Urban design research

Abstract

Urban design, once at the core of urban planning, has been delegated to a peripheral position in the profession and education. This may result, in part, from the flawed architectural determinism of much of the work of earlier urban designers. While planners and others were rejecting the doctrines of urban design, one group of urban designers (e.g. Lynch, 1960; Appleyard et al., 1964; Rapoport, 1969; Newman, 1972) began to apply scientific methods to design questions. Although the approach they initiated has continued and expanded, the literature on urban design is still dominated by speculative work describing what design should look like. The practice of urban design requires more. This special issue of Landscape and Urban Planning, gleaned from papers presented at the 34th Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning Conference, brings together a broad array of new work of relevance to urban design. The issue includes papers on history, theory, process, computer applications, and human behavior. Although papers approach urban design from diverse perspectives, several converge on similar conclusions. For example, Nadenicek’s historical piece on Horace Cleveland and the Kaplan and Peterson review of empirical research converge on the idea of nature as restorative. R. Kaplan also presents data on the importance of a view towards nature. The papers by Gurstein, Sancar, and Gosling comment on and suggest ways to involve individuals in decisions which may affect them. The papers by Owens, Gaber, Zacharias, and Nasar, Fisher, and Grannis highlight the need to understand environmental influences on pedestrian behavior and describe methods and findings in relation to this urban design concern. Gordon’s description of Battery Park and Nadenicek’s description of Horace Cleveland’s work converge on the important role of politics in implementation or urban design projects. The issue opens with Nadenicek’s description of the development of Horace Cleveland’s work and aesthetic. Like other, subsequent urban designers, this early landscape architect saw the city as a work of art. Believing in the restorative power of nature, Cleveland developed a scheme for Minneapolis that used natural elements as a structure for growth. The plan also stands out for the way and speed with which it was implemented. Political support played an important role. The paper by S. Kaplan, which follows, focuses on health outcomes as a guide for urban design. In particular, he discusses the relevance of the psychological constructs of conceptual clarity, human effectiveness, and willingness to take action. One aspect of human effectiveness involves accessibility. The paper by Mullick centers on accessibility and the need to make our national parks accessible.