Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Throughout the history, the theories which have shaped our cities have varied from time to time. We have gone from a city development characterized by spontaneousness, where commerce and people side by side shared the space, into a function-based planning where people and functions are being increasingly separated. Regardless the forms of planning the city design causes implications for those who live there when the physical environment controls were we live, work and meet.

In today's society where `sustainability ' has become a watchword the current community planning needs to be questioned so we, in the best possible way, can meet future changes. Searching for new planning strategies is part of this and in this essay the term `mixed-use´ will be investigated and analyzed in terms of its social aspects.
Mixed-use as well as durability are two terms that are hard to define and they are concepts with great amplitude. Therefore, to talk about social sustainability in the mixed-use city is difficult. However, it should be noted that the vision of the mixed-use city has some positive effects on the city and its vitality in terms of vibrancy and activity. The term `mixed´ refers to an integration of functions that leads to combined operations and activities that can be found in an area of social mix and varying forms of tenure.

But building mixed-use can also result in conflicts and confrontations, which could easily be the case when different interests and activities meet in the city. Therefore, to take for granted the mix of uses is to underestimate the complexity of the concept and indeed the city as an organism.

By putting mixed-use in a wider perspective and analyze the concept in its local context, together with the surrounding city, hopefully the fundamentals for a successful mixed-use city can improve and the socially sustainable city might become reality, not just a subject of discussion.