Continuing the analysis process of the CDS regions, and to complete the Colonia Nova process, we are going now to expand the first proposal for region improvements that was presented earlier this year.
So far, and as that only requires the efforts of the Guild artisans and the approval of the Chancellor, we have been replacing dated content in accordance to the plan that marked the non-performing parcels. The results have been a success, please check them on this thread.
These replacements are not finished, and we hope to carry them on to completion. But we are also reaching a stage when a deeper intervention is needed, including the creation of new parcels. This implies modifying the existing CN plan, which we are now proposing for discussion and approval.
We refer back to the previous steps of CN analysis presented on this thread. But we will now present another piece of ongoing analysis over the last 6 months of parcel sales.
This table shows the sales of parcels from 30 Nov 2022 onwards to the date of today, except for prim parcels. These only exist in 2 sims, and they can only be bought by citizens who already own a parcel on those sims. This table attempts to quantify what is being sold in terms of area, prims and price – for the whole of the CDS and for each region. Additionally, it provides some curious insights (namely that Friedsee and Alpine Meadow sell better when snow is in, and Colonia Nova and Locus Amoenus sell better when spring arrives). But its main purpose is more objective: how much people are buying.
If you pull down, you’ll see that the data is analysed in terms of average and median. We have discussed why the interest of the median analysis before. We can read that for the CDS as a whole, the median parcel sold is 384m2.
Now, as 1m2 will correspond to different prim equivalence on the different regions, on the top right we can see the breaking of sales per region. And we can read that for CN (marked with gold background) the median parcel sold is 320m2 – about 20% less than the CDS median.
We also plot the average and median available parcel existing in each region (the median CN parcel is 304m2), and we calculate the deviations of what people are effectively buying to what is effectively available. Actually, CN shows a pretty good match! (A perfect match being 100%).
Now for a bit of inference: we suggest that if the available parcels have areas similar to the area that people are effectively buying, parcels may be easier to sell. We are speculating that there is a budgetary component on the decision to buy a parcel, of course, and we also admit a caveat that these values hold for the present moment, and that other factors such as location, views, quality of build, etc., also influence that decision. But considering the really astonishing diversity of surroundings and buildings in the CDS, there is a lot of choice between parcels with similar budgetary components. To strengthen our argument, please note that Alpine Meadow, the worst performing of our regions in the period, also has the largest deviation, both average and median considered.
All this being considered, we can look at the previously presented analysis of CN and see that we have non-performing parcels that are larger than the median parcel area currently being sold there. Therefore, we propose that those that are currently unoccupied be broken to approximate the median CN parcel, namely:
C.12 (812m2) and C.13 (864m2), both in the city centre
L.01 (2640m2, one of the largest parcels in the whole of CDS)
The plan below shows a proposal to break those three into six new parcels, and also to make three new parcels + 4 small prim parcels of the existing prim parcels, as discussed before.
To go with this plan, we have made mock-ups in a skybox over the parcels – we invite all of you to go and have a look!
A note on the mock-ups: These mainly mandate mass and void, so as to determine scale, skyline and the relation between the private builds and the public space. They also feature a study of openings and views, which was necessary as some parcels are enclosed by the city walls, and parcels in the city centre are a bit more involved – we wanted to make sure that the inside space had sufficient openings and that these wouldn’t be rendered blind by the city walls or by the next parcel’s build. But these openings will for sure change as final façades are composed.
City Centre
We propose to transform C.12 ad C.13 into 4 new anchored-in parcels (areas between 320-400m2) that will fit in better with the slope of the Colonia Nova hill, making for better views for the parcels on the NE CN corner and from the Decumano street. Those 4 new parcels will embrace a small plaza and a winding public staircase that will connect the Decumano street to the level below, hoping to make that level a bit more lived on. All of the new parcels will have a green space, either a garden/patio or a terrace. This, and the fact that the houses step down along the slope, will allow for a better view of the NFS mountain on the South. The open green spaces will also break a somewhat enclosed feel that exists in the city in the moment, and the broken lines of the greenery will soften a certain hardness of the stone buildings. Fountains and trees can be set in the public space as well, and we propose to look also at the vegetable beds in the alley below. In short, here we are proposing an urban fabric which is more like a real Mediterranean old city quarter.
L.01 parcel (Garden of Peace)
The size of this parcel allows us to break it into 2 new parcels, both having an area of 784 m2. Here we are hoping that the desirable character of the riverbank can influence the buying of a larger parcel (and the fact that the L parcels are bigger, causing a less dense environs which we are respecting). Adding to these 2 new parcels, we propose to reformulate the Garden of Peace, to keep it as a part of the CDS cultural landscape and integrate it in the riverbank and simultaneously keep a beautiful prospect from the Rhenus Docks and the Praetorium Propylaeum.
Our mock-up there is still being developed somewhat, but the idea is that the anchored-in houses will implant at the Via Luna level, higher up, and keep just a minimal slope, as we believe that parcels with a high incline can be more challenging for their prospective buyers. These houses and their gardens will then look over the Garden of Peace at the Rhenus level, and they will be built over a crypto-portico structure. This will change the character of the Garden of Peace, making water much more present. It will also create more depth to the space, which will be important to the experience of someone standing on the Rhenus Docks. We also propose to connect the Garden better with the riverbank path coming from LA and extend it under the bridge arches to allow for a full walk along the south bank. We also propose a full staircase coming from Via Luna to allow direct access to the river and Garden, and which also works as a buffer to the bridge.
Stella Marina Ovest (West)
Three new parcels will be created (areas 320-400m2), with a buffer of 4 small prim parcels to the bridge. We also propose that the planned intervention on Stella Marina parcels FV.06, FV.08 and FV.18 be delayed so that the area can be treated as whole. We preview a riverbank buffer to the parcels, which can either be left as natural terrain, extend the quay or both (it’s possible that this decision will occur in place). We also propose to reformulate the City Wall walk to better accommodate this westwards extension. So far, there is no mock-up for this area – but the intention is that Stella Marina Ovest continues the early industrial, fishing village, boho-chic language of the existing Stella Marina. The builds will be anchored in.
