Chapters 1 to 11 Combined - Century City

Century Boulevard ProposalA mixed use development is proposedbetween Century Boulevard, the GrandCanal and the Island Club asillustrated below.Once again, water is a fundamentalelement in the design, and an internalcanal will extend from the GrandCanal. This internal canal and thespaces around will assist in creatingan attractive ambience for residentsand visitors alike.Mixed Use Development ParcelsA number of mixed use land parcelsare created in the Northern Sector, forwhich no specific proposals have yetbeen formulated.The road penetrates through themiddle of this area and contains slightcurves that respond to the adjacentblocks and the general curve of thecanal system. Although, this road willaccommodate fairly high trafficvolumes, it has been designed toencourage slow speed movement,with traffic circles, four way stops andthe road alignment.Functional interface means that peopleshould be able to walk along a streetin front of a building and experiencean attractive environment includinginteraction between the building andstreet. Entrance lobbies, shops, coffeeshops, offices, gateways into midblock spaces, all provide functionalinterfaces. Transparent surfaces,balconies and terraces provide a visualinterface which means that people inthe buildings and the publicenvironment can see life and activityoccurring. This helps to make a placevibrant and interesting.Due to the scale, form and positioningof the individual buildings, a “Piazza”type environment is planned. The formof architecture will be Neo Tuscan instyle. The layout responds to theexternal environment, especiallyadjacent to Century Boulevard and thecanal, with the articulation of buildingsand permeable nature of the groundfloor activities.The main vehicle entrance will be offCentury Boulevard opposite Dockside,a second vehicle entrance will be offCentury Boulevard, and access to aseparate residential component will befrom Via Rialto.Landscaping is planned for the southeastern corner of the proposeddevelopment at the interface with theGrand Canal. This area is to becelebrated as a focal point forpedestrian activity. The interfacebetween the Century Boulevard andthe remainder of the site will besoftened by the extensive use of trees.A visual corridor has been createdbetween development parcels toaccentuate the feature building ofKnightsbridge. Another visual corridoris provided into the Island Club.The buildings should form activeedges and support street levelactivities. This can be achieved by aperimeter block type of developmentwith a functional interface to thepublic realm. The interface shouldinclude elements that help generate asense of place, but can also includelandscape features.PLANNING PARTNERS: CENTURY CITY URBAN DESIGN FRAMEWORK October 2005 39 REVISION 1