SlowCity

Improving quality of life by slowing down.

[slowcity-blog]

"Safe Harbor," Slowly

We are moving closer to a safer, calmer, more enjoyable Sag Harbor for people walking, biking and in cars and trucks.

After presenting to the Village Board in April and May, we are beginning to measure and test pilot designs at four locations, and talking to stakeholders to get their input. The local press has had some nice coverage (links below) and we are hopeful that these will be implemented soon.

Articles from the Sag Harbor Express:

From 14 May 2014:

http://sagharboronline.com/sagharborexpress/page-1/traffic-calming-inching-forward-in-sag-harbor-30178

From 09 April 2014:

http://sagharboronline.com/sagharborexpress/page-1/sag-harbor-likely-to-move-forward-with-traffic-calming-this-spring-29447

Measuring & putting out traffic cones on Main Street & Glover Street

Truck making the turn at Main & Glover

[slowcity-blog]

Snowy field visit to "The Harbor"

Jonas Hagen of Despacio US and traffic-calming guru Michael King of the consultancy Nelson/Nygaard recently took advantage of the snow and freezing temperatures to observe traffic and contemplate how to make life easier and safer for people to walk and bike in Sag Harbor, NY.

Jonas and Michael are working with the Village government and citizen groups, and will be producing designs for strategic intersections. More news soon!!

Michael King in harm's way at a tricky intersection

[slowcity-blog]

Slowly Slowing Sag Harbor

Together with a group of concerned residents, Despacio is helping make Sag Harbor a safer place to walk and bike. Jonas Hagen presented the results of the February 2013 Active Transport workshop to the Planning Board of the Village of Sag Harbor on August 20th, and then presented a “Traffic Calming Toolbox” to the Village Board (the Mayor and trustees) on October 8th. Following that meeting, an ad-hoc multimodal traffic committee was established, with members from the School Board, the Library, the Police Department, the Village Board, Save Sag Harbor, and others. The group met for the first time on October 17th, and began discussing possible projects for the village, such as a bike network and safer streets.

  Links to:

Active Transport Workshop Report

Traffic Calming Toolbox

East Hampton Star coverage of Village Board Meeting (8 October 2013)

Sag Harbor Express coverage of Planning Board Meeting (20 August 2013)

[slowcity-blog]

Berlin, Alexanderplatz: Wonderful Place or Tourist Trap?

Back to Germany… To be specific, Berlin, the next stop on my jaunt after Hamburg. it is now over a year ago that I took this trip, but when I look at the photos I am still blown away by what’s going on over there. 

Perhaps the center of Berlin’s soul resides in Alexanderplatz. I remember being there pretty soon after the wall fell, in 1992, and the enormous rectangular, shiny East-Blocky buildings that surrounded it. It all felt very Soviet and surreal then.

These days it is a thriving place, with music, ice cream, people-watching, etc:

    Comedians:

Big see-through beach balls with kids in them rolling through temporary pools:

Weird sculptures made of bicycle parts:

I am not sure if Alexanderplatz is the sort of tourist trap that residents avoid like the plague or if it is one of those few wonderful hybrid “tourist-trap/genuine destination for residents” kind of place that exist around the world. It seems like it is pretty hard to strike the right balance (in New York City, for example, Times Square is loved by tourists and avoided at all costs by residents).

In any case, there is public transportation up the whazoo there – trains, buses, trams, etc. Berlin has one of the most dense public transport networks in the world, partly because in the olden (Cold War) days the Western and Eastern parts were engaged in an “arms race” of public transport, with the West building the subway (U-Bahn) like mad and the East building the suburban rail (S-Bahn) the same, each trying to show that their economic system (capitalism and socialism, respectively) was superior and could produce better public transport. As a result, there are above and underground trains, trams, and buses everywhere today, and many lines converge at Alexanderplatz.

