Desert Cities: What can they teach us

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Desert Cities What can they teach us ?
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Modern Desert Cities like Phoenix are different-
theyhave cars andlow density
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Greater Phoenix Growth from 1900 to 2000

• This graph, from the Greater Phoenix Historical
  Atlas by ASU, forecasts populations of between
  28,202,125 and 9,633,832 by 2050.
• Also a land area of between 10,467 and 3,575 sq.
  miles if development continues at present
  densities of 2.7 thousand per sq. mile.

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Greater Phoenix

• Total Land area is 17,700 sq. miles of which
  about 7,800 sq. miles would be available for
  urban development. Room for about 21,000,000
  people at current densities.

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Low Density Sprawl has Serious Problems

• Traffic breeds pollution and accidents
• A sedentary life can lead to obesity, diabetes
  and heart disease
• Depression is a growing mental health problem
• Asthma increasingly threatens the lives of
  children
• The Bowling Alone syndrome erodes civic life
• Society is increasingly ghettoized economically
• Journey to work time and distance increases
• All trips require access to an expensive
  automobile
• The sick and the elderly are increasingly
  isolated or institutionalized

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The Compact Desert City as an Alternative to
Sprawl
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Jaipur inPhoenix
The adapted fabric of the Indian Rajasthani
desert city of Jaipur is superimposed on the
East Roosevelt district of Phoenix
Mitu Singh
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Marrakeshin Phoenix
Marrakesh modified to fit Phoenix El Fna moved
to light rail stop palaces and gardens moved to
extend down-town campus souk adapted to
linear market major buildings retained.
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Sanaain Phoenix
Sanaa modified To fit Phoenix site mosque
gardens become Community Gardens and retention
basins Yemen gate to Light Rail stop edges
strengthened.
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Limamodified toPhoenix site.
The Plaza is moved to the light rail stop on
Central the grid is made parallel to Phoenixs
a green route connects the Deck Park to a
possible University Campus at Phoenix Union High
School.
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Compact Desert Cities
Fez Morocco
Jodhpur
Coastal City Chile
India
Cusco Peru