Best city layout - Grid, Hexagonal, Circular or Natural?

[richyb83]

Well said nthused. Take Manhattan Island...it's 3 miles(east-west) X 11 miles(north-south). So naturally grid is the best design.

Many other cities including mine started with the grid, but eventually the main roads followed the terrain and natural enviroment in the same general direction.

[dan326]

I think that grid is probably the best choice because you can fit more developments into a smaller area.

[Exchequer]

I think that grid is probably the best choice because you can fit more developments into a smaller area.

This is an interesting topic. In general, it seems that street patterns that evolve from smart land use are best - grids (New York, Philly), nodal boulevards (Paris, DC), "natural" (London, Boston). Its the cul-de-sacs, lollipops and mulitlane roads with huge interesections that diminish a convivial sense of community. I dont however see how a grid can fit more development into a given area. As long as the neighborhood is dense, buildings can be built on a lot of any shape. In fact, a layout that doesn't strictly follow a grid provides for more interesting streetwalls, and variation in architecture. The Flatiron Building makes a fine architectural statement outside of the grid around it, and uses real estate efficiently. Paris does not have a grid, but every inch of real estate is consumed in the city, and getting around isn't too difficult either.

A good study of land use efficiency can be gleaned from Sim City. As you build a city, check the percentages zoned as residential, commercial, industrial, and most importantly for roads and other infrastructure. Which layout would be most efficient?

[breed]

This is an interesting topic. In general, it seems that street patterns that evolve from smart land use are best - grids (New York, Philly), nodal boulevards (Paris, DC), "natural" (London, Boston).

I would argue that those with predominantly "natural" development patterns aren't the conscious product of smart land use, as they are really just the product of free-hand economics determining where roads should go when development occured.

"Natural" development patterns are inherently inefficient with today's higher-speed travel. That's not to say they don't have admirable qualities... as everyone loves it when development is pedestrian-oriented.

I wonder... are there any places where "natural" development patterns are occuring right now? I would be surprised if there was.

[tamias6]

Navigation wise, of all the cities I've lived in, my favorite is where I'm currently living. That's Grand Rapids, MI. Its mostly a grid layout aligned to the cardinal directions. The whole of Kent County seems to loosly follow this same pattern so going from city to city within the county is pretty much seemless. The only expections I know of is Cascade Township and East Grand Rapids where street splinter in every direction making navigation a bit of a chore.

I know somebody here said that grids are condusive to fast driving which is bad for residentual areas. Grand Rapids is combating this by installing round abouts or small islands at intersections and islands on both sides of a street that "pinch" the road forcing a slow down. Speed bumps seem to be making appeaances as well but not too often.

[UptownNewOrleans]

For ease of navigating a city, grid seems to be best. With a grid pattern, you are more apt to know which direction you are heading and can more easily figure out how to get from point A to point B.

That's how New Orleans is, it has a grid pattern making it easy to get around here.

[peechdogg]

Well, since I grew up in the historic district of Savannah, I'm partial to a grid.

Savannah's design includes parks (called squares locally) every other block, so it's a beautiful place.

On the ends of each square, the streets are one-way: if you are at the southern end of the square facing north, the one-way street has a traffic flow from W--->E and the street at the far end of the square goes W<---E.

The streets that bisect the square, either along the N-S or W-E axes are two-way streets. The streets between the squares that run N-S are one-way, and alternate the direction in which the traffic flows.

The W-E streets between the squares are all two-way streets.

Savannah's historic district is the largest national historic landmark in the nation (2.2 square miles).

Although I have not lived there in years, I still know the name & location of every street & square.

I grew up on East Gordon Street, just off Calhoun Square ... right on the St. Patrick's Day Parade route...

[Chtimi]

The hexagonal pattern looks good in principle, but I think it would be confusing. I also don't know how well Canberra was planned. I don't percieve it to be a major flop like Brasilia, but I don't think it is an overwhelming success either.

I made many plans of "alveolar" cities, the equilateral triangle/hexagone base is very good, all is possible.

The grid is acceptable at a small-scale, it's better with diagonal ways (Barcelona, Versailles, Washington).

A lot of European cities have grids, Valencia, Madrid, Bari, Mannheim, etc. Karlsruhe has radiant streets.

Also more recent cities : Milton-Keynes, UK has a grid plan but the streets are not rectilinear. Bussy-Saint-Georges, east of Paris is considered built on the American model, but it is not really a grid.

[SouthParkRocks]

So...what would you classify that as?

Man, who knew you needed more than a dozen highways to get into and out of Nashville? Whatever direction you desire there is way in and out for you.

[IRoamMyOwnRome]

If only we had twelve ways to get out of here, in hurricane country!

I think a good layout is one in which there is a large grid pattern with more meandering, comfortable streets contained within each square. I'll create it on Sim City and post some screenshots.

[JonoMiller]

As far as I know we only have three truly radial community layouts that have been tried here in Florida, two circular and one hexagonal.

One is Camp Blanding a national guard facility laid out as a quarter arc around Kingsley Lake, a nearly circular lake in Clay County. LAT 29 58 00 LONG 82 00 00

The most successful is Rotunda, a circular community three miles in diameter with 8 "pie slices". Former location of "Superstars" competition on TV. Built on extremely low land. LAT 26 55 00 LONG 82 16 00.

