LOCALS DISCUSSING THE FUTURE, SUSTAINABILITY & CITY DEVELOPMENT IN BERGEN

Tekst: Erik Madsen , BYAVISEN

see this article: http://byavisen.net/2010/10/aktuelt/%E2%80%93-bergen-b%C3%B8r-bli-en-moderne-storby
BERGEN BØR BLI EN MODERNE STORBY

BYBANEN: Bybanen vil stå sentralt i byplanleggingen fremover. Fremtidige bebyggelser vil trolig komme i områdene rundt bybanestoppene,.  Foto: Silje Stavrum Norevik

Nye byggeprosjekter bør settes i gang langs Bybanen for å gjøre Bergen til en mer moderne storby i fremtiden. Det mener både bystyrepolitiker Tor Woldseth (Frp) og rektor Marianne Skjulhaug ved Arkitekthøgskolen i Bergen.

Både Woldseth og Skjulhaug er opptatt av hvordan Bergen skal se ut i fremtiden.
– Det er altfor mange tomme, store arealer som vi kunne benyttet mye bedre. Vi trenger større bydeler slik at ikke de som bor i Åsane og Laksevåg skal måtte reise inn til byen like ofte, sier Woldseth, som sitter i komité for miljø, klima og byutvikling.
Han mener Bergen må kjenne sin plass som den nest største byen i landet.
– Vi må bestemme oss for hvilken by Bergen skal være. Skal vi utgi oss for å være en jord- og landbrukskommune eller en by? spør han retorisk, før han legger til:
– Bergen er Norges nest største by og vi må starte med å bygge flere boliger. Vi skal være en i større grad moderne storby. Byen er i tillegg lite egnet for jordbruk. Områdene hvor Bybanen passerer, vil være naturlige steder for nye boliger.
Politikeren er heller ikke fornøyd med landskapet som møter de reisende bybane-passasjerene på vei mot Flesland.
– Det er bare tull at mye av begivenhetene er bondeland og kuer. Oppover mot flyplassen med Nordåsvannet er det store areal som kunne vært brukt til nye boliger. Det finnes mengder med landområder som ligger godt til rette for flere boliger og fine eiendommer, sier han.
Nye stemmer
Også rektor Marianne Skjulhaug ved Arkitekthøgskolen mener områdene på veien mot Flesland ligger til rette for byforhold.
– Hele området mellom Nordåsvannet og Flyplassveien bør utvikles til en ny bymessig struktur. Området sør for denne veien bør settes av til ulike former for matproduksjon i kombinasjon med turområder, sier hun. Skjulhaug er opptatt av byens stolte bygningshistorie, men også hun ønsker forandringer innenfor den bergenske arkitekturen.
– Det er fantastisk å oppleve historiske og virksomme områder i byen. Bergens historiske bykjerne er dagens funksjonelle sentrum, noe som skiller seg fra hovedstaden vår, sier hun og fortsetter:
– Bergen har mange kvaliteter og har nok Norges mest karakteristiske bysentrum. Likevel ville det vært flott om noen nye stemmer kunne slippe til, som et eksempel har arkitekten Rambø tegnet et fantastisk forslag til avslutningen av Skuten som ville løftet den arkitektoniske ambisjonen i byen.
Viktig balanse
Rektoren trekker frem viktigheten av kontrastene mellom det historiske og det nyskapende for en by.
– Byen er et felles minne, en stor historiebok som gir oss tilhørighet og forståelse for hva og hvor vi kommer fra, samtidig som byens endringer vil åpne for en fremtid, forklarer hun.
Bybanen vil stå sentralt i byplanleggingen fremover. Fremtidige bebyggelser vil komme i områdene rundt bybanestoppene, ifølge Skjulhaug.
– Bybanen vil helt sikkert bli stammen i bystrukturen fremover. Men en fortetting av byen er ikke uproblematisk og krever mye av innbyggere, utbyggere og politikere. Byutvikling gjør at det må forskes på nye bymodeller som kan oppfylle de drømmene om å bo og leve et godt byliv, hevder hun.
Rektoren har også noen oppfatninger om Oslo og Bergen i forhold til moderne og nyere bygg.
– Nybygging fører med seg både gode og dårlige eksempler. Operaen er helt unik, ikke bare i nasjonal sammenheng, men internasjonalt også. For Bergen er det kanskje Grieghallen som var siste tilskudd av banebrytende karakter. Bergens styrke ligger i sentrumsnære områder med mulighet for å bo med barn og naturen tett på, forteller hun.

