15.2 Case studies of significant urban developments

Urban developments shape modern cityscapes, reflecting societal needs and architectural trends. From purpose-built capitals like Brasília to business districts like La Défense, these projects showcase innovative design and planning principles.

Modernist housing projects, such as Pruitt-Igoe and Bijlmermeer, highlight both successes and challenges in addressing urban housing needs. Contemporary developments like Ørestad continue to push boundaries in urban design and sustainability.

Planned Cities

Purpose-Built Capital Cities

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• Brasília designed and built as the new capital of Brazil in the 1950s
  • Laid out in the shape of an airplane with distinct zones for government, residential, and commercial areas
  • Showcases modernist architecture with prominent buildings like the National Congress and Cathedral of Brasília (Oscar Niemeyer)
• Chandigarh constructed as the new capital of Punjab, India post-Partition
  • Master plan by Le Corbusier divided the city into self-sufficient sectors
  • Notable brutalist architecture includes the Palace of Assembly and High Court (Le Corbusier)

Modern Urban Developments

• La Défense is a major business district in the Paris metropolitan area
  • Initiated in the 1950s to create a new commercial hub outside the historic city center
  • Features iconic modernist and postmodernist skyscrapers like the Grande Arche (Johan Otto von Spreckelsen) and Tour First (Kohn Pedersen Fox)
• Masdar City is a planned sustainable city project in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
  • Designed by Foster + Partners to be a zero-carbon, car-free development powered by renewable energy
  • Incorporates traditional Arabic architectural elements with cutting-edge green technologies

Modernist Housing Projects

Post-War Social Housing Developments

• Pruitt-Igoe was a large urban housing project in St. Louis, Missouri built in the 1950s
  • Designed by Minoru Yamasaki to provide affordable housing for low-income residents
  • Faced issues of crime, poverty, and segregation leading to its demolition in the 1970s, symbolizing the failure of certain modernist planning principles
• Bijlmermeer is a residential neighborhood in Amsterdam, Netherlands constructed in the 1960s and 1970s
  • Characterized by hexagonal-shaped high-rise apartment blocks separated by green spaces
  • Initially faced social problems but has undergone significant regeneration and renovation in recent decades

Contemporary Urban Expansion

• Ørestad is a developing urban area in Copenhagen, Denmark initiated in the 1990s
  • Master plan by Finnish architect Ark-Byroo organizes the district into four neighborhoods with a mix of residential, commercial, and educational functions
  • Features notable contemporary architecture such as the VM Houses (Bjarke Ingels Group) and Copenhagen Concert Hall (Jean Nouvel)