Urban Design Scope and Dimensions

Study Notes

Urban design is more than the physical appearance of a built environment.
It is an integrative and integrating activity that creates places for people.
Urban design encompasses "knowing" and "unknowing" designers, recognizing the breadth of knowledge and experience.
The book explores the ethical dimensions of urban design as it deals with values like social justice and equity.

The book explores the contemporary urban context, emphasizing the dynamics of change.
It outlines the overarching contexts - local, global, market, and regulatory - which shape urban design actions.

Six key dimensions of urban design are presented - morphological, perceptual, social, visual, functional, and temporal.
These dimensions are not meant to separate compartments of urban design but rather to highlight its interconnectedness and range.

Urban design is seen as a process of problem-solving.
The book integrates the six dimensions with four overarching contexts to illustrate the interconnectedness of urban design.
The book emphasizes the holistic nature of urban design, advocating for a consideration of all dimensions simultaneously.

Urban design's importance is increasingly recognized by both public and private sectors.
Design review control is being implemented as a means to promote better design through planning action.
New urban design courses are emerging at various levels - graduate, undergraduate, and within planning, architecture, and surveying curricula.
Private and public practitioners are showing a growing demand for urban design expertise, reflecting the field's expanding scope.

Urban design is about making better places for people.
Urban design is seen as an ethical activity, concerned with values like social justice and equity.
The book uses a broad understanding of urban design, encompassing both "knowing" and "unknowing" designers.

The book outlines six key overlapping dimensions of urban design: morphological, perceptual, social, visual, functional, and temporal.
These dimensions are intended to show the breadth of the subject area and the connections between its different aspects.
Urban design is considered holistic when all dimensions are considered simultaneously.

Urban design is a joined-up activity, meaning its different dimensions work together to create a cohesive whole.
Urban design is viewed as a process of problem-solving, taking into account various contexts and integrating different dimensions.

Chapters explore the contemporary context of urban design, including relevant issues of change and the influence of local, global, market, and regulatory factors.
The contemporary context highlights the growing prominence and demand for urban design, fueled by increased demand from both public and private sectors.
Growth in demand has led to:
- The spread of design review control in public sector planning.
- The emergence of professional organizations like the Congress for the New Urbanism.
- Development of grassroots initiatives concerning local communities.

Urban design is an expanding discipline:
- New urban design courses are being developed at both graduate and undergraduate levels.
- Incorporation of urban design into planning, architecture, and surveying education.
- Increased demand from private and public practitioners for urban design skills and knowledge.
Both "knowing" and "unknowing" urban designers need a clear understanding of how their actions and interventions combine to create high-quality urban environments.