3 Factors for Designing Livable Cities
The key to creating a Livable Future City is to designing cities to be sustainable, adaptable, and ready for increasing urbanization and unforeseen changes. This approach must be grounded in principles of equality, active civic participation, and self-determination. Furthermore, the creative application of technology and innovation will allow living standards to progress by leaps and bounds without neglecting environmental issues. Addressing environmental issues is a vital part of sustainable city development, which comprises three key factors:
Basic Infrastructure & Transport Systems
Public Rail Transport System
Currently, traveling from Bangkok to Chiang Mai takes at least 13 hours by train. A high-speed train could reduce travel times to around three hours, presenting opportunities including the growth of destination cities and provinces along the rail route, increased tourism, and improved business and logistics connectivity. More broadly, a comprehensive high-speed rail network in Thailand would enhance mass transit and streamline freight transportation. This would, in turn, boost the nation’s economy and those of neighboring countries while contributing to a greater quality of life and social equality — a persistent issue in the country.
Land-based Transport System
While building and increasing roadways are the initial challenges of land-based transportation development, the focus of future cities should be on designing context-appropriate roads that allow for systematic traffic management, integrate with various transportation modes, take into account their surroundings such as pedestrian walkways, bicycle lanes, and green spaces, and make use of technology-friendly features like smart bus stops, EV charging stations, or CCTV. City roadways should aim to provide urban residents with convenient access to public transportation within 10 minutes and essential services within 15 minutes. The goal is to ensure quality time for physical activity and daily pursuits and contribute to the overall well-being of city dwellers.
Green and Blue Networks
Sustainability in terms of natural resources and the environment is a vital component of urban development. In addition to contributing to a balanced ecosystem, green spaces and waterways (i.e., green and blue networks) also serve as recreational and stress-relief spaces, fostering community activities and interpersonal relationships while improving overall quality of life. Additionally, developing pedestrian and bicycle paths in green spaces improves the urban landscape, promotes physical health, and mitigates air pollution from motor vehicles.
Aside from developing green spaces, investing in water channels and natural canal networks contributes to a high-quality environment. Efficient drainage systems promote maritime traffic, easing road congestion and conserving Thailand's identity, which has been intertwined with waterways since ancient times.
Developing green and blue networks directly enhances people's quality of life and indirectly fosters a balanced and diverse ecosystem, transforming the city not just into a space for humans but an environment that accommodates all forms of life.
Adaptive Buildings
The buildings and structures of future cities are designed to be livable for everyone, prioritizing sustainability and adaptability to accommodate changing user behavior. This includes designing spaces that encourage knowledge exchange and idea sharing. These spaces should be flexible enough to cater to various activities throughout the day, include areas that reflect new lifestyles such as hybrid work, and integrate technology to enhance space utilization, ensuring their readiness to adapt to future needs and circumstances.
Another issue of global concern has been designing environmentally friendly buildings by incorporating sustainable technologies and innovations from construction to operation and maintenance. Additionally, there is the concept of implementing a systematic energy cycle within the building that emphasizes the use of alternative energy as well as policies to enhance green spaces both inside and outside the building.
Reference: Beyond the city