Industrial Urbanism: Conceptualizing Industrial and Residential Mixed Use for Compact, Economically Developed and Walkable City
Since industrial revolution, cities and industries have evolved together. Despite this shared past, popular notion of manufacturing highlights negative aspects such as pollution, environmental degradation, exploitation of labor etc.
Industrial revolution shaped urban landscape as new technology came into existence, such as water wheel to coal fire, steam power and intercity railways. Accordingly, from a historic perspective, we may identify some key phases of industrial revolution. First was Mercantile City in Pre-Industrial Revolution. Those were artisanal manufacturing in individual household integrated with residential and commercial activities. Industrial City 1750–1880 : steam engine revolutionized production process consequently cities experienced unprecedented urbanization and economic growth. Planned City 1880–1970: Zoning regulations handled nuisance from the factories. Industrial areas were separated from the main town. (MITTAU, 2015).
In contemporary urban and regional planning, agriculture and industrial zoning are kept separate from residential and commercial land uses. Also city master plan puts forward a highly developed plan for the city residential areas and city core, it hardly has any vision for city industrial areas. However the problem is that zoning designation often remains in place while market shifts, and zoning can be very hard to change. (Chappel, 2013)
Now and forever technology will continue to advance exponentially. Barriers to entry, commercialization, and learning are eroding. (John Hagel, 2015) Industrial manufacturing world is shifting from large scale to small scale distributed system. Accordingly it is shifting from mass production to personalized production. Future of manufacturing would be clean and sustainable. Manufacturing will educated and specialized workforce.
These technological advancements in contemporary times suggests that a major opportunity is emerging to redefine the role of industry in the city, making it as much a part of the urban fabric as housing or commerce. (Hatuka & Ben-Joseph, 2017)
Industrial urbanism explores the relation between current urban planning practices and the places that are designed and dedicated to the production of goods. The organization of space is based on the idea that an urban location confers a competitive advantage due to access to people, educational institutions (center of research and experimentation), and customers. Industrial urbanism set design guidelines that support various uses and dynamic interactions between people and organizations; address environmental conflicts (e.g., bio-waste disposal in proximity to residential buildings) by promoting innovative, sustainable solutions
Demand for industrial land within cities, especially near academic institutions, is becoming more valuable to manufacturers, including knowledge-intensive manufacturers, because an urban location confers a competitive advantage due to access to people, educational institutions (center of research and experimentation), and customers. At the same time, however, the demand for land for residential and commercial uses within cities is also increasing.
To achieve a mix of industrial and residential uses a shift from heavy to light industries is prerequisite. This method support some sustainability principles like creating comfort and walkable environment, mix land uses, compact development (Mostafa Taleshi, Feb 2012)
However there are challenges of mixed use. Despite gradual institutionalization of mixed-use zoning codes in practice, communities do not embrace them. NIMBYsm, the not in my backyard movement often occurs in response to such attempt. Benefit of mixed land use is clear for workers in high consumption lifestyle than say families with children. Mixed uses come with negative externalities such as noise and trash.
REFERENCES
Chappel, K. (2013). The challange of mixed uses and secret suce of Urban Industrial Use. In K. Chappel, Planning Sustainable cities and Regions towards more equitable development (pp. 207–222). London and New York: Routledge.
Hatuka, T., & Ben-Joseph, E. (2017). Industrial Urbanism: Typologies, Concepts and Prospects. Built Environment, 41–52.
John Hagel, J. S. (2015). The future of manufacturing. Retrieved 2018, from Deloitte: https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/industry/manufacturing/future-of-manufacturing-industry.html
MITTAU. (2015). PROTOTYPES. Retrieved 2018, from INDUSTRIAL URBANISM: http://www.industrialurbanism.com/prototypes
Mostafa Taleshi, S. (Feb 2012). Residential and industrial compatibility by mixed land use, zoning and urban design case study Vardavard near Tehran metropolis. OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development, Vol-3, 51–58.