Urban 4D

4D Island is a proposal for a new, flexible infrastructure system to resolve the inherent structural problem with 2 Dimensional City planning. 2D zoning has long been used as a permitting system to prevent new development from harming existing residents and business. It has been acting as a system of land-use regulation in various parts of the world. Zoning is regularly carried out as a 2D-based practice (Plan and section) Zones are viewed from flat drawings and parameters of development are established through 2D representation. Developers subsequently purchase the zone and develop the zone into a private property. In an urban, high density condition, the footprint of the zone is extruded to construct skyscrapers, which effectively creates segregated islands separated by roads. The "island” condition has sequentially created a new urban structure, namely the footbridges and underground passages above and below the ground level in attempt to create a more pedestrian friendly zone between the segregated islands. In lower density zones, areas are segregated by high speed circulations i.e. roads and highways, creating traffic jams and noise pollution. The problems of circulation and density are evident in rapid growing cities Dubai, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok etc. These problems often can be solved by proposing alternative circulation systems such as flyovers and underground circulations, but with the nature of public and private ownership, these new infrastructures often take time to be realized and constructed, thus they do not resolve the problem immediately. So how do we resolve such problem with circulation within a city? By planning 3 dimensionally. What if the circulatory problems we face in high density cities are structural problems embedded in the method of planning and segregating zones? What if we can somehow conceal different speed of circulations within a given zone and increase the possibility of other developments, so that we no longer make internalized private islands but a more pedestrian friendly urban experience at any scale and density? The intention of 4D zoning is to comprehend the limitation of 2d zoning and uses its principles to construct a new method in planning the city 3 dimensionally. The result is a new flexible infrastructural system: a hollow donut shape surrounded by infrastructural rings_ The hollow form is a reinterpretation of the existing zone-grid relationship for future private developments. The new infrastructural rings would provide high degree of flexibility in programming at different density: the exterior terrace space are ideal locations for parks and recreational space, the adjunct shaded area (between the floor plates) would be ideal for commercial, shopping malls, residential, galleries, museums. The underground zones are ideal locations for other functions, such as parking, shopping spaces, supporting industries and subway. High speed circulation will be positioned in the heart of the rings and off ramps provides car access to different location within the rings. Floor plates at different levels will be connected by series of spiral and vertical circulations. Spiral ramps at different curvatures are ideal for different car velocities. Vertical circulations such as elevators, escalators and stairs are planned for pedestrian access. The flexible infrastructural rings are designed for changes in time. Floor plates can be removed to provide circulatory space. Terraces can be camouflaged and in filled with different materials: water, sand, concrete, grass, soil, trees etc to generate different thematic environments.