IN-PERSON Manchester Livable Cities

Abstract

In continuation of the discussion on cities divided into self-sufficient clusters, where elevated streets connect universal modules to strengthen the green framework, the question of universality arises. To what extent should modules within a single cluster be universal, and should all clusters in a city be identical? Cities vary in size and perform different functions. It is also necessary to find space for institutions such as hospitals and universities. Should a hospital cluster be designated, despite the principle of universality, or should medical facilities be distributed across all clusters? In the first case, accessibility and dependence on a single cluster become issues, though design and maintenance are simplified. Moreover, such concentration facilitates patient isolation during pandemics. A similar dilemma arises with universities. Establishing a university cluster resembles creating a campus: laboratories, lecture halls, seminar rooms, student housing, and leisure facilities can be organized efficiently. Yet the self-sufficiency of such a cluster risks isolating students from broader urban life. Conversely, distributing university functions across clusters complicates laboratory organization, especially for hazardous experiments, and separates students from one another, requiring deliberate measures to stimulate interaction. Unique institutions such as museums and exhibitions cannot be evenly distributed and must be treated as singular nodes. Different scenarios of organizing such institutions are examined, along with their functioning. A key conclusion is the necessity of inter-cluster interaction, including human mobility, which despite the universality and autonomy of clusters will remain crucial, perhaps even more so than in existing cities, to sustain the overall urban context.