Trams are a convenient way to get around for some (not too far) trips in Berlin. I really liked the way they interact with the thick crowds at Alexanderplatz. Here, this chatting teenager did not notice there was a tram behind him, because they make so little noise, and he was probably quite distracted by the three young women he was conversing with:

But the tram was travelling so slowly that it was no problem at all:

("that guy came out of nowhere!")

So civilized. If this had happened in New York, there is a high chance that there would be yelling and screaming involved, not to mention possible much worse outcomes, especially if the tram had been a cab.

There are also a ton of bikes parked all around the square (about 14 % of all trips are made on bike in Berlin):

Public bikes and taxis - both modes somewhere between public and private transport:

The trams and the bikes seem to get along OK, too:

(watch out for the tracks!)

And finally, an essential but often-overlooked feature of good public spaces; if you have to relieve yourself, the “City Toilette”:

Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh… isn’t that better?

[slowcity-blog]

Babysitting a Car in the City

Once upon a time, many months ago, a buddy of mine travelled for two weeks and left me his car. A BMW 318i  !!!

  Sexy publicity shot of a BMW, shamelessly poached from: www.bmw.com

You can tell we live in a ridiculous world when a ne’er-do-well like me winds up with a BMW. I previously thought these vehicles were strictly for bankers, lawyers, dentists and similar high-income people.

So mostly to help my buddy out but also in the spirit of social investigation, I took responsibility of the car for two weeks. Oh boy, did I take responsibility.

It turns out you have to move the car very often. Apparently the part of the street next to the curb needs to be swept twice a week. In my neighborhood, you can’t park on one side of the streets for 1.5 hours on Tuesday and Thursday morning, and the same on Wednesday and Friday morning.

So even though you have many free parking spots in the street, you still have to move the car:

-Before street sweeping hours on Tuesday

- Before street sweeping hours on Wednesday

- Before street sweeping hours on Thursday

- Before street sweeping hours on Friday

It’s really complicated but you have to move the car at least three times a week. And even thought the parking is free, there is not a lot of it, and a lot of people have cars, so you have to really look for it. I spent 30 minutes just looking for a spot once.

Having a car is like having a part-time job with no pay. It takes 40 minutes to over an hour to move the car each time. You have to walk to the car, find parking, and walk back home. Also, you have to think about it all the time. For example, at night you wonder, "where did I park the car? Do I have to move it tomorrow? How will I fit parking into my schedule?" If you forget to move the car, you have to pay the ticket ($60). All of this takes much brainpower away from other tasks.

A car in NYC takes up a really big chunk valuable real estate. This is just a back-of-the-envelope calculation using my rent as a benchmark, but I bet the space a car takes up is worth about $300 a month in this town.

Photo of the real car occupying valuable real estate after I used 40 minutes of valuable time to park it, plus not-calculated time and brainpower spent thinking about parking

It is a huge waste of time to own a car in NYC. Particularly in Manhattan, where there are subways and buses almost everywhere, and now public bikes (although these are only in Midtown and below). Most people don’t really need a car for much of anything in Manhattan.

In many parts of Brooklyn and Queens a car could be the best transportation option, depending on where you live & what you do. But for many people that live in NYC, and especially in Manhattan, it doesn't make any sense to have a car. That's why over half of all households in NYC do not own a car, and 75 % of households in Manhattan do not.

I conclude that people that own cars in Manhattan are either very (or at least, reasonably) wealthy or not very smart. We should tax cars a lot more than we do (either through paid parking, congestion pricing, bridge tolls, per-mile tax, etc) so that they pay their fair share and/or encourage those that don’t really need cars to get rid of them.

Why get rid of cars in NYC? A few reasons:

1. We could use the space they take up (think of all the parking spaces) for trees or gardens or parks or skateparks, outdoor cafés, beer gardens, bingo, knitting – whatever you like.

