BLUEPRINT FOR A FUTURISTIC URBAN SETTLEMENT

Planning a city must be an interesting exercise. I'm not sure why, but recently, my interests were drawn to a simple personal brain teaser excercise where I tried to play the role of a city planner. I must have been fascinated by how God was able to write a universal program running the metaverse.

 I said to myself, "What if I am called upon to plan a new city?" 

How would it have felt for God, planning out and actually writing the programs that make seasons, births, deaths etc. happen? Excited by the potential of what beautiful city I could develop, I resorted to try out the game. 

Yes, I know, people get trained and get licensed to do this, but as an Architect, I just felt like trying. It felt interesting thinking out and providing for all the necessities for a pleasant life in my small city. The time I spent considering what else should be on the list, was refreshing to my philosophy-thirsty soul. 

For formality and memorability, I named my pet city; Peaceland. I itemized all the realities of life that needed to be provided for and then the physical provisions needed to satisfy them, in a tabular format. I'm adding to the list as the game unfolds. So far I have made a list of realities that need to be provided for in the order as it came to me while developing the model; below:

The task is to plan a modern city with provisions that cater to the identified necessities of life, work, religion, health, fitness, education and other important aspects of settlement. Now lets see what we can come up with, hopefully you can suggest a plan that works or just hang on till I find time to finish the game and show you a proposal for your review.

MAKING OF MODEL SATELLITE TOWN FOR ABUJA (SECOND REVIEW)

HERE COMES THE MASTER PLAN

SALIENT FEATURES
·    Phased development, having sustainable districts at each phase
·    elimination of the traditional grid iron pattern and its attendant thorough fare traffic
·    and replacement with the super block model.
·    provision of private as well as communal green spaces
·    shared communal facilities encourage social interaction and are cheaper to maintain
·    turn to alternative revenue sources
·    car-less community thus less carbon emission = cleaner air
·    cultural   promotion through football
·    provision of well connected service roads, cycle and pedestrian ways
·    a fine blend of the garden city concept, and the neighborhood planning concepts with Le-corbusiers centralized business district model

HOW DO YOU FEEL ON A DESIGN REVIEW DAY

 So how do Architects really feel just before a presentation..what am I thinking just before its my turn. Is it confidence, too much of it or less of it. is it fear of getting Bashed or is it calmness?
For most it is either of these sometimes and at other sometimes a combination of them, in a random order.

You are sure you have done your homework, but you are not sure how  the client would receive it. would it be ecstacious satisfaction or sad disappointment, would he throw arms around you in joyous praise of the work or frown at your beautiful ideas?
For me, its a mixture of those feelings. But what is common with us all is that before the meeting, we always feel confident.

Such was the case right here today.

The second review on the Abuja Satellite Township project, Spirits were high, we all peered critically at each others works.
however there seemed to be a dive in the mood after the review, egos had either been shattered or boosted!
Envy sets in, momentary depression happens some how you feel you have been misjudged or under-graded.
But you take a resolve to go back and do more work and bounce back stronger!!
..to be continued

US-BASED FIRM TO STAKE N22.62 IN NIGERIA'S REAL ESTATE MARKET

Pleased to learn about this. Was actually planning a satellite township for Abuja, and was contemplating going high rise, and the effects it will have on the local skyline and vernacular Architecture, I was beginning to settle for a predominantly Low-rise dwelling, But after learning about this proposal, am happy some other people are finally thinking in same line with me. Now I have an accomplice (so to say) I just might go ahead and pierce the relatively virgin sky-anyway!!!

Read more:
US-based firm to stake N22.62bn in Nigeria’s real estate market

MAKING OF A MODEL SATELLITE TOWN FOR ABUJA(STAGE 1)

So having said that, lets take a look at the progress so far. Just as i recommended in my book(LEARNING TO BE AN ARCHITECT) I've been reading and searching deep to get a firm gasp of what is required in a satellite town as well as to justify the need for it in Abuja.

A lot of documents on the internet have given various enlightening meanings for the term as an English phrase as well as an element of urban design.

But here's my own simple definition;

a satellite town is a smaller community mostly consequential but sometimes planned, mostly residential but sometimes lightly commercial too, located close to a larger metropolis connected via available transport channel and which may or may not contribute to the economic viability of the bigger city but largely solves the problem of its urbanization.

I have also aswered a number of important questions such as, what are the xtics of a satellite town, what is the origin of satellite towns, why do we need a satellite town in abuja, what has the government to say about this need, what sustainable approaches could be implemented, and of course what are the town planning standards for allocation of amenities in an urban area?

In this light, I have studied three satellite towns ; satellite town Lagos, Nigeria, Gurgaon, India and Chengdu Tianfu, China. Of the three the most remarkable one has been that of china's Chengdu and that is the one I have shared here.

image: The satellite city chengdu tianfu, Chian. excerpts from my Research work.(go here to read more about the design.)

The concept is absolutely sustainable and is hopefully going to inspire my own design to a great extent. Some of the salient features of this modern self-sustaining town include;

· It has a well designed cultural and performance center
· pedestrian-ism is greatly encouraged: one can walk from any part of the city edge to the centre in less  than 15minutes
· 48% less energy and 58% less water. 
· 89% less landfill waste
· Generate 60% less carbon dioxide.
· commercial,Residential,Office,Light manufacturing & a medical campus are included in the town making it easier to live and work there,
· ECO-PARKS


Next I have to carry out a site suitability analysis. This would involve identifying potential sites for the proposed town, and will culminate in selection of the most viable one.