According to CUN, the basic principles of new urbanism are creation of enduring neighborhoods, richening urbanism legal references, making connection a priority, celebrating shared space, achieving sustainability, reclaiming urban places once thought lost and renewing a ravaged region. (http://
www.cnu.org/ ) To put it another way, the residential areas of new urbanism have three factors. Ecology is the most important key element in community development. Areas have to be planned to provide for the natural environment and make a community atmosphere in natural surrounding. Secondly, advocating “organized design” for residential areas economizes the use of land. The program of community blends density, such as architectural and household diversification. Third is stressing high quality. (http://
www.newurbannews.com/AboutNewUrbanism.html )
In Taiwan, Government is recovering centre towns and peri-inner cities; managing the extended countryside that develops into genuine communities. Moreover, they protect the natural environment and cultural heritage. The strategies of new urbanism are satellite towns, new growth, urban growth boundaries and zoning.
The satellite town and new growth focus on residential design and planning as a whole community, not only regarding location. It combines livelihood, business and entertainment to create a “Trinity Town”. For example, Neihu, Nangang and Sijhih Districts are gradually merging into an urban-rural interface in the process of urban sprawl, and many high-tech office towers surround the freeway system. The past modernity such as “urban region”, “network society”, “power landscape”, and “culture hybrid”, have appeared on the eastern fringe of Taipei. It means that the structure of Taipei is transforming from the mono-nuclei traditional industrial-urban structure to the poly-nuclei knowledge-oriented urban economic structure. (http://etds.lib.ntu.edu.tw/main/index)
Urban planning practice, by its nature, is a spatially bounded activity. The implicit assumption of so much of planning is that development or urban socio-spatial change is “targetable”, that is, that a particular spatially distinct group- a community, a village, a neighborhood, a city, or a region- is to be the recipient of the benefits of a planned intervention. (Michael. 2002)
Secondly, urban growth boundary and zoning increase open space, transportation and pedestrian space, and co-operate regionalism. This extended space enhances and develops inner cities and suburbs. Managing urban development, local government is planning to advance pedestrian friendly areas, and creating public open space for residents. Installation of public arts and programs, initiation of street lighting and other related nightscape visual programs, designation of exclusive pedestrian districts and neighborhoods, upgrading street facilities, renovation and beautification of the sidewalk pavements and applying tighter regulations on new buildings’ floor to area ratios are parts of some undertaking plans. (http://
www.planning.taipei.gov.tw/ ) These plans have already been executed in the capital city, Taipei.
Furthermore, the notion of community is supplying residents a variegated and multifarious useable space. Separating a definite centre and boundary is the first thing. The centre of the community is usually located near crossroads and links open space or shopping mails. The neighborhood’s boundary is probably natural forest, river or walking tracks. Subsequently, a 1/4 mile is the best size for a community. The living areas can be walked around in 5 to 10 minutes by residents and link up with public transport to other neighborhoods. In addition, a variety of usage is also important for communities. That means an area containing residential use, commercial markets and recreation grounds. It also provides the multiform building types for people with varied social status. Fourth, structuring a complete traffic network includes pedestrian tracks, turnpikes and cycle ways. Those could utilize ring ways and pocket ways to reduce speed. Finally, as with private facilities, public space and buildings are what we significantly value. (http://
www.cnu.org/)