2. Fewer cars could mean more space for walking & biking, and buses could go faster.

3. Air & noise pollution could go down.

4. Fewer people could get killed by cars (291 traffic fatalities in 2012, 176 of them pedestrians and cyclists).

5. Because ______________________ (fill in the blank).

[slowcity-blog]

Technology and Quality of life

By Jonas Hagen (with input from Carlos Pardo, also appearing on www.despacio.org)

OK, this is a big topic, sure. Let me share a tale with you. I went on a trip recently from the United States of A to a cold Northern European country with fellow university students and I forgot the power cord for my computer at home. I tried in vain to buy a replacement and resigned myself to spending nine laptop-less days. This trip was full of lectures and I always sat at the back of room, so I got to see what the non-forgetful people were doing on their tablets, laptops, smartphones, etc.

The completely unscientific results of my survey of the activities carried out on the devices:

75 % visiting a popular social networking website

20 % playing videogames

3 % online shopping

2 % doing other work (not at all related to the lecture)

So what has technology, or more specifically, what have small, portable, always connected to the world-wide-web computers, done to the classroom learning experience? One answer: we’re not present anymore. Our minds are constantly in different places, rarely concentrating on what’s going on where our bodies are. For those of us that were already prone to daydreaming (I include myself here), we’re even less present.

A maverick mayor of a major city is making a speech - a perfect time to catch up on emails.

Photo: Dr. Enrique Jacoby

When I go to bars these days I often see a few people sitting at the same table, each staring at a smartphone, no one talking to their neighbor.

A few weeks ago I went into the men`s lavatory and (excuse the graphic imagery) saw a gentleman relieving himself and sending a text message at the same time. A few days ago, at another location, I  saw another gentleman doing the same thing. I made a comment and he said, “well these days you use the five minutes of bathroom time to send texts and emails.” It seems like the “peext,” o or “pee-mail” has become a part of life.

OK, some people have had telephones in their bathrooms for decades, and I am not suggesting we prohibit these practices or go back to a pre-smartphone world. But I do think it’s worthwhile to reflect on the costs of these technologies as well as the benefits. That way we can make better informed decisions about when to use them, and when not to, instead of having the simply take over our lives.

Another anecdote: I recently went to court to see an important case involving a nuclear reactor that a state wants closed to protect its people from death and disaster and a corporation wants open so it can make tons of money. No cellphones allowed in court; everyone checks theirs at the door. Guess what? Everyone pays attention to what is happening. It’s almost a surreal experience.

I once had an smartphone with an internet connection. I am a bit obsessive and checked my email every 2 minutes, and also felt that I should constantly be writing work-related emails. I had no more peace of mind. I now have a simple cellphone. I might get a smartphone for the camera, but don’t want to be constantly connected to email again.

What are the implications of having lots of contact via the web, text, etc, but less contact in the flesh? I suspect that our net (no pun intended) happiness goes down. There is no substitute for being face-to-face with real people. Think of the most meaningful moments in your life. They probably didn't happen while you were staring at a screen. 

Do you ever leave your phone at home and notice that you feel much freer and more present? Maybe in the future we will have bars or other places where no cellphones/smartphones are allowed inside?  Maybe teachers will accept that students are doing anything but using computers as learning tools and encourage their students not to bring them to class?

Now I am going to go destroy some looms.

[slowcity-blog]

A Slower, Safer Sag Harbor

Despite frigid February weather, 32 people got together this Saturday, February 2nd to imagine how they could improve walking and biking in the village of Sag Harbor, New York (population 2,170). Held at the Parish Hall of St. Andrew’s church, the participants drew on maps and brainstormed solutions to the village’s transportation issues.

Organized by the civic organization Save Sag Harbor, the workshop was led by Jonas Hagen of Despacio, an organization based in Bogotá, Colombia that develops and implements urban projects based on the Slow Movement philosophy.

Sag Harbor is a historical village that saw its heyday as a whaling village port in the 1700s and 1800s. It grew as a pedestrian village and is visited by thousands of tourists every year, particularly in warmer months (May-September). Residents that attended the workshop said that the village is currently overrun by fast-moving motorized traffic. 

When asked to imagine what their village might be like in 10 years, participants said, “a walking-town,” “safe,” and “above water,” among others.

