Urban Design; an Informed but by No Means Expert Opinion

For my final contribution to this column, I feel compelled to adopt a slightly different approach. At this stage in my journey, I believe it is important to consider Urban Design and what it means to me. To be clear, I do not claim to have a complete understanding of the industry. Nor do I claim to be ‘right’. What follows is my informed, but by no means expert opinion.

So, Urban Design as a Discipline

Firstly, it only takes a shallow dive into the history of Urban Design to recognise that it is a relatively new discipline. However, I feel it necessarily bridges the gap between its two older ‘siblings’ – Architecture, and Urban Planning – if you will. This gap lies within the contrast between the intricacy and artistic nature of Architecture, and the scale and legislation of Urban Planning (see figure 1). Together, I will attribute these three sibling disciplines to a trifecta of design.

Figure 1 – The range of urban design approaches compared to other disciplines and scale, inspired by Roger Evans’ Shaping Towns presentation on scale and process (Bristol, 2012)

In order to explore this further, it is important to distinguish between the three. To do this, I will consider their definitions. Architecture is the art and science of designing buildings (Bjarke Ingels, 2014). This industry is concerned with the detail and perception of the built form. On the other hand, Urban Planning encompasses the preparation of plans for and the regulation and management of towns, cities and metropolitan areas (Huxley and Inch, 2020). An areas large-scale strategy is the emphasis here. Appropriately then, Urban Design is the visual and sensory relationship between people and the built and natural environment (Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, 2000; Owen, 2020). Ultimately, it is the art of making places (Urban Design Group, 2022).

Drawing on these definitions, each of the three disciplines are integral pieces to the urban puzzle. This is why it would be futile to consider one in isolation from the others.

Having established Urban Design as a discipline, its neoteric nature means that it is open to interpretation. Appropriately then, I will now attempt to convey the development of my interpretation over the past two semesters.

What does Urban Design Mean to Me?

Truthfully, I began this course with the impression that Urban Design and Urban Planning were interchangeable. In hindsight, my naivety was clear. However, I was not the only one deceived by the ambiguity between the two disciplines. This became apparent in the literature, and when talking to everyday people about my degree. As time went on, I quickly began developing an informed opinion of Urban Design. This was due to my active participation in design projects, lectures, and research. Now, it’s purpose is clearer and importance obvious. With a particular focus on people’s needs and the character and identity of a place, Urban Design humanises the urban realm.

It comes down to this. The world is becoming increasingly urban. How we proceed to plan, design and construct the built environment is vital in our fight against climate change and many more impending global crises. So, the interconnected and synergistic relationships within the trifecta of design – Architecture, Urban Design and Urban Planning – are fundamental to the future of the environments we call home.

List of Figures

Figure 1 – The range of urban design approaches compared to other disciplines and scale, inspired by Roger Evans’ Shaping Towns presentation on scale and process (Bristol, 2012)

References

Basulto, D (2014). “AD Interviews: Bjarke Ingels / BIG” 18 Feb 2014. ArchDaily. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/477737/ad-interviews-bjarke-ingels-big> ISSN 0719-8884 (Accessed: 1^st May 2022).

Dadfar, T (2022). Urbanism, urban planning, and promoting public spaces. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/urban-planning (Accessed: 1^st may 2022).

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (2000) By Design: Urban Design in the Planning System, Towards Better Practice. Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/7665/158490.pdf (Accessed: 1^st May 2022)

Owen, J (2020) The Importance of Urban Design for your Community. MRSC Insight Blog. Available at: https://mrsc.org/Home/Stay-Informed/MRSC-Insight/March-2020/The-Importance-of-Urban-Design-for-Your-Community.aspx (Accessed: 2^nd May 2022).

Urban Design Group (2022) What is Urban Design? Urban Design Journal. Available at: https://www.udg.org.uk/about/what-is-urban-design (Accessed: 2^nd May 2022).