Why New Urbanism Fails

Behind their quaint, cozy facades, New Urbanist towns still fail to combat the pattern of sprawling, auto-centric suburban development.

1 minute read

February 18, 2002, 7:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


New Urbanist developments may be aesthetically pleasing, but aesthetics alone do not create community or urbanity. New Urbanist towns too often commit the most heinous of urban sins: they segregate zones. Certainly, it is not uncommon to find small commercial outlets in the residential quarters of neotraditional developments, but by and large these neighbourhoods follow the standard planning principle of the past fifty years, which is to distinctly separate zones according to use.

Thanks to Chris Steins

Monday, February 18, 2002 in Planetizen

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