Urban Planning Legislations Course

1. Urban Planning Legislation
MUPD 610
Dr. Yasser Mahgoub
ymahgoub@qu.edu.qa
Qatar University
College of Engineering
Department of Architecture and Urban Planning-DAUP

2. Urban Planning Legislations
• Urban Planning  Legislations
• What are they? And why do we need them?
• To control growth
• To distribute services and amenities
• To control urban environment

3. Urban Planning
urban planning
Noun
1. the branch of architecture dealing with the design and
organization of urban space and activities
2. determining and drawing up plans for the future physical
arrangement and condition of a community

4. Urban Planning
• Urban, City, and Town planning integrates land
use planning and transport planning to improve
the built, economic and social environments of
communities.

5. Urban Planning
• Regional planning
deals with a still larger
environment, at a less
detailed level.

6. Legislation
• Legislation (or "statutory law") is law which has
been promulgated (or "enacted") by
a legislature or other governing body, or the
process of making it.
• Laws, considered collectively

7. Objective of urban planning legislations
• The main objective of urban planning
legislations is to improve the Quality of Urban
Environment and the Quality of Urban Life.
• In order to assess the success of Urban
Planning Legislations objectives, research on
the QOUL should be systematically conducted.
• Benefits:
– Policy Makers
– Planning Authorities
– Change legislations

8. Legislation
• City planners imposed regulatory laws
establishing standards for:
– housing,
– sanitation,
– water supply,
– sewage, and
– public health conditions, and
– introduced parks and playgrounds into
congested city neighborhoods.

9. Legislation
• In the 20th century, zoning — the regulation of building
activity according to use and location — came to be a
key tool for city planners.

10. Architecture and Legislations
• Throughout history, architectural form has been defined
and, or affected, by legislation designed to control its
appearance.
• Laws, written and unwritten have been used to define
the physical form, material architectural features of
public spaces, and other such parts of the city.

11. Architecture and Legislations
• The inter relationship between architecture and law
needs to be ascertained – especially how the built
environment (including buildings, public spaces, and the
use of those spaces) has been controlled through
various forms of legislation.

12. Regional Planning
Urban Planning
City Planning
Urban Design
Architecture
Building/Landscape
Interior Design

13. Building Codes and
Regulations

14. Introduction
Building Codes & Regulations and:
 Public welfare
 Important for design
Compliance with them is essential
Violation of them cause:
- injury to building users
- legal liability
- revocation of license
- ………. Jail!!!

15. 1. Historic Development
The First Building Code: The Code of Hammurabi

16. 1. Historic Development
The First Building Code: The Code of
Hammurabi
• Law 228. If a builder build a house for
someone and complete it, he shall give
him a fee of two shekels in money for
each sar of surface.
• Law 229. If a builder build a house for
someone, and does not construct it
properly, and the house which he built
fall in and kill its owner, then that builder
shall be put to death.

17. 1. Historic Development
• Law 230. If it kill the son of the owner,
the son of that builder shall be put to
death.
• Law 231. If it kill a slave of the owner
then he shall pay slave for slave to the
owner of the house.
• Law 232. If it ruin goods, he shall make
compensation for all that has been
ruined, and is as much as he did not
construct properly this house which he
built and it fell, he shall re-erect the house
from his own means.

18. Building Code History - World
 1700 or 1800 B.C. Code of Hammurabi: "builders
responsible for a structural collapse resulting in loss of
lifewould loose their lives."
 Ancient Athens officials could condemn unsafe buildings
 27 AD Rome: Amphitheater collapse results in laws about
public buildings
 1189 London: The Assize (‫)محكمة‬ of Buildings enacted
Required firewalls 3’thick and 16’ tall
 1630 Boston: “no man shall build his chimney with wood
nor cover his roof with thatch.”

19. The Modern Building Code
 Complex document
 Protecting:
- building occupants,
- firefighters and emergency personnel,
- the building itself, and
- the community
 From:
- fire
- structural collapse
- health and safety hazards

20. The Purpose of Building Codes
Provide
minimum standards
To safeguard
life, limb, health, property and public welfare
By
regulating the design, construction, quality of
materials, use and occupancy, location and
maintenance of all buildings within this
jurisdiction.

21. 2. Model Codes
• Thousands of American Municipalities
• First half of 20th century
• Building Officials and Code Administrators International
(BOCA): BOCA National Building Code
• International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO): Uniform
Building Code
• Southern Building Code Congress International
(SBCCI): Standard Building Code

22. Participants in Building Code Development
Building Officials
Fire Service Officials
Trade Associations and
Manufacturers
Engineers, Architects. Builders, and
Consultants
Governmental Agencies
2. Model Codes

23. 3. Adoption
• How model codes become law?
Local government adopt a model code
Some states adopt a statewide code
• Localities options
• Adopt one of the model codes
• Develop their own codes
• Do not adopt a code at all

24. 3. Adoption
Even if there is no code,
architects are expected to use
reasonable care in protecting health
and welfare.

