Journal Article

Ungating the city

Sun, Guibo, Webster, Chris, Chiaradia, Alain

2018

Overview

China is seeking to prohibit the construction of any new gated communities and to gradually open existing schemes after three decades of growth of large-block gated estates. In this article, we use permeability analysis to explore the ‘what if?’ question posed by the policy: what if gated communities became permeable? We ask the question in respect of non-motorised access. We use two permeability metrics, closeness and betweenness, as outcome measures of gated and nongated versions of the city. We construct a bespoke complete pedestrian network, rather than using the road network, for our permeability modelling. Nanchang, a medium-sized Chinese city with widespread gated communities, is our study area. A series of permeability analyses with and without gated communities is conducted using GIS and spatial design network analysis (sDNA). On the basis of these analyses, we sequentially sort the gated compounds whose opening will maximise permeability gains with minimum expropriation of property rights through coercive ungating. We offer the analysis to urban scholars, planners and governments by way of a quantified simulation. This study and methodology, which is transferable without high data requirements, can assist urban practitioners in reconfiguring urban form to promote a healthier living environment (more walking) and more economically viable local service centres (greater pedestrian footfall concentrations). 中国经历三十年大片封闭式小区建设发展后，正试图禁止建设任何新的封闭小区，并在逐步打 开现有的封闭小区。本文运行渗透性分析来探讨这一政策带来的问题：如果封闭式小区变得可 渗透，会发生什么？我们从非机动通道的角度提出了问题。文章采用亲密度和中间度这两项渗 透性指标，作为衡量封闭型和非封闭型城市不同结果的指标。我们构建了一个定制的完整行人 网络进行渗透性建模，而不是使用道路网络。研宄对象是中国南昌这个到处拥有封闭式小区的 中型城市。我们运用 GIS 和空间设计网络分析（sDNA)对封闭式小区和非封闭式小区开展了一 系列渗透性分析。在这些分析的基础上，我们排列整理了那些将通过开放而最大程度提高渗透 性，同时最小程度因强制开放而侵占产权的封闭式综合体。通过量化模拟的方式，这些分析可供 城市研宄学者、规划者和政府所用。本项研宄和相关的方法无需高标准数据即可移用，可以帮助 城市实践者重新布局城市形态，以促进更健康的生活环境（更多步行）和更具经济可行性的地方 服务中心建设（更大的步行聚集度）。

• Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd,SAGE Publications,Sage Publications Ltd
• Subject: Analysis / Cities / Closeness / Coercion / Communities / Computer simulation / Estates / Expropriation / Gated communities / Geographic information systems / Intellectuals / Network analysis / Pedestrians / Permeability / Planners / Property rights / Public spaces / Simulation / Spatial analysis / Transportation planning / Urban areas / Urban planning / Walking