Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/27856
most viable. The subsequent design standards devel- oped during the 1930s ensured the unconditional adoption of that preferred design style and continue to serve as the basis for subdivision development today. Revisiting the Past Unlike previous generations, the analytical and visual tools now available through modern GIS technology provide the ability to gain a new insight into the adapt- ability and benefits of hexagonal design. When tiled into a honeycomb shape, the natural properties of hexagons provide the greatest area with the smallest perimeter compared to any other pattern. This can be translated into the language of a planner or developer to indicate that the length of road for a given area will be less in a hexagonal network than with any other shape, including the square. And water, sewer and other utility installations closely follow street layout. Roadways provide the most convenient and economical location to place gas mains, water and sewer pipes; so as road length changes, so does the need and costs for corresponding infrastructure. As seen with the evolution of airplanes and auto- mobiles, designs can be improved upon, and ideas can be realized with newer, better and more-advanced technology. Geospatial technology provides a com- plex toolset to use when revisiting the concept of hexagonal design and evaluating its merits against current development practices. Using a combination of Autodesk’s AutoCAD for design and Esri’s ArcGIS for analysis and visualization, a comparison was accomplished by translating two existing residential subdivisions with varying natural and developed characteristics within the city of College Station, Texas. And although the basic idea of hexago- nal design is nearly 100 years old, this transformative approach of subdivision design is unique in its attempt to adapt an existing subdivision into one of a hexago- nal design while maintaining parcel count, established boundaries and existing natural features. The hexagonal variations aim to connect the tradi- tional and novel aspects of subdivision design. These design alternatives deviate from conventional neighbor- hood design while maintaining its impressions, demon- strating the potential for an evolutionary succession in design thought that’s familiar and innovative. Infrastructure Costs Determining the length of roadways needed to service a standard neighborhood and the change in length in its hexagonal counterpart is necessary to understand the difference in development costs associated with competing designs. Development expenditures are based on engineering cost estimates provided to the city, which include itemized pricing for streets/sidewalks, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, manholes, water and fire hydrants. They’re used by the city to adjust inventory valu- ation assessments of additional infrastructure. A Tale of Two Subdivisions Shenandoah and Springbrook, two subdivisions in the city of College Station, Texas, were the focus for the hex- agonal transformation. GIS technology was used to ana- lyze the actual and translated subdivisions’ attributes. The current subdivision boundaries, roadways, land use, parcel count, and proper adherence to the College Station Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Ordinance codes and standards were obeyed. lFigures compare the original and hexagonal versions of the Shenandoah (top) and Springbrook (bottom) developments. The hexagonal versions provide significant cost savings in both cases. M A R C H 2 O 1 1 / W W W . G E O P L A C E . C O M 15