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Top urban design trends in 2022

Urban design trends that are reshaping the future of cities

Over 80% of the global GDP comes from cities and it is thus important that urbanization traces consistent improvements with time. Since cities contribute to sustainable growth, it is important that the citizens are opened up to a lot of opportunities and a progressive infrastructure that boosts continuous growth. Urban design trends are catching up a lot of momentum and it is important that planners stay up-to-date.

Cities should nurture a sense of connection and cast a stronghold on the center of their attention – the people. All the developmental planning should go further beyond the surface-level aesthetics to be functionally efficient in meeting the demands of its citizens. There is no one-size-fits-all design approach when it comes to urban development. But the following trends might just put things into perspective on what’s given weightage of importance these days.

1. Mixed-use neighborhoods

In the wake of suburban developments that are given priority alongside urban planning, there are no single-use downtown neighborhoods anymore. There’s a merge of functionalities in each area where residential and commercial developments happen alongside each other. This will thus make way for cities where each area has a mix of functional utilities for housing, work opportunities, and avenues for engagement altogether.

2. Green living

Cities easily lose sight of the connection with nature because of the rapid urbanization they encompass. But to create harmony between people, their lifestyles, and a sense of connection, green corridors are given importance increasingly. Making way for an outdoor engagement activity and green public parks are given added importance these days.

Parks, roadside curbs planted with trees, vertical farming even on the busiest of roads, artificial ponds, etc are all some of the innovative urban designs that are sought after by planners.

3. The 15-minute city

This refers to the creation of a neighborhood approach where every amenity is available within a 15-minute walking or cycling distance. This will help resolve problems like the need to commute long distances for work, parties, or play. Apart from being just a solution for mobility problems, the 15-minute city also helps in making a city sustainable and self-sufficient in nature. This will also help resolve any inequality between two different parts of a city and helps the entire cityscape to be perceived as one.

4. Inclusivity

Promoting equal participation and appreciating cultural, racial, and gender differences is what makes cities the best place for making a living. Any urban planning company should keep in mind that all the facilities should be accessible for every citizen despite the difference they have.

For example, gender-neutral bathrooms in public spaces or ramp accessibility in all recreational areas should be given maximum focus during the development of new structures.

5. Enriching local experiences

Cities should also promote domestic tourism and evolve in their approach to curate engaging local experiences. This will give an outlet for the citizens to network and connect with each other while also developing a sense of belonging with their respective cities.

At YCSPL, we have worked on urban planning projects in collaboration with state governments and have been offering them the best solutions to date.

6. Circular Economy model

Cities should focus on promoting reusing and recycling practices for sustainable overall progression. This is one of the top urban design trends in 2022 that has been rewriting the narrative of how cities recklessly generate a lot of waste. Efficient management of resources and encouraging local production for self-sustainably like urban planning are all taken into consideration.

7. Mobility solutions

Transportation and the increasing density of traffic in hot areas are going to be major problems if left unaddressed. While efficient AI-imparted monitoring of traffic solutions is one thing, they are not going to be just enough. You should rather promote public transport solutions or shared transportation solutions like carpooling to reduce overall carbon footprints in the longer run.

There should also be strict government mandates on FC regulations for commercial vehicles and protocols like recurring pollution tests for two-wheelers. The usage of Electric Vehicles should also be promoted to negate the depletion of natural resources.

8. Smart and Sustainable Constructions.

When it comes to any new construction, there should be added consideration given to making the entire development smart and wholesomely sustainable. Optimized energy consumption, efficient waste management processes, and effective utility construction should all be given a major priority.

With the current digitization in place, urban design trends in 2022 are already rapidly progressing. Any city planner should make sustainability a core objective in their efforts.

9. Strengthened Cyber Security

Security threats are no news. It is also important to remember that in city structures, data is one of the most valuable assets that holds a lot of key elements at stake. There should be increased cyber security awareness and proper recuperation protocols in place even during the events of an impending ransomware or data piracy threat.

The citizens should all be well-informed about the importance of data privacy and should be tuned to keep their own data structures safe.

10. Surveillance

Since cities are population dense, it is important that there are proper protocols for added surveillance. CCTVs installation should be done in all the major areas across multiple locations and angles for comprehensively capturing every last movement. This will help the citizens feel a lot safer and more comfortable while also greatly reducing the crime rates.

The urban planning team at YCSPL pays careful attention to all these trends to make our efforts count.

