Pedestrian Esplanades as a New Human-Centric Planning Approach in C. A. Doxiadis' Plans for Korangi Pakistan (1959), New Eastwick Redevelopment Project, Pennsylvania, USA (1959)

This paper analyzes two urban plans for neighborhood districts by C. A. Doxiadis that incorporate pedestrian esplanades as a new human-centric planning approach. Pedestrian esplanades are used in the spatial configuration to structure a diffusion of pedestrian movement across the urban district, while creating a concentration of urban functions in the core, and a separation of the pedestrian and automobile. The urban districts analyzed in this study include, Sector 35A Koraingi Pakistan (1958), the New Eastwick Redevelopment Philadelphia USA (1959). The aim of the paper is to examine how Doxiadis structures the spatial configuration in the district plan to generate a district core and establish integration from the surrounding neighborhood blocks to the pedestrian esplanade. This study characterizes the topological configuration of the two cases specific to how the plan structure discursive spatial relations of pedestrian movement, automobile circulation on interior district roads in order to achieve a balanced synthesis. The research project applies Space Syntax analysis methods, figure-ground, axial angular analysis, segment T1024 and metric analysis to examine accessibility at the scales of global and local integration, mean depth and total depth in the two urban spatial layouts with the open space configurations described by convex diagram. The analysis of two urban neighborhood district plans designed by Doxiadis demonstrate a diffusion of integration and centrality in the urban spatial pattern, with the presence of strong boundaries and distinctive pedestrian esplanades that create a spatial boundary between lower community classes. Findings highlight Doxiadis' use of two different planning strategies to develop pedestrian esplanades in order to optimize at urban scales, the separation of pedestrian and automobile circulation in the urban spatial configuration.