World's most unique city? Best designed?

[WZ1]

WHAT IS THE WORLDS MOST UNIQUE CITY ?? BEST DESIGNED ?? Lets fill this thread with interesting facts about cities world wide that make them unique!

Montreal, Canada is known as the "Underground City" did you know you can walk pretty much anywhere in downtown montreal without ever leaving a building!! The Subway (METRO) in Montreal has Rubber Wheels making it the quietest Subway in the world! Montreal was named after the Mountain overlooking the city - Mont Royal.

Ottawa, Canada has the Shortest METRO in the world with 6 Stations and 1 Line! (yes its still being built)

The widest point in the 401 Freeway in Toronto is 22 Lanes from side to side!!

Vancouver, Canada has the 3rd most high rise appartments in North America after San Fransisco and NY!

I dont know too many American or worldwide Facts but lets hear them!

[TLOZ Link5]

Houston has an "Underground City" system of walkways downtown, as well. It is the largest city in the U.S. that has absolutely no zoning regulations: buildings are constructed according to market demand, though this can prove to be a problem regarding context to the surrounding neighborhood and landmarks preservation. Until its inaugural light-rail line is finished, it can be considered the largest American city with no mass-transit railroad system—I believe that its bus system is larger than New York's, at least concerning proportions.

[dbhstockton]

Toronto has the "Path" underground, am I correct? We have a "Path" down here, too. I've been to both Montreal and Toronto. You can spend days underground.

[NoyokA]

I would agree that Montreal is the world's best designed city.

[DominicanoNYC]

Montreal sounds real cool. I need to visit all of these 'underground' cities. It's a nice idea.

[WZ1]

Anyone ever comes to either montreal or toronto, msg me i have lived in both and can tell you where to go!

[SUPREMO]

Alot of people may agree with me or not, but my choice, Paris (France, not Texas). I think Paris is well designed, planned and is a very unique city. Even in history, Paris looked so nice that alot of cities (even New York back in history) from different countries tried to copy or are influenced by city's urban planning, design and look.

Buenos Aires in Argentina is one of few cities that successfully captured the look of Paris especially the city plan except Buenos Aires is coastal while Paris is land-locked. Shanghai also nearly captured that look.

Even today, Paris looked as nice as it was in history. One of the most interesting things about this city is how most of the traditional Parisian buildings are preserved in within the city center. Most high-rise apartment buildings and even the skyscrapers of La Defense were built in the suberbs. An expressway (also acting like a boundary) goes around the city center seperating the traditional buildings and the modern high-rises. The few modern high-rise structures ever built in the city-center (besides the Eiffel Tower) were the Tour Montparnasse and some high-rise hotels near the Eiffel Tower.

I still think Paris is one of the most beautiful and best designed cities in the world! It was design so good that other cities will try to copy it!

A view of Paris. Most of the buildings in the city center are traditional Parisian buildings


La Defense, which resembles the moden high-rises (office) of Paris. Instead in the city center, this is planned in the city's outskirts. The only thing I don't like about La Defense is how they planned it beside cemeteries. It's bad for Feng Shui! Also, some interesting things about this is how the boulevard starts from the Louvre and goes to the Arc de Triomphe and then ends up at the Grande Arch in La Defense.


The Arc de Triomphe, note the twelve different roads.


Paris @ night. That's why they call it "The City of Lights"


A view of Buenos Aires (This area here kinda resembles Champs-Elysees)

[TLOZ Link5]

Nice pics, Supremo.

[Fabb]

That's true.
Except the one that shows La Défense. It makes me uncomfortable.

[dbhstockton]

Paris is without a doubt the top city for 19th-century urban planning. What about the twentieth-century? NYC was definitely the standard for the first half of the century, with Grand Central Station/Park Avenue in the 1910's and all of Robert Moses' grandest and best work in the 20's through the 40's -- Riverside Park, Jones Beach, the various Parkways, etc. He influenced that whole generation of planners and engineers and opened up the Suburbs to the automobile (for better or worse). So what city exemplifies the best of post-modern urban planning? I don't know.

[JonY]

Even though I'm a Sydney-sider, I have lived in Tokyo for 4 years, been to Hong Kong, SanFran, N.Y.C., Brisbane (Aust) and Vienna but I would have to say definitely Melbourne, Australia (lived there for just over 2 years).

It has a great urban layout, fantastic architecture ranging from classical to sleek modern scrapers to avant-garde, lots of great major new projects happening, really shines @ night, entertainment and shopping galore, a fantastic integrated transport system and beautiful public parks, plazas and street art.

Pic by Grollo:



@ dusk:

[/img]

Pic by tayser:



...and just a portion of the very long St Kilda Road:

[/img]

[SUPREMO]

Melbourne is a beautiful city indeed but I kinda like Sydney better for an Australian city.

As in urban planning, the 19th century and before laid the foundation for a city. The 20th century developed it. The 21th century on the other hand is mostly developing and modernizing some sections of an established city especially the old parts. Most major Asian cities are examples of that especially Tokyo, Yokohama and Hong Kong. The port areas of Tokyo and Yokohama have been redevelop to mixed-used development whether it's residential, commercial or recreation. Hong Kong and on the other hand are known for it's New Towns. Here are some images of redevelopments.

Minato Mirai-21 in Yokohama


Tokyo Teleport Town in Tokyo Bay


The Statue of Liberty in Tokyo?


Hong Kong on the other hand is known for it's reclamations. This is Ma On Shan, one of the new towns in the New Territories.


Other cities that I find very unique are

Venice - The city is based on canals and boats are the means of transportation instead of cars.

Amsterdam - The city is under sea-level.

Mexico City - The city is in a high altitude and you got alot of skyscrapers being constructed there.

[Fabb]

I'm surprised that nobody mentioned Barcelona.

[Jasonik]

Or BRASÍLIA

The definitive location where the city will be constructed is picked April 15, 1955 by the New Federal Capital Locating Commission (which had been created in 1953).
Brasilia is inaugurated the capital of Brazil April 21, 1960.
UNESCO declares Brasília part of the world heritage on Dec 07, 1987.


I sought the curved and sensual line. The curve that I see in the Brazilian hills, in the body of a loved one, in the clouds in the sky and in the ocean waves.
-Brasília architect Oscar Niemeyer

Brasília is a utopian horror. It should be a symbol of power, but instead it's a museum of architectural ideas.
-Art critic Robert Hughes

The impression I have is that I'm arriving on a different planet.
-Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin




:arrow:The Pilot Plan





Official site :arrow:http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/3416/index.html

Contemporary critique :arrow:http://www.taemag.com/issues/article...cle_detail.asp

[matt3303]

That's what I like better about Paris versus London---the old was preserved and new development allocated in other areas. In London, new (and horribly ugly) development is exploding everywhere, causing demolition of Victorian-era buildings and the building of 'interpretive' structures that are ruining the city. Compared to Paris, London has a very similar street system---with roundabouts, boulevards and tiny side streets almost narrow enough to be alleyways. London has around 9 major rail stations and I assume Paris is well connected to the rail netowrk, as well. When you think about it, London and Paris are similar in many ways (from a planning standpoint, never mind their cultures)