Cambridge Oxford strategy

The ARC

“urban morphology presupposes a convergence of givens customarily drawn from different disciplines : urbanism,, sociology, history, political economy, law itself. It is sufficient that this convergence has as its aim the analysis and explanation of a concrete artefact, of a landscape, for us to be able to state that it has its place in frame work of geography” Jean Tricart, Cours de geographie humaine.

The ARC(K) provides Vision and is part of a Strategy. We are clear that to move forward and be a relevant part of the environment man-kind must lose the shackles of living in dormitories and re-discover the roots of “community” whilst acknowledging the future.

Main headings of this strategy Diversity, Commitment and Place, will be explored further.

An Urban Strategy for Thirty years makes demands on both the built and natural environment, the cycles of which have been traditionally estranged to one another. The former is tempered by economic conditions of market demand and provision whilst the latter encompasses many different cycles, nature being the dominate factor.

In this proposal we sort to provide a framework which accommodates both elements of these cycles and secondly encourages a fusion which can be sustainable for longer than the thirty year period. The framework results from series of land forms or mounds and undulations and water elements which sets up a topography to fuse with the proposed metropolitan infrastructure. This fusion is the framework around which the “organs “of the built bodies can assemble.

Infrastructure and Transport

The advance of transport and its infrastructure is vital to closing the gap in travel time and providing the opportunity to maintain dense metropolitan settlements and vibrant environments. Short travel time and/or closer work-home environments will allow such vibrant settlements to develop. As work-time (5 day weeks) give way to shorter working periods (3 day week) the reliance on relevant and immediate environments for leisure will become greater and their access more essential.