Deland Chan, a lecturer in the Urban Studies program at Stanford University and co-founder of the Stanford Human Cities Initiative, makes the case for a bigger tent for planners and planning.
An article by Deland Chan suggests a new definition for the concept of "real planning" to ensure that women get more credit for the contributions to citymaking of the past, and that underrepresented groups have more of a role in the planning of the future.
For instance, Chan cites the work of "women-organized clubs that led the charge for urban beautification at the turn of the 20th century. " Plans like Charles Mulford Robinson’s General Plan for the Improvement of Colorado Springs (1912) erased the contributions of these clubs, in a familiar narrative about men consolidating and protecting their role in the making of history.
That example is a symptom of a larger problem, according to Chan—that the "planning canon, as it currently exists, reinforces a binary notion of what 'real' planning is and isn’t." While the ambitious plans, backed by institutional political and financing clout get credit, "planning from below, and 'soft,' people-centered work like community outreach, are not ascribed the same kind of value." Chan adds:
If we expanded the definition of planning, we might include Majora Carter’s workforce development and environmental justice work in the South Bronx, or Antionette Carroll’s Creative Reaction Lab, which tackles inequity in St. Louis. Carter, Carroll, and many other women leaders are not “real” (i.e. professionally trained and certified) planners, but they have shaped their cities and amplified place-based work already happening in low-income communities of color.
Finally, Chan puts out a call to action to the academic programs around the country to take a leadership role in redefining the scope of what's considered real planning:
To start, colleges and universities that make up the pipeline of future planners should rethink what they teach. It is time to recognize that our shared identity as planners is based on privileging the contributions of certain individuals and groups over others. In specific terms, institutions can reshape curricula to include missing or marginalized voices.
FULL STORY: What Counts as 'Real' City Planning?
The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall
The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.
The Paradox of American Housing
How the tension between housing as an asset and as an essential good keeps the supply inadequate and costs high.
Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities
The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.
Anchorage Leaders Debate Zoning Reform Plan
Last year, the city produced the fewest new housing units in a decade.
How to Protect Pedestrians With Disabilities
Public agencies don’t track traffic deaths and injuries involving disabled people, leaving a gap in data to guide safety interventions.
Colorado Town Fills Workforce Housing Need With ‘Dorm-Style’ Housing
Median rent in Steamboat Springs is $4,000 per month.
City of Yakima
City of Auburn
Baylands Development Inc.
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.