Planning of a residential area
libre 8
All types of planning of residential areas, residential complexes, or urban village areas are formed on the principle of a stepwise service system. 
This also includes the green space around a group of residential buildings, or the garden of a residential group, with the inclusion of various types of structures and grounds.
The second level of public services includes institutions and enterprises of daily and periodic necessity, such as shops, canteens, household workshops, clinics, pharmacies, cultural and consumer services, green spaces of neighborhood significance - a neighborhood garden intended for recreation of the entire population, including sports.
The third level of service includes enterprises and institutions, structures and devices of both periodic and occasional use, such as large stores (department stores, grocery stores), cafes, clubs, restaurants, hotels, cinemas and theater, district clinics and hospitals, museums, sports complexes, a garden or a park of a residential area.
A residential district is the largest structural unit of the urban area of small and medium-sized cities. For the structure of large cities, such a unit is a settlement (planning) district, which is formed by several residential districts.
The development of a residential area is formed on the principle of pedestrian accessibility to institutions and enterprises of cultural and consumer services, the radius of which is within 1000-1500 meters from the dwelling. The population usually amounts to 25-60 thousand people and is more dependent on the number of storeys.
The choice of the most rational population size for a residential area depends on the size of the city, the number of storeys of buildings, natural conditions and landscape features of the area. The boundaries of residential areas are main streets of city and district significance, as well as large green areas such as gardens and parks.
Depending on the general planning features of the city's rural area, residential districts are formed in the form of
- Groups of adjacent districts separated by highways and streets or green belts;
- groups separated from each other by natural reservoirs, forests, groves, as well as highways and highways;
- areas separated from each other by natural barriers (hills, mountains, etc.).
Residential areas are usually subdivided into microdistricts, which are the main structural units of the city's urban area.
A microdistrict is an organization of a residential complex that meets the most basic needs of the population (education of the younger generation, cultural recreation, economic activity, cultural and household services for residents.
It consists of groups of residential buildings, kindergartens, schools, dairies, bakeries, pharmacies, household and playgrounds near residential buildings, etc. Neighborhoods are organized according to the principle of pedestrian accessibility within a radius of no more than 500 meters. The service radius is determined by the population size.
For five-storey buildings, it is 6-12 thousand people, for mixed buildings - 18-20 thousand people (with a living space of 9m2 per person). Microdistricts are formed into one residential area, which forms its own system of enterprises and public service institutions (2nd level).
The number of microdistricts included in a residential area depends on local conditions and general urban planning objectives. A residential district in a small or medium-sized city, the territory of which is not crossed by a main street, may not be subdivided into microdistricts.
The boundaries that separate residential areas and neighborhoods from city streets are called red lines. Along the street, buildings are placed along the boundary distant from the red line (at least 6 m) and are called the building line.
Tasks of landscape organization of residential areas and neighborhoods
The issues of rational organization of residential areas are addressed at all stages of design, construction and operation. The pre-design period includes an analysis of the urban planning situation and local natural and landscape features.
Social and demographic factors have a great influence on the formation of the greening system for residential areas and neighborhoods: an increase in the number of retirement-age residents, increased activity in educating the younger generation, development of contacts between people of different age groups (children, youth, adults, pensioners), consideration of the needs of the population both in solitude and in association for the exchange of information, lack of time and minimization of accessibility radii to recreation areas. 
- ensuring biological sustainability and aesthetic value of existing and projected plantings, soil cover in conditions of high anthropogenic loads;
- creation of normal conditions for aeration of the space, ensuring reduction of noise levels, gas pollution, dustiness, and compliance with the optimal insolation regime of the territory;
- selection of a sustainable range of vegetation, creation of a rational structure of plantings, elimination of adverse effects on the human body.
The efficiency of the landscape organization of residential areas is of great importance. When developing design solutions at all stages of design, the following provisions should be taken into account
- maximizing the preservation of existing landscape elements, such as plantings, water bodies, landforms, and soil cover;
- development of a landscaping system and its planning elements taking into account multi-purpose use;
- use of techniques that ensure comprehensive mechanization of project implementation;
- widespread use of typical elements of landscaping and gardening.
The landscape organization of residential complexes is solved inseparably from the development. In fact, it is a single process that takes into account a variety of architectural, planning, urban planning, engineering, agrotechnical, and environmental factors.
Developing a project for the landscape organization of neighborhoods, groups of residential buildings, and individual buildings is one of the main tasks of urban development. Such a project should take into account the natural features of the area - the surrounding landscape, relief, water bodies, and vegetation - as much as possible.
At the stage of design and research work, landscape design engineers should carefully analyze the territories and areas of residential development to be landscaped.
Of great importance is the collection of data on the residential area, the system of streets and highways, parking lots, crosswalks and pedestrian routes, the population, its social composition, and age structure. At the stage of the detailed planning project, the issues of the residential area's greening system are resolved, i.e. the principal placement of plantings of all categories depending on the specifics and nature of residential development, the system of squares, streets, highways, public and shopping centers.
At the same stage, a general design solution for nature protection should be implemented: maximum preservation of the relief, plantings, and water bodies; organic incorporation of natural elements into the overall architectural and planning solution.
This approach is possible only with a thorough study of the natural conditions of the area and with the direct participation of specialists. The system of landscaping of residential areas consists of various landscaping objects with different functions. Its structure includes all the main categories of plantings in the city, with the exception of plantings of citywide importance. All green areas are divided into three categories:
- I - general use - parks, gardens of residential areas, squares, boulevards, green areas near public and administrative buildings, neighborhood gardens or gardens at groups of residential buildings, courtyards or green areas at residential buildings;
- II - of limited use - green areas of schools, kindergartens, clubs, cinemas, clinics, libraries, etc., adjoining strips, front gardens;
- III - protective plantings along highways within neighborhoods from unfavorable winds, ground-anchoring plantings on slopes.
Gardens, boulevards, and squares play a key role in creating a favorable environment for recreation.
It is recommended to place gardens in residential areas close to public and shopping centers; boulevards and pedestrian alleys are designed in the direction of mass pedestrian traffic so that they connect the arrays of gardens, provide convenient access to them and to places of work, public transport stops, and commercial public buildings.
Public gardens for short-term recreation are usually provided on the routes of mass traffic.
