PLANNING THE CENTRAL AREA: A BRIEF LITERATURE 4

By: Muhammad Nurasfar Bin Ramli, Sherine Amira Ak Beatle,  Nor Aisyah Binti Mohd Nasir, Siti Nur Izaty Binti Mohd Pardzi, Nurul Najihah Binti Mohd Noh.

1.0 Introduction

According to Abend Gabriel (2008), town center planning is a study which emphasis on the town center to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This study is focus on town center planning which is usually link to government services, business hub, wide-spread public transportation, commercial area and settlement. Town center planning also classifying as a core area as it involves institutions, services, government offices, commercial district and business activity. This report also helps to understanding on planning policies and strategies of local development plan and elements that state in this report. This study is about the the town center which already developed the central area however there is a certain issues and challenges to assure the sustainability of the city itself.

The aims of this report is to review on the literature study which consists of land use and building use, economic base, transportation, tourism and recreational, urban design and heritage, social aspects that will be explaining about preliminary study such as goals, purpose, objective, scope study and methodology and elements that has been made in this report.

   2.0 Definition of Town Center

According to Beyard, Micheal D (2007) town center is an enduring, walk able and integrated open-air, multi use development that is organized around a clearly identifiable and energized public realm where citizens can gather and strengthen their community bonds. It is anchored by retail, dining, and leisure uses, as well as by vertical or horizontal residential uses. At least one other type of development is included in a town center, such as office, hospitality, civic and cultural uses. Over time, a town center should evolve into the densest, most compact and most diverse part of a community, with strong connections to its surroundings.

3.0 Components of a Town Center

3.1 The Urban Village Ideal

    Most growth is planned to occur around business districts, combination retail and housing projects in the niche neighborhood. Some rezoning of land accommodates more housing mound business centers. This includes improving neighborhood quality and maintenance generally.

3.2 Urban Design, transportation, and economic development

     Improvements to create a series of distinct niche neighborhoods in the central area. These niche neighborhoods are the focus of city investments in street and urban design improvements. They complement each other’s services, are linked by streets that work, and are filled with better, more complete range of services for community members and other.

3.3 Streets that work for pedestrians, bikes, buses and cars

    Create Central’ Area streets that hum with activity, shopping, walking, and alternate transportation that link people with employment and employment centers. Corridors tie together the community, linked by greenery, amenities, and a sense of grace - suitable for strolling, biking, or driving.

3.4 Gateways Spaces, and Gathering Places

  Community gardens, open spaces, gathering places throughout the many  neighborhoods should be financed by the City to support the growth in families. These improvements increase public safety, community pride and build a positive   image.

   4.0 Principle of a Town Center

4.1 Respect Market Realities

    A thriving town center is well tuned to the level and nature of the market that supports it. Understanding the market entails understanding not only population counts and income levels but also growth, competition, access, and aspirations. By Michael. D. Beyard (2007).

   

4.2 Integrate Multiple Uses 

   A mixture of uses is one of the most important qualities defining a town center. Historically, centers of towns or villages have contained a variety of uses that serve the broader community. It bringing potential benefits and synergies to the center, has different constraints and issues affecting its development.

4.3 Environmentally responsible

 Environmentally responsible towns and cities manage resources to take account of

the needs of present and future generations. Environmentally responsible towns and

cities constantly seek ways to minimize adverse impacts on human health and

natural and cultural systems, including air quality and water quality.

                                                            

4.4 Connect to the Community

One of the defining characteristics of town center developments is that they are very public and have strong connections with the surrounding community. The fact that patrons look on town centers as public centers. Strong connections to surrounding neighborhoods, commercial areas, and park systems help reinforce the view that the town center is accessible to all users. Connectivity to a town center occurs at a variety of levels. The most obvious connection is through a well-designed series of roads. Town centers require an effective balance between pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Town center developments typically have a retail and commercial component that is place based. Open space can also be an important component linking a town center to a broader park system. This is particularly the case with suburban town centers, where land areas and more generous open-space requirements create opportunities for connection to larger parks.

    5.0 Requirement of a Town Center

      5.1 "Open to the Public"

         A simple example of this is the public park and plaza. One of the favorite examples               of Kuah Langkawi, people come to Langkawi square from all locals and tourist as
        they are popular, accessible, safe and easy to use. This public place serves people               with different backgrounds and reasons to be there. It has something for everybody.

