Why is the CBD in the middle of a city?
|
Located between the Singapore River, Marina Bay and Chinatown, the Central Business District, commonly referred to as “the city” or CBD, is the centre of all commercial and financial activities. Some of the most prestigious companies, both local and international, have their offices in this densely built area. Show Here you find the impressive skyscrapers that are part of Singapore’s beautiful skyline and the backdrop for dazzling attractions of the Marina Bay. The scenery gets especially dramatic during the evening hours when the sun sets directly behind the CBD. The best photos are taken during this time from either the Esplanade or The Shoppes, allowing you to capture the entire panoramic view. The three highest buildings are the UOB Plaza One with 67 floors, the Republic Plaza with 66 floors and the One Raffles Place with 63 floors, all of them as high as 280 meters. Obviously, offices occupy most of the space of these prominent towers yet some top floors are set aside for fine-dining restaurants and patrons enjoy not only delicious food but also amazing views. On clear days you can see as far as to the nearby Indonesian islands Bintan and Batam. For those visiting this area, we recommend to start at the Fullerton Hotel and walk towards Raffles Place, the heart of the Central Business District with the impeccable white, colonial inspired MRT building on both sides. Soak in the impressive atmosphere while enjoying the hustle and bustle of this very busy place. From here, Church Street, Robinson Road, Raffles Quay, Collyer Quay and Marina Boulevard form a grid of streets lined with one office tower after the other. The CBD is also well known for fantastic street food with many Hawker Centres to satisfy the cravings of the business crowd. One of the most popular is Lau Pa Sat, a beautiful colonial style building right at the centre of Shenton Way, Raffles Quay and Cross Street. Currently under renovations until November 2013, it’s the place to go to for delicious Satay, especially in the evening hours when the small side street closes to make space for traditional street pushcarts. There are a few colonial buildings and temples around this area, creating a wonderful contrast between the traditional and modern Singapore. Built in 1850, Yueh Hai Ching Temple in Philip Street is the oldest Taoist temple in Singapore. Renovated in 2011, it is the only temple with three-dimensional roof ornaments. Once you put your foot onto the other side of Cross Street, China Town greets you with richly coloured and charming shophouses and you feel like you just stepped into an entirely different world. A Central Business District (CBD) is a city’s focal point or business and commercial center. The area is characterized by a concentration of commercial land use with a high number of commercial offices, retail shops, and services such as finance and banking. The CBD is also the cultural and transportation center of the city. The city’s history is almost always reflected by the type and shape of its central business district. Some megacities, especially in Asia, have more than one CBD scattered across the city. However, each CBD is unique in terms of their spatial shape. Terms such as the financial district, downtown, and city center are sometimes used to refer to the CBD. Defining the CBDThe CBD is more about perception as it has no particular boundary. There have been attempts to delineate boundaries of the CBD in vein. Most people can instinctively or visually see where the area starts and ends. In Australia, CBD refers to an area in state capital cities with a high concentration of skyscrapers. In Canada, CBDs are referred to as downtowns highlighted by skyscrapers. Downtown Toronto is considered Canada’s largest CBD. In France, the phrase “quartier d’affaires” is used to describe a CBD while in Germany the terms “Stadtzentrum” and “Innenstadt” are used to describe the same. History of the CBDIn ancient cities, the CBDs developed from market squares. During market days, consumers, merchants, and farmers would meet at the center of the city to conduct their businesses and buy goods. Slowly, the market place would grow and become proper urban centers. As the city grew and developed, an area would be designated as the CBD where commercial and retail took place. In most cases, the CBD would be restricted to the oldest part of the city or near major transportation routes such as railroad or highway. With time, the CBD evolved into a financial center and also a center for government and other important offices. In the early 20th century, cities in America and Europe had CBDs that were primarily retail and commercial centers. However, by the mid-20th century, the CBDs had expanded to include office spaces and commercial businesses. Skyscrapers replaced the old buildings. CBDs TodayBy the end of the 20th century, the urban area considered as the CBD had become generally diverse and a metropolitan area. CBDs have the highest concentration of land use with different specialist areas. The region is not only a retail and commercial center but also residential, entertainment, medical, government, cultural, and financial center. Today, experts such as lawyers, doctors, financiers, directors, bureaucrats, and government officials have their workplaces or offices in the city center or CBD. The combination of the residential area and shopping malls have given CBDs new life. One can now shop, be entertained, eat, and sleep within the CBD. Some of the CBDs across the world operate 24 hours, with nightlife commonly characterized by entertainment. However, they are still far more populated during the day. The largest CBDs are located in big cities of a country, mostly the capital and largest cities.
Why is the CBD located in the Centre of the city?Reasons for CBD location
Central location for road/railways to converge. Most accessible location for workers. Often a strong geographical location, eg Glasgow is surrounded by hills for defence.
Where is the proper location of a city's CBD?The area commonly called the "CBD" is located within the Downtown Core, one of the constituent planning areas of the Central Area, the country's city centre.
Why is there a Central Business District?A branding identity around the local CBD is a common economic development tool—an effort to attract businesses and residents to the area and also provide a steady economic base for the rest of the city and region.
Is the CBD the oldest part of the city?The CBD is typically at or near the oldest part of the city and is often near a major transportation route that provided the site for the city's location, such as a river, railroad, or highway. Over time, the CBD developed into a center of finance and control for government as well as for office space.
|