Working in groups of four or five, the participants identified three types of areas in the village: (1) those that work well for pedestrians and cyclists, (2) areas that need improvement, and (3) dangerous areas. There was a broad consensus across the groups about the problems in the village; most spoke of streets and intersections where cars and trucks drive too fast, putting pedestrians and cyclists in danger. Several groups suggested improving the public space on Long Wharf, a pier in the downtown area currently dedicated chiefly to car parking. Others mentioned holding events where initiatives such as road closures are tried out. A local business owner also said that shop owners would likely want to get involved, by, for example, sponsoring public spaces.

Working in groups, above, and presenting the work, below:

  Safe Routes to School, a federal program whereby the access to schools are improved for children pedestrians and cyclists, was also on the agenda. Elizabeth Mendelman explained how she helped secure a $540,000 grant for the public school in the nearby village of The Springs. In addition to building infrastructure such as sidewalks and improved crossings, Mendelman said that encouragement was going to be a major feature of the program, because currently, almost none of the students walk to school, even if they live very close by.

Sag Harbor nearly applied for its own Safe Routes to School funding in 2007, and several participants mentioned that this issue should be taken up for the next funding opportunity, to get the program implemented in the village.

[slowcity-blog]

Hafencity, Hamburg: Taking it slow, getting it right

Still in Bergedorf (suburban Hamburg), I found this share space outside a train station. Speed limit 20 kilometers per hour (12 miles per hour) - an interesting choice for a speed limit. It is less than 30 kmph, but quicker than the “schrittempo” (walking speed) areas that are popping up in Germany, where cars go about 7 kmph. Perhaps this speed is probably just right (tempo giusto) for an area where pedestrians should be prioritized, but a significant volume of cars might pass – like in front of a train station. Just a guess.

So heading out of the ‘burbs, I went to check out Hafencity, a neighborhood in the port area of Hamburg that has been under planning since the 1990s, with construction beginning in 2000. The plan is to create a mixed-use neighborhood with 6,000 new residences when it is fully built out, in 2025. City authorities want to get it right, so they have been taking their time with it – no rushed construction going on here. Probably to the immense frustration of real estate developers, they have held a design competition for every building on the site. The result is interesting, varied architecture:

On the extreme left is the controversial new Opera House, designed by some starchitect, already years behind schedule and many times over-budget.

I took a tour and my very knowledgeable guide explained to me that the authorities were taking the development of Hafencity slow because things might change as the place gets built, and they might want to locate certain facilities in different places as the place develops. They are at about 20 % of the full build out now, and in no particular rush to finish it soon. This is highly valuable land in the center of town, and as almost all we do in the built environment, will be around for generations. So to me it makes sense to take it slowly and do it well.

I saw these beautiful boats on the way to Hafencity:

Many areas of Hafencity are strictly for pedestrians and cyclists, and the scale feels right, with lowish (7 story) buildings, and narrow streets that create a sense of intimacy that makes human feel at ease:

There were lots of green areas for public space:

Apparently these are popular picnic spots at lunchtime, I came there too late but I will take my guide’s word for it.

The buildings are super energy efficient and many have second skins to insulate them, keeping them cool in the summer and warm in the winter:

And there were plenty of skateboarders – a sure-tell sign that an urban place is functioning well:

Remember, those little punks have to hang out somewhere.

  For more info: http://www.hafencity.com/en/home.html

[slowcity-blog]

“My two favourite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. The perfect day: riding a bike to the library.”

― Peter Golkin

[slowcity-blog]

Small-town Slowness and Dragons: Winsen an der Luhe

Pedal on, my friend! Jump on your zero-emissions, very quiet, non-life-threatening, calorie-burning wonder machine and discover the unknown. It travels at just the right speed for your mid-range intrepid jaunts – faster than walking but not so fast as to turn the passing landscape into a blur. You can hear the birds chirp, smell the cow dung and feel a fresh breeze on your face, and all sorts of magical things will happen.

