Underneath the Streets of Toronto Lies a 30 Km Network

8/14/2019 Underneath the Streets of Toronto Lies a 30 Km Network

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PATH base map

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Underneath the streets o Toronto lies a 30 km network ounderground passages and nodes that connects the citycore rom one end to the other. This transport based inra-structure serves over 100,000 users every day, providingthem access to subway lines, 6 subway stations, a na-tional bus terminal, regional transit terminal, 50 buildingsand of ces, 0 parking garages, department stores, 6 ho-tels, and some o Torontos major tourist sites. According tothe Guiness Book o World Records, this climate controlledtunnel is the largest underground shopping network in

the world.

One o the key characteristics o the PATH is its composi-tion o non discrete illegible spaces that have resulted inpockets o uncoordinated space which are conusing anddisorienting.

Sources:

Belanger, Pierre. Underground Landscape: The Urbanism and Infrastructureof Torontos Downtown Pedestrian Network. Science Direct: Tunnelling andUnderground Space Technology (007): 7-9.

City o Toronto. < http://www.toronto.ca/path/>


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PATH base map_public spaces

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The majority o the underground tunnel is considered pri-vate property belonging to the property through which itruns. This portion adheres to strict rules that allow a highlevel o control.

However, the linkages that exist between corporate spaces

are in act public. There are 30 such linkages. They exist asisolated moments within the larger network. The occur-rence o these spaces coincides with the passage o thetunnel underneath the streets o Toronto as apposed tounderneath buildings. All together these spaces constitute3770 cubic meters o nondescript land that is available tobe recongured to provide a higher level o legibility andconnectivity within the underground PATH network.

Sources:

Belanger, Pierre. Underground Landscape: The Urbanism and Infrastructure

of Torontos Downtown Pedestrian Network. Science Direct: Tunnelling andUnderground Space Technology 22 (2007): 272-29 2.

City of Toronto. < http://www.toronto.ca/path/>

Public Sphere.


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Total area_3770 m2

Bay Street underpass_01

Dundas Street W underpas_01

Yonge Street underpass_01

James Street & Albert Street underpass_01

Queen Street W underpass_01

Queen Street W underpass_0

Yonge Street underpass_0


Richmond Street W underpass_01

Richmond Street W underpass_0

Temperance Street underpass_01

York Street underpass_01

Adelaide Street W underpass_01

King Street W & Simcoe Street_01

King Street W underpass_01

Bay Street underpass_03Yonge Street underpass_03







Wellington Street W underpass_01



Piper Street underpass_01


Front Street W underpass_01



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One method o reclaiming these independent moments opublic space is to think o them not as individual spacesbut as a system o connected nodes or cells that unctionbased loosely on principles o cellular automata.

Cellular Automata is an interactive system in which each

cell is continuously aware o the conditions o its neighbor-ing cells and responds according to a set number o rules.The result is a dynamic system that is continuously learn-ing about its surroundings and readjusting its response ac-cordingly.

The public spaces within the path can also be thought oas individual cells in a larger interactive system. Each cellcan be designed to be aware o the physical conditions oits neighboring cells and have a response that is directly

dependant on the inormation it receives. Furthermore,each cell can have the ability to constantly update its ownconditions based on the changing inputs it receives.


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PATH base map_public spacesOption 1_superimposed grid

Option _cells recongured to grid

x

y

0,0 1,0 ,0 3,0 4,0 5,0 6,0 7,0 8,0 9,0 10,0 1 1, 0 1 , 0 1 3, 0 14,0 15,0

0,1 1,1 ,1 3,1 4,1 5,1 6,1 7,1 8,1 9,1 10,1 1 1, 1 1 , 1 13,1 14,1 15,1

0, 1, , 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 1 1, 1 , 1 3, 14, 15,

