Balad – study of the urban plan

7.2.2014

Study of the urban plan

Colaboration: Jiran Kohout Architekti
Year: 2010

The study of hinterland of Balad deals with the analysis of boarder areas of the city, according to the proposed concept of the urban plan. The evaluation of the analyses led to the proposal in the presenting study.

The proposed concept of the Balad city that is seen in the new urban plan expects major attention to the formation of a new link between the agricultural land (and identity of Balad) and new image of modern city that should rapidly increase in the next decades.

The challenging research of equilibration of the new situation confront us with the needs of agricultural surroundings, needs of a modern city with all its facilities and urge of good traffic system, and the impact of its history and natural conditions.

All that has been told above explains why the emphasis of this study lies on the proposal of natural elements as river, canals and ponds, hierarchy of flora – natural and “wild” wetlands of the preexisting river basin of ancient Tigris, which tracks can still be seen in the structure of urbanized city centre, or the structure of the surrounding agricultural land, formed by the system of irrigation canals.

The last is treated as a new urban element with forming potential for the inner public space of Balad and its ambience.

Second most important impact to the hinterland is the road system with new highway connection on the west and new city tangent along the big canal on the south of the city. The maintenance of the hierarchic road structure and the support of local connections are perceived as a positive element in the development of the city.

The objective of the study is also to define a different nature of individual undeveloped areas, to describe in more detail the qualities on which the given nature is based and to define suitable building principles for the given areas.

The study express the impact of the proposed interventions and city development the hinterland in a series of schemes and maps with accent to the interaction between the city and the land.