EXPLORING THE MANY DIMENSIONS OF CITIES
(Happy, Dream, Feminist, Competitive, Walkable, Soft, Inclusive, Healthy, Just, Compact, Green, Rebel, Resilient, Sharing, Slow, Smart)
1.0 Introduction
Cities are considered a 'melting pot'; they are complex and have different dimensions, characteristics, and challenges. Cities should be seen beyond their physical spaces; they should also be seen as living systems that reflect the city dwellers' aspirations, challenges, and diversity. Understanding the many dimensions of cities (happy, dream, feminist, competitive, walkable, soft, inclusive, healthy, just, compact, green, rebel, resilient, vulnerable, sharing, slow, and smart) offers a unique perspective on how urban planners, built environment professionals, city enthusiast and related professionals imagine cities.
City dimensions not only focus on the hard aspects of cities but also on the intangibles (social, cultural, emotional, aspirations, and justice, among others). Noteworthy, city dimensions are not isolated; different dimensions of the city explored in this article share some similarities, some address the challenges of other dimensions, and others focus on the shortcomings of the traditional urban planning model. For urban planners, understanding these dimensions of cities presents an opportunity to identify what could be extracted to improve the urban planning arrangement of cities in both developed and developing countries to ensure cities serve their populations.
The increased urban development across the world, particularly in Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, projected to be the world's third most populated country in 2050 with an estimated 401 million people after India and China,[1] presents an opportunity to explore measures to rethink and improve traditional urban planning which has failed to adequately address the myriad challenges (economic, social, physical, environmental and cultural) of urban settlements. A pertinent question that requires answers by urban planners, city managers, and administrators is: How can cities be planned to ensure equitable access to resources, enhance residents' economic prospects, foster sustainability, enhance inclusiveness, promote justice, enhance well-being and good health, and reduce the level of vulnerability? This article explores the different dimensions of a city, practical examples, and how a good understanding of city dimensions can create opportunities for urban planners in Nigeria and other parts of the world to extract valuable insights to improve the traditional urban planning process and city status.
2.0 City of Many Dimensions
Cities are seen from different perspectives with distinct characteristics; this section describes the many dimensions of cities. Happy Cities prioritises well-being through accessible public spaces and social interaction, premised on the idea that urban environments should improve residents' emotional and psychological health. Hemphill noted Happy City is about the importance of considerate urban planning with which city life can bring residents joy rather than stress[2]. Dream cities represent visionary ideals, focusing on innovative urban practices driven by the ambition to create idealised urban settlements. It should be noted that sometimes, this borders on utopianism. Feminist Cities focus on gender equity, aimed at challenging traditional masculine-focused urban planning "city of men". It emphasises the dominance of men in city planning with the notion "that built environments reflect the societies that construct them"[3]. The focus is a new urban environment, a feminist urban environment.
Competitive Cities thrive on economic growth and innovation, where market forces drive development, and global connectivity attracts talent and business. The city's development is premised on capitalist market competition and innovation principles. The city helps firms and industries create jobs, raise productivity, and increase workers' incomes. Walkable Cities focus on reducing car dependency by designing pedestrian-friendly infrastructures that encourage healthier lifestyles, prioritising walking over vehicular movement. Walking is expected to be useful, safe, comfortable, and interesting, which forms the basis of the General Theory of Walkability[4]. Soft Cities integrate emotional well-being into urban planning and city design, with quiet spaces and community-focused environments that promote relaxation and social connection. It is grounded in human-centred design connecting humans to nature. Sim noted that a soft city is about moving closer, getting together, and connecting people to all aspects of life around them[5]; the focus is on how potentially conflicting aspects of everyday existence can be brought together and connected to deliver a better quality of life. It is a campaign against stricter zoning as utilised in traditional urban planning.
Inclusive Cities ensure equity by providing equal access to resources and opportunities for all genders and classes of people, focusing on addressing urban social segregation[6]. Healthy Cities prioritise clean air, green spaces, and active living, rooted in the belief that urban design directly impacts physical and mental health. The central focal point is clean, safe, high-quality physical environment[7]. Just Cities focuses on fairness and social justice to address established historical inequities by providing equal access to basic services and opportunities. Just City is premised on democracy, equity, and diversity tenets as indicated by Susan Fainstein
[8].
Compact Cities maximise land use with high-density development, integrating different uses within walking distance focused on reducing urban sprawl. Compact cities are characterised by dense development patterns, connected public transportation systems and easy access to local services and employment opportunities[9]. Green Cities emphasise sustainability, integrating eco-friendly practices and environmental conservation into urban planning. Green cities encourage green behaviour, and such city's ecological impact is relatively low[10]. David Harvey coined Rebel Cities to challenge traditional capitalist-based urban planning norms, exploring alternative governance and community-driven approaches to create spaces of resistance and change. The focus of Rebel Cities is to reclaim urban environments for the people with the "right to the city"[11].