25. 4. Coverage
• Specific design and construction requirements,
based on the occupancy, building height, floor
area, availability of fire-fighting capacity, and other
factors
• Required fire resistance of structural elements,
floor, ceilings, and fire and party walls
• Restrictions on building height
• Requirements for compartmentation (fire areas)
• Fire protection systems
• Flame-spread ratings for finishes

26. 4. Coverage
• Egress requirements, such as stairs, corridors,
and doors
• Access and egress requirements for disabled
persons
• Light, ventilation, and other indoor environment
requirements
• Requirements for energy conservation
• Structural requirements for building components
• Materials performance and specifications
• Requirements for building services systems

27. 5. Approaches
Code provisions may be written in one of two
ways:
– Prescriptive requirements: methods and
materials that must be used in the building (ex.
Wall thickness) … Preferred by building
officials …Easier to administer and enforce.
– Performance requirements: Desired results
(ex. Wall that withstand a certain amount of
wind load) … Preferred by architects …
Flexible

28. 6. Standards
• Standards by reference
• Provide consistent approaches to products and
processes.
• Manufacturing and Performance guidelines
developed by committees of those involved with
materials.

29. 7. Enforcement
• Done by
• Central agency
• Building Department
• Activities
• Review drawings
• Issue building permits
• Periodically inspect the project for
conformance
• Maintain public records

30. Jurisdiction ‫القضائية‬ ‫السلطة‬
• Once the building is occupied, the fire marshal
assumes authority for continued safety.
• To compensate for confusion caused by
jurisdictional overlaps, the most conservative
advice is to design according to the most
restrictive requirements or to document any
permit deviations.

31. Multiple permits
A project may require several permits as it
proceeds.
 Building permit: to begin construction
 Other permits: to close in a structure or to begin
using plumbing or electricity
 Certificate of Occupancy: Before building
may be occupied

32. Variances and appeals
–Administrative (non judicial process) ---
community boards ‫البلدى‬ ‫اجمللس‬
–Seeking relief from requirements
through variances, exceptions, and
other mechanisms.
–Variance applies only to the situation at
hand; it does not create a precedent for
subsequent projects.

33. Judicial relief
– Through courts ‫المحاكم‬
– Once administrative appeals are exhausted,
judicial relief can be sought.
• Penalties
 Stop construction for noncompliance
 Civil liabilities
 Revocation of the license to practice architecture
 Fine
 Jail sentence !!!

34. 8. Other Building Regulations
 Fire prevention codes and ordinances
 Housing codes and ordinances
 Health codes and ordinances (e.g. for restaurants
and social clubs)
 Licensing requirements (e.g. for hospitals, nursing
homes, dry cleaners, and day care centers)

35. Codes in Design Practice
• The Architect's duty
– An architect failing to design in
compliance with the code or regulation
may be subject to an allegation of
negligence.

36. Codes in Design Practice
• Using building codes in practice
– The architect is challenged to fulfill the code's
requirements while considering the best
interests of the client's economic and
functional needs.

37. Codes in Design Practice
• An office practice suggestion:
 Codes are factors in every project
 Implementing code search process for each project
(checklist)
 Teaching staff about code intention, approach, and
procedures
 Encourage staff consultation with local building
officials to ascertain or clarify code issues
 Including instructions in specifications requiring
contractor compliance with applicable codes
 Developing code-related procedures
 Including a code data sheet as part of the documents

38. Codes in Design Practice
• Code search
– To identify applicable codes, regulations, and standards
for the project.
– Code provision should be perceived as "ingredients"
and not an "optional" layer of information for design.
– Normally they allow multiple solutions

39. Codes in Design Practice
• Schematic design
–Codes provide fundamental design
parameters (site placement, building size,
height, and interior layout) as well as
design and construction details.

40. Codes in Design Practice
• Construction documents
–It is essential that all code requirements
be checked and incorporated into the
project as the project progresses through
design development into construction
documents.

41. Discussion 2013
Missing Legislation in Doha
• Public Spaces Legislations: Disability, Safety, Materials, % of
green, dimensions of streets, % of shading areas, lighting, children,
WCs, cafeterias, way finding signage, bus stops, bicycles, ….
• Historical Buildings: renovation methods, materials, set backs of
new development, operation, use, …
• Parks: Play areas for children, safety, building areas, playgrounds,
walking, running, walkways, …
• Parking: Spaces, Structures,
• Infrastructure:
• Tall buildings: Green, stages, shops, cafe, social, cultural,
entertainment, children, …
• Housing:
• Codes:
• Schools:

42. Discussion 2014
The Status of Urban and Building Legislation in Doha
• ?

43. Discussion 2015
The Status of Urban and Building Legislation in Doha
• Creative solutions
• Different cars
• The Metro
• Multiuse and optimizing spaces
• Scale -
• Mixed use

44. End