1. Urban Design
Methodologies
Title Design with Nature
Book review by:
Author Ian L. McHarg
Anjith Augustine
Publisher San Val, Incorporated, 1995 Vineeth G
ISBN 0613923332, 9780613923330 Nirmal Mathew
2. Catch words of today’s world…
Go green.. Environmental friendly… green city.. Platinum rating..
Recyle.. Re use… reduce.... organic… griha.. Environmental issues..
3. Biography
Born near the gritty, industrial Scottish city of Glasgow
After soldiering in World War Two McHarg, returned
home and determined what to do with the rest of his
life. McHarg decided on landscape architecture, an
academic discipline and profession he knew nothing
about.
Attended Harvard University, where he picked up
degrees in landscape architecture and city planning.
Published his landmark book, Design With Nature, in
1969. In it, McHarg spelled out the need for urban
planners to consider an environmentally conscious
approach to land use, and provided a new method for
PIONEER OF THE
evaluating and implementing it.
ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT
Founded the firm of Wallace and Charg associates,
later Wallace McHarg Roberts & Todd (WMRT) which
is known for its central role in the development of
the American environmental planning and urbanism
movements.
4. McHargian," in ecological design circles, means
following McHarg's now classic method's of landscape
analysis in the planning of human settlements.
The book in his words shows the future designer, on
how to break down a region into its appropriate uses.
Pointing out that we build where we should farm, cut
forests where we should grow them, and design forms
where we should follow nature's morphologies,
mcharg makes clear and comprehensible
recommendations for reversing the destructive
process of development.
Iconoclast
5. Context of the book
Setting
City beautiful movement- followed by the
world war evoked rapid urbanization in
America.
Suburban sprawl was happening at a large
pace.
City needed to meet the demands, laid down
plans of linkages cutting across.
1950s and 1960s, the nascent American
interstate highway system began to spread its
tentacles around ever-increasing swaths of
land.
Highway planners and subdividers focused
almost exclusively on narrow cost-benefit and
efficiency considerations in choosing how to
implement their ideas.
This approach had a negative impact on the
nature as it followed a straight line method
rather than a analytical way.
6. Ideologies which led to the writing.. Man has been studied in isolation
without nature.
Design with Nature had its roots in much
Hippodamus’s was the first attempt to
earlier landscape architecture philosophies
link nature to diseases.
Mcharg was Critical of the French baroque lack of a method to quantify and display
style of garden design and full praise for the information about the natural
English picturesque style of garden design. environment in any meaningful way.
Fully and intelligently designed human
environments in concert with the conditions of
setting, climate and environment.
Form must follow more than just function; it
must also respect the natural environment in
which it is placed. Fairly obvious concept in
the twenty-first century, in the late 1960s this
was cutting-edge thought
Arrogant and destructive heritage of urban-
industrial modernity, a style he described as
"Dominate and Destroy."
7. Narrative units
McHarg has adopted a self narrated story method, based on his experiences and ideologies
to present his book rather than a text book way of writing things. This in particular brings a
continuity to the matter and a sense of attachment with the author himself.
• City and countryside
• Sea and survival
• The Plight
• A step forward
• The cast and the capsule
• Nature in the metropolis
• On values
• A response of values
• The world is a capsule
• Processes as values
• The naturalists
• The river basin
• The metropolitan region
• Process and form
• The city-process and form
• The city-health and pathology
• Prospects
8. City and countryside
Author as a metaphor represents his thoughts as two roads- one to the city and other to
the country side-both has got its values.
For him seeing city and countryside as separate entities doesn’t stand.
Eyes do not divide us from the world but unite us with it.
10. Sea and Survival
The paradox of treatment of natural resources in different parts of the globe,
like in the example of dune grass – which is very valuable in Netherlands but
they are not even recognizable in the entire eastern seaboard as a valuable
thing.
Problems
Variations in the sea shore environments badly affects the plant growth of the
area causing major ecological threats to the bay shore itself.
The distribution and the land formation of sea side
Ocean Beach Primary Dune Trough Secondary Dune Back Dune Bay Shore
11. Sea and Survival
The paradox of treatment of natural resources
in different parts of the globe, like in the
example of dune grass – which is very valuable
in Netherlands but they are not even
recognizable in the entire eastern seaboard as a
valuable thing.
Problems
Variations in the sea shore environments badly
affects the plant growth of the area causing
major ecological threats to the bay shore itself.
12. The world’s beaches are being mined
for sand for a variety of uses. This
theft of beach and dune sand is a
direct cause of erosion along many
shorelines. It is very damaging to the
beach fauna and flora, ruinous to
beach aesthetics, and frequently
INDIAN CONTEXT
causes environmental damage to
other coastal ecosystems associated
with the beach such as wetlands. This
is even carries out in Kerala beach
shores
Another coastal destruction
Of Mangrove forests- causing major
environmental threats to the
surroundings
13. Plight
Author express his anxiety that man has
forgotten countryside.
According to him city has both stress and
stimuli. But it comes with the attraction of
success.
Countryside’s surround the cities not because
we used land wisely but these places are more
resistant to change
Our success is based on GDP which measures
money, which itself is discuss short term future.
Commercialization has caused the death of
innovation in terms of rail road… by using it for
profit making.
Religious references…
Judaism- power over nature
monotheism- rejection of nature
Japanese relation to nature- Tao Shinto Zen
Being an organist without knowing nature is
stupid.
14. INDIAN CONTEXT
Protest against land acquisition-NCR Urban villages- a resistance from within
Protest against retail markets
15. A Step forward
Highway is a major public investment which affects the economy, the way of life,
health and visual experience. So it should be properly located and designed.
An improved method is needed to incorporate resource values , social values and
aesthetic values than the conventional cost benefit analysis.
Shortest distance between two points meeting the pre determined geometric
standards is not he best route for highways.
The best route is the one that provides maximum social benefit at the least social
cost.
17. The Cast and the Capsule
The world works within a harmonious
relationship between the nature and the men.
So its all over starts from the chloroplast of the
leaves which transfers sun light into substances
which supports the whole life of the globe.
Thus all animals and all men are plant parasites.
It is the plant that colonized the land and thus
permitted the evolution from the sea of
amphibians , reptiles, mammals and man.
This realization of the dependency to the nature
was actually the breaking up of anthropocentrism
Men we depend upon sun, the major
elements(4elements), the chloroplast and the
decomposers.
18. INDIAN CONTEXT
Local village settlements, north
Gujarat- Adaptive to nature
City developments focuses
mainly on the motor cars.
19. Nature in the metropolis
Nature can be understood as an interactive process, responding
to laws, constituting to a value system, offering intrinsic
opportunities and limitations to human uses.
Need to regulate construction on flood plains, earthquake prone
areas. They account to large free spaces to be potential public
places.
Developer way of looking. Opens space per person!
But nature is intrinsically variable.
Planner perspective- green encircle the city. But it doesn't
include the greens within the city.
Nature is a complex closely related network where each unit
constitutes and becomes part of the whole.
City grows by densifying within and expanding. Thus reducing
open spaces though there is plenty of open spaces.
Infusion of open space structure and urban development
required.
20. Step area- land above 12 % slope no agriculture no construction
Prime agricultural land- fertile land yet cannot compete with the developers land value.
Forest an woodlands- natural capability to create micro climates.
Knowing the nature to such minute details that interventions can be carefully knit.
21. Mapping all factors of hydrology and geology to recommend land uses efficiently.
22. Move out main industries polluting air from the identified wind paths from countryside.
Air inversions is the reason for polluted air not moving out..
In air sheds, no industry needs to be protected.
Such considerations on a broader level defines city open spaces.
Natural processes are unitary but human interventions are fragmented and incremental. They
add on to create greater impact on the nature.
Impact on part of natural system disturbs the whole and hence need to have a holistic approach.
23. INDIAN CONTEXT Pragati power station
Use of potential recreational spaces Industrial establishments at critical junctures
(flood plains) to development sites can affect the atmosphere of a city.
Potential greens where our cities Decreased rice crops due to air pollution
forcefully doesn’t look into.
24. INDIAN CONTEXT
A developer way of marketing open spaces is the new trend rather than large public open
spaces
Delhi as a city is densifying and expanding… thus creating a need for more open spaces.
25. On values
The Cultural attitude towards the land from the historic time
to the present phase.
There are 4 distinct divisions – each has national associations
The first explorations in the 16th century towards the humanist
expression of man and nature- renaissance humanism in Italy.
Assumption of power by man- Superiority on Nature
Second occurred a century later. At the time of earliest colonial
settlements- Set up in France
Man and his supremacy over a base and subject nature.
Eg: Versailles
English garden came into being in the 18th century. Decorative
and tractable plants were arranged in simple geometry. Here
the ornamental qualities of the plant are paramount, but
without any ecological concepts.
During the change in the migration of power-in England – in the
third phase- beginning of a new view. Believing that some unity
among man and nature was possible.
26. INDIAN CONTEXT
Taj Mahal – Mughal
Garden- Agra
India Gate
27. A response to values
Natural phenomenon are dynamic interacting process
responsive to laws offering opportunities and limitations
to human use.
So they have to be evaluated – each area has a
suitability towards certain functions. But for that we have
to find the land capacity first. By testing it with an existing
site.
Baltimore- 1800’s
28. World is a capsule
Astronaut prepares for 2 years.. Learn to
enjoy nature .. His inspiration is survival… he
learns the living process… all to sustain his
living within the capsule. Same is the case
with us. It is time for us to understand the
nature, not only because it is matter of
survival, but also enjoy our being.
To do an act relating to site, it is important to
understand the story and the actors of the
play, the nature.
Producers, consumers and decomposers
forming the primary structure of the eco
system is played with to create self sustained
capsule. This involves a deeper understanding
of the natural eco system its influences and
factors. What the experiment realized was
the presence of man as a mere element in
this whole process, rather than the
destructive role which we play in our present
environment.
29. The astronaut experiment he eventually
understands his role as a part of natural
process. He who in the beginning was
going to see the world as a image for the
first time understood the presence of
many worlds and galaxies and the
driving factors.
Farm more sustained than a city. Bell jar
experiment where you keep it on a farm
and city, realizing that city chokes and
the farm survives.
Earth is a creative process, where man
has a unique creative role, that all
physical and living processes are
arresting their energy on its path to
entropy, and while doing so is creating a
self perpetuating and evolving system.
Man shares this process.. With his
history. He is in this world with his
indispensible partners of survival and
creation.
CITY CHOKES
30. Processes as values
Ideal is never a choice of either/ or but combination of both.
Every caged animal however trained it is at the end of the day likes to adapt to its natural
setting. Same is the case with us.
The land use which we adopt doesn’t confine to the right way of assigning uses, since we
build where we shouldn’t at all.
Recognition of social values embedded in natural process should precede building process.
Project feasibility study for Staten island, new york highway shows McHarg’s way of studying
these factors to respond to design.
31. Staten Island, New York Highway-Feasibility Study
Process
• Identifying influential factors
climate • Categorizing under general heads
wildlife hydrology • Impact study
• Represented in various tones of
Study intensity depending on impact
• Overlaying all these features to
Land use
area physiography have a wholesome idea of the
setting and do appropriate
interventions
soils geology
32. Recreational areas Urbanization areas
Conservation, Recreation & Urbanization are three factors which we
have to look into broadly.
Hence all studies is subdivided under these categories to produce a
map of each factor.
33. Conservation areas
Different features like historic value, social value, geological features
natural habitats etc. are mapped.
Later they are classified under common heads of similar nature
Further all these data is combined to get the final overlay plan.
34. Overlay plan
Legend
conservation
recreation
urbanization
Land use
Existing land use colors where
used
An overlay of all three maps
gives us required information
and data to proceed with design
in a more informative way.
Grades to denote the intensity of factor
35. Endless possibilities by adopting this technique
Not necessarily a negation of existing land use
but throws open possibilities to the new
development
Developers availing these plans have a greater
perspective of their development.
Mixed land use can be developed by taking up
overlapping shades.
More socially and environmentally responsive
designs
Inclusive rather than exclusive planning can take
place using these techniques.
Problems (faced at the time of introduction)
Difficult to collect such kind of raw data.
To analyze all data together not possible with
technical.
Present:
What he visualized at that time period has now
grown into a whole system of study for the site
planning. Technological issues where sorted out
by innovation which now has become soft
wares like GIS.
36. INDIAN CONTEXT
A city more friendly to the
environment can be brought
forth by proper understanding
of the place.
38. The Naturalists
Designs are not trying to create a utopia for
everyone.
A utopia is different for everyone, and is unique
complex in each situation.
Naturalists point of view –
• All can the created to make most people
happy.
• Earth & its denizens involved in a creative
process and man has a unique role in it.
• Concept of evolution as a creative & reductive
process comparing a sand dune & a forest
39. CONCEPTION OF FITNESS
• Fit for existence
• Fitting process – dynamic + mutation
• Measure of fitness: evolutionary survival..
Similar for man & socio cultural factors..
CREATIVE TEST IS TO ACCOMPLISH A CREATIVE FITTING
• Identify[man fit for environment & vice versa]
1
• Inaugurate process of fitting
2
• Adapting for better fitting
3
ALTRUISM: concession of some autonomy towards the ends of
mutual benefits for the creatures involved…..cooperative
arrangements with other organisms sustaining the biosphere.
World is an ordered place and creatures respond to biological
laws that are intrinsic & self responding
40. The Metropolitan Region
Most of the people that live in cities, live in this area. ..so
important for this space to be comforting and respectful.
However not many of these areas are connected back to
nature.
Causes many problems from the health of the metropolitan's
citizens, to the disgracing look of an undeveloped city.
Moved away nature itself. This has caused many problems
from the excessive out put of carbon dioxide to us getting
further and further from nature itself.
Some places are not suited for urbanization, some are…
QUADRANT[ the selection process ]
Relief, Geology, Hydrology, Urban Suitability selection process
41. The Metropolitan Region
Potomac River Basin
To understand it as an interaction process, to interpret it as a
value system…thus to designate appropriate land uses
STUDIES:
Geology
Historic geology
Physiography
Hydrology
Groundwater
Soils
Plant associations
Wildlife
Water problems
Interpretations
Uniqueness of resources
Mineral Resources
Slope, Accessibility
Water Resources
RECREATION SUITABILITY
DEGREE OF COMPATIBILITY
OPTIMUM MULTIPLE LAND USE.
43. Process & form
Man kind is a destructive force. They destroy forests to build
their own desires but forget that they are not the only
creatures living on this planet. Overall man kind is a negative
force. However some unique designs do have positive effect
on the environment.
Elements are described in terms of form, nucleus and the
shells of orbiting electrons; compounds are described by
formal schema.
Form as communication , as information
Look to nature to understand form & a basis for expression
[man – nature – environment - city ]
So form follows nothing..its integral with all the processes
Form can be ill fit, mis fit, unfit,fit & most fitting
44. Process & form
• Man kind is a destructive force. They destroy forests to build their
own desires but forget that they are not the only creatures living on
this planet. Overall man kind is a negative force. However some
unique designs do have positive effect on the environment.
• Elements are described in terms of form, nucleus and the shells of
orbiting electrons; compounds are described by formal schema.
• Form as communication , as information
• Look to nature to understand form & a basis for expression
• [man – nature – environment - city ]
• So form follows nothing..its integral ith all the processes
• Form can be ill fit, mis fit, unfit,fit & most fitting
45. City- process and form
For the true success of the overlay method it
needs to be tried and tested in a living city
with all its intricacies.
For this city has to be understood by its urban
form, evolution and historic development. To
establish a value system and respond to it.
By understanding the geological and
physiographical evolution of a place, we can
respond to it intelligently.
Historically the physical setting had a huge
impact on the social setup of the kingdom.
Axis and elevation where derived by the
physiographic setting of the place.
Natural setting of a place with the urban form
together creates the drama.
Rivers, mountains and other natural features
define the establishment of the city.
History not only pertains to buildings but to
every aspect of land and its features.
Design can not only be based on the form
but also the various layers of evolution.
47. City- health and prospects
A study to relate ecology to city.
Interesting overlay of pathology,
environment and city to understand the
issues of health.
This showed a higher diseased area within
the core city and lesser towards the
countryside.
As density increases social stress increases
leading to diseases.
49. prospects
Astronauts is authors device, his persuasion helps no one.
Naturalists utopia can never be achieved
And we remain unchanged.
The fast disintegrating cities will lead to a necropolis.
As prospect he offers reduction than destruction(anti creation)
Model for future
Neg-entropy-increase in levels of order
Apperception-transmute energy to information
Symbiosis-combination of above mentioned factors
Fitness and fitting- selection of the fittest to accomplish better fitting.
Health and pathology- evidence to all the above
50. A book written almost 60 years back, still hold true in our cases since our
country is going through the phase which he was at when he wrote the book.
Our country fast transforming into a developed city is, despite of all the
examples from the other cities is falling into the black hole mentioned in the
conclusion
book.
Hence it is still as relevant as it was at that time, since we still develop our own
niches without respecting the nature.
What is needed is a radical shift in the way we respond to the nature and
come up with solutions.
