NEW YORK

HOW THE CITY IS LAID OUT

• The most famous grid plan in history is the plan for NY
C formulated in the Commissioners
Plan of 1811, a visionary proposal by the
state legislature of New York for the development of mos
t of Manhattan above Houston Street.
• Since adoption of the country’s first Zoning Resolution in 1916,
New York City has played a seminal role in the history and
development of planning and zoning. This rich history is
captured through decades of planning reports, land use maps
and historic photographs documenting a changing urban
landscape.

www.nyc.gov/planning
 1916 Zoning Resolution
• As early as the 1870’s and 1880’s, New Yorkers began to
protest the loss of light and air as taller residential buildings
began to appear in Manhattan. In response, the state
legislature enacted a series of height restrictions on
residential buildings, culminating in the Tenement House Act
of 1901.
LAND USE MAP But, while other cities were adopting
the New York model, the model itself
refused to stand still. The Zoning
Resolution was frequently amended
to be responsive to major shifts in
population and land use caused by
a variety of factors: continuing
waves of immigration that helped to
swell the city’s population from five
million in 1916 to over eight million
in 2010; new mass transit routes
and the growth corridors they
created; the emergence of
technology and consequent
economic and lifestyle changes; the
introduction of government housing
and development programs; and,
In 1915, when the 42-story Equitable Building was erected in Lower
perhaps more than anything else,
Manhattan, the need for controls on the height and form of all buildings
the increase in automobile usage,
became clear. Rising without setbacks to its full height of 538 feet, the
which revolutionized land use
Equitable Building cast a seven-acre shadow over neighboring buildings,
patterns and created traffic and
affecting their value
parking problems never imagined in
1916.
www.nyc.gov/planning
 THE COMMISSSIONERS PLAN
• The Commissioners' Plan of 1811 was the original
design for the streets of Manhattan above Houston
Street and below 155th Street, which put in place the
rectangular grid plan of streets and lots that has
defined Manhattan to this day. It has been called "the
single most important document in New York City's
development.
• The plan originated when the Common Council of
New York City, seeking to provide for the orderly
development and sale of the land of Manhattan .

www.nyc.gov/planning
There were a few interruptions in the grid for public
spaces, such as the Grand Parade between 23rd
Street and 33rd Street, which was the precursor
to Madison Square Park, as well as four squares named
Bloomingdale, Hamilton, Manhattan, and Harlem, a
wholesale market complex, and a reservoir. Central
Park, the massive urban greenspace in Manhattan
running from Fifth Avenue to Eighth Avenue and
from 59th Street to 110th Street, was not a part of the
plan, as it was not envisioned until the 1850s.

www.nyc.gov/planning
Manhattan is the geographically smallest and most densely populated • The five boroughs:
borough is the symbol of New York City, as home to most of the • Riverdale, The Bronx.
city's skyscrapers and prominent landmarks, including Times • Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.
Square and Central Park .Manhattan's population density of 72,033 people
• Upper East Side, Manhattan.
per square mile (27,812/km2) in 2015 it is the administrative, and financial
center of New York City. • Flushing, Queens.
• St. George, Staten Island.
Brooklyn on the western tip of Long Island., an independent artn Brooklyn is
the largest central core neighborhood in the outer boroughs. The borough has
a long beachfront shoreline.
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York
City, in the U.S. state of New York. It is south of Westchester County
, northeast and east of Manhattan, across the Harlem River, and
north of Queens, across the East River. Since 1914, the borough has
had the same boundaries as Bronx County, the third-most densely
populated county in the United States.

Queens on Long Island north and east of Brooklyn, is geographically

the largest borough, the most ethnically diverse county in the
United States, the borough has since developed both commercial
and residential prominence. Downtown Flushing has become one of
the busiest central core neighborhoods in the outer boroughs.

Staten Island is the most suburban in character of the five

boroughs. Staten Island is connected to Brooklyn, the Staten Island
Greenbelt spans approximately 2,500 acres (10 km2), including 28
miles (45 km) of walking trails and one of the last undisturbed
forests in the city.

www.nyc.gov/planning
AUROVILLE
AUROVILLE THE CONCEPT
Location: Situated 10 Kms. North of
Pondicherry in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.  The initial concept of the city was laid down
by Mirra Alfassa (The mother).
 At present, Auroville is a growing
community of 2700 people from 50 nations  The city was conceptualized in the form of a
amongst which around 1/3rd are Indian.
galaxy with central peace zone and other
 The original master plan is meant to areas radiating out from the central zone
achieve a total population of 50,000 and finally surrounded by a thick green zone
permanent residents from all around the
world

www.censusindia.gov.in
EVOLUTION OF MASTER PLAN:

Rectangular model presented on March 9th 1966 by Roger Nebula model dated early 1966 Macrostructure model

Study of Galaxy model The Galaxy model

 ZONING AND ROAD LAYOUT AS PER MASTER PLAN 2025

FIVE MAJOR ZONES:

1.Industrial Zone(109 hect.)