Resilient Cities are designed to adapt and recover from shocks with flexible infrastructure and robust risk and vulnerability management systems in place. A resilient city anticipate, plan for, and mitigate the risks and seize the opportunities associated with economic, environmental, and social change[12]. Vulnerable Cities face significant risks, requiring strategic interventions to address climate threats and social inequality. Sharing Cities foster collaboration by promoting the collective use of resources, encouraging a sense of community and reducing waste. Sharing cities share things (cars, tools, and books); sharing services (sites for meetings or sleeping); and sharing activities or experiences (political activity, leisure)[13]. The overall goal is to promote sustainability and build stronger community ties.
Slow Cities embrace a more deliberate pace of life, focusing on sustainability, local culture, and mindful living. Slow is synonymous with 'calm', 'careful', 'cautious', 'deliberate', 'leisurely', 'relaxed', 'measured', 'peaceful' and 'unhurried' and not "lethargic, idle, indolent and slothful". The idea is to trade the speed of the urban transport system and development for healthy city life and sustainability by encouraging the adoption of walking, cycling and increased public transport usage[14]. Smart Cities leverage technology and data science to improve urban systems and enhance the quality of life for residents. Halegoua, in The MIT Press Essential Knowledge Series, noted that "in practice, smart cities are places where digital media are strategically integrated as infrastructure and software to collect, analyse, and share data to manage and inform decisions about urban environments and activities"[15].
It should be noted that these dimensions are not isolated; they often overlap, creating complex, multi-faceted urban environments. The overlap could be seen from the exploration in this section; therefore, these could be applied to specific urban environments in a combined form. By understanding the underpinnings of these city dimensions, urban planners, city managers, city administrators, and public policymakers can create sustainable, inclusive, resilient cities that can meet the evolving needs of their populations.
3.0 City Dimensions Examples
The insights from city dimensions can be translated into tangible urban development strategies to address city development challenges, improve quality of life, and promote city sustainability. There are examples where different dimensions of the city have been implemented. Copenhagen, Denmark, is renowned for its extensive cycling infrastructure and green spaces, promoting physical activity and social interaction[16]. Kigali, Rwanda, exhibits principles of walkability, car-free zones, and Nyandungu Eco-Park, which integrates green spaces to enhance public health and well-being[17]. Barcelona, Spain, pioneered the "superblock" concept, reducing car traffic and creating pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods. Eko Atlantic City, Lagos, Nigeria, incorporates walkable designs to address the congestion issue and improve accessibility.
MedellÃn, Colombia, transformed disadvantaged neighbourhoods through public transportation improvements and the construction of accessible libraries and parks, addressing social inequities. Johannesburg's Corridors of Freedom connects marginalised communities to economic opportunities with efficient public transit and housing integration[18]. Cape Town, South Africa, exemplifies resilience and sustainability, primarily through its water conservation measures during severe droughts and the development of the Green Point Urban Park, which integrates green spaces into urban life[19]. Nairobi's Karura Forest demonstrates a balance between ecological preservation and urban recreation. Singapore uses data-driven solutions to manage traffic, waste, and energy, and Kigali embraces public Wi-Fi, cashless payments, and digital urban service platforms[20]. These showcase how technology enhances city functionality. In Nairobi, co-working spaces exemplify the city indicating sharing city principles, fostering collaboration and resource efficiency.
The slow city movement (Cittaslow movement) in Italy favours local and traditional cultures, such as the work culture of flextime and telework, to reduce peak transport demand and promote sustainability[21]. Zanzibar integrates slow urbanism by preserving cultural heritage while promoting sustainable tourism. Stockholm, Sweden, represents soft cities, and urban spaces are designed to emphasise harmony. Dubai represents the ideals of dream cities through its variable futuristic urban projects. Nairobi demonstrates feminist city principles through the Flone Initiative, advocating for gender-sensitive transportation systems to improve safety and accessibility for women[22].
These examples, among many other case studies, demonstrate how urban planners, city management, and administrators can adopt one or multiple dimensions of city to address city challenges.
4.0 City Dimensions Application: Solutions to City Problems
Individual application or integration of different city dimensions to city development and management process issues offer opportunities to enhance city status and create a functional living environment. Adopting the principles indicated in happy, walkable, and healthy city dimensions will help to develop livable city environments with a direct positive impact on the personal health of city dwellers to encourage physical activity and social interaction highlighted the city dimensions. A green city environmental sustainability focus ensures that renewable energy and pedestrian-friendly designs become the cornerstone of city planning. Coupled with a resilient city model that addresses city vulnerability, cities can adequately mitigate environmental risks and withstand climate change impacts.