0,3 1,3 ,3 3,3 4,3 5,3 6,3 7,3 8,3 9,3 10,3 1 1, 3 1 , 3 1 3, 3 14,3 15,3

0,4 1,4 ,4 3,4 4,4 5,4 6,4 7,4 8,4 9,4 10,4 1 1, 4 1 , 4 1 3, 4 14,4 15,4

0,5 1,5 ,5 3,5 4,5 5,5 6,5 7,5 8,5 9,5 10,5 1 1, 5 1 , 5 1 3, 5 14,5 15,5

0,6 1,6 ,6 3,6 4,6 5,6 6,6 7,6 8,6 9,6 10,6 1 1, 6 1 , 6 1 3, 6 14,6 15,6

0,7 1,7 ,7 3,7 4,7 5,7 6,7 7,7 8,7 9,7 10,7 11,7 12,7 13,7 14,7 15,7

0,8 1,8 ,8 3,8 4,8 5,8 6,8 7,8 8,8 9,8 10,8 1 1, 8 1 , 8 1 3, 8 14,8 15,8

0,9 1,9 ,9 3,9 4,9 5,9 6,9 7,9 8,9 9,9 10,9 1 1, 9 1 , 9 1 3, 9 14,9 15,9

0,10 1,10 ,1 0 3 ,1 0 4 ,1 0 5 ,1 0 6 ,1 0 7,10 8,10 9,10 10,10 11,10 1,1013,10 14,10 15,10

0,11 1,11 ,1 1 3 ,1 1 4 ,1 1 5 ,1 1 6 ,1 1 7,11 8,11 9,11 10,11 11,111,11 13,11 14,11 15,11

0,1 1,1 ,1 3 ,1 4 ,1 5 ,1 6 ,1 7,1 8,1 9,1 10,1 11,11,1 13,12 14,1 15,1

0,13 1,13 ,1 3 3 ,1 3 4,13 5,13 6,13 7,13 8,13 9,13 10,13 11,131,13 13,13 14,13 15,13

0,14 1,14 ,1 4 3 ,1 4 4,14 5,14 6,14 7,14 8,14 9,14 10,14 11,141,14 13,14 14,14 15,14

0,15 1,15 ,1 5 3 ,1 5 4 ,1 5 5 ,1 5 6 ,1 5 7 ,1 5 8,15 9,15 10,15 11,15 1,1513,15 14,15 15,15

0,16 1,16 ,1 6 3 ,1 6 4,16 5,16 6,16 7,16 8,16 9,16 10,16 11,161,16 13,16 14,16 15,16

0,17 1,17 ,1 7 3 ,1 7 4,17 5,17 6,17 7,17 8,17 9,17 10,17 11,17 1,1713,17 14,17 15,17

0,18 1,18 ,1 8 3 ,1 8 4,18 5,18 6,18 7,18 8,18 9,18 10,18 11,18 1,1813,18 14,18 15,18

0,19 1,19 ,1 9 3 ,1 9 4 ,1 9 5 ,1 9 6,19 7,19 8,19 9,19 10,19 11,191,19 13,1914,19 15,19

0,0 1,0 , 0 3 , 0 4,0 5,0 6,0 7,0 8,0 9,20 10,0 11,01,0 13,0 14,0 15,0

0,1 1,1 , 1 3 , 1 4 , 1 5 , 1 6 , 1 7,1 8,1 9,1 10,1 11,11,1 13,1 14,1 15,1

0, 1, , 3 , 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,22 9,22 10, 11,22 1,13, 14, 15,

0,3 1,3 , 3 3 , 3 4 , 3 5 , 3 6,23 7,3 8,3 9,3 10,3 11,31,3 13,3 14,3 15,3

11,22 1,3active cell active cellinactive cell inactive cell

In order to simulate Cellular Automata, two options exist. The rst is to superimpose a grid on top o the public spaces and orceeach space to conorm into a square or rectangular shape according to the structure o the grid. This method creates a 16 x 4 gridwith 384 cells. However, only 36 o the cells can be considered active since the remainder o the cells do not contain a public space.This must be accounted or when constituting the rules o cellular automata, otherwise, some cells may remain inactive in uture

generations and the system may reach a standstill.


