Urbanism Is...
Some ideas for discussion
Every once in awhile, I like to take some of the ideas I’ve expressed and drawn out in longer pieces and put them in one place for you to consider and comment on. I write a lot about this question of what “urbanism” is, what it means, the extent to which we can recapture it today, etc. Here are four arguments I’ve made about the nature of urbanism. Leave a comment agreeing, disagreeing, or adding your own angle!
This is a brief piece, because you’re the writers today. I’m just leaving these four here.
…Commerce at a small scale
…Doing density well
…Restoring continuity with pre-car American urban land use
…Separable from the classic or traditional urban form
I could explain further or quote myself or link to pieces where I’ve thrown these ideas around, but instead, I invite you to comment on what these lines mean to you (if, hopefully, anything).
One aspect I’m curious about is how “normal” people hear or read my work and that of other urbanists—what our ideas mean or how they sound without the full context. (Most of you, however, probably do have at least some of that context.) But, in any case, take it away!
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I always thought that urbanism, at it's core, was designing where we live for people - i.e. putting the person and community before the technology. It's asking what does the individual need/want in order to do X in an efficient, comfortable, and successful manner.
I think the first 3 can be defined as allowing people the option to walk and for it to be a pleasant experience. There are places I've found that I'm willing to walk but it is next to a street that people fly down; if my friends and I were less able-bodied or had children with us then we may be hesitant to be walking in those areas. Restaurants and retail below density allow people to exit out and grab something quickly from the store nearby or pick up dinner without it feeling like a struggle. Even for people visiting the neighborhood, the ability to walk past places where people are eating or shopping or returning back to their apartments/condos is something I've always found pleasant to be around. It gives you something different to look at and adds to the positive feeling of a place