Get your personalised IELTS Essay Feedback from a former examiner
Download IELTS eBooks, get everything you need to achieve a high band score
Model Essay 1
Urban landscapes, architected centuries ago, now grapple with the unprecedented demands of contemporary society. These bygone designs, while architecturally venerable, falter under today's urban pressures, sparking significant issues such as congestion, inefficiency, and scarcity of living spaces. This essay elucidates these challenges and delineates smart redesign, specifically, expanding green spaces, modernizing public transit, and harmonizing historical integrity with contemporary needs.
Historical cities, characterized by their narrow, winding streets, were designed in an era long before the advent of automobiles. Today, these age-old infrastructures are overwhelmed by the demands of modern traffic, leading to persistent congestion issues. Take, for example, the ancient heart of Rome, initially laid out for the slow pace of foot traffic and horse-drawn carriages, which now finds itself ill-equipped to manage the constant influx of cars, significantly impeding the ease of mobility. Moreover, the constrained spaces within these historical urban environments intensify the housing dilemma, as these areas were never intended to accommodate the populations they now hold. Paris stands as a prime example; despite its celebrated beauty, it is grappling with a severe lack of affordable housing. The city's high population density drives real estate prices to levels beyond the reach of many.
Addressing these complex challenges requires a diversified strategy. Integrating modern urban design principles within historical contexts, for example, through the pedestrianization of city centers, can significantly reduce traffic congestion while preserving the architectural legacy. The transformation of Vienna’s Ringstraße into a vibrant, vehicle-free area stands as a testament to this approach, significantly improving urban mobility and the quality of life. Furthermore, embracing vertical living solutions, similar to the compact residential models found in Tokyo, offers a viable way to alleviate the housing shortage without infringing upon historical landmarks. By merging these innovative solutions with the existing urban fabric, we can create harmonious cityscapes that respect their historical heritage while thriving in the contemporary world, enhancing both functionality and livability.
In conclusion, while historical urban designs present substantial challenges in the present day, strategic, respectful interventions can ensure these cities remain vibrant and livable. By marrying the old with the new, we can safeguard our architectural heritage while catering to the dynamic needs of modern urban populations.
Download IELTS eBooks, get everything you need to achieve a high band score
Model Essay 2
Undoubtedly, the urban design of many cities and towns in previous centuries considerably distinguishes from modern time. While the previously existing style of cities was suitable for those people who lived a few centuries ago, it is no longer effective today. This essay will explore the critical challenges faced by modern urban areas, including congestion, inadequate infrastructure, and housing shortages, and propose comprehensive solutions such as the development of vertical housing units, expansion of public transportation networks, and adaptive reuse of historical buildings.
Initially, it is worth mentioning that every century has its own requirements to build houses, roads, squares etc. As the technology advanced, many of them have been outdated and lost their popularity except the ones with historical significance. For example, a few decades ago, there were no modern type of cars and overcrowded roads with traffic; instead there were only horses and few carts harnessed them. Therefore, the roads were narrow and were supposed to be only one direction. Moreover, the population of even big cities were not exceeding a million, and therefore everyone has enough place to live without building skyscrapers. However, today cosmopolitan cities are experiencing the lack of accommodation, and people even share their flat with other people.
As for the solution of these problems, it is inevitable to replace old houses in the city centre with moderately high multi-store buildings with an underground garage for parking. To explain this further, the building founded on few acres of area will host many people to inhabit in the same place. Secondly, a new design of the city should be approved by the city council and new individual buildings (houses) should only be permitted to build in those areas which were allocated for this purpose by the municipality. In general, people should be banned to construct individual houses in the city area which will capture the land and will allow only one or maximum two families to reside there.
To conclude, the old design of cities and towns was only sufficient for people who lived earlier than our century, but it is not suitable to have adapted them to modern era. Therefore, the old design of cities needs to be renovated and restyled.
Download IELTS eBooks, get everything you need to achieve a high band score
Model Essay 3
Many ancient towns and cities, while charming, were built under vastly different societal and technological conditions, rendering them less compatible with contemporary living demands. This essay explores the resultant challenges and proposes actionable solutions. Key issues include inadequate infrastructure and sustainability; interventions may involve modern urban planning and technological integration.
Firstly, the primary concern is the outdated infrastructure, which often struggles under the pressure of today's urban demands. Narrow streets designed for a less populous era now cause congestion and accessibility issues, adversely affecting both transportation and emergency services. Buildings, lacking modern materials and techniques, frequently fail to meet current safety or efficiency standards. An illustrative example is the frequent flooding in Venice, where ancient water systems are overwhelmed by both rising sea levels and increased tourist flows. Addressing these issues requires a dual approach: retrofitting existing structures with contemporary materials and methods while preserving their historical value, and redesigning urban layouts to enhance functionality without detracting from the city's historical character.
