By Dr. ZAHEER ALLAM
Ébène Cybercity, a product of the digital age, was designed as an ambitious business and technology hub, aiming to boost the economy and attract international companies to the island of Mauritius. Over the years, as urban development expanded around it, a mix of activities emerged to cater for the growing working class, including housing developments. With the increasing connectivity through initiatives such as the metro line, there is an opportunity to reconsider the city’s service offering and foster a more resilient and healthy community. This requires embracing the principles of regenerative urbanism and human-scale planning, which can be inspired by concepts such as the 15-minute city, the New Urban Agenda, and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 11.
Regenerative urbanism, in this case, goes beyond mere sustainability. It is a holistic approach to urban planning, integrating social, economic, and environmental dimensions, with a focus on the well-being of the city’s inhabitants. It emphasizes human-scale planning, ensuring that cities are designed to meet the needs of people, rather than just accommodating cars and businesses tuned to respond to economic needs. This is particularly important considering that more than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a figure projected to reach 68% by 2050.
One challenge facing Ébène Cybercity is its inherited car-centric design, characterized by a heavy grid system and buildings bordered by walls that hinder permeable movement. To foster a sense of community and well-being, we must encourage more fluid movement patterns while connecting people closer to basic amenities. This can be achieved by breaking down barriers between spaces, promoting walkability, and creating more inviting public spaces. In doing so, we must create mixed-use neighbourhoods integrating residential, commercial, and recreational spaces within the same vicinity. In doing so, we can reduce the need for long commutes, encourage walking or cycling, and ultimately reduce traffic congestion and pollution. This mixity can also help create a more vibrant local economy, providing opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs to flourish, connecting both the working and emerging class, addressing equity concerns.
Given the relatively small scale of Ébène, the concept of the ‘15-minute city’ is highly relevant, as it envisions urban environments where residents can access essential services and amenities within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. Implementing this principle in Ébène Cybercity would not only promote healthier lifestyles but also contribute to achieving the targets set out in the New Urban Agenda and SDG 11, which focus on inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities.
While connecting people to services is key, we also need to recognize the importance of (re)connecting people to nature. Parks, gardens, and other green spaces not only improve air quality and provide opportunities for recreation and social interaction but also contribute to the overall well-being of the community. Integrating green spaces into Ébène Cybercity’s design can help mitigate the urban heat island effect, reduce stormwater runoff, and create spaces for relaxation, exercise, and socializing. In addition, fostering urban biodiversity can contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts, while supporting local ecosystems and improving the overall quality of life for city dwellers. A challenge to this will be how to encourage promoters to include green spaces in an already built area, but this is not impossible if the role of the car is decreased as this will result in an availability of space.
This transformation does not have to be expensive. Private funds, if aligned with a common set of objectives, can play a significant role in accelerating the process. Fiscal mechanisms such as tax incentives for developers prioritizing sustainable practices, public-private partnerships, community engagement programs, impact investing, and other campaigns can be employed to help fund the city’s transformation. In doing so, several considerations should be integrated into the planning process: designing spaces that cater to people of all ages, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds can foster a sense of belonging and promote social cohesion within the community; ensuring that neighbourhoods are well-connected by public transportation, bike lanes, and pedestrian-friendly streets can help reduce car dependency and promote healthier, more active lifestyles.
Agreeing to common objectives and principles can help to co-create healthy, just, and sustainable fabrics. For our case, resilience, innovation, and collaboration are vital components which can work together to create a sustainable outcome that can withstand the challenges posed by climate change and other environmental concerns. By incorporating resistant infrastructures, stormwater management systems, and green roofs within building codes or via retrofit mechanisms, we can build long-term resilience while also reducing the urban heat island effect and addressing other environmental issues. At the same time, aligning with the Smart City movement, to match surrounding and emerging developments, embracing cutting-edge technologies and sustainable materials can minimize the environmental impact of urban development and enhance city services’ efficiency. For instance, integrating renewable energy sources, energy-efficient building designs, waste reduction and recycling programs, sustainable water management systems, and green transportation initiatives can substantially lower Ébène Cybercity’s environmental impact, making a significant contribution to global climate change mitigation efforts and promoting a more comprehensive approach to sustainability.
Engaging in urban regeneration can be a daunting task as it would mean disrupting existing practices, but this can be overcome by involving the community in the planning process, where a sense of ownership can be cultivated, inspiring collective action towards creating a vibrant, sustainable city. This collaborative approach also helps ensure that urban development plans align with the needs and aspirations of local residents, ultimately leading to a more cohesive and resilient urban environment.
As cities play a pivotal role in tackling global challenges like climate change, rapid urbanization, and social inequality, it is essential to broaden our perspective beyond conventional sustainability measures. While some direct and easily implemented measures, like energy efficiency and recycling initiatives are crucial, a more comprehensive approach is needed by various stakeholders, which prioritizes the quality of life for urban residents by fostering inclusivity, well-being, and resilience. By addressing the diverse and interconnected aspects of sustainable urban living, we can create more vibrant, equitable, and adaptive urban environments that truly enhance the lives of their inhabitants.