      5.2 Attraction and Sustain Demand 
              

  Places of interest will attract people near and far. Urbanization begins when the              property owner begins development. For example, throughout Kuah Town there were    active night market activities. 

   5.3 Sustainable and Livable Environment

  Great places are designed for people taking into account all human needs. It means        they have fresh air, lack of sound and trash, and plenty of shade, if needed. For                example, Langkawi is a city with its own history. The Legendary Park is an area of            interaction that provides information on the history of Langkawi and has evolved into a    tourist attraction. This shows that while many are concerned with the restoration of the    environment compared to the historical development of community improvement, they    can unite the two.

  6.0 Factors for Town Center Development

     Some of the key factors contributing to the growth of the city are excess of resources,

      industrial and commercialization, transportation and communication development, urban

    economic attraction, educational and recreational facilities. Here are the factors that are driving the growth of the city.

      6.1 Excess of Resources

 Cities grow wherever society or group is located, gaining greater resources than is   necessary for sustenance. In modern times, humans have conquered nature and   expanded their power. They have used their natural resources extensively through   technological improvements to date that few people can meet the basic needs of           many  people.

6.2 Industrial and Commercialization 

  Urban growth was also driven by new production techniques related to the industrial     revolution. The discovery of machinery, the development of steam power, and the   large use of capital in industrial enterprises led to the establishment of a giant                 manufacturing plant that led to the mobility of a group of workers who accelerated         their  concentration around the factory area.

6.3 Transportation and Communication Development

 Developments in the mode of transportation and communication and facilities offered     by the city to meet the need for communication also explain the growth of the city.         The  industry relies on transportation so that raw materials and manufactured goods   can be transported in large quantities. In industrial cities, transportation and             communication tools are essentially developed. The city is connected not only to other   parts of the country and abroad but through advanced local modes of transportation,   various parts of the city are also connected.

6.4 Educational and Recreational Facilities.

   According to one of the authors of the article "Factors influencing the Growth of            Cities  around the World" recently all secondary schools are located in cities in India      while primary schools are located in a city more complete than in villages. Naturally,   because of all facilities young men and women are attracted to cities for higher     education. Recreational facilities are available in the city.

  7.0 Characteristics of a Successful Town Center

7.1 Competitive, thriving, creative and innovative

    Competitive and thriving towns and cities attract dynamic and innovative knowled 

    workers, entrepreneurs and companies creativity is a hallmark of successful towns and

    cities. Creative towns and cities facilitate new ways of thinking and innovative ways of

    solving problems. Creative cities connected to global markets are a primary source of

    innovation, technological development and wealth creation in modern economies.

7.2   Livable

    Successful towns and cities provide a high quality of life where people choose to live and work. Livable places provide choices in housing, work, transport and lifestyle

     opportunities. They are easy to move around, with accessible services and a variety of

  integrated transport options that include walking and cycling. Livable places are healthy places to live, and they have low levels of crime.

 7.3 Environmentally Responsible

     Environmentally responsible towns and cities manage resources to take account of the needs of present and future generations. Environmentally responsible towns and cities constantly seek ways to minimize adverse impacts on human health and natural and cultural systems, including air quality and water quality.

8.0 "A Successful of Town Center Have"

8.1   Opportunities for all

   Successful towns and cities accommodate all citizens and offer opportunities for young and old, people on low incomes and people with disabilities. They provide access to jobs, affordable homes, services and community facilities. A successful town or city is equitable and everyone feels a sense of ownership, which is reflected in their safe and dynamic public spaces.

8.2    Distinctive identity

     Successful towns and cities have a strong and locally distinctive identity that builds on the unique strengths and characteristics of each place and the cultural identity.

      Recognizing and promoting a town's or city's identity encourages diversity of cultural expression through design that recognizes distinctive use of space, form and materials.

8.3    Shared vision and good governance

     A successful town or city has a clear sense of direction and a widely shared vision.

  There is genuine engagement with communities and leadership at many levels. Creative ideas are encouraged and freely exchanged between people and government.

