AGILESTREET

Oct 1

A kit of parts that allows for flexible and proactive ways to manage streets

By: Gordon Stratford and Robert Freedman

Many streets are challenged in terms of being able to quickly respond to unanticipated disruption: COVID-19 is a prime example. Streets are largely anchored in place, with many built elements being either fixed or difficult to change. Our proposal consists of a Kit of Parts that enable streets (and communities they support) to be far more proactive and flexible in meeting new challenges. We believe that the agility offered by the range of parts can also help elevate the quantity and quality of public realm amenities.

Our design addresses the following criteria:

1. SUSTAINABILITY - The Kit of Parts can be demounted and reused many times over, decreasing construction energy used and waste generated. Increased green space leads to heat island reduction. Off-grid energy generation (through use of PV arrays for landscaping lighting and mini wind generators on mini pavilions) and recycled materials (metal, concrete, plastic, wood) enhance sustainability.

2. RESILIENCY - This proposal provides agility (proactive response to change); flexibility (suit of parts enables variety, robust parts can be revised over again, more easily moveable, protected built-in service runs); creativity (variety of parts enables more creative solutions); and wellness (increased greening of streets enhances wellness).

3. FORECASTING - The design’s built in flexibility/agility enables streets to more readily meet the challenges of multiple waves of the pandemic. The modular design anticipates that other pandemics may bring different challenges and safety requirements that need to be met; and the Kit addresses climate change with adaptability to increasingly unpredictable/extreme weather.

Details:

Budget: Our goal is optimize the use of organic, recycled and recyclable materials in the fabrication of the Kit of Parts. Such materials could include: plastics, wood, concrete, metal. The intent is for the Kit of Parts to be attractive and also durable, given the goal for these Parts to be reusable many times.

Materials and Fabrication: The proposed Kit of Parts focuses on ""state of the market"", achievable implementation. An example: the raised access panels (RAP) are inspired by the established use of RAP in workplaces, and similar product used for plazas located above underground structures (e.g.: parking garages, etc.). Likewise the modular planter strategy is inspired by cellular green roof landscapes, and their mobile size inspired by modular plantings in greenhouses). We anticipate that most all of the Parts can be prefabricated, with minor number of custom pieces to suit site conditions.

Installation and Other Services: The Kit is such that it can be used in whole or selectively. There are parts that can be interlinked. For example, the raised access panel system plenum can be used to run irrigation lines to an array of planters (Note: 1m x 1m modular is used throughout several of the parts). Municipalities could have an inventory of parts stored for ready use for any occasion that arises (pandemic, festivals, markets, etc.). The Parts are sized to be readily transportable from warehouse to streets, and installed on site. The raised access panel system will include levelers to accommodated uneven street surfaces.