With an increasing urban population worldwide, many cities are transforming themselves to become more efficient and sustainable. As metropolises are becoming denser, the need for cautiously planned spaces that are able to welcome many new residents is increasingly important. Several urban centres that are currently experiencing steady growth have commissioned urban planners and architects to create entirely new neighbourhoods that will support their population while smoothly connecting with their surroundings.

Aerial view of Antalya's newest neighbourhood, image via Perkins + Will

This week, Perkins + Will announced their plan to revitalize parts of the Turkish city of Antalya, on the Mediterranean coast. Spanning over 58 square kilometres along the underdeveloped Bogacay Creek Basin area, the project aims to attract tourists while restoring the local ecosystem, which is currently suffering from drought and flooding issues. The master plan consists of several mixed-use pocket neighbourhoods dotting the basin, organized around public spaces created to enhance the natural surroundings and promote the city as one of Turkey's most eco-friendly places. A seaside stretch adjacent to the project will also be redeveloped to accommodate larger crowds and operate as a transition into the newly created pedestrian-friendly areas in the vicinity. Finally, it will become a major hub of cultural and entertainment venues in a city that welcomes more than 12.5 million visitors annually.

Pittsburgh's new plan for Lower Hill neighbourhood, image via Bjarke Ingels Group

In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the demolition of the former Civic Center in Lower Hill has left a 28-acre plot of land undeveloped. Bjarke Ingels Group has come up with a master plan to transform the economically-depressed neighbourhood into a new 1,200-unit community to reconnect the area with the city. In collaboration with West 8 and Atelier Ten, the Danish architect has optimized the local topography to create new connections with the surroundings, thanks to a series of curvy paths and streets that facilitate pedestrian and cyclist movement up and down the hill. More than 92,000 square metres of retail spaces and mid-rise to highrise buildings will support and house the community. All buildings will also boast sloping elements as a way to transition from downtown towards the Upper Hill neighbourhood, as well as offering residents ample outdoor spaces with expansive views.

Vegetation in the heart of each block will reduce the heat island effect, image via Herzog & de Meuron

In Lyon, France, the redevelopment of the formerly industrial peninsula into a modern extension of downtown has been partially laid out by Herzog & de Meuron. Phase 1 of the project will be completed in 2016, covering a total area of 41 hectares and creating 420,000 square metres of mixed-use spaces, while phase 2 is about to initiate the transformation of a 35-hectare plot of land. Designed by the Swiss architects, the community will function as a sustainable downtown neighbourhood to the north with offices, residences, shops and public facilities. Parking will be restricted to shared garages on the edge of the development, allowing for vegetation to fill in the centre of each city block and reduce the heat island effect. Further south, the urban feeling will gradually dissipate and blend with the park located at the tip of the peninsula. In total, both phases of development will bring 10,000 new residents and add close to 20,000 workers to the area. The first block of phase 2 is expected to be complete by 2017.

Rendering of the Greenwich Peninsula regeneration plan, image via Allies and Morrison

Finally in London, United Kingdom, Mayor Boris Johnson has recently approved one of the largest regeneration project in the city's history, transforming 80 hectares of the Greenwich Peninsula into a series of five new neighbourhoods. By 2040, mid-rise and highrise towers designed by architects Allies and Morrison will add 12,678 new homes, for a total of 15,720, nearly 3,000 of which will be affordable housing. 60,000 square metres of space dedicated to business use and 24,000 square metres of retail spaces will create 12,000 jobs on the peninsula, many of which are intended for future residents. The master plan designed by OMA — which is also working an a master planned community located in the suburbs of Paris — also includes 220 serviced apartments, a 40,000-square-metre film studio, and the extension of existing green space. The Greenwich regeneration project is part of the bigger City in the East masterplan, whose goal is to deliver 200,000 new residential units in eastern London within the next 20 years. London's population is expected to grow from 8.6 million today to 11 million residents by the year 2015.

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