Research Area
In any design layout there is bound to be
conflict at context, feasibility, approach and policy. Discuss
Introduction
The essential principle is to seek a better
application of design methodology to problem solutions by focusing attention
onto system or problem structure. Thus, the essay will try to look at conflict
at context, feasibility, approach and policy in a design layout.
Conflict in a design layout can be considered to
be caused by personal battles, power, creativity and regulations.
Context setting within which layout should be
set and it includes the skyline, time setting and scale among others.
Feasibility can be said to be the workability of
the layout.
Approach is the method taken in coming up with
the design.
Policy is about the law as that governs the
design of layouts and things that affect the design of the layout. These can be
considered to be restrictions but can be extremely useful regulations,
guidelines and standards.
Context
In a design layout it refers to the settings within which
the layout should be set in terms of time, scale, background and skyline.
Basically the design becomes something pivoted upon new models springing from
imagination or artistic modifications of older forms. Thus a good design
respect local practice and knit well into the city as a new development.
Development (and a re-development) needs to manage in a way
that is customary to surroundings, as this will affect how people living in the
vicinity see the development. Neighbours can be helpful in achieving a fit to
the context because of their knowledge of the area structural (houses,
factories, market) or functional (roads, recreation).
Temporal context is also an important element as to whether
adopt totally new designs, initiate older forms or preserve older forms. These
approaches may be in conflict with feasibility for instance the preservation of
older forms would mean the adoption also of their associated limitations and
perhaps apparent shortfalls. This is often compounded by policy that enforces
this preservation for historic or cultural purposes.
History is a process of constant change. Lynch and hack
(1983) suggest that even in a complete redevelopment there should be some
expression of the area's history as part of its heritage. However it is
important that temporary conditions do not become permanent unwanted ones. Thus
abandoned projects can disrupt and break a community. New development must
respect their settings if these are not unpleasant or about to disappear. The
occasional landmark is allowed but most developments are in the background
fitting in or developments help to create an integrated landscape that is a
harmonious fabric of parts diverse in function and age.
A checklist is often a useful aid though it may be seen as a
prescriptive approach to context in design. The checklist includes buildings
and area elements and it aims to achieve similarity with the checklist. The
element includes setback, style, heights etc. Context is also a matter of
opinion and questions are raised as to whose perspective counts in the
particular circumstances. Often the permitting authority working within local
policy (prescribed laws) will usually have the final say in any design layout
for its implementation. A design might be in conflict with feasibility and
consequent viability or even completely out of context, but because of policy
it is approved. Without careful consideration, project excitement might be such
that obsession overcomes context, good manners and the design's purpose.
Discontinuities do however occur due to social and
economical pressures. Majority of designers want to enhance the human
experience of an area, which may be achieved by the uniqueness of certain
places. Using a larger developer firm is cheaper for huge projects by breaking
the project into smaller ones. In trying to come up with good design and using
an information system, simulation are good way to check on context. Realistic
settings are possible and these can be furthered to include feasibility
analysis.
Feasibility
The workability of a layout is important, as it is a waste
of resources designing a layout that cannot be put on the ground or does not
serve its purpose. In the process of design, the designer may conjure up forms
and connections that are fantastic and unworkable especially when
'brainstorming' designs. In order to bring these into line these need to be
critically reviewed. Feasibility study should be followed by a more detailed
study of the selected site to find out at an early stage if the project is
feasible before making an investment.
Feasibility may be considered at levels of functional,
political and economical. In functional feasibility any design must be
compatible with the context within which the layout is borne. For example
setting up a heavy industry in a low-density residential area, although
economically and functionally feasible its uses would be incompatible with
context as a result of say noise. Political feasibility normally focuses on
public benefit from a design that is public support put forward. Economic
feasibility requires inputs for the design implementation or spatial aspect of
the design. Politically and economically feasible design normally conflict.
Usually as a result there will be deterioration of existing systems as a result
of poor maintenance and lack of foreign currency to purchase new capital
equipment for refreshing as a result of a myopic design layout in terms of economic
feasibility. Basically a project is economical when its economic value when
completed is greater than or equal to the cost of producing it, plus any profit
required by the developers concerned.
Approach
Approach makes very clear that if issues (or persons or
factors) are linked in a design in some way, then any action to affect one will
have implications for the other and may make it more difficult or easier to
deal with the other. Such pair wise will also readily identify conflicts.
In its simple form, the approach assumes that the 'final'
solution can be obtained by a linear synthesis of the solutions of the
sub-problems, which give rise to a 'tree like' design process. However critics
argued that such an approach too readily oversimplifies the nature of complex
problem situations such as the urban system. In other words the approach is a
structuring of the design problem, which identifies a whole range of
constraints and policy requirements and seeks to group them hierarchically into
a smaller number of sub-sets by resolving the most important areas of
inter-policy conflict. Political judgment can then effectively be made to
secure a preferred final option.
Potential surface analysis attempts to apply a systematic design approach to the generation of explicitly spatial plans that is attempts to make more sensitive the 'sieve' map technique (Keeble 1959). This approach to plan generation identifies the various constraints on and encouragements (the factors) to development of particular types in particular locations and plots their spatial distribution. Sensitive areas unsuit