January_1966 — Page 69

ENVIRONMENT-a subject for

destruction

INTENDED in this article to test

the validity of remarks on the architecture of Hong Kong, which I made in the May edition of this journal. in the light of my findings from travelling extensively in Europe.

However, what I have found in the course of my travels is a lowering of the quality of the environment in the towns and cities of western Europe, and a great concern with this by the architects whom I met at the con- ferences of both the Commonwealth Association of Architects and the International Union of Architects. This lead to general agreements on the need for developing the study of the environmental aspects of planning in schools of architecture.

Despite all I saw, this need was brought home to me even more forcibly when setting foot again in Hong Kong. The beguiling beauty and excitement was still there, but the spoiliation of the environment appeared to be occuring with a frightening rapidity.

Although architecture is the form making instrument of the urban en- vironment, and is all important, there are other forces affecting it which nullify the influence of architecture, good or bad. One of the first things I noticed оп my return was the jump-up in the numbers on car re- gistration number plates, and this prompted the following observations!

Importance of Surroundings

Like the word Art when applied to Architecture, the word Environment applied to Planning is apt to be mis- understood the expensive trim- mings to make a building look nice! Art and Environment are of course nothing of the sort.

The word environment is one which pervades architectural con- versation and architectural education today; it is used ad nauseam. It is one of those words of which, in the context of architecture and planning. all know the meaning, or what it im- plies, but it is difficult to define

one would like to have other words for it. It has come into common usage through the relatively sudden realization of the impact of the "gifts of civilization" on the urban way of living (and even the rural way of living); the destructive effect on human values of the manifestations of modern science and technology.

The simplest definition of environ- ment is surroundings. Man has al- ways reacted to his surroundings. The countryside has always been consci- ously appreciated: it stimulates the poet in us.

Far East Architect & Builder January, 1966

By

Professor

W. G. Gregory

B Arch, ARIBA

The value or quality of the sur- roundings were understood from early times. The Greeks, at awe- inspiring Delphi or at bucolic

Olympia knew this, In the Renais- sance, particularly in Italy, people were consciously aware of the im- portance of their surroundings, still evident, though perhaps not for long, in Verona for instance.

Good and pleasant surroundings are an essential need of the human being. They constitute in fact that mechanism which makes him human. Man reacts to his environment; it inspires him to give of his best or to show himself at his worst. It is known that the slum environment breeds the delinquent and the criminal, and it is realized that the austere environment of the prison does nothing to rehabilitate the criminal, but rather hardens him to his criminality.

Whilst not pretending that all was environ- good in Renaissance town ment. contrast St. Mark's Square with the old ghetto area, which can still be seen in Venice to-day. The real damaging impact occurred in the Industrial Revolution. It has grown in momentum since then and con- tinues to-day. despite the establish- ment of the Garden Citys movement of the nineteenth century and the New Towns of to-day.

Let us not pretend, however, that the answer to the spoliation of the environment is in halting progress and leaving existing urban areas as they are, though this may be the answer in some cases. There is a frightening acceptance of the causes and a lack of recognition of the re- sults on human health and behaviour, and this is particularly so in Hong Kong.

But the term environment not only embraces the intangible desires of mankind to live in satisfying and pleasant surroundings but also his desires to provide for his needs; that is to satisfactorily and satisfyingly carry out the process of living. There are, therefore, functional aspects of environment which have to be met.

The study of this subject covers a

vast field which thankfully is being thoroughly explored, but perhaps there is space in a short article to touch on one aspect of the problem.

Movement Restricted

In a recent explanatory paper, Professor Colin Buchanan,* author of "Traffic in Towns", gives the key to the urban traffic problem in his “law”.

In

"Within an urban area as it stands,” he says, "the establishment of en- vironmental standards automatically determines the accessibility, but the latter can be increased according to the amount of money that can be spent on physical alterations.” other words, having fixed the standard of environment in terms of pedestrian and traffic movement, no increase in the latter can be permitted unless more money is available to take care of it and at the same time maintain the standard of environment.

Conversely, the more traffic above a certain norm that is permitted to use an urban area, without paying for improved accessibility, the lower the standard of environment will become.

It is not difficult to see how urgent it is to apply this "law" to Hong Kong. The urban environment is quickly being rebuilt to the old pat- tern but with buildings of con- siderably greater floor area, produc- ing higher population and traffic densities, but without increasing the accessibility to traffic or to pede- strians. Not only is movement be- coming more and more restricted, but also more and more dangerous.

It is useless for the Traffic Depart- ment of the Hong Kong Police to designate "Black Spots" and urge the population to conduct themselves in such a way to make them “Green Spots". The Black Spots are indica- tive of an over-saturation of pedes- trian

movement and vehicular these points. If the volume of traffic is to be permitted to continue, then money has to be spent to deal with it: if money is not available then

at

* Colin Buchanan. "What I really said" R.I.B.A. Journal Vol. 72 No. 7 July 1965 p. 334.

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