Compact city designs minimise urban sprawl, preserving natural habitats and promoting efficient resource use, while competitive and smart city principles stimulate economic activity by attracting investments, fostering innovation, and enhancing productivity. Integrating the city model ensures city development based on economic comparative advantage with reduced cost of infrastructure provision due to reduction in the sporadic city development.
Feminist, just, and inclusive city dimensions prioritise equity by addressing systemic barriers (gender, ethnicity, income). These city dimensions ensure equal access to resources and opportunities for all city residents. Applying the dimensions principles will influence public policy on access to city services, utilities and infrastructure to improve city dwellers' experience. Adopting resilient city principles ensures that cities adapt to disasters and that recovery rates improve as urban planners incorporate disaster and climate change resilience features in city development plans (master plan, model city plan, structure plan, etc.). Walkable, compact, and sharing city dimensions principles enhance mobility by reducing reliance on private vehicles and encouraging public transit and shared resources. This has influenced stricter zoning regulations and can further improve city development through the adoption of a more robust city mixed development planning process.
5.0 Conclusion
Integrating different city dimensions offers the opportunity for urban planners to enhance the city planning process, challenge, amend and change the defective traditional-based city planning process. It should be noted that the practical application of these city dimensions models could be impeded by challenges such as paucity of funds, defective or inadequate regulatory framework and dearth of required professionals; this is likely to be more pronounced in some developing countries.
It is therefore suggested to enjoy the benefits offered by the practical applications of different city dimensions principles, measures should be taken to adequately address likely regulatory and funding challenges through a partnership with international development agencies, exploring public-private partnerships and amending or repealing defective urban planning legal framework at the local and national level.
[1] Population Reference Bureau. 2019 World Population Data Sheet. Washington, DC: PRB. www.prb.org/international/geography/nigeria, 2019.
[2] Hemphill, C. Happy City: Sustainability Through Urban Planning. https://www.sustainability.ucsb.edu/blog/sustainability-scoop/happy-city-sustainability-through-urban-planning
[3] Leslie Kern: Feminist City, Verso 2020
[4] Jeff Speck: Walkable city: how downtown can save America, one step at a time. North Point Press, 2012
[5] David Sim: Soft City: Building Density for Everyday Life, 2019
[6] Building the Inclusive City: Theory and practice for confronting urban segregation. Routledge. Nilson A. Espino, 2015
[7] Evelyne de Leeuw, Cities and Health from the Neolithic to the Anthropocene (Chapter 1) in Healthy Cities: The Theory, Policy, and Practice of Value-Based Urban Planning, Springer 2017
[8] Susan S. Fainstein: The Just City, Cornell University Press, 2010.
[9] Cha-Ly Koh & MartÃn Anzellini: How 'compact cities' guide growth while protecting people and planet, https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/11/compact-cities-guide-growth-protecting-people-and-planet/
[10] Matthew E. Kahn: Green cities: urban growth and the environment, The Brookings Institution, 2006
[11] David Harvey: Rebel cities: from the right to the city to the urban revolution, Verso 2012
[12] Peter Newman, Timothy Beatley, and Heather Boyer: Peter Newman, Timothy Beatley, and Heather Boyer, Overcoming Fossil Fuel Dependence, 2ed
[13] Duncan McLaren and Julian Agyeman: Sharing Cities A Case for Truly Smart and Sustainable Cities, MIT Press, 2015
[14] Paul Tranter and Rodney Tolley: Slow Cities Conquering our Speed Addiction for Health and Sustainability, Elsevier 2020.
[15] Germaine R. Halegoua: Smart City. The MIT Press Essential Knowledge Series, 2020.
[16] The City of Copenhagen's Bicycle Strategy," Metropolis, accessed January 11, 2025. https://use.metropolis.org/case-studies/cycling-in-copenhagen.
[17] Nyandungu Eco-Park Opens to the Public," Rwanda Development Board, accessed January 11, 2025, https://rdb.rw/nyandungu-eco-park-opens-to-the-public/.
[18] The City of Copenhagen's Bicycle Strategy," Metropolis, accessed January 11, 2025, https://use.metropolis.org/case-studies/cycling-in-copenhagen.
[19] "Corridors of Freedom," City of Johannesburg, accessed January 11, 2025,
https://www.joburg.org.za/.
[20] "Smart Kigali Initiative," Rwanda Development Board, accessed January 11, 2025, https://rdb.rw/smart-kigali/.
[21] Knox, P. L: Creating ordinary places: Slow cities in a fast world. Journal of Urban Design, 10(1), 1–11, 2005
[22] "Creating Gender-Sensitive Public Transport," Flone Initiative, accessed January 11, 2025, https://floneinitiative.org/
Further Readings
Davies, W. K. D. (Ed.). (2015). Theme cities: Solutions for urban problems. New York: Springer.