NYTT OG GAMMELT: I Bergen sentrum kombineres det gamle og det nye. Rektor Marianne Skjulhaug ved Arkitekthøgskolen i Bergen synes det hadde vært fint om nye stemmer kunne slippe til når det gjelder utviklingen av byen.

Nytenkning
Kyrre Holmeseth er masterstudent ved Arkitekthøgskolen i Oslo. Han er selv oppvokst i Bergen, og driver for tiden prosjekter i byen, uten at han vil røpe hva han jobber med.
Studenten mener Bergen bør være moden for en nytenking innenfor arkitekturen.
– Personlig mener jeg at vi må tørre å gjøre noen nye ting som kan sette oss litt på arkitektur-agendaen, slik at vi ikke bare lever på det gamle. Vi må ikke være redde for å ha bygg som ser annerledes ut, sier han og legger til:
– Bergen skiller jo seg ut ved måten byen forholder seg til den gamle bebyggelsen og hvordan vi bygger arkitektur i terrenget i fjellsidene. Balansen mellom gammelt og noe nytt kan skape interessante kontraster, forklarer han.
Bergensk patriotisme
Den særegne og stolte tilhørigheten hos byens innfødte vil gjøre det vanskeligere for nytenking når det kommer til arkitektur i Bergen, i følge Holmeseth.
– Bergensere sin personlighet er vel et lite resultat av at vi kommer fra en by med gammel og sterk historie. Det hadde nok blitt store protester om det skulle blitt gjort noe med Bryggen.
Holmeseth synes likevel balansen mellom fortiden og nåtiden kommer dårlig ut når det nye bygget til Gulating lagmannsrett skal stå klart neste år.
– I stedet for å gi et nytt byrom som åpner seg mot plassen og lille Lungegården, blir det nå et kraftig volum som stenger inne den gamle brannstasjonen, sier han.
Også Holmeseth tror holdeplassene langs Bybanen vil være med på og skape nytt liv og flere boligområder i fremtiden.
– De fremtidige stoppene langs banen bør kunne legge grunnlag for en større by, med steder hvor man ønsker å reise til, som man ikke finner i sentrum, forklarer han til Byavisen.

SIGNALBYGG: Grieghallen er det nyeste bygget av banebrytende karakter i Bergen, mener rektor Marianne Skjulhaug ved Arkitekthøgskolen i Bergen.

Foto: Silje Stavrum Norevik

Tekst: Erik Madsen , BYAVISEN

see this article: http://byavisen.net/2010/10/aktuelt/%E2%80%93-bergen-b%C3%B8r-bli-en-moderne-storby

DELHI NULLAHS: THE FRACTAL METROPOLITAN LAYER

www.delhinullahs.org

'The fractal metropolitan layer' is an endeavor in progress by Morphogenesis, that aims to reveal the hidden opportunity that lies within our organically evolved cities by establishing a green and sustainable network as an alternative source of engagement with the city for the common man. The initiative aims to reclaim the derelict, the forgotten, the recyclable, and the toxic by involving all stakeholders, thereby collapsing the boundaries of decades of non-systemic thinking which have generated unsustainable urban growth. The contiguous, sewage-laden nullahs, the greens, the alleyways and the river are viewed as the arteries of a city that can be linked to create an environmental network which integrates livability issues of air, water, sewerage, heritage and walkability. These ecological potentials and vestigial organs of planning can be modulated, transformed, and spatial strategies devised to optimize the ecological, social, cultural, and economic dynamic that can be created through them.

The Morphogenesis Delhi Nullahs installation live at the India Habitat Centre

The installation aims to create awareness by engaging people, to speculate on what is and what can be, by bridging the gap between the reality of our cities as perceived from the outside, and the virtual image of what Delhi potentially is. The tree has been used as a metaphor and a fractal insert into the fabric of the city; representative of our symbiotic relationship with Nature, and its omnipresence in Delhi.

#1 MOBILITY

latest blog post youralternativelegacy.blogspot.com

MORE IMAGES FROM aaa PROJECT IN PARIS / Le 56 : Eco-interstice

Photos from aaa´s Urban gardening project in Paris : Le 56 / Eco-interstice

"This project explores the possibilities of an urban interstice to be transformed into a collectively self-managed space. Initiated in 2006 in St. Blaise area, in the East of Paris, the project engaged a partnership between local government structures, local organisations, inhabitants of the area and a professional association which run training programmes in eco-construction. The management of the project gives space and time to construction, the construction site becoming itself a social and cultural act.

