Roads- the Wires of a City

“Urban form can be understood at different levels of resolution. Commonly, four are recognized, corresponding to the building/lot, the street/block, the city and the region.” – Moudon, A.V (1994)

Since the dawn of man, urban morphology has been a theme in human history. Since the urban revolution in 4th millennium B.C. Mesopotamia, cities form the largest artifacts ever produced by humans and their most dominant socio-spatial entity. Despite its archaic origin, urbanism survived all subsequent socio-cultural changes: It was the most dominant cultural, social and political spatial entity for the Sumerian, Acadians, Hittites, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Persians, Chinese, Moslems and Middle-Ages Europeans (J. Amos 1996). In this urban wire, we explore the nature and morphology of cities. Like a circuit, made up of wires; string-like pieces or filaments of relatively rigid or flexible metals, used chiefly for structural support, the patterns of its component parts and the process of its development must be examined to fully understand the spatial structure and character of a city. According to (J. Amos 1996) Portugali, cities should be seen in terms of networks, stretching in time and space.

Construction in urban centers is an integral part of its development; it includes both buildings and roads. The construction of roads involves the removal of geographic obstacles and the use of new construction materials that are far more improved and durable (Goel 2013 ). There are a six steps to the construction of roads, firstly preparation of sub-grade, then the preparation of sub-base and base, as well as the preparation of wearing course and shoulders then finally opening up to traffic.

The digging up of the sub soil provides the sub-grade which is then compacted by rollers weighing eight tones by sprinkling water one night before (civilblog.org 2015). On this compacted sub-grade, boulders, broken stones or burnt bricks are spread in layers of 15cm thickness and then compacted once more to form the sub-base. Specified materials are then spread on the sub-base and proper grade, thickness and cross sections are maintained. The wearing course could be laid down in either one or two layers, however each layer must not exceed 10cm. Shoulders are then created by filling the earth to the specified cross slope and then compacting it. After drying the road is open to traffic. Roads are constructed in city centers for ease of access to and from it and are essential for the daily operations of citizens.

The area under construction shown in the pictures was taken on the corner of Charlotte Street and Independence Square which is the southern part of the Central Business District of the city of Port of Spain. It was taken on February 2nd at around 12:30pm. The workers seen belong to the Port of Spain City Corporation and are reconstructing the pavement for pedestrian use.  Due to the rise in the price of oil in the early 1970s, Trinidad and Tobago was provided with the capital to finance development. Much of the development programme that was launched involved construction work.

References:

civilblog.org. june 20, 2015. http://civilblog.org/2015/06/20/6-basic-steps-comprising-wbm-road-construction-procedure/ (accessed february 29, 2016).

Goel, Tarun. Bright Hub Engineering . May 2013 . http://www.brighthubengineering.com/structural-engineering/59665-road-construction-history-and-procedure/ (accessed February 2016).

J. Amos, L.S Brune and J.Portugali. "Notions concerning the nature of world urbanization, in Perspectives on Urbanization." Progress in Planning, 1996: 145-162.

"In urbanization, you think big because you are thinking decades ahead." - Kushal Pal Singh

Which cities have the greatest chance of flourishing in the forthcoming decade? The question is an intricate one, and as the economy changes, so too, will the best situated cities. In the study of urban morphology, we aim to show construction sites and why they are situated where they are and their functions.

                                                     

Let's have a look at the city of Port of Spain, the present government has employed many contractors to construct more buildings to facilitate government offices. The construction site shown in the pictures above is one of many found in Port of Spain. At the site an interview was conducted with two of the workers, namely Fabian Lewis and Sunil Lochan. They informed us that construction began with the People’s National Movement (PNM) in 2005, but stopped when the United National Congress (UNC) came into power in 2015. However, in 2015 when the PNM regained power construction continued. The building is meant to be a government complex solely for the purpose of government offices. It is expected to finish next year, 2017.

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

The image above shows the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception which is a Roman Catholic Church located in Independence Square Port of Spain and was the first Catholic Church in the city. On March 25^th 1816, the foundation stone was laid by the country’s first civilian Governor Sir Ralph Woodford and the building was then completed in 1836. The Cathedral was built in the shape of a cross and the walls made of limestone from Laventille Hills. Beneath the Cathedral is the crypt that houses the remains of more than 15 high ranking Catholic Church officials including archbishops.

The Cathedral runs educational development programmes for school children, daily religious services, bible study and marriage preparation classes. (Taylor 2011). The Cathedral is newly renovated after being closed for the last three and a half years. It was closed in 2012 after it was a decided that it was no longer safe for worship and occupation due to severe water damage. The Cathedral reopened April 2016 for Easter celebrations

Churches have a role to play in the city (Lorne 2012) states that churches often occupy a geographically central location in cities and they inherit many of the social issues of the urban core. This explains why these churches focus on helping the homeless and offering developmental programs like the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.  Churches also add an aesthetic aspect to the city because of their outstanding and remarkable appearance. They have history that most times date back to before the city became developed. 

 source: http://www.guardian.co.tt/lifestyle/2014-04-20/part-1-cathedral-immaculate-conception

The picture above shows the Cathedral during the 1800’s where there is a clear demarcation in the economic activity around it. Independence Square today has a greater level of economic activity and is definitely more intense than the 19^th century. Sjoberg’s theory explained that churches and other sacred institutions dominate most of the cultural landscape as well as the cultural beliefs of the urban place. 

References: 

Lorne, Daniel. Rethink Urban. September 12, 2012. http://rethinkurban.com/2012/places-and-spaces/a-second-look-at-the-churches-in-the-city/ (accessed April 8, 2016).

Taylor, Caroline. Caribbean Beat . 2011. http://caribbean-beat.com/issue-112/saving-soul-city#axzz45G94qAdZ (accessed 2016).