Principles of urban planning  

Top principles of urban planning that every humanitarian and planner should keep in mind

Urban planning enhances the look, feel, and living experience of any city. And this happens when the considerations go beyond just infrastructural developments. The core focus should be revolving around a whole lot of other considerations like self-sustainability, creating local neighborhoods, bridging economic inequalities, and efficient management of resources. The principles of urban planning should foundationally focus on making the cities futuristic and accessible with a lot of opportunities everywhere.

Engineering, surveying, mobility planning, and architecture should all be combined effectively for arriving at proper urban blueprints. Before going into the principles, let’s look at a few objectives of urban planning before getting there.

The basic objectives that should be met by urban planning

1. Health

There should always be a people-first consideration in practice that enable efficient living conditions everywhere across the cityscape. Zoning a city into residential, institutional, recreational, commercial, and industrial areas. This will avoid encroachment between the zones and thus conflict an orderly development or smooth functioning.

2. Sophisticated beauty

Cities should always attract a lot of migration because of the ample opportunities they provide and also for the living experience they deliver. Any infrastructural development should pay added attention to the cultural history of the existing area before revitalization. This will enhance the existing structures while also retaining the essence of what the city stands for.

Everything from the aesthetic finish of the buildings, the distinction of civic bodies from the other buildings, adding a touch of greenery wherever permissible, preservation of trees, and preventing complete exploitation of any natural bodies should all be given careful thought while going about urban planning services.

3. Connective sense with culture and environment

Cities should retain the essence of cultural roots that have been long-standing in the locality. This will make each city distinguished from one another. This will also improve the aesthetic sense with a unique appeal. At the same time, citizens are most likely to spend most of their days in the rush hours and do not spend as much time outdoors. They’ll lose their sense of connection with nature and the environment with time. This will decrease their overall harmony of life and living.

It is thus important that urban planning authorities should rely key focus on building public spaces and outdoor setups where people can take a breath and relax with natural outlets.

4. Convenience

A 15-minute city should be one of the primary objectives during development. This is basically where a citizen can find anything they want and all the essentials they’re looking for within a 15-minute walking or cycling distance within. This will create a sustainable city-dwelling life and reduce the need for long-distance transportation. These local neighborhoods will also bridge any economic inequalities between the two regions within the city. Public amenities, recreational centers, and outlets for socializing should all be accessible to every last citizen of the city structure.

Principles of urban planning that you can’t overlook

1. Zoning

Only when a city’s landscape is dissection into different zones, there will be room for comprehensive development while also not being at a cost to one another. There should be separate areas dedicated to industries, commercial structures, residential facilities, etc. This will make each area independent in its function and also not disrupt the harmony between two localities or neighborhoods.

2. Green belts

Even if cities are only known for their high-rise buildings and constant buzz, it is necessary that you preserve any greenways there are in the nearby regions. Segregating green zones will help us prevent mass exploitation of land and commercialization of structures that needs preservation. Any lakes, ponds, reserved forests, river beds, or other regions should be excluded from any development plans. There should also be proper conservation plans in place to revitalize existing natural structures before they’re exploited beyond repair.

3. Road network

Roadways especially in cities are going to face the issues of congestion and endless traffic if they’re not planned right. The hierarchy of the road structure has a direct effect on the aesthetic appeal of the cities.

Hindrances like an irregulated road full of traffic issues or potholes are going to ruin the living experience of people and make commuting a real problem.

4. Mobility solutions

There are going to be a lot of working professionals who’d be commuting from one place to another on a day-to-day basis. They should have a lot of options and a hassle-free journey experience. This will improve their perception of city life and also makes it easy for them to navigate their day-to-day life. Infrastructural development proposed by any urban planning company should focus on the efficient integration of public and private transportation networks to make commuting across the city easier.

5. Inclusive developments

Focussing on progressive development and inclusivity should be the core principle of urban planning. This will make sure that the city is free from any division in terms of gender, race, or physical abilities. A simple example would be to plan to have wheelchair accessibility in all the public gathering areas or gender-neutral bathrooms for people on the spectrum.

6. Community Welfare

Social and communal outlets should be given importance during infrastructural development. Promoting communal harmony among the citizens will only be possible if there’s a possibility for them to interact with each other.

At YCSPL, our urban planners carry years of experience and they’ve been working closely with the governmental organization to carry out effective development strategies.

What is urban planning?

Urban planning explained

The entire humanity is rapidly progressing in almost every avenue there is. Designing environments that meet the needs and requirements of different communities and settlements are thus integral for any further development. And this is where Urban Planning plays a huge role.

Urban planning refers to the design and development of cities to meet comprehensive solutions for various requirements like transportation, communication, accessibility to resources, distribution networks, and other infrastructural needs. The primary concerns that are taken into account while planning these efforts include public welfare, ease of accessibility, and the general well-being of the citizen.

In recent times, urban planners are cautiously developing structures that are futuristic and at the same time sustainable in nature. Bridging any inequalities and socio-economic divisions within the same region is also a key focus to developing a collaborative community that functions as one.

Some of the key factors that are taken into consideration while urban planning in India:

1. Creating designs for the ‘tomorrow’

Cities are futuristic already and for any further developmental planning, you need to arrive at time-tested solutions that will also be enough in the near future. Be it the addition of new neighborhoods or making integral developments to existing regions, meeting the goals of the requirements we might have in the future should be the key focus.

2. Pay attention to the social, economic, and physical environments

Social – Be it revitalization or expansion plans, the social fabrics that hold the city together already should be considered. The existing conditions of the communities in the region, the resources they require, and mobility solutions for easy transportation should all be considered.

Physical – The geological history of the city should be understood before the urban planners dwell on land use planning. Terrain maps should be dissected with careful GIS operations to better understand the region before making any massive plans for change.

Economic – Cities are undeniably the drivers of change and they are the potential economic powerhouse that can drive the country forward. Trends like employment, and accessibility to job opportunities, should all be considered by urban planning companies. There should also be ground floor planning that will help small businesses thrive and help drive a change forward.

3. Planning for the pedestrian

Urban life is soulful and the experience of cities is one other reason why there is always a constant migration towards the same. Planning for the pedestrians will involve considerations like the wind, ground floor planning, sidewalks, and roadside parks that will keep them actively engaged with the surrounding.

4. The 15-minute city

The 15-minute city concept basically helps in building the entire cityscape to function as one. The idea here is to create ample opportunities in every part of the city and create local neighborhoods that run on a self-sustainable basis. All the amenities should be available within 15-minutes of walking or cycling distance in each of these neighborhoods. This will reduce complex problems like mobility accommodations for a vast majority of citizens who are forced to travel across the city for work or other requirements.

5. Inclusive developments

Companies like YCSPL are forward-thinking in their development ideas. Inclusivity despite the economic positions, gender, race, etc should be the heart of cities while will driving forward a community that functions as one despite their differences.

An example of inclusive development would be to have gender-neutral bathrooms in public spaces, wheelchair accessibility in areas like malls, parks, or beaches using appropriate ramps, etc

Concepts involved in urban planning:

1. Strategic Urban Planning

When it comes to the question ‘what is urban planning?’, the trues answer would be to create a city that will attract migrations from all the other regions. Cities should be developed for looking up to and entice people in every aspect.

There are hindrances to this like overcrowding, unaffordable housing, transit facility limitations, etc. Strategic planning should eliminate these cons of the urban regions and focus on building a better environment that is convenient and comfortable in all respects.

2. Land-use Planning

This is one of the crucial types of urban planning concepts since they contribute to the complete utilization planning of the regions.

The plans here should address issues that address all the infrastructural developments. You should also be focussing on preserving specific zones, limiting complete commercialization by focusing on creating open spaces for communal interactions, etc.

Land utilization is also done in stages that may be residential, commercial, municipal, or industrial.

3. Master Planning

Creating development plans for areas that are being newly transformed and building new structures on fresh lands is what master planning involves. They are vital because they set a basic framework for any neighborhood that is newly undergoing developments.

Here land owners, governmental organizations, and municipal authorities should work in collaboration to envision the requirements of the future and curate developments accordingly.

4. Revitalization Planning

It is important that any urban planning design thoroughly pays close attention to all the existing aspects when it comes to revitalization planning.

This generally involves giving the neighborhood a fresh outlook by modifying the existing structures and building new construction.

At YCSPL, we have been handling projects of scale and have been partnering with various governmental organizations in executing impeccable urban makeovers. Our eye for detail has made us stand out in the industry for over 15 years now. Building genuinely smart and sustainable cities are our core focus.

Best city development strategies in 2022

Top city development schemes that you should keep an eye on

Only when cities are committed to driving a change, we can leverage the opportunities that are globally available. Policymakers, architects, researchers, and political city heads should all work in collaboration toward city development. Driving the urban population towards being more resilient, smarter, and sustainable should be the underlying idea of any development venture.

There are a lot of ongoing globalization and urbanization trends around. And it is important to understand that there is no one recipe or a one-size-fits-all approach that can be chased after. The culture, existing population, and communal harmony should all be taken into account while making an infrastructural shift.

With the remote working model still gaining increased popularity, this brings into question the need for people to live in cityscapes. Affordability, overcrowding, and a lot of other factors might prevent people from migrating. Cities should thus shift their approach and proceed towards development in a community-driven model that is inclusive, healthy, and convenient.

Here are some of the top priorities and trends that are setting the future standard for city planning:

1. Green planning – For people to keep in touch with natural outlets

Cities are generally highly dense in population and they keep buzzing all day long with commercial activities. People tend to lose their sense of belonging to nature.

To revitalize this, urban planning authorities are now keen on paying attention to public spaces. These can act as a center for social life while also helping people take a break for rejuvenation. Also, the lack of green spaces practically makes the entire space unhealthy.

These nature-based connections also provide an outlet for outdoor activities among children. Corridors for walking and cycling also help in strengthening the decarbonization agenda that cities are bound to pay attention to.

2. The concept of a 15-minute city

The idea here is to make a city and its citizens completely self-sustainable. Perfectly planned city development strategies will most likely take a lead on this one. Building a neighborhood approach to avoid class distinction within the cities or any economic inequalities is the idea. Every amenity should be accessible within a walking or cycling distance of 15-minutes.

This decentralized model will help in establishing local neighborhoods across the city with all the basic requirements fulfilled. There is also a transportation problem that arises if there is a fragmented urban situation. Hyper localization will instead rewrite this by providing the citizens with everything they need nearby.

3. Solutions for amplified mobility needs

Owing to the rise in population and increased migration of people towards cities, there is always a problem with transportation. Any city development blueprint should look into transportation as a core need.

A connected infrastructure with improved, sharable, and sustainable mobility solutions is what a futuristic city demands.

With 15-minute cities, the need for these long travels can be avoided. And decarbonization should revolve around promoting shared transport facilities and advocating for electronic vehicles.

Cities like Delhi have already been struggling with carbon neutralization. They’re now dealing with an odd-even approach to limit the utility of cars. We should be looking far beyond to develop solutions that are accessible and convenient too.

4. Inclusiveness

Cities are becoming neutral areas that are inclusive in terms of sex, sexuality, employability, and economic conditions. City development strategies in 2022 should advocate equal participation by providing improved access to infrastructure and housing needs.

Cities should be an example of communal coexistence and fight for maintaining a society that’s just. Basic needs should be affordable for people from all backgrounds.  There should also be a lot of accessible outlets for the elderly to relax and for children to indulge in activities.

Boosting employment opportunities and opening up to communal activities like marathons can improve society to be one.

5. Increased privacy awareness

When it comes to cities, data is going to be the most expensive commodity of them all. Cities should brace themselves with proper data concerns, and privacy awareness. They should also be equipped to face any impact of cyber attacks and bring the situation under control as quickly as possible.

The basic premise of smart cities is the interconnected environment that it provides. Mitigating any impact and containing any vulnerability beforehand should be a focus. There is an operational intersection that is more common in city structures and the complex connection between technologies. Cities executives should also have a cautious eye out to handle any scale of invasion and prevent the ripples they create.

6. Encouraging local production and a circular economy

The reuse, recycling, and restoration of any primary resource should be encouraged among city-dwelling citizens. The circular economy will thus help us live in harmony as a sustainable community that accelerates change.

Reducing food waste, electricity consumption, and water usage should be a priority. Proper recycling rules and regulations should be made mandatory for commercial properties.

Efficient energy utilization and adoption of renewable sources should be advocated among the urban population.

There are several urban planning companies like YCSPL that are increasingly working in collaboration with various state and central government authorities. They are together planning towards improving the infrastructures of cities and are making them inclusive in all respects.

The more we plan towards enhancing urbanization, the better will be our overall economy. Cities are the financial powerhouse that has the potential to generate tremendous opportunities. At YCSPL, we have been closely associated with a lot of urban planning projects.

Different types of concepts involved in urban planning

The types of urban planning concepts that every designer or architect should know

The major scope of urban planning is to breathe life into cities and enrich the well-being of the citizen. The core focus here is to develop sustainable communities with ample opportunities. There are different types of urban planning concept and the major idea of all these revolves around developing cities for the future.

Urban planning designs and concept ideas should revolve around promoting city-life features like easy access, enhanced engagement avenues, and living a busy life while also having areas for refreshments. Everything from economic growth, effective utilization of public spaces, construction designs, infrastructure developments, social functions, availability of resources, etc should all be taken into consideration.

All these elements can be categorized and can be dissected into different urban planning concepts as listed below

But firstly, it is important to understand that all these elements co-relate with each other and should be considered to go hand-in-hand. Only this way, we’d have the chance of building cities that are comprehensively sufficient to meet the growing needs of the citizens. If you’re looking at the concepts, you should also be curious about what is urban planning. Because creating a community might be one effort but restoring an existing one also involves its own nitty-gritty that needs to be addressed.

1. Strategic urban planning

Any planning can only meet the desired outcomes if they have any set high-level objectives from the start. A strategic planning process involves the consideration of elements that will enhance the quality of life altogether. This should focus on enticing people from even other regions to migrate to live the city life that the urban area offers.

Features like transit facilities within the city, creating more open spaces, developing communal spaces, etc. The other components involved here should be revolving around the uniformity of the design elements and give a particular theme to the city in question.

2. Land-use planning and development

This predominantly involves policy regulation and devising laws for land utilization planning. There should be proper planning in a place where urban developers contribute toward governmental laws, rules, codes, and regulations that can impact land usage.

The planning here should be carefully done for addressing the issues surrounding the development of infrastructures for municipal tasks or general public usage. There should always be a clean line that’s drawn for preserving specific zones or reserve lands either for conservation or later usage. The urban planning of these areas should also be done prior to development. Land utilization may be residential, commercial, industrial, or municipal.

Residential structures involve condos, apartments, or family houses. Commercial structures include spaces like office buildings or retail outlets. Industrial structures include manufacturing facilities, factories, or warehouses. Municipal refers to buildings assorted for government utility like police stations or collector offices.

Land usage planning in collaboration with strategic efforts results in promoting a transparent construction of infrastructures where all the diverse interests and requirements will be met. Urban planning in India generally involved artisans from different sectors working in perfect collaboration with each other.

3. Master planning

Creating plans or blueprints for untouched areas and building on lands that are yet to be developed is what mater planning involves. Envisioning the requirements of the future is what makes master planning a viable effort.  This is one of the significant types of urban planning concept since they decide the direction for future efforts.

Be it any residential or commercial structures, planners should focus on paying close attention to possible developments in the future like road locations, transportation considerations, etc.

There should also be proper allocation of resources for building amenities for the citizens like communal spaces, public parts, etc.  Government agencies should work closely in association with land owners and experienced urban planners to consider all the potential angles that will accelerate the development. Only this way the completed space will be geared up to satisfy the needs of the future.

4. Revitalization planning

This one is contradictory to the master plan stated above. Because here we deal with uplifting communities and infrastructure of the urban areas that have lost their essence along the way. Simply put, bringing them back from a state of decline to increase interaction and improve opportunities is what we do here.

At YCSPL, we have worked on a few projects in this regard. The root cause for the fall of the urban segment is first identified here. This might be anything from roads that are repaired, to buildings that have become outdated or excessive population growth while stagnant economic prospects.

Developing the infrastructure, adding public spaces, revamping the existing outlooks of the buildings, etc are some of the efforts that are done here. Urban planning in India and revitalization are not as easy as it is on paper. They might even ask for the relocation of communities for further integral developments. But they’re at risk of breaking communal harmony by doing so. Finding a balance here is what urban planners are experienced at.

5. Economic development planning

Cities remain the best option for the working population to migrate to because of the increasing nature of opportunities that they present their citizens with. Economic development is thus important for cities and urban communities to keep flourishing with their financial prosperity. This has a direct effect on the quality of life that it presents people with.

Promoting a ground-floor life is essential for this to happen. This way there will be a lot of local retailers and other talents that find their living thus improving the community around economically. For example, there will be a lot of room for restaurants run by the local population as opposed to franchises. There will be so many avenues for small businesses and thus drive together as one towards growth.

While these are some of the prominent branches and types of urban planning concept, there are a lot of other elements that go into consideration. At YCSPL, we have experts on board who have been working on the sector hands-on for years now.

Which is the most developed city in India?

Have you wondered about what it takes to be the most developed city in India?

There are over 4000 cities in India according to a census of towns. 48 cities house more than a million people while over 400 cities have a population between 100,000 and 1 million. Everything from infrastructural developments, self-sustainability, water or air quality, and sanitary aspects are necessary for the cities. To rank one of them as the most developed city in India is a crucial aspect. It requires an overall eye for even the smallest of details. We have curated some of the factors that can help us visualize the order of these cities more.

Factors that drive the cities toward development

To answer the question ‘which is the most developed city in India’, we need to look into some of the factors that contribute to the same.

1. Economic powerhouse & GDP contribution

Mumbai is undoubtedly the economic capital of India. Being the most developed metropolis that houses prominent structures. This includes the Bombay Stock Exchange, the Mint, the National Stock Exchange, RBI, etc. The city alone generated a whopping $209 billion in GDP. Mumbai also ranks 29th in the whole world in terms of urban settlements.

2. Health infrastructure

Health infrastructure refers to the availability of medical facilities and immediate access to healthcare as required. Pune ranks on top in this respect. The overall considerations here revolve around the availability of hospital beds, air quality, access to fresh water sources, etc. Pune holds 3.5 hospital beds per 1000 people. Ahmedabad following a close second offers 3.2 hospital beds per 1000 people.

3. Technological growth

Banglore, the Silicon Valley of India is the city that contributes the largest to the IT sector. There are accelerated opportunities for small businesses and the city also houses a lot of major tech companies. There are headquarters of many organizations here including ISRO, Infosys, Wipro, etc. They generate a total GDP of over 400,000 crores and it is even the 84th most developed city in the world.

4. Happiness index

A quantitative study back in 2020 was conducted among the top 16 cities in India. The respondents of the majority found to be the happiest in Chandigarh among the others as the most developed city in India in this regard. Passion, pursuit, pleasure, and purpose were the foundational aspects behind the ranking of the happiness index that determine city development.

Passion reflects the connection between people, quality of relationships, and general engagement of the community. Pursuit refers to the ambitions that people set for themselves and their relentless strife towards it which gives them a sense of belonging. Pleasure refers to a temporary sense of high which can happen in terms of socializing or having a neat work-life balance. Purpose reflects someone’s progress in life. This can be in terms of lifestyle, financial status, and materialistic possessions.

5. Employability

Employability refers to not just landing a job but the diversity of the opportunities available. Bangalore tops the list here as well since they open doors to a plethora of job positions. The city is also great in terms of work-life balance since they house a lot of structures that offer more room for socializing. It thus remains the best city to work and live in.

6. Ease of living

Ease of Living is an assessment that comprehensively understands the quality of life and living. Factors like urban development contribute to this index. Economic ability, employment opportunities, sustainability, and available services. A 15-minute city has been the premise of urban development these days where every citizen finds all the necessary things of life sustenance within a 15-minute walking distance.

The city’s administration, political perception, and liberal viewpoints also contribute to this. Consequently, only cities that are inclusive in nature find a place here. In the Million plus population category, Bangalore tops the list. In the less than million categories, Shimla remains the top city when it comes to the ease of living index.

7. Safety index

Chennai remains the safest city in India according to the reduced crime rates, safety for women, ease of living without fear, etc. The city also remains a growing hub of technology housing a lot of artisans who all feel safe in their shoes.

There is no one box or category where you can name the city as the best in the country. But these driving factors make it a little more to understand the hierarchy of the most developed city list.

In hindsight, the top ten developed cities in India would be as follows:

• Mumbai, Maharashtra
• New Delhi, Delhi
• Kolkata, West Bengal
• Bangalore, Karnataka
• Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
• Chennai, Tamil Nadu
• Ahmedabad, Gujarat
• Pune, Maharashtra
• Surat, Gujarat
• Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh

Urban planning and development are happening almost everywhere in the country. This is driven towards making our cities more sustainable, growth-focused, community building and self-sufficient. At YCSPL, we have been closely working with the government and organizations belonging to the public sector to accelerate the construction of smart cities. Building a developed city in India is only possible with structural growth assistance.

Technological progression is happening beyond our comprehension and we need to stay on track if we want to truly develop as a nation. Companies like ours are getting their hands on the best innovations around to design infrastructures that are technologically accelerated.

Top 10 fundamental elements of urban design

Elements of urban design that are increasingly turning heads and grasping the attention

Urban planning concepts are now increasingly revolving around reducing carbon footprint, improving humanitarian collaborations, developing net-aero neighborhoods, passive solar gain, etc. The world is moving on toward rapid urbanization. This is because of the increasing population and since this migration favors economic uplifts. We should try and refine various design elements to accommodate different geographies, specific cultural environments, climatic considerations, sustainability, and economic accessibility for al. This can shape the fabric of any city with proper elements of urban design.

The new-age urban design concepts that city planners are increasingly adhering to include:

1. People-first designs

Shaping the cityscape structures through human-centric designs that value the seamless participation of the community in the area is important. They should have features like easy access to amenities. Cities must provide access to everything from work or play within the region. We should scale structural plans to offer people a satisfying life experience and a seamless shift.

Meeting the growing needs of the people is what designs are for. We must consider every variable like the ease of mobility, space for leisure and relaxation, work opportunities that are not too far away, etc. All the fundamentals of city planning should unlock what we deem today as ‘smart cities. But be aware to also not compromise the wellness and well-being of the communities.

Only by considering people as the heart of urban planning companies, we’ll be able to arrive at solutions that can be deemed as smart cities with a soul.

2. Uniformity across a diverse mix

The cultural differences between people are deepening in an urban setting with cities now being integrated like never before. Every people in a locality might feel a sense of belonging. Designers should focus on developing urban communities by blurring boundaries of personal indifferences. The concepts that we rely on should be in such a way that they seamlessly accommodated people of every age, income, ability, and race. The concepts we foundationally build on top should also respond to the climatic conditions, locus, the nuance of the culture, and personal identity. We should retain the essence of the neighborhood while also making it more relevant to the needs of the present and future.

3. Balanced movement

Urbanism concepts that we go for should be intelligent enough to accommodate the needs of integrated transport systems. This will maintain a balance between different modes like cycling, driving, walking, railway access, or bus. The free flow of movement would be the core foundation of a well-planned metropolis. And this ease of accessibility through diverse mediums of transportation would bring about a social and economic balance by mobilizing the entire community accordingly.

4. Opportunity matrix

Cities are a potential powerhouse of economic growth since they’re agglomerated with opportunities everywhere you turn. People need to have enough avenues where they can put their skills to value. There should be an inclusive landscape where the workforce belonging to any sector find ample opportunities. The population should drive themselves to an improved financial stature that fulfills their reason for migration. There should be open access to healthcare systems and enhanced chances of employment in their particular neighborhood.

5. Curated street life experience

A ground-floor experience is crucial for creating a balance and offering a multitude of use cases. This is one of the top elements of urban design that can increase accessibility and improve business aspects pertaining to the retail and food sectors. They make the entire cityscape commercially viable. It also makes the entire area look more diverse with a unique experience. They also add up to creating eye-level landmarks, and key focal points, enhance footfalls and accelerated the overall shopping experience that is popular with city life.

6. Outdoor communities

The one particular element that dulls city experiences is the reduced time that people spend in touch with nature but to mobilize a crowd that is communally satisfied and enriched in their overall well-being start with the utilization of quality public spaces. This can be anything from courtyards, parks, or gardens alongside commercial structures. Connectivity with fellow human beings and natural elements can empower citizens with a break when they need it. They also feel a lot closer to nature. Well-conceived pubic realms should be one of the major elements of urban design.

7. Appropriate tech add-ons

Urban design principles should emphasize modern techniques of construction and infrastructural systems. There should be a choice made between capital-intensive methods or labor-intensive methods during the different stages of building according to the situation, circumstances, and the setting of the locality.

8. Balance with nature

An ecological balance is necessary to build a community that is resourceful, viable, and sustainable. This has been the principal driving factor behind all our efforts at YCPL. We want to curate cityscapes that do not exploit every resource we have in the name of urbanization. There should be proper pre-planned avenues that go hand in hand with nature’s ability to replenish itself. Only this will provide us with a sustainable flow of resources to fall back on.

We should empathize with areas that are fragile, identify zones that threaten the balance of our ecosystem, curate open space designs, and improve avenues for proper conservation.

9. Creating interactive societies

Conviviality – is the concept that revolves around promoting the interaction of society through public domains. There should be avenues that promote people meeting one another. We should create spaces for indulging in activities that can make them more social with one another. This will create a vibrant society where people also empathize with each other in the case of any impending disasters where they need to lift each other up. Any urban planning company should be relying on the importance of these as much as they prioritize infrastructure developments.

10. Vertical layering

The more space available, the better will be the overall access to amenities. Innovative urban planning ideas are now progressive towards improving the diverse experience within a single building. This thus takes the pressure off the streets. Meaningful floor plans and elevated design can contribute to the overall structural aesthetic of the cities while also accommodating the increased need for utility space in densely populated areas.

YCSPL has been successfully working over the years in bringing all these core principles to life in every design we curate!

New-age urban planning ideas to watch out for in 2022

Urban planning ideas that might just redefine the future of our cities!