That’s how I found this perfectly delightful village called “Winsen an der Luhe” (Winsen on the river Luhe). After taking a ferry across the dyke or river or whatever it was:

I rode about 20 minutes before reaching the old village. It’s a very small place, but I think they managed to get a few key things right. For example, there are cars in the village, but they don’t dominate the landscape:

Actually, the parked car on the left looks a bit uncomfortable, as if perhaps it should not be there.

We also see liberal use of “schrittempo” (walking speed) streets that we saw in Munich and Freiburg:

Notice above how the people walk and bike uninhibited. Cars can also use this space, but the people on foot or cycling, the slow ones, are kings here.

Lots of elements make sure that cars go slowly: different textures on the ground, trees:

chicanes (things that make cars have to make turns instead of driving straight):

There was some fun wayfinding for bikes:

Most of these places are small, like Winsen, maybe that’s why they appear here. Wikipedia tells us that Fukui has really old castles and “renowned for its clean water and crops which results in delicious sake, rice, and famous soba noodles.” Can’t wait to go there!

And of course, more utilitarian wayfinding for bikes:

This one I actually used, because it brought me to the village & back to the ferry. This kind of wayfinding helps cyclists find their way (hence the moniker – “wayfinding”). Notice how the scale is right for someone riding a bike; this makes cyclists feel like they belong, that someone is thinking specifically for them.

Outside the “schrittempo” (walking speed)  center, cars travelled at 30 km/hour (21 miles per hour), and the speed limit was made very visible:

This speed table was particularly effective because cars had to negotiate it very carefully:

Because it made them so uncomfortable, the cars had to slow down and let bikes go first:

And insteading of T-boning this cyclist, the car on the perpendicular street waited politely for the cyclist to pass:

When we make cars docile and well-behaved, they no longer rule our lives. Then we can all live happily together:

And elderly women will feel comfortable riding down the streets:

Finally, on this side street, there was a cool old house (also, notice the interesting texture on the street):

With some sick dragons on top:

I wonder if his neighbors have dragon envy.

[slowcity-blog]

Suburban Hamburg - Non-motorized SUVs Galore

Have you ever gone on a trip and discovered all sorts of unexpected wonderful things? This is why it is fun to leave the old “smart phone” (or its analog version, the “travel guide”) at home sometimes and just see what happens. Perhaps you end up appreciating everything you encounter more, because you didn’t know what you would find.

I was staying with my uncle & his family in a suburb of Hamburg and, without any particular plan or information, set out on the “iron horse” they lent me. This part of Germany looks & feels to me like Holland – totally flat, much of it below sea level. There was even an old windmill/farmhouse setup right next to my uncle’s place:

This place is from 1200 or something like that, everyone lived, worked, played and slept there, including the cows, horses, and chickens, all under the same roof. Now that’s what I call sustainable! This is the original mixed-use real estate development, with a slow, locavore lifestyle – so chic. These people were like way ahead of their time.

There were lots of cars going quickly on the roads, but generally there were also sidewalks, or bike lanes, or sidewalks that were also bike lanes:

The “60” speed limit is kilometers, of course, about 37 miles per hour. On this road it was OK, because there was a physical separation from the cars, but on the roads with no bike lane/sidewalks, I did not feel particularly safe, and it certainly was not safe enough for children. By the way, the way to tell if road/urban infrastructure is any good is if a 6-year old can safely use it (without adult supervision).

Next to this road was a kind of dyke or artificial river:

There were lots of old brick farm houses in the area:

I really liked the wooden dragons on the tops of the houses:

All around the area I saw families and empty-nesters biking around. I think many of them were on vacation. In the US, this family of 4 would be in a Ford Explorer:

And these middle-aged people would be in Cadillac & Oldsmobiles:

This is a completely unscientific image depicting how many “luxury” sedans these cyclists would need:

Actually, there were 12 people on bikes in the photo, and if we assume two people per car that equals six cars (above left), so the image is probably fairly accurate.

This one guy had these indestructible panniers (french for bags that go on the rear rack of a bike), so his bike was roughly the non-motorized equivalent of an oversized pickup with a big box for tools on the back:

I don't know about you but I would rather get hit by the bike.