Parallely with the construction of the physical space, different social and cultural networks and relationships between the users and the actors involved are emerging. The project has an important take on the notion of proximity and active borders. Neighborhood walls transform the boundaries of the site into interactive devices, which rather than separating, multiply exchange and connections. Another strong take is on the ecological aspect: energetic autonomy, recycling, minimal ecological footprint, a compost laboratory."
http://56stblaise.wordpress.com/

Entrance with small office on top.

The neighborhood garden

And sales of harvested products every Wednesday and Saturday

URBAN STRATEGIES FOR DECREASING OUR ECO-FOOTPRINT

URBAN STRATEGIES FOR DECREASING OUR ECO-FOOTPRINT

BACK AND FORTH WITH HISTORY

A COMMON TRANSECT

A common transect has a simple expansion of the typical section cut technique. In a natural condition this slices through a number of ecosystems. The definition from the CATS site gives a quick idea of the concept of transect which borrows from the ecological concept: "A transect is a cut or path through part of the environment showing a range of different habitats. Biologists and ecologists use transects to study the many symbiotic elements that contribute to habitats where certain plants and animals thrive. Human beings also thrive in different habitats. Some people prefer urban centers and would suffer in a rural place, while others thrive in the rural or sub-urban zones. Before the automobile, American development patterns were walkable, and transects within towns and city neighborhoods revealed areas that were less urban and more urban in character. This urbanism could be analyzed as natural transects are analyzed." (from LANDSCAPE+URBANISM)

This article is very interesting so I can recomend reading it on Representing Transects

but the comments to the post is starting a good discussion to;

michelle said...

Great Post. I have always been attracted to the simplicity of the transect and its ability to convey a lot of information, albeit general, in a graphically pleasing way. Applying the transect to the urban growth boundary is a tricky, but I think doable task.

There is a bit of a disconnect between the UGB line on the map and the resulting landscape. The development takes time to catch up with planning. I was driving through Damascus the other day the the farms gave way quickly to the dense neighborhoods. Between those were the remnants of the 3-5 acre rural lots. It was all in all a spotty, hard to comprehend landscape. It would make for an interesting looking transect. What I see happening more and more is the urban growth boundary is not a circle but more of a blob with arms. It would be interesting to see what a transect looks like that starts in the UGB travels through the rural area and reenters the UGB in another arm.

Thanks for the collection of info.

Michelle, December 30, 2009 1:24 PM

ABDaigle said...

Michelle, I have been thinking about your post, because the application of the Transect to walkable urbanism intends just that - the wave-like action of urban separated by rural (although each "urban" area has its own characteristics and level of urbanism, from hamlet to village to city to regional center).
The primary point is that each "increment" of urbanism must be, at minimum, an approximate 1/4 mile" pedestrian shed" to make it truly sustainable (i.e., meaning most daily needs are within walking distance and rich with a diversity of living, working and shopping opportunities).
This assumes the largest lots are primarily on the neighborhood edge as a transition from urban to rural, adjacent preferably to rural agriculture, and that a mix of ag and preserved "wilderness" likewise separate communities.
This concept can be valid in a number of urban settings, from small town neighborhoods to highly urban areas.
While with PlaceMakers, we designed a community of eight hamlets and saved the majority of land between each one as natural landscape. (The original plan had been to fully develop in sprawl mode the entire land area.) The Waters is outside Montgomery, AL, and hamlet one is well underway. Here is a link to the Master Plan:
http://www.thewatersal.com/WatersMasterPlan.pdf
It is a good example of how one can plan complete neighborhoods, maintain a small town feel while building compactly to ensure walkability, and conserve land. There are many design tools to accomplish similar effects in more urban areas, from conservation easements to urban agriculture to regional parks and greenways.
I love Germany, where the urban edge ends abruptly and agriculture or forests take over. (Large suburban size lots are almost nonexistent there, where efficiency seems to trump other considerations and public shared space is well-designed and abundant.)

Ann Daigle, Community Design & Plan Strategy, March 3, 2010 1:08 PM

ROADS GONE WILD

No street signs. No crosswalks. No accidents. Surprise: Making driving seem more dangerous could make it safer.
(from a WIRED article Issue 12.12 - December 2004)

Hans Monderman (Engineer of Livable Streets,) is a traffic engineer who hates traffic signs. Oh, he can put up with the well-placed speed limit placard or a dangerous curve warning on a major highway, but Monderman considers most signs to be not only annoying but downright dangerous. To him, they are an admission of failure, a sign - literally - that a road designer somewhere hasn't done his job. "The trouble with traffic engineers is that when there's a problem with a road, they always try to add something," Monderman says. "To my mind, it's much better to remove things." .......

