Mixed use

A mixed use development consists of a building or group of related buildings (e.g. a scheme) which are used for more than one purpose, such as a series of retail units at ground floor level, office units at first floor level and residential apartments on upper levels.

Function

Social

Mixed use settings particularly demonstrate the high relevance of societal security as a frame of reference for identification of vulnerability and enhancement of resilience. For example, social/community vulnerability in view of the growing number of threats from global terrorism, natural disas-ters or crime. Urban planning practice must therefore incorporate appropriate security measures for vulnerability identification and resilience enhancements of urban objects, including from the societal point of view. Vulnerability assessment of urban objects in particular in mixed-use settings should thus take place based on different sets of indica-tors, from physical to social, and across several levels of reference, from individual to cultural community.

It is important to consider that a society is not confined to the semiotics of architectural structure in perceiving and interpreting the vulnerability of its material environment as well as social and economic structure. Since design cannot alter human nature, it cannot be a direct answer to crime and insecurity. However, design can reduce insecurity and increase security by addressing the underlying causes, as well as the types of behaviour that lead to insecurity, such as crime. This behaviour has cultural roots that need to be understood and included in vulnerability assessment. Such an assessment can be done based on

• List of indicators for assessment of subjective protection requirements of critical infrastructure
• Types of impact of critical infrastucture failure on citizens and society and needs to protect it
• Societal aspects of failure of critical services

Aspects like those listed above show how important it is to involve citizens in related urban-object risk assessment. VITRUV identified a set of practical methods for such citizen participation.

Economic

Economic function

The primary function of mixed use zones is in the provision of the development of a mix of varied but compatible land uses such as residential housing, retail and services, offices and appropriate industrial activities. The main goal of mixed use zone is to develop a high quality urban environment in terms of jobs, income, real estate value and societal value. Mixed use development yields economic benefits in terms of the optimum use of infrastructure (less need for car use due to the small distances), increasing social interaction and thus a richer, more vibrant urban life. On the other hand it involves higher risks for developers since all elements of the mixed use zone need to be successful. Like any urban development, mixed use development creates economic effects for the local and regional economy. This occurs both in terms of spatial development (temporarily) and the economic activities that are taking place in these areas (permanent activities).

The most common types of security threats (in terms of human intent) are crime related (e.g., burglary, fraud, etc.). Crime generates costs in anticipation of crime (e.g. locks, surveillance, etc.), as a consequence of crime (loss of property) and in response to crime (police investigation, legal system, etc.). As a secondary impact, crime has (amongst others) an impact on the local real estate value.

Apart from the more traditional security measures such as policing, alarm systems, surveillance and regulatory bodies, the ‘designing out’ approach in the earliest stages in the planning process can be an effective measure to prevent security threats and reduce the economic damage. Apart from the more traditional security measures such as policing, alarm systems, surveillance and regulatory bodies, the ‘designing out’ or 'sustainable design' approach in the earliest stages in the planning process, can be in the long run an effective measure from an economic point of view to prevent security threats and to reduce the economic damage.

Mobility

From the mobility perspective, mixed use zones are efficient in the sense that travelling distances between different types of destinations (work, leisure, living) are short. A relatively large part of the trips are made by pedestrians and cyclists (also called vulnerable road users) and public transport.