What is double land use?
Double land use means using a plot of land or a building for more than one function at the same time — stacked, combined or used at different times of day — to make efficient use of scarce space. It is mostly applied in densely populated urban areas where there is little room to expand.
How does double land use work?
Functions are stacked or interleaved. Examples include:
- Housing above shops — a classic form of double land use
- Underground car park beneath a square or park — public space above
- Motorways covered by housing or commercial space — building over infrastructure
- Rooftop farming — food production on flat roofs
- Industrial estate with sports facility on the roof — mixed programme
By stacking functions the spatial yield rises and elsewhere there is more room for green or open space.
Application
- Urban densification — in city regeneration or new development
- Above infrastructure — covering motorways, railways or port land
- Underground — parking or logistics below ground
- Rooftop landscapes — roof gardens, rooftop cafés and homes
- Time-shared use — a schoolyard used as a car park in the evening
Points of attention
- Structural feasibility — the frame must carry several functions
- Fire safety — stacked uses need separate compartments and escapes
- Noise and vibration — equipment and traffic must not disturb the other use
- Ownership and rights — public/private mixes need clear agreements
- Sustainability — double use often needs more material but saves land
Related terms
- Building plot
- Local plan
- Building massing
- Storey area
- Sustainable construction
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