Riding in his green Saab, we glide into Drachten, a 17th-century village that has grown into a bustling town of more than 40,000. We pass by the performing arts center, and suddenly, there it is: the Intersection. It's the confluence of two busy two-lane roads that handle 20,000 cars a day, plus thousands of bicyclists and pedestrians. Several years ago, Monderman ripped out all the traditional instruments used by traffic engineers to influence driver behavior - traffic lights, road markings, and some pedestrian crossings - and in their place created a roundabout, or traffic circle. The circle is remarkable for what it doesn't contain: signs or signals telling drivers how fast to go, who has the right-of-way, or how to behave. There are no lane markers or curbs separating street and sidewalk, so it's unclear exactly where the car zone ends and the pedestrian zone begins. To an approaching driver, the intersection is utterly ambiguous - and that's the point.

Monderman and I stand in silence by the side of the road a few minutes, watching the stream of motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians make their way through the circle, a giant concrete mixing bowl of transport. Somehow it all works. The drivers slow to gauge the intentions of crossing bicyclists and walkers. Negotiations over right-of-way are made through fleeting eye contact. Remarkably, traffic moves smoothly around the circle with hardly a brake screeching, horn honking, or obscene gesture. "I love it!" Monderman says at last. "Pedestrians and cyclists used to avoid this place, but now, as you see, the cars look out for the cyclists, the cyclists look out for the pedestrians, and everyone looks out for each other. You can't expect traffic signs and street markings to encourage that sort of behavior. You have to build it into the design of the road.".....

In Denmark, the town of Christianfield stripped the traffic signs and signals from its major intersection and cut the number of serious or fatal accidents a year from three to zero. In England, towns in Suffolk and Wiltshire have removed lane lines from secondary roads in an effort to slow traffic - experts call it "psychological traffic calming." A dozen other towns in the UK are looking to do the same. A study of center-line removal in Wiltshire, conducted by the Transport Research Laboratory, a UK transportation consultancy, found that drivers with no center line to guide them drove more safely and had a 35 percent decrease in the number of accidents.

In the US, traffic engineers are beginning to rethink the dictum that the car is king and pedestrians are well advised to get the hell off the road. In West Palm Beach, Florida, planners have redesigned several major streets, removing traffic signals and turn lanes, narrowing the roadbed, and bringing people and cars into much closer contact. The result: slower traffic, fewer accidents, shorter trip times. "I think the future of transportation in our cities is slowing down the roads," says Ian Lockwood, the transportation manager for West Palm Beach during the project and now a transportation and design consultant. "When you try to speed things up, the system tends to fail, and then you're stuck with a design that moves traffic inefficiently and is hostile to pedestrians and human exchange.".....

CHAOS = COOPERATION

1. Remove signs: The architecture of the road - not signs and signals - dictates traffic flow.

2. Install art: The height of the fountain indicates how congested the intersection is.

3. Share the spotlight: Lights illuminate not only the roadbed, but also the pedestrian areas.

4. Do it in the road: Caf�s extend to the edge of the street, further emphasizing the idea of shared space.

5. See eye to eye: Right-of-way is negotiated by human interaction, rather than commonly ignored signs.

6. Eliminate curbs: Instead of a raised curb, sidewalks are denoted by texture and color.

read the full article here

Hans Monderman, Engineer of Livable Streets, died in 2008.

This is what Kathy Madden says about his work;

"2007 we met with Hans in the Netherlands and he told us that although his work started by analyzing why accidents occurred in some areas and why they didn't happen in others, he said that there was one essential goal of calming any intersection. This goal was simply to slow the traffic down to where there could be eye contact between the various people who are meeting each other at the intersection - on foot or in a vehicle. While we were visiting him we had the honor to go with him to several of the intersections that he had worked on and experience them first hand. It was the most remarkable experience to walk through the intersection and, as a pedestrian, have the right of way just prior to bicycles, buses, private vehicles and trucks. One bus pulled up beside us and the driver opened the window and said "Mr. Monderman - I just wanted to thank you for what you did to this street - it works so much better now". Older people were casually riding on bicycles doing their errands and everyone was doing something we had not seen in a long time - using hand signals to indicate when they were turning. The experience we had walking in these "shared" intersections was like walking in slow motion - almost like being in some sort of ballet or slow dance! We have much to thank Hans Monderman for and much to do to utilize if his ideas and experience in US citites today."