The hexagonal community never really got off the ground, named El Jobean ( a scramble of the developer's name, Joel Bean) it lies on the east side of the Myakka River in Charlotte County. LAT 26 58 00 LONG 82 12 30.

[Jerseyman4]

My prefered city layout would be the grid system (all four lane divided boulevards with loading lanes) but all intersections would be two lane roundabouts. Even though i cannot stand two lane roundabouts if put into place in the United States, it works very well on Sim City 4 and the rest of the world. No traffic signals are allowed in my city

[Chtimi]

My prefered city layout would be the grid system (all four lane divided boulevards with loading lanes) but all intersections would be two lane roundabouts.

Milton Keynes, UK is for you !

By the way

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expansion_pla...r_Milton_Keynes

[Ronald]

This is an interresting discussion!

In England, there is a village (Winchelsea) in the South East, that implemented the grid-layout before Europeans settled in North America:

Amsterdam's a pretty good example of circular design:

Personally, I favor grid as a city layout-- the connectivity is high, it assures that distances are shorter, and thus it encourages people to walk or cycle, rather than drive (assuming we're talking about a mixed-use neighbourhood).

[nthused]

The fact is, North America did not invent the Grid layout for cities. Because of it's geometric simplicity, the Grid has been used for thousands of years - both for roads and for planting parcels.

[Ronald]

It has been used for thousands of years indeed. But in North America it was massively implemented. I don't know of any country outside of N.A. today that uses the grid city-layout as much as the US does.

[Jerseyman4]

Milton Keynes, UK is for you !

By the way

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expansion_pla...r_Milton_Keynes

Thanks for the link, it was very interesting! I found out in this article that Britain may turn the city into the future capital because of rising sea levels worldwide from global warming. More on the article.

[chuck!]

A square with it's sides at 5m would be 25 sq. m.

A circle with a diameter of 5m would be at about 19.6 sq. m.

This means more roads per given area.

I love confusing layouts! Grid patterns are mostly the outgrowth of the modern city, with automobiles and transportation, and efficiency as goals.

I think street layout should conform to topography. streets should curve around and up hills, not go straight up, as can be seen in Pittsburgh, Ashville NC, and Montreal. I think the form that Paris has is very attractive to me, because it has lots of circles and boulevards linking different parts of the city with grid patterns within those pie slices.

The intersection of major boulevards in Paris, Boston, and Washington DC, as well as NYC create major public areas, such as Dupont Circle, Farrugut Square, Piccadilly Circus, Copley Square, Harvard Square, Davis Square, Times Square... Union Square... that big fountain in Philly... You get the point right? The cities of the Western US have a grid pattern, mostly, and have far less well known, celebrated public places such as these. These intersections are natural gathering points for people, and are very important in urban areas.

Cities should be built for people, not cars. if you're building your city for cars, you've got your priorities wrong.

[gregrc75]

My prefered city layout would be the grid system (all four lane divided boulevards with loading lanes) but all intersections would be two lane roundabouts. Even though i cannot stand two lane roundabouts if put into place in the United States, it works very well on Sim City 4 and the rest of the world. No traffic signals are allowed in my city

[richyb83]

Great topic! I love looking a city maps and their lay-out.

Something I wanted to share on UP. I drew this map last year of

Palm Island City. Just-off the mainland connected by three bridges.

This city has different grid-layouts and even a mini-loops incorporated

near the airport to the North.

This is the CBD/Downtown in Palm Island City; with Uptown to the right.

University in magenta; Coastal Park along Freeway

Hope everyone enjoys!

New Urbanism was not inplemented on this map. But my latest map has more New Urbanism.

[Rardy]

Great topic! I love looking a city maps and their lay-out.

Something I wanted to share on UP. I drew this map last year of

Palm Island City. Just-off the mainland connected by three bridges.

This city has different grid-layouts and even a mini-loops incorporated

near the airport to the North.

This is the CBD/Downtown in Palm Island City; with Uptown to the right.

University in magenta; Coastal Park along Freeway

Hope everyone enjoys!

New Urbanism was not inplemented on this map. But my latest map has more New Urbanism.

[johnathan]

Off topic, but here is a Google map of a bizarre network of roads laid out in grid patterns with absolutely nothing built along them. Hundreds of miles of roads spaced generally a block apart without a single resident or business. A TerraServer map from ten years ago shows the same.

[tamias6]

Very good map! I like it. I'm curious as to what the population of this city is design for. To me it looks like a city of about 150,000 or so.

Great topic! I love looking a city maps and their lay-out.

Something I wanted to share on UP. I drew this map last year of

Palm Island City. Just-off the mainland connected by three bridges.

This city has different grid-layouts and even a mini-loops incorporated

near the airport to the North.

This is the CBD/Downtown in Palm Island City; with Uptown to the right.

University in magenta; Coastal Park along Freeway

Hope everyone enjoys!

New Urbanism was not inplemented on this map. But my latest map has more New Urbanism.

[Lance Winslow]

I believe Spider Web City formats work best. In my travels it seems the traffic is easier.

[tracer1138]

Great topic! I love looking a city maps and their lay-out.

Something I wanted to share on UP. I drew this map last year of

Palm Island City. Just-off the mainland connected by three bridges.

This city has different grid-layouts and even a mini-loops incorporated

near the airport to the North.