The authors of one study assert that vibrant cities can't be engineered by the application of "nuanced criteria"; however, this has very much become the paradigm of urban planning.
According to conventional wisdom, cities are preferable to suburbs (or not) because they accommodate more of both.
"However," writes the co-author of the report, University of Toronto doctoral candidate Zack Taylor, "prescribing density numbers alone with the expectation that certain outcomes will occur may prove ineffective, because density numbers alone do not capture the full range of variables that make up urban form."
"'The areas we now admire,' explains Toronto architect and co-author John van Nostrand, 'are pre-planning areas. But older areas didn't always offer access to parks and open space. Then, when planning hit in the 1960s, we rejected the unplanned city for the fully planned community. I think now we're way overregulated. There are so many rules. What we need is an approach that allows for changes.'
In other words, planning may be the problem, but it's also the solution.
Or is it? Van Nostrand argues that when it comes to planning, less is more. The trick, he insists, is not to be overly proscriptive, but to allow for maximum flexibility.
'Real life is always right,' he says. 'It's planning that's wrong.'"
FULL STORY: The end of planning? Just maybe
Reassessing New Urbanism
A thematic issue of the peer reviewed journal Urban Planning provides a framework for reassessing New Urbanism.
'The City' Documents Formative Planning Advocacy on Film
Streaming on YouTube, the 1939 film "The City" is a powerful cinematic account of advocating for planned communities.
Anti-Racist Reforms for the Urban Planning Status Quo
An urban planner in Vancouver defines the roots of racism in city building, and calls on urban planners to be more effective anti-racist allies.
The Top Urban Planning Books of 2021
Planetizen's annual list of the top urban planning books of the year is here—maintaining a tradition that dates back to 2002.
The Roadway Expansion Paradox
Motorists want expensive roadway expansions provided that somebody else foots the bill, but when required to pay directly through tolls, the need for more capacity often disappears. What should planners do?
Urban Exodus: Data Don't Support the Popular Pandemic Narrative
Americans fled cities in waves during the pandemic, right? Not to so fast.
Doubling Down on Bus Rapid Transit in Northern Virginia
Arlington County plans an expansion of the D.C. region's first Bus Rapid Transit line.
Study: At Least 1,500 Unhoused Died on the Streets of L.A. During the Pandemic
New research represents the first detailed picture of death among people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic.
Measuring the Economic Impact of the Great Allegheny Passage
Small communities once dependent on coal, coke, paper, lumber, and manufacturing now have a 150-mile bike and pedestrian path contributing to the local economy.
Nelson\Nygaard
BRAILSFORD & DUNLAVEY
Water Replenishment District (WRD)
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of San Carlos
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Royal Oak, Michigan
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.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
