The overall density is quite low, and the development pattern recognizes
America's preference for a lot of greenery, lakes and recreation areas.
Development of a city center, which is much
denser, was left until the third decade of
the town's development to ensure that there'd be
an adequate demand for the shops and workplaces.
One of the first villages to be developed was Lake Anne Village.
Which was pretty much as the designer sketched.
On a weekend it is filled with people covering the plaza around
the lake, and shopping in the farmers market and neighborhood shops.
This image shows the iconic image of residential areas in
Reston, quiet houses along the lake surrounded by green areas.
However, over the past four decades, the complete
range of housing has been constructed at Reston, from
single family homes taking advantage of nature to high
rise buildings within walking distance of the city center.
The population's expanded and
has become a true city.
Reston City Center is the crown jewel of the new city.
It has been designed using traditional city building principles.
Buildings fronting streets, ground level commercial activity, public plazas for
special events and face-to-face interaction,
mixed uses that include offices.
Shops, housing, entertainment, and eating places all
together covering the needs of a city.
Even though most people arrive by car, parking garages or
ramps with active use facility do not dominate the streetscape.
I was surprised by the activity that begins early in
the morning in the square and extends throughout the day.
People come to meet others.
As they did in traditional cities.
And the streets of Reston town center
are designed for walking, browsing, and sitting.
For people of all ages.
Asian cities have urbanized far faster than cities in
other parts of the world over the past several decades.
Many have looked to the models of the cities of Europe, particularly London.
This image shows the development strategy of Seoul, Korea, which created a Green
Belt in 1971, and has built five large new towns outside the Green Belt.
Ilsan is the largest of these new towns and now
houses close to half a million people in a very
dense development.
It has been called the densest suburb in the world.
The Tokyo Development Strategy also has involved constructing a ring of
new towns about 35 miles from the center of the city.
Each of the new towns has a
special purpose, Tsukuba is new Hi-tech University city.
Tama New Toiwn is no less than 20 colleges many of
them relocated from central Tokyo, seeking a less crowded living environment,
where faculty could be close to their college.
Makuhari Messe, which we look at in more detail, is in Chiba.
And it's the core of a new city half way between Tokyo and Narita airport.
It was designed to house a new convention
center, the largest in Asia, and attract international
business corporations who benefit from being close to
Tokyo and also equally close to the airport.
Nakahare Nase is
designed with three distinct zones.
The convention and visitor area with more than a dozen
new hotels, a large stadium as well as a convention center.
The international business zone with upper level walkways connecting
all the buildings and wired for the best digital access.