    9.0 The Common Activities Found in a Town Center are as follow:

       A town center is the commercial or geographical center or core area of a town. Town

       centers are traditionally associated with shopping or retail. They are also the center of

       communications with major public transport hubs such as train or bus stations. Public

       buildings including town halls, museums and libraries are often found in town centers.

     Familiar word as we know about central business, article about Central Business       District or CBD from Matt Rosenberg, the CBD is essentially about perception. It is   usually the "postcard image" one has of a particular city. There have been various   attempts at delineating the boundaries of the CBD but, for the most part, one can   visually or instinctively know when the CBD starts and ends, as it is the core and   contains a plethora of tall buildings, high density, a lack of parking, transportation nodes, a large number of pedestrians on the street, and generally just a lot of activity during the   daytime. The bottom line is that the CBD is what people think of when they think of a     city's downtown area.

10.Type of Activity

10.1 Services

    Services are the non-physical, intangible parts of our economy, as opposed to goods, which we can touch or handle. Services, such as banking, education, medical treatment, and transportation make up the majority of the economies of the rich nations. They also represent most of the emerging nations’ economies.

10.2 Social

     Social activities include music and art groups, cooking and gardening. Offsite activities include outings such as shopping, eating out, thereat trips and sailing. Our activity coordinators ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate in interesting and fun activities. Everyone is encouraged to socialist, whether it’s through relaxing in our gardens or meeting friends in our onsite coffee shop.

  

10.3 Restaurant

    A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearance and offerings, including a wide variety of cuisines and service models ranging from inexpensive fast food restaurants and cafeterias, to mid-priced family restaurants, to high-priced luxury establishments.

   11. Best Practice 

According to Eeva-Sofia, Ville Inkeri, Jukka Heinonen and Seppo Junnila in their article

entitled "How central business district developments facilitate environmental sustainability -

A multiple case study in Finland" states that sustainable space planning is very complex

today, and local authorities strives to limit this complexity by dividing social, economic and

environmental considerations into separate processes. I think this does not fit the original

idea of sustainability, but it helps planners avoid the difficult choices and decisions required

by the integration of sustainability themes. In addition, sustainable development is usually

promoted through actions that are slightly deviant from current planning practices, and are

clearly different from the standard often not discussed. Although future generations may be

the inspiration for the definition of sustainable development, they do not seem to be

underestimated in sustainable urban planning.

Traffic dimensions is a major part of historical, cultural and cultural landmarks places of

worship, many banks, institutions, schools and government departments, old markets and

major commercials units are located in the CBD, so the volume of traffic will increase heavy,

which is why it should reduce traffic congestion. Most of all travel is in the morning to get to

school, administrative matters and also for those who emigrated from another area or

countryside to reach the destination. The amount of traffic will also be congested at evening

and peak hours because everyone rushing and also tired.

 Refferences

      i.        Michael. D. Beyard (2007) Ten Principles for Developing Succesfull Town Centers Received 14 April 2020. Retrieved from Documents TP Town Centers

    ii.        Rice Kinder (2016) What Makes a Great City. Received 14 April 2020. Retrieved from what makes a great city great public spaces

   iii.        Eeva-Sofia Säynä joki, Ville Inkeri, Jukka Heinonen & Seppo Junnila. (2014).  How central business district developments facilitate environmental sustainability – A multiple case study in Finland. (Aalto University School of Engineering, Finland). 

   iv.        Negi Mohita. (n.d).  Factors influencing Growth of Cities around the World. 

    v.        Beyard, Micheal D.Anita Kramer,Bruce Leonard,Micheal Pawlukiewicz, Dean Schwanke, and Nora Yoo. Ten Principle for Developing Success-full Town Centers. Washington, D.C.: ULI-the Urban Institute, 2007. 14 April 2020.

   vi.        New Zealand Ministry for the Environment Manatū Mō Te Taiao. 14 April 2020.

  vii.        Kennesy Smith (2006). From Planning Commissioners Journal / Number 62 / Spring 2006. 

viii.         Matt Rosenberg, (2019) Basics of the Central Business District. 14 April 2020.

   ix.        John Spacey, (2017) Type of Activity Center. 14 April 2020.

    x.        Shobhit Seth, (2019) Important to the Economy 14 April 2020.