Transit-oriented Development from the View of Traditional City Model

Abstract

Several communities have adopted the transit-oriented development (TOD) model to improve the urban form of the city. Through the TOD model, citizens are enabled and encouraged to travel by public transit and live near it, resulting in a compact, walkable city. By emphasizing these principles, cities are able to create a sustainable urban environment that is beneficial to everyone. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between transit-oriented development (TOD) and traditional city models and to promote the TOD model among Middle Eastern planners. Although Peter Calthorpe developed the TOD model in the early 1990s, the elements of TOD have existed in traditional cities for a long time. Literature has not explored the relationship between these two models; therefore, traditional cities and their development have been studied, such as Marrakech and Fes in Morocco. Marrakech and Fes are both examples of traditional cities in Morocco. The two cities have different features, such as Marrakech’s riads, the old city walls, and the souks while Fes is known for its medina, the University of Al-Qarawiyyin, and its tanneries. This research, therefore, aimed to understand the correlation between traditional city models and TOD models by investigating: (a) the concept and diverse types of TOD models; (b) the relationship between TOD and traditional city models, and (c) the presence of TOD elements in traditional cities. This research provided insights into the opportunities and challenges of combining TOD models with traditional city models, in order to achieve more sustainable urban development.