Furthermore, sustainability poses a significant challenge. Many older urban areas lack the green spaces and energy-efficient designs that modern environmental standards demand. For instance, the dense, compact urban form of medieval European cities often results in significant heat retention, exacerbating urban heat islands. To mitigate these effects, cities like Paris have adopted "greening" initiatives that introduce rooftop gardens and vertical forests. These not only improve air quality but also enhance the aesthetic appeal of the cityscape, thus maintaining tourist interest and local quality of life.
In conclusion, while historical towns and cities offer significant cultural and aesthetic value, their adaptation to modern needs is crucial. By integrating advanced materials and sustainable practices into urban redevelopment, these areas can remain vibrant and liveable without sacrificing their unique heritage.
Model Essay 4
As cities age, many historic urban designs struggle to accommodate the demands of modern life, leading to significant challenges such as traffic congestion, pollution, and inadequate modern utilities. This essay will explore solutions to these issues, including strategic urban planning that integrates modern infrastructure with historical aesthetics, and the adaptive reuse of existing buildings to meet contemporary needs while preserving cultural heritage.
Historically designed urban spaces often grapple with inadequate infrastructure, which severely hampers their functionality in the contemporary world. For instance, cities crafted in the medieval or pre-industrial era typically feature narrow, winding streets that were suitable for horse-drawn carriages but are now overwhelmed by automobile traffic. This spatial constraint not only exacerbates traffic congestion but also elevates pollution levels, thereby degrading urban air quality and diminishing residents' health. Furthermore, these old cities are usually not equipped to accommodate modern utilities and communication systems seamlessly, hindering technological upgrades essential for current economic and social activities.
Addressing these challenges requires a blend of preservation and innovation. Strategic urban planning is paramount, where city planners must employ a forward-thinking approach to integrate modern infrastructure while respecting historical aesthetics. For example, instead of attempting to retrofit extensive subway systems into cities where such construction would be impractical, investments could focus on enhancing above-ground, electric public transportation options. This approach not only preserves the architectural integrity but also provides a sustainable solution to traffic woes. Additionally, adaptive reuse of existing buildings can be encouraged to combat the issue of space. Converting underutilized historical buildings into mixed-use developments can alleviate the pressure on new construction and provide essential services and housing, thereby maintaining the cultural heritage of the city while adapting its function to contemporary needs.
In conclusion, while towns and cities built in previous centuries present considerable challenges in terms of adaptability to modern requirements, thoughtful urban planning and innovative use of technology can bridge the gap between the old and the new. Such interventions allow these places to thrive, preserving their historical value while enhancing their suitability for today's urban dwellers.
Model Essay 5
As the human race progresses through different ages, the technologies and cultures of human societies change over time. Thus, the need to adapt our way of life to the modern standards has become an increasingly important factor. Living in an area that is not compatible with a modern society can be quite an inconvenience to some. This essay will explore the problems of it and the possible solutions to address such problems.
Many towns and cities that were built in olden days simply lack enough space to accommodate the booming population of modern days. Additionally, the geographical locations of these areas may prove to be challenging for the need to construct technologically advanced infrastructure. For example, a city built on a rocky mountain top is not a suitable candidate for an underground subway system, or the streets may become too narrow to allow the modern day traffic. Furthermore, as the number of houses, factories and office buildings grow, parks and other recreational spaces may slowly disappear.
However, there are many remedial actions available for these problems. The first and foremost solution is, instead of letting the city grow organically, governments and town councils can forecast on the expected population growth and to come up with a multi-year long-range city planning. With thorough considerations, governments can prevent unplanned developments and introduce proper zoning. There are other measures that can be put in place as well. For example, in order to control the traffic flow during peak hours, governments can improve on the existing public transport systems, or to put in more stringent measures in rush hour driving restrictions by encouraging car pool practices.
In conclusion, despite of the fact that an ancient city or town could no longer be suitable for us with our new and ever-changing needs, we can alleviate, mitigate, and, in some cases, even completely overcome the difficulties it brings about with new technologies and out-of-the-box solutions. This will bring harmony between our past and present, and let us experience the best of both worlds.
Get your personalised IELTS Essay Feedback from a former examiner
Download IELTS eBooks, get everything you need to achieve a high band score
Comments