A livable community that puts people first—Lecture9 Liveable Neighbourhoods-Ben Coleman
The theme of this lecture is Livable Neighbourhoods.The speaker shared many cases from design to practice. How to explore urban design and transportation planning to improve improve the livability of communities.It is worth mentioning that the concept of people first is very important.So, I have a few things I’d like to say in summary and some reflections.
1.Background and inspiration
1.1Through the German concept of “Woonerf” and Plato’s “ideal city” theory, the theme is introduced, we cam see lecturer emphasize that streets should be living Spaces rather than just for traffic.
1.2Donald Appleyard’s Livable Streets and William Whyte’s research also show the importance of street vitality and community function.
2.Integration of transportation planning and urban design
2.1In most cities, streets usually make up 80% of public area.Therefor, transportation planning in community function is the most important aspect(Key).
2.2The case of Low Traffic Neighbourhood be widely discussed. There are many other projects like this in many parts of the world,they restrict cars pass to improve walking and cycling environment.
- practical case
Windmill Drive project:Through collaborative design and public participation to build a community that meets the needs of its residents.
Old York Road renovation:Combined with site tree survey, drainage renovation and other multidisciplinary cooperation to improve the environment of the historic district(public space).
Doha Pedestrian Movement Programme: This project analyse about 800 city center location. Coping with private car dependence and different culture background to made specific suggestions and very triumph.
- Challenges and opportunities in design
There are some key elements of livable community design(Convenience, the combination of data and emotion, and the value of public space) I think it is very crucial.
We can see if in a compact historic urban design, people always should find a balance between vehicle access and pedestrian facilities in a limited space.
The importance of critical thinking
There are many cases also reminds us should be critical in our design. Many projects fail because they are divorced from real needs(Especially the locals.) The designer should have sufficient insight for a project context, user needs, and potential problems. So this make us improve our
Analytical skills and critical thinking.
Thinking and inspiration
- We should think about the concept of community design with people at its core.
The key of livable communities is provide convenience for different groups of people in some limited space. We should think about always consider the actual needs of the user instead of formal beauty in street,building and space.
- I think it’s very important to invite the public to participate.
In the lecture cases(Windmill Drive and Old York Road) we can see public support and feedback are key to the success of the project. That reminds me in many cases we should listen to the voices of local residents as much as possible to ensure scheme success.
- Multidisciplinary collaboration and data-driven design.
These project use many technical means to support design decisions. We can see design should not be isolated from technology. This is means that project should collaborate with other areas to Form comprehensive solutions.
- Facing social and cultural challenges.
In many cases we face many different culture background and social conventions, so designers should flexible adjustment design.This is a important enlightenment.
Conclusion
To be honest, through this lecture, I have a better understanding and feeling of the design principles and practices of “livable community”. It also made me re-examine the nature of design – it is not only to solve the surface functional problems, but also to respond to people’s emotional needs and future life expectationsand. I see the importance of multidisciplinary cooperation and people-oriented design. I recognize that the design needs to be adapted to different locations and ensure its practical viability through public engagement In the future study, I hope to integrate these concepts into my own design practice.
Reference List:
- Donald Appleyard, M. Sue Gerson, Mark Lintell.(1981). Livable Streets. Berkeley: University of California Press.
- Manual for Streets(2007). UK Department for Transport.
Blogger：Zixuan He（URBAN DESIGN）
Heya! I enjoyed your blog and your unique style to dissect the information you learned from the lecture on livable communities and neighbourhoods. I found the blog well-organised, with sections addressing different aspects of the lecture, including background, practical cases, challenges, and reflections. This structure definitely helped me as the reader to follow your thought process and understand the main key takeaways.
Your summary also effectively highlights important urban design ideas, such as “people first,” “livable streets,” and the balance between vehicles and pedestrians. I also particularly liked your integration of these concepts as they align with contemporary urban design discussions so it demonstrates your engagement with the topic.
For improvement, I would say some sentences are a little oddly phrased or grammatically incorrect. For example: “How to explore urban design and transportation planning to improve ‘improve’ the livability of communities” should be revised to “How urban design and transportation planning can improve the livability of communities.”
Polishing the language will improve the clarity and professionalism of your blog. Also while the practical examples are interesting, the analysis remains a little surface-level. For instance, in the Windmill Drive project, what specific design changes made it successful? For the Old York Road renovation, how did the multidisciplinary collaboration contribute to the outcomes? Adding this sort of crucial information would have given the blog more depth and made it a more credible. making the examples more compelling and illustrative for me as the reader. But overall, I enjoyed reading your blog and great work!
(Re-commenting the right way- adding onto your work using the feedback from before)
Your blog entry gives a thoughtful and detailed reflection on the lecture we were given on “Livable Neighbourhoods”. I particularly appreciated how you engaged with the concept of “people first” and connect it with real-world projects such as Windmill Drive and Old York Road. Your insights on the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration, critical thinking, and public engagement demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of what makes a community truly livable. However, I’d like to build on your points and offer additional perspectives for consideration.
Firstly, your emphasis on the “people first” approach resonates strongly with existing urban design literature. As Gehl (2010) states, designing spaces at a human scale and promoting pedestrian-friendly environments is essential to creating vibrant, inclusive communities. However, I would argue that while prioritising people is crucial, balancing this with broader environmental and economic goals can elevate the livability of a community much more. For instance, incorporating sustainable practices like green infrastructure and renewable energy sources can reduce environmental impacts while improving public health and quality of life (Beatley, 2011). Livability should extend beyond the immediate convenience to ensure long-term resilience and sustainability.
Secondly, your reflection on the importance of public participation is particularly compelling. Engaging with local residents ensures that projects align with the real needs and aspirations of the community, as emphasized by Arnstein’s (1969) “Ladder of Citizen Participation.” However, I would like to expand on this by suggesting that participatory processes need to be inclusive of marginalised groups who are often overlooked, this is really crucial. For example, projects like the participatory budgeting initiatives in places like Porto Alegre, Brazil, have shown that involving diverse voices, including women, minorities, and low-income residents, lead to more equitable and inclusive urban outcomes (Cabannes, 2004). Without such inclusivity, public engagement does runs the risk of reinforcing existing social inequalities instead of breaking these aqway.
Lastly, your recognition of the challenges posed by different cultural and social contexts is an important insight. Designing for cultural sensitivity is indeed a key factor in the success of livable neighborhoods. Yet, it’s also worth noting the potential of universal design principles to bridge cultural differences while catering to diverse needs as previously stated. By integrating these principles, we as urban designers can ensure that livable communities truly serve a wider range of users.
In conclusion, your blog entry well highlights critical elements of livable neighborhoods, including people-centered design, multidisciplinary collaboration, and public participation. Expanding these principles with considerations of sustainability, inclusivity, and universal design would further enrich the concept of livable communities.
References
Arnstein, S. R. (1969). A ladder of citizen participation. Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 35(4), 216-224.
Beatley, T. (2011). Biophilic Cities: Integrating Nature into Urban Design and Planning. Island Press.
Cabannes, Y. (2004). Participatory budgeting: a significant contribution to participatory democracy. Environment and Urbanization, 16(1), 27-46.
Gehl, J. (2010). Cities for People. Island Press.
Steinfeld, E., & Maisel, J. (2012). Universal Design: Creating Inclusive Environments. Wiley.