My graduate school education left me with a lot of general ideas and a handful of specific ones. One that stuck with me is a concept from landscape architecture: the desire path. Technically, the term means a path where there isn't supposed to be one, a trail of wear and tear that wasn't planned.
My graduate school education left me with a lot of general ideas and a handful of specific ones. One that stuck with me is a concept from landscape architecture: the desire path. Technically, the term means a path where there isn't supposed to be one, a trail of wear and tear that wasn't planned.
College campuses are rife with desire paths, because landscapers begin with idealistic visions of sweeping lawns, and students adapt the landscape to meet their practical need to get to class on time. On my campus (San José State), groundskeepers perpetually battled with students, posting "Keep Off the Grass" signs in every corner and even cordoning off certain sections completely. They finally surrendered one part of campus, paving diagonal sidewalks right over the paths worn by harried students seeking a shortcut.
There is a growing group on Flickr that collects pictures of these paths. These pictures resonate with me, because of the plain human truth that they reveal. No matter how well we plan, no matter how many pedestrian studies we conduct or comprehensive plans we create, the human element is going to find its own way. This is something I try to remember in everything I do, and something we as a profession can continue to learn from. The people who disobey the beautiful logic of smart growth and urban design are trying to tell us something, and we need to watch and listen. We need to go back to the places we create and see how they work in real life. We need to plan for opening day, but make sure we're also there a month, a year, five years later to adapt and refine based on how people actually use the built environment. The desire paths are there for the finding, if your eyes are open.
As a final note, I've noticed that William H. Whyte's classic of urban observation "The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces" has finally turned up on YouTube. Every planner, urban designer and landscape architect should watch it at some point in their career. It's funny, whimsical, and turns up a lot of truth about human behavior.
San Francisco's 1971 Urban Design Plan Echoes Today's Concerns
A 1971 effort to quantify the city's values and design goals reflects many of the same priorities that planners and residents face today.
Reassessing New Urbanism
A thematic issue of the peer reviewed journal Urban Planning provides a framework for reassessing New Urbanism.
Town Building Game Offers Moments of Pandemic Zen
Townscraper, a new "casual town building" game earned good reviews among early adopters this summer.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.
The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.
The Small South Asian Republic Going all in on EVs
Thanks to one simple policy change less than five years ago, 65% of new cars in this Himalayan country are now electric.
DC Backpedals on Bike Lane Protection, Swaps Barriers for Paint
Citing aesthetic concerns, the city is removing the concrete barriers and flexposts that once separated Arizona Avenue cyclists from motor vehicles.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
