Urban Design Scope and Dimensions

Urban Design - Scope and Definition

• 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 Contemporary Urban Context

• 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.

Urban Design Dimensions - Beyond Typical Areas

• 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 as a Process of Problem-Solving

• 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.

Growing Recognition and Demand for Urban Design Expertise

• 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 Context

• 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.

Urban Design Dimensions

• 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 as a Process

• 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.

Urban Design in the Contemporary Context

• 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 Education and Practice

• 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.