ESMA 780 Advanced Urbanism: Urban Design Ideals and Action
Urban design is an increasingly popular and powerful means of shaping settlement, influencing social forces, and accentuating economic activity via the purposeful manipulation of the built environment. Yet the form and realization of good urban design are often uncertain. Contrasting ideologies, shifting power structures, and competing imperatives make designers’ jobs challenging. The result is that many human environments seem little impