Traditional architecture

The building arts—and the traditional architecture they enable—provide an important link to the past and support a strong sense of local identity. Together with other cultural expressions, they provide a foundation for the shared humanity of communities large and small.

 

urban design, Libreville

 

Akanda Town, Libreville

Sustainable developments provide economic, social, and environmental benefits over the long-term, in contrast to conventional developments which often reap short-term financial profits at the expense of long-term value, and a healthy environment and social context.

The Akanda Master Plan, to the north of the capital Libreville, Gabon, integrates sustainability as a new green town that enables development of the capital and showcases Gabonese nature, culture and commerce.  In support, L’Agence Nationale des Grands Travaux (ANGT) invited the Prince’s Foundation for Building Community (PFBC) with Steve Coyle/Town Green as Country Project Manager to lead a collaborative Masterplanning and neighbourhood development exercise for Akanda. The Masterplan sits alongside the Akanda SmartCode – an adaptation of the adopted Gabon SmartCode led by Opticos with PFBC, and Steve Coyle, calibrated to demonstrate the principals set out in the Masterplan vision.

While there is general awareness and support for more sustainable planning and development methods, in practice, achieving sustainability goals and objectives are difficult. A significant challenge in creating sustainable communities: successful implementation is dependent on achieving community support of both the development process and the proposed outcomes, such as the types of businesses attracted. Sustainable development requires comprehensiveness, patience, public/private partnerships, flexibility, adaptability, and leadership.

Akanda Master Plan area forms the northern edge of the Libreville urban area and bounded by a buffer zone that provides a transition between the city and Parc National d’Akanda. The National Park covers 54,000 hectares and includes most of the bay of Mondah. Akanda is a Ramsar site, and one of the most important sites in Central Africa for migratory birds from Europe.  It contains mangroves, mudflats, coastal water and patches of moist coastal forest. The areas outside the Parks are unprotected, including wetlands and the coastal edge.

 

The Akanda Sector Plan was created to establish a regional scale map for determining where to build and where and what to preserve and protect.

source: https://opticosdesign.com/work/akanda-masterplan-and-smartcode-libreville/

What are the most recognized designers and research institutions urban planning?

 Some well-recognized urban planning designers include Jan Gehl, Jane Jacobs, and Rem Koolhaas. Notable research institutions in urban planning include MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Harvard Graduate School of Design, and the Urban Land Institute.

Other influential urban planning designers include William H. Whyte, Christopher Alexander, and Kevin Lynch. Research institutions like the Urban Institute, Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) at NYU, and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy are also noteworthy for their contributions to urban planning research and development.

Additional renowned urban planners include Richard Florida, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, and Andres Duany. Institutions like the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), the Brookings Institution, and the American Planning Association (APA) play significant roles in urban planning research and practice.

Notable urban planning figures include Ebenezer Howard, known for garden city concepts, and Kevin Lynch, renowned for his work on urban form. Leading research institutions include the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, the European Council of Spatial Planners (ECTP), and the Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization (CSU).

In the field of urban planning, Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus School, and Ebenezer Howard, a pioneer of the garden city movement, are noteworthy. Research institutions like the Urban Design Group, the International Society for City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP), and the Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education (CUERE) contribute significantly to the discipline.

Best city planners

 Identifying the "best" city planners is subjective, but some cities renowned for effective urban planning include Copenhagen, Singapore, and Curitiba, Brazil. Each has implemented innovative strategies for sustainability, transportation, and public spaces.

Several urban planning firms are recognized for their expertise. Some notable ones include:

• 1. **AECOM:** A global firm involved in various aspects of planning, design, and engineering.
• 2. **Gensler:** Known for its diverse range of services, including urban planning and design.
• 3. **Arup:** An engineering and design firm with a focus on sustainable and holistic urban development.
• 4. **Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM):** An architectural, urban planning, and engineering firm with a global presence.
• 5. **Foster + Partners:** Renowned for its architectural and urban design projects worldwide.

Choosing the best depends on specific project requirements and preferences.

Diamniadio Lake City. Sénegal

Nouvelle cité du Sénégal. On a plain dotted with rotund baobab tree trunks Senegal is planning its future. The government of the west African nation is laying the groundwork for a new city near the town of Diamniadio that is meant to ease congestion in the seaside capital, Dakar, home to almost a quarter of the country’s 14 million people. With plans for a new airport nearby, a university, state ministries and a 50-hectare industrial park funded by China, it is the most ambitious infrastructure project yet by the president Macky Sall, who has pledged to double growth by 2020. Mr Sall, in office since 2012, uses the slogan “Emerging Senegal” to define his policy of attracting foreign investment to reduce the country’s dependence on fishing, agriculture and tourism and make Senegal a hub for French-speaking west Africa.