An Urban Sector

An Urban Sector

Project of a residential neighbourhood

The sector has a rectangular shape, with a highway structure along its perimeter. The highway is elevated at 521 cm. from the ground, and it has intersections, along its long stretches, to exit to the residences. The first floor of these buildings would be entirely used as parking places (approximately one for each apartment, but with a good amount of extra space), integrated, moreover, by two "autoports" of six floors.

Below the highway, underground, runs a circuit for the hea-

vy vehicle circulation (trucks, vans...), which is to refurnish the ground floor shops of the residences.

The ground floor of the residences is mainly open and cros-

sable, with the exception of a few shops of basic necessity and the accesses to the stairs and elevators.

The ground is pedestrian. The motorized vehicles (with the exception of the commercial street) stay either above ground or underground. The soil is green, with parks, trees, sports fields and the extensions of the residences (kindergartens,

primary schools, gymnasiums, swimming pools, clubs...), accessible along the walking paths.

The sector is cut across by a commercial street at ground level. This street is for both vehicles and pedestrians (on the sidewalks) and runs under the highway. Along its sides it has stores, bars, restaurants, movie theaters, theaters, museums, concert halls, craft. Behind the commercial street there are tall residential buildings.

The density of the urban sector is about 320 inhabitants for hectare. The measures of the rectangle are about 1035 x 1675 mt., in the middle of the highway.

I did not dedicate any attention to the inside of the apart-

ments. I was approximately supposing that they would be on two floors, about 366 cm. large, and with a height of 226 cm. between floors. In this I made the mistake of not beginnig from the inside moving on to the outside. I sup-

pose this is an experiment in Urbanisme.

In 2006 I started a thread in an architecture forum on the internet entitled “How about experimental projects”, pro-posing an image of this design. Many false things were said in response, among which the absurdity that living in a high-rise building with an ample open space around it brings the inhabitants to “decline” (?!?) and unhappiness, because they do not get to own a backyard of their own.

I remember speaking with some inhabitants of a place with these characteristics (out the window you could see the sea, on one side, and the mountains in the back, on the other), and they testified that for decades they had lived quite at ease (I was just visiting the building, and they came to me). The inhabitants of that and other similar places organize common activities of several sorts inside the building, they created their own internet website, and they recently celebrated the anniversary of the construction.

Moreover, I see in my mind the view that one enjoys from the balcony of my sister’s apartment in Nuoro, which is at the top floor of a condominium. One can see buildings nearby and at a distance, and the horizons outside of the town, with plains of vegetation, hills and even “Nuraghe” (ancient monuments): this has always given me a great sense of space, quiet and peace.