Exploring the urban enviroment and technological change in the discourse of urban design
Date
2016
Authors
Adous, Zeky A
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Abstract
The intention of this exercise is to investigate a specific area in the
growing field of urban design. while learning in the process. As urban
design is one of the practices that are directly affected by the pressures
resulting from the current fast changes in our environments, it will be
useful and fascinating to explore this dimension in the discourse. The
theme of the discourse is therefore to reflect on the different thoughts and
deal with the continual change in the Urban Environment that is resulting
from technological advancements.
Technology is generally discussed as the human mastery in perfecting
the tools by which humans attempt to control their environments.
Therefore the Urban Environment is presented to be the reflection of
human level of technological success. The thesis hence revises the
understanding of the Urban Environment. It emphasizes the fact that the
Urban Environment is a continually transforming entity, whereby urban
designers are expected to continually come to terms with the emerging
new lifestyles, due to changing technology and its impact on the
structures of urban environments.
While sharing the view that respects the values of the past (that have
continued to shape human urban environments), this study advocates the
maintenance of some sort of balance in design approaches, to also allow
the accommodation of new technological environments. The study
includes experimenting on reasonably bold but plausible design ideas. In
doing so the exercise hopes to provide a stage for discussions and
provoke innovative thinking by urban designers, that will be useful to the
discourse of urban design.