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0,0 1,0 ,0 3,0 4,0

0,1 1,1 ,1 3,1 4,10, 1, , 3, 4,

0,3 1,3 ,3 3,3 4,3

0,4 1,4 ,4 3,4 4,4

0,5 1,5 ,5 3,5 4,5

x

y

0,0 1,0 ,0 ,0 4,0

,1 1,1 ,1 3,1 ,10, 1, , , 4,

0,3 1,3 ,3 3,3 4,3

,4 1,4 ,4 ,4 4,4

0,5 1,5 ,5 ,5 4,5

The second option is to rearrange the public spaces into a cell. This method insures that each cell can have an active state and there-ore the probability o a stand still is signicantly lowered. In this scenario, the cells are arranged into a 5 x 6 grid with 30 individualcells.

This method o obtaining a grid o cells will be used or the remainder o this project due to its advantage over the rst.


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Option 1_Radial neighbours

Option _directional neighbours

n = 1

n = 2

n = 3

n = 4

n = 5

n = 1 neighbours at distance o 1 unitn = 2 neighbours at distance o unitn = 3 neighbours at distance o 3 unitn = 4 neighbours at distance o 4 unitn = 5 neighbours at distance o 5 unit

The rst possible way to dene a cells range o awareness or its neighbours is in a radial ashion. Here, a cells neighbour is denedby its distance rom the cell itsel. For example, cells that immediately surround the sensing cell are its rst group o neighbours,n=1, etc. In this scenario, the minimum number o neighbour groups is 3 and the maximum number is 5. While this method is mostoten used, it provides little inormation about the location o the sensing cell in relation to the whole since each cell understandsits surrounding neighbours regardless o its location.


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Option _directional neighbours

CORE

n = 1

n = 2

n = 3

n = 4 = 3

= 2

= 1

CELL CORE

range o awareness

ange o unawareness range o unawareness

The second way to dene a cells range o awareness is in a directional ashion. The rst step here is to dene a core. For this project,the cells lying along King Street W have been chosen as the core o the system due to their relative location in the centre and due tothe act that they are the areas o the PATH most densely used, especially during rush hour. Once the core is dened, a sensing cellsneighbours are grouped according to their distance rom the sensing cell up to and including the core. In this scenario, the mini-mum number o neighbour groups is 3 and the maximum number is 4. This method allows each cell to have a higher understandingo its distance to the centre and thereore a spatial relation is dened or the cells as a larger system.

This method o dening neighbours will be used or this project due to its advantage in setting up a spatial relation.


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Option _directional neighbours Option _motion & density

Option 1_motion & Speed

Sensing Cell (4,3)

Laser sensors will detect

motion and speed.

The lasers will emit thinrays o red beam and

record instances when

the rays are interrupted

to determine presence

o a passerby.

Computer A

The inormation will be stored in

computer A.

Computer B

The inormation will be virtually sent

to computer B.

Actuating Cell (4,5)

A pixilated panel made up o LEDs will obtain the inormation and translate it

into various colours that move across the panel according to the movement

sensed rom the sensing cell. Each neighbour group will be actuated in a

diferent colour in order to provide an understanding o the activity as a

unction o distance rom core.

Source:


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Option _directional neighbours Option _motion & density

Option 1_motion & Speed

Sensing Cell (4,3)

Pressure sensors embedded

as a grid in the ground will

detect presence o peoplewhen they are activated.

As an alternative photo

sensors can be used.

Computer A

The inormation will be stored in

computer A.

Computer B

The inormation will be virtually sent

to computer B.


A pixilated oor made up o LEDs will obtain the inormation and translate it

into various colours depending on what neighbour group the inormation

came rom.

Source:


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PATH base map_public spaces Option _cells recongured to grid Option _directional neighbours Option _motion & density

n = 1

n = 2

n = 3

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Sensing Cell (1,1)


n = 1

n = 2

n = 3

Sensing Cell (0,1), (2,1), (3,1), (4,1)


Sensing Cell (0,2),(1,2), (2,2), (3,2), (4,2) Sensing Cell (0,3),(1,3), (2,3), (3,3), (4,3)

Actuating Cell (1,1) Actuating Cell (1,1)


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Underneath the Streets of Toronto Lies a 30 Km Network