[slowcity-blog]

Vauban: the Eco-topian Fantasyland

Bicycles, I love them, mostly for getting around, sometimes just for pleasure. Maybe you do too, maybe not. Would you expect to find cool bikes in the cycling paradise of Vauban? Of course you would! After my delicious meal, I wandered over to the local bike shop:

I really like this kind of architecture, maybe it’s very 1980’s but I still think it’s cool. It’s colorful, light and whimsical, and as a friend put it, “it looks like if you blow on it, it would fall like a house of cards.”

In any case, there was a really pretty bike in there, a kind of retro coffee-racer. If I had lots of money and space I would have a bike like this in my collection:

Then I wandered over into the student area, and I could tell by the trippy paintings on the sides of the old barracks(remember the French army had been stationed here)-come-student housing that I had entered another dimension:

Right in front of this building was bike parking built using bicycle parts, such as frames:

And small bicycle wheels:

What really tipped me off that I had entered another dimension, where the punk-rock dreams of the 80’s and 90's were still very much alive, was the anarchy-symbol bike rack:

I then briefly walked back through the “normal” part of Vauban, where kids ride scooters along streets that look like the set of a movie set in an eco-topian urban future:

 Then came out on the other side of the neighborhood, again completely disoriented and suspecting I had stepped into a porthole that transported me to a country road deep inside a Magical Forest:

Next to that country road ran a babbling brook:

And if all that wasn't enough, a horse farm:

OK, so Vauban is a pretty amazing place. But it isn’t all roses. The last section to be constructed was built by a single developer for some reason, and as is to be expected, the results were not as interesting as the houses built by individuals:

While not terrible, it is a bunch of white buildings, far more boring than the varied architecture of the rest of the neighborhood, see the comparison below:

Also, probably about 99 % of residents are highly-educated green party-voting Birkenstock-wearing eco-fascists. While this has advantages, there are some disadvantages as well. My friendly and generous hosts in Freiburg told me of friends of theirs who had lived in Vauban, a couple, and the husband was very ill with a debilitating disease. Occasionally they would park their car in front of the house so he could get into the car. If the car sat in front of the house longer than 10 minutes, they would be harassed by their neighbors, who would threaten to call the eco-gestapo. You would think the neighbors could be more understanding, given the man’s chronic health condition, but… no. 

Anyhoo, on the tram ride back to the city center, I was blown away to see vineyards almost in the center of town:

  (source: googlemaps)

And the city center is also very idyllic, with kiddos playing in the canalized stream on the main commercial street (of course, no cars allowed here!):

And trams and bikes, and the omnipresent…..    McD’s!

It’s strangely comforting to know that, even in the slow, eco-paradise of Freiburg, you can still clog your arteries with a bigmac and coke.

[slowcity-blog]

All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.

Friedrich Nietzsche

[slowcity-blog]

Vauban's slow, safe, delicious streets

If you like to get around a neighborhood on foot or riding a bike, you would like Vauban. That is because the streets are designed around your needs – instead of dangerous, speeding masses of steel and loud noises, you have safe, comfortable, attractive settings, and direct paths that feel intimate and protected. The streets and paths beckon to you, “don’t be afraid, come here, walk on me.”

First, the speed limit on the “arterial” streets, those on the borders of the blocks, where cars also regularly drive, is 30 km/hour (19 miles per hour):

Next, the streets inside the blocks are either “traffic calmed” (below, on the left), or closed off to cars, and even prohibited for bikes (below, on the right):

This is the sign for the “traffic calmed” street:

Under the blue sign with the pedestrian, the car, the house, and the kid playing soccer, it says:

            Traffic Calmed Area

Walking speed only

Pedestrians can walk anywhere in the street

Kids can play anywhere

 Car parking only in designated areas

Different road users [car drivers, cyclists, pedestrians] should look out for one another

 Also, there is green stuff everywhere, making the experience of walking or biking particularly pleasant:

Some paths duck under buildings:

and into inner coutryards:

  then snake between two rows of houses:

The point is, on foot or by bike, you can get anywhere quickly, much easier than by car. As a matter of fact, the cars are mostly banished to this parking garage, on the corner of the development:

Of course, cars do occasionally enter the inside of the blocks, presumably to load or drop off things, but you get the sense that they are visitors, and people (walking or on foot) are the owners of these spaces. Nonetheless, it seemed to me that everybody got along OK:

   After all that walking around and taking pictures of slow streets, I sure was hungry! I found a restaurant with the “slowfood” snail:

(It says “Good! Clean! Fair!)

This was the restaurant:

  (note the solar panels on the roof)

And had a “flammkuchen,” something like a local version of thin-crust pizza, with a “weisburgunder”, a local white wine:

(source: http://www.partyservice-harant.de/Images/Pshfla02.jpg - not my photo, but I am quite happy to have found a picture with the both the flammkuchen and white wine)

Both were very, very tasty.

[slowcity-blog]

Cycle tracks will abound in Utopia.

H.G. Wells

[slowcity-blog]

Germany journal: living in style, (almost) carfree, in Freiburg

Is it possible to create, from scratch, a thriving new neighborhood, not dominated by cars? Where the scale feels right and the buildings are interesting to look at and a pleasure to live in? Where people mostly walk, bike, and take public transport?

In Freiburg, a small city in Southern Germany, they have done it: Vauban is a neighborhood where flocks of “free-range” children run, skate and cycle without fear of getting run over, where buildings do not look like they were made in a cookie-cutter, but are varied in size, shape and color, where many people live close together but there is still plenty of green space. Pedestrian paths snake through courtyards, connecting people directly to their homes and creating a sense of intimacy and security at the same time. Noise levels are low and a tram whisks residents to the city center in 15 minutes. Restaurants serve delicious local delicacies, the kindergartens are full, and the supermarket is a five-minute walk away.

Freiburg on its own, without Vauban, is already a very interesting place. The first thing I saw when I got out of the train station was a wide, comfortable bike path:

   I then took a tram to the end of the line:

Vauban’s houses extend on either side of the tram line for two blocks. This is the way it should be; as several experienced urban planners and architects have pointed out to me (including David Sim of Gehl Architects and Gebhard Wulfhorst of the Technical University of Munich), transit lines should be “fed” from either side:

Transit corridors should also be at the heart of people’s origins (usually where they live) and destinations (where they are going – to work, study, shop, play, etc), as is the case in Vauban:

Tram station in the middle of Vauban, as always, with bike parking

Also, most sections of the tram line are green with grass; this reduces noise, is visually appealing, and helps prevent flooding by absorbing stormwater:

French soldiers lived in barracks at Vauban until the early 1990’s, and after they left, these buildings were turned into student housing. A group of Freiburg residents then organized themselves and began petitioning the city to let them build houses there, which they did, and most of the plots had buildings by 2009.

Because most of the plots were owned by different people, and these people designed each building differently, there is an interesting variety of architecture, so rare in these days of maximizing profits from urban development:

(notice the bike parking again)

Also, the buildings vary in size, from single family residences to apartment buildings, further adding to the area’s visual diversity and ability to attract different income levels and life stages (from young people to families and empty-nesters):

  Regarding the high level of architectural sophistication and low car use, it doesn’t hurt that Vauban has more architects per-capita than probably anywhere in the world, and that most residents are hell-bent eco-freaks. This, of course, brings its own set of problems, and Vauban isn’t perfect, but it’s pretty good. In fact, I liked it so much that I will spread out my observations over a few posts.    

Additional Relevant Links:

Info on Vauban:

http://www.vauban.de/info/abstract.html

http://dellekom.de/blog/vauban-district-how-it-happened

Institute for Transport and Development Policy (ITDP) report on Vauban: 

www.itdp.org/documents/092211_ITDP_NED_Vauban.pdf

[slowcity-blog]

Beware the barrenness of a busy life.

Socrates