development and future adaptation of the block.
GSD Spring 2019 DES 3472 | Urban Grids: Open Form for City Design Instructor: Joan Busquets, Dingliang Yang