New age urbanism and even the foundational processes of its conceptualization are now rapidly progressing from a panoramic viewpoint. Any community or civilization is only shaped by the flow of ideas. The recent advancements of urbanism are a life-like example of how ideas can bring in a drastic shift in our way of life. Sustainable considerations should drive urban planning ideas. This is what we need to steer our cities for the better.

Cities are the growth engine that potentially churns about 80% of the global GDP. And they also remain a huge catch for fishing talents and bringing in investment. But urbanization also brings in its own challenges that need proper addressing. Widening economic inequality, alarming rates of pollution, high traffic rates that calls for the construction of new structures, transportation requirements, etc should all be addressed in order to make a city self-sufficient and sustainable. There should also be proper planning in place to create more opportunities. Only this can help the urban poor improve their lifestyle.

Innovative ideas that have taken the spotlight in recent times include:

Green planning

Urbanization is our only beacon of hope for creating enriched societies that can flourish with an abundance of growth avenues. But it is also imperative that we make way for all of these in a sustainable fashion.

Climate change and its associated complications are at the risk of pushing over 77 million urban residents below the poverty line worldwide. But what happens next and how urbanization affects the livelihood of its people is still up to us if we act smart and soon.

Cityscapes go hand-in-hand with green infrastructures that will help us thrive. Sustainability is the core foundation. Making conscious developments that are in adherence to all the green protocols is a priority. Any new corridor or public utility space can be created into a green space. Only this will help in bringing about a healthy urban living environment.

We can achieve ecosystem resilience to tackle the ever-expanding populations, availability of resources, and the impact of global climate change through this. Decarbonization should be a driving agenda for any urban planning company.

Creating green spaces like public parks will help citizens foster a connection with nature despite the high population density around.

Developing an ecosystem enriched for healthcare and accessibility

Early intervention and prevention should be the core focus of the cities to help the well-being of the citizens. If the pandemic has left us with many lessons, it is mostly the realization that any population-dense area can be put in a vulnerable spot; This is if we don’t have a localized plan of action for ensuring the well-being of the citizens. It holds true even in the case of health care emergencies or a mass outbreak.

There should be a developed ecosystem where healthcare reaches beyond the walls of a hospital. We need proper urban planning interventions in place. This will ensure that the urban communities remain in a safe and hygienic environment.

The ’15-minute’ city

At YCSPL, we’ve handled urban planning projects of higher scales, and here’s a look at the insights from the insider on why we need 15-minute cities.

A decentralized urban development model will ensure citizens find every amenity by taking a 15-minute walk. This will help us indirectly towards sustainability. This is because they negate the need for driving a bike or car for longer distances; thereby reducing our net carbon emissions. These localized neighborhoods will harbor a better sense of connection among the residents. It also instills a sense of community within them. Hyper localization should be our goal for the near future. We should plan our developments revolving around this.

Planning inclusive developments

Cities witness the influx of mass migration of populations from diverse backgrounds. These localities should be the premise where we fight inequalities. This will create a society that is driven by a sense of belonging. It is also fundamental that will create a level-playing field for the masses to create equal opportunities.  Communal coexistence and economic inclusion are why cities started getting their popularity in the first place.

Inclusive developments should include the consideration of people to make every amenity accessible as we go about urban planning. Gender-neutral bathrooms, wheelchair amenities along with ramps in the common places, accessible spaces for the elderly, etc are all important. You should consider these before beginning the construction of any new infrastructural developments. This will help create social justice among the citizens which will there again enhance their overall happiness quotient.

Cyber security and privacy awareness

We started bracing up the past decade to tackle any health crisis. Cities are more or less successfully getting through it all. But the core concern is data privacy and gearing up cities to safeguard themselves against any imminent cyber-attacks. Because data is now the most precious commodity of the cities.

You need security experts 24/7 who can potentially identify, detect and mitigate any invasive data attacks. This is especially handy to take care of any new key development. (like public wifis or free hotspots in common areas)

Urbanization and digital dependency have made cities highly interconnected. They are complex environments with a need for a lot of upgrades and eventual enhancements. Data privacy should be a core consideration during the deployment of any new innovative structures.

There is a whole new avenue of urban planning ideas. All of them need proper planning along with the consideration of all the surrounding factors.

What does your city mean to you? How far would you go to save the future of it? The stakes of urbanization are at their peak but so should the society’s commitment toward sustainability.

Here’s a quick gist at some of the urban planning projects that we have handled at YCSPL with one core purpose – to create futuristic cities that will turn heads globally!