2. International Zone(74 hect.)

3. Residential Zone(189 hect.)

4. Culctural Zone(103 hect)

Macro Zoning as per the Master Plan 2025 5. Peace Area Schematic Roads layout as per Master Plan 2025

Whole of the city is surrounded by a thick green belt comprising of forest land & agricultural use(1.2
km wide).

LEGENDS: PORAMBOKE AND INDUSTRIAL RESIDENTIAL GREEN CORRIDOR CULTURAL WATER BODY

www.auroville.org
ZONES:
residential public spaces commercial roads
Peace Area
At the center of the township lies the Peace Area, comprising 14%
the Maitrimandir and its gardens, the amphitheater, and the project of a lake
to help create an atmosphere of calm and serenity and to serve as a 13% 43%
groundwater recharge area.
Industrial Zone
A area to the north of the Peace Area, the Industrial Zone, a zone for "green"
industries, is focused on Auroville's efforts towards a self-supporting township. 30%
It will contain small and medium-scale industries, training center's, arts and LAND USE
crafts, and the city's administration.
Residential Zone
The largest of the four city zones is the Residential Zone is bordered by parks
on the north, south and west. Main access to the zone will be through the
crown road with further traffic distribution via five radial roads that divide the
zone into sectors of increasing densities. This zone wants to provide a well-
adjusted habitat between individual and collective living. 55% of the area will
be green and only 45% built surface, thereby creating an urban density
balanced by nature.

www.auroville.org
 ZONES: residential public spaces commercial roads

International Zone 14%

The International Zone, a zone to the west of the Peace Area, will host
national and cultural pavilions, grouped by continents. Its central focus is to 13% 43%
create a living demonstration of human unity in diversity through the
expression of the genius and contribution of each nation to humanity
Cultural Zone
30%
Situated to the east of the Peace Area, the Cultural Zone will be a site for LAND USE
applied research in education and artistic expression. Facilities for cultural,
educational, art and sports activities will be located in this zone.
Green Belt
The city area with a radius of 1.25 km. will be surrounded by a Green Belt of
1.25 km width. As a zone for organic farms, dairies, orchards, forests,
and wildlife areas, this belt will act as a barrier against urban encroachment,
provide a variety of habitats for wildlife, and serve as a source for food,
timber, medicines etc. and as a place for recreation. Its further planned
extension with an additional 800 hectares will make it into a remarkable
demonstration site for soil and water conservation, ground water recharge,
and environmental restoration.

www.auroville.org
INFRASTRUCTURE
ROAD NETWORK
Car-free Galaxy plan
All areas of the city are within 5 or 6 minutes walking
distance from the Crown Road The outer ring road
could take motorized traffic and connect with
centralized parking areas there.
Onward travel would be BY bicycle .Pedal-power within
the city proper
Inside the outer ring road area, transport of people and
goods would be by pedal-power(there will be a network
of pleasant cycle and walking paths) and electric-
powered vehicles.
Parking at outer ring-road : The outer ring road will be
large storage yards for accommodating supplies while
awaiting dispatch into the city.

www.auroville.org
SERVICES
Water Supply:
The entire water supply both for drinking and irrigation is
dependent on underground sources.
A number of deep wells
Extensive water management research and application.
Sewerage and Sanitation:
Consisting of septic tanks, Imhoff tanks, baffle reactors, and root
zone and lagooning systems.
Power:
About 150 houses use solar PV electricity and heaters for their
energy requirements.
The power distribution of around 600consumer connections is
carried through a system of 28 distribution transformers.

WASTE WATER TREATMENT

www.auroville.org
INFERENCES
PROS:
• All the activities are divided into different zones so there is no interference with each other.
• The planning is done within a dense green areas so the people can have calm environment and can connect to nature easily.
• The pollution is in control as there is no fuel consuming vehicular movement.
• The town is planned to be self sufficient and sustainable.

CONS:
• Health and Educational amenities are not easily accessible.
• It is secluded by nearby settlements
COMPARISON
AUROVILLE NEW YORK

LAYOUT SPIRAL GRIDIRON

POPULATION 2700 8.4MILLION

ZONING FUNCTIONALLY DIVIDED MIXED USES

EXPANSION: VERTICAL LOW HEIGHTED STRUCTURES SKY SCRAPERS

HORIZONTAL RADIAL(1.25KM RADIUS) EXPANDED IN 5 BOROUGHS(786 SQ. KM)

SUSTAINABILITY HIGHLY SUSTAINABLE LESS SUSTAINABLE

VEHICULAR TRAFFIC LOW HIGH