Kathy Madden
Project for Public Spaces

ANTICIPATION TO FUTURE GREEN LIFE

I found this article on the site of the Norwegian Government "FUTURE CITIES". It is a survey done for the government concerning muncipalities "green actions" and the public responses to them;

En undersøkelse gjennomført av TNS Gallup for Framtidens byer viser at befolkningen i de 13 største byene i Norge ønsker seg kommuner som jobber aktivt for at de skal kunne leve mer klimavennlig.
- Undersøkelsen viser at når kommunene først tar grep og gjennomfører miljø- og klimatiltak, får de støtte av innbyggerne, sier miljø- og utviklingsminister Erik Solheim.
TNS Gallup har på oppdrag fra Framtidens byer spurt innbyggerne i de 13 største byene hvor fornøyd de er med kommunens klimapolitikk i dag, og hvordan de ser på andre mulige klimatiltak.
- Drammen får høyest oppslutning for sitt arbeid om å gjøre sentrum attraktivt og levende, mens Trondheim er den byen der flest er fornøyd med kommunens prioritering av kollektivfelt. Dette er tiltak som disse byene har arbeidet aktivt med, og det setter befolkningen tydelig pris på, sier Solheim.

Fornøyd med resirkulering
Innbyggerne i Framtidens byer er mest fornøyde med kommunens arbeid med tilrettelegging for kildesortering, gjenbruk og retur av spesialavfall. Folk er også positive til arbeidet med å bygge ut fjernvarme.
Minst fornøyd er innbyggerne med kommunenes satsing på sykkelveier, og med lokaliseringen av barnehager og andre kommunale tjenester slik at disse kan nås uten bil.

Vil ha kollektivtransport og grønne lunger
Beboerne i Framtidens byer er også spurt om hvilke tiltak de mener kommunen bør prioritere. Aller viktigst synes innbyggerne det er å bygge ut kollektivtransporten, og gi plass til grønne lunger for lek og rekreasjon. Når det gjelder disse to tiltakene er også innbyggerne relativt misfornøyd med kommunenes innsats i dag.

Over nitti prosent mener kildesortering og retur av spesialavfall må prioriteres. Like mange er for bygging av flere turveier og fortau, og ønsker at kommunen skal prioritere et levende og attraktivt sentrum.

Drammen på topp

Et lite flertall er misfornøyde med sin kommune når de blir spurt hva de alt i alt synes om kommunenes arbeid med å tilrettelegge for at de skal kunne leve mer klimavennlig. De i alderen 30-44 år er minst fornøyde, mens de som er 60 + er mest fornøyde.

Tilfredsheten varierer mye fra kommune til kommune. Innbyggere i Drammen kommune er mest fornøyde, og har en score for helhetlig tilfredshet med kommunens miljøtiltak på hele 4,1 på en skala fra 1 til 6. Stavanger komme på en god annenplass, med en score på 3,6.

Stolte av byen sin

64% av de spurte er stolte av sin egen by. Undersøkelsen viser også at de innbyggerne som i størst grad opplever å kunne påvirke kommunens klimagassutslipp, er mest fornøyd med kommunens klimapolitikk og mest stolt av byen sin.

- Norske kommuner har virkemidler til å redusere norske klimagassutslipp med hele 20 prosent. Denne undersøkelsen viser at befolkningen vil at kommunene faktisk bruker disse virkemidlene, sier Solheim.

IT´S ABOUT CONNECTING THE DOTS

OK, so easter is finally over and kindergarten will again serve me and give me some space to think starting tomorrow. Finally!
March has been a slow month for the diploma work so april will have to work better and charge this head with some good and new energy.
In my achitecture history task I mention Paul Downton and the Eco-City Builders organisation. On this page www.ecocitybuilders.org/amendment you can read the amendment of the citizens of Berkley, their (political?) approach to a more sustainable life in the city (whole version little lower in this text).
I think this was a good kick start after to much holidays, and inspirational to read it as the voices of "the citizens".

Looking at the proposals for the "The Heart of the City and Strawberry Creek at Center Street Project", it might not be quite what I expect to be the solution for f.ex access-point:Wergeland, but some of the intentions for the development are worth mentioning;
#Create opportunities for people to gather and engage in civic life and activities
#Encourage and support buildings that utilize sustainable design principles, including solar energy, rain and stormwater catchment and treatment, and other “green” design practices
#Increase current City stormwater capacity through the employment of permeable paving, natural plantings, and an underground cistern that will also serve to reduce flashing and runoff impacts farther downstream

The project adresses:
#Automobile dependence and transportation alternatives
#Pedestrian streets, public space, and street design
#The need to demonstrate effective ecological design, materials, and methods
#Education and outreach to the community
#Advanced and innovative watershed and stormwater management models
#Sustainable public infrastructure improvements
#Linkages between environmental restoration and sustainable development

[Full text of the proposed Ecocity Amendment to the Berkeley General Plan]

" The Ecocity Amendment to the General Plan

We, the citizens of Berkeley, are prepared to take part in what we believe will be the most consequential ecological endeavor of the 21st century: the rebuilding of our cities and towns in balance with nature. We understand the extreme importance of this task and accept responsibility for contributing to this healthy co-evolution of future generations and the bioregion. We also acknowledge that we are part of larger systems, both natural and social. Guided by the principles of ecology as we make decisions regarding our built environment and social structures, we will place this city upon a shared path of health and well-being. By implementing the Ecocity Amendment to the General Plan, the City of Berkeley will take the following measures to proactively reverse wasteful and ecologically damaging practices and facilitate balanced co-existence with nature, now and into the future.

Policies

The Berkeley Planning Commission and the Berkeley City Council should include the following four (4) policies in the Land Use Element of the Berkeley General Plan:

Ecocity Policy #1: Ecological Design (To facilitate the ecologically healthy city, we must design and build structures that are in balance with people and nature.)

Require the highest quality architectural and ecological design for new development projects. Require environmentally sensitive and sustainable design in new buildings, such as solar accessibility and orientation, and energy efficiency. Encourage development of public spaces in higher density city centers with ecological features such as public plazas, creek and forest restored urban environments and other amenities that enhance the pedestrian environment.

Ecocity Policy #2: Centers (Distance requires time and energy to traverse. The greater the distance people have to travel, the higher the use of resources and the greater the ecological damage. Therefore, we should be rebuilding and reorganizing into relatively compact centers, connected to efficient public transit.)

Encourage pedestrian orientation and community building by establishing centers throughout the City, ranging from small neighborhoods such as the Elmwood, to larger centers, such as 4th Street, and the largest center: the Downtown. These centers should increase appropriately in density and connect to efficient mass transit options.

Ecocity Policy #3: Heart of the City (Berkeley's central downtown core offers a powerful opportunity for successful innovation and economic development, and restoration of nature at the same time.)

On the blocks between the Downtown BART Station, Oxford Street, University Avenue and Center Street, establish the Heart of the City District in which taller buildings may be allowed, but only if the development provides transit oriented housing for a variety of income groups, exhibits environmentally sustainable ecologically sensitive design features, and incorporates natural elements, such as Strawberry Creek.

Establish provisions in the zoning ordinance for a Heart of the City Planned Unit Development (PUD) or Ecological Demonstration Project (EDP) permit process to review and approve innovative and ecological design in the Downtown that may not conform to the setback, height, parking, or other requirements of the zoning ordinance.

Ecocity Policy #4: Funding Environmental Restoration (To ensure balance between the built environment and the natural environment requires mechanisms and linkages between land development and land restoration.)

To ensure that new development funds environmental restoration:

Establish an Environmental Improvement Density Bonus for downtown projects that will generate funds for environmental improvements, such as creek restoration, reforestation, and wetlands restoration. Establish provisions that would allow additional floor area in downtown development in return for financial contributions to a local environmental fund for environmental restoration through direct purchase, purchase of easements or purchase of Transfer of Development Rights.

Establish a Transfer of Development Rights Ordinance to facilitate and fund ecological design, open space enhancements, creek restoration, natural habitat restoration and expansion of community gardens and public parks. Consider provisions that would allow development rights from ecologically sensitive or environmentally important property throughout the City to be transferred to Downtown development. Encourage a multi-disciplinary group of experts to prepare draft provisions for community, Planning Commission, and City Council consideration in drafting a TDR ordinance. "

JAMIE LERNER SINGS OF THE CITY

The sustainable song at the end of the lecture is great!

CYCLE WALK (BUS)RIDE IN THE VALLEY OF BERGEN

This map shows the connecting routes by bus or by bike in the north end of the Bergen valley, close to the city center. Access point : Wergeland is situated in the middle of the picture. Though this map is outdated due to missing cycle-paths after the light rail line is buildt it can be an interesting study to see the access routes from Wergeland connecting to these. And how will the routes change when the light rail is in traffic? How does the intensity map look like?