BUILDING & TOWN PLANNING

GTU SUB CODE: 130603

TOWN PLANNING: Introduction

Town Planning: the arrangement of various components or units of a town in such a way that the town attains the significance of a living organism

It also includes ways and means to be adopted for improvement/extension of the existing towns It helps in achieving the best possible advantages of situation of town w.r.t its land and surrounding environment

Introduction: (cont.)

Town Planning demands

Active

imagination Understanding of various needs of society

Town planner has to

Carry

out researches Prepare layout plans

Final results shall be in such a way that, it should be appreciated by all the sectors of public A well planned town carries out its activities in a normal way like a living organism

Introduction: (cont.)
Science Collection Correlation Analysis of facts about town Art Arrangement of components

Town planning is a science as well as an art too Both shall be used in such a way that final result is in form of
Beautiful Convenient Economical Efficient

unit

Town planning in Ancient India:

Planning of towns was done on scientific bases even in Vedic times Ancient literature such as vedas, puranas, shastras contains some of principles and theories of town planning Nature and growth: governed by site conditions

Location: river banks, sea shore or by the side of big lake Flowing stream: for sanitary requirements Towns on river were oblong shape, to take max advantage of river Rivers: Indians always loved, glorified and worshiped

Town planning in Ancient India: (cont.)

Vishwakarmaprakash says First layout the towns and then plan out the houses Mansara Shilpa-shastra mentions some of aspects of town planning like

Various types of town plans described in book such as

Study of soil Climatic condition Wind direction Orientation of building Topography etc.

dandka swastika padmaka (lotus shaped) nandyavarta (flower shaped) prastara chatumukha karmukha (bow shaped)

Town planning in Ancient India: (cont.)

Typical Indian town consisted

Markets Streets Public buildings Residences for cityzens Temples Royal palace Recreation centers Ditches / trenches Sheds for drinking water Pleasure gardens

Tanks Reservoirs Underground passages City forts etc.

Some of towns worth mentioning are

Ayodhya Mohanjo-daro Patliputra Takshsila Nalanda etc.

Objects of town planning:

Beauty Use of natural surroundings Architectural finishes to various components Preservation of trees/greenery Architectural control on public/semi-public buildings, historic, ancient buildings etc.
Convenience Various economic, social and recreational amenities to be given to public, such as Cheap power Proper industrial sites Transport facilities Adequate water supply Easy sewage disposal Open spaces/ parks/ town halls/ play grounds/ theatres etc.

Objects of town planning: (cont.)

Environment Complex problems in urban living such as Travel to work Long working hrs Less/ no time for society Better relation between man and environment shall be developed
Health Right use of land for right purpose Provide parks/ playgrounds for public Maintain pollution of various forms to lowest possible deg Achieved by dividing land into various zones resi/comm/ind etc Avoid encroachment of one zone upon the other

Principles of town planning:

Green belt Provision of it on periphery limits the size of town Housing Provide housing accommodation to various categories of people Slum clearance by alt arrangement Public buildings Should be well distributed Central concentration of them shall be avoided
Recreation centers As per town size, enough space shall be reserved Road system Efficient road lay-out Simple and economical Transport facilities Min loss of time from residence place to work place Zoning Town shall be divided in suitable zones Suitable rules & regulations for each zone

Necessity of town planning:

In absence of town planning, town faces following kind of problems

Defective

Inadequate

road system, narrow streets/ roads Development of slums Haphazard location of industries Heavy traffic during working hrs of day

open spaces for parks and playgrounds, i.e. unhealthy living conditions Lack of essential amenities like power, water supply, drainage Noisy atmosphere Uncontrolled development of town

Origin of towns:
Topographical Conditions favorable for industrial units Hilly areas - object of defense Plain area - business activities River banks Sea / ocean fronts

Functional Education Health resorts political religious

Growth of town:

Why people like to stay close together in urban areas?

Growth of town Origin Direction

To facilitate defense against attack from outsiders Man is social animal, gets satisfaction of living life in company of his fellows Can develop many contacts, also can retain privacy Urban area provide facilities like water supply, market etc

Natural Concentric spread Ribbon development Satellite

Planned

Horizontal

Vertical

Scattered

Growth of town: (cont.)

Concentric spread:
Natural tendency of people to be as near as possible to town, hence town develops in concentric rings Many complicated problems such as

CBD LIG MIG HIG

CBD : Central business district LIG: Low income group MIG: Middle income group HIG: High income group -Town grows radially -Similar or functionally related activities will be at same distance from center of town

Traffic congestion Narrow streets Concentration of population

Growth of town: (cont.)

Ribbon development:
Everyone

Interior portion Development Main Road

like to build as near as possible to main road Buildings develop along side of main road Long fingers or ribbons of houses/shops develop

Development

Interior portion

Growth of town: (cont.)

Disadvantages:

Increase in cost of various utility services like water supply, power, telephone etc Loose and scatter community lack of social life Costly and difficult future improvement Houses face heavy traffic, noise, dust Interior portion left undeveloped, wastage of land Traffic capacity and efficiency of main road reduces

More pedestrians on main road causes traffic accidents/ traffic delays Harms naturalness of country, spoils countryside, aesthetically faulty Land use zoning Regulation and control of traffic Removal of encroachments from road side Planning road side amenities Expressway with complete controlled access

Measures to be taken:

Growth of town: (cont.)

Satellite growth:
Term

Satellite town

Satellite is used to indicate a body under the influence of a more powerful body but possessing its own identity

Satellite town

Satellite town

Growth of town: (cont.)

Features of satellite town:

Own local government It is town itself, but it depends to a certain extent upon parent city Well connected by local trains, buses etc Free to decide its economic, social and cultural activities Situated beyond green belt of parent city Its neither a village nor a suburb

Mainly residential area with only local shops, schools for children etc It need not have zoning regulations It can be even considered as part of market for goods and services being produced in parent city necessity of the journey to work

Disadvantage:

Growth of town: (cont.)

Scattered growth:

PLANNED GROWTH:

Very irregular Traffic congestion Encroachment of industries on resi area Slums Lack of parks and playgrounds Complex problems become too difficult to be solved in future

Growth is controlled by suitable rules & regulations Rational distribution of various blocks such as resi/ comm/ industrial Provision of various amenities like water supply, drainage, parks etc is made to meet future requirements Orderly growth avoids clashing of many activities of normal town

Growth of town: (cont.)

HORIZONTAL GROWTH:

Town develops horizontally in all directions It is possible where land is available in plenty at nominal cost Cost saving: buildings are generally 2/3 storey High tech personnel not required Max possible use of natural light

Restricted density of population Surrounding marginal space can be used to develop garden Requires more land, so can be uneconomical where land values are high Foundation cost per unit area will be more Absence of group living

Disadvantage:

Advantages:

Growth of town: (cont.)

VERTICAL GROWTH:

Multi-storied buildings Where land is less and costly Use of common amenities, sense of group living develops Foundation cost per unit area is reasonable Higher level floor enjoys natural sceneries such as river view, sea view etc. Considerable saving in land Economy in construction cost, repetition of typical floors Max use of modern construction techniques such as,

Fire proofing, Sound proofing, Heat insulation. Air-conditioning, High speed lifts

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Natural calamities, difficult to escape More population density Design of flats stereo-typed Have to tolerate evils of group living Failure of lift or water raising pump will cause great inconvenience Wastage of floor space, as lifts, supporting column etc have to be provided

Site for an ideal town:

Availability of natural advantages Availability of electric power Available means of communication Climatic conditions Contours of area Development of surrounding area Drainage of area

Available facility of sewage disposal Soil fertility Frequency of floods Growths of trees Nature of soil Position of streams and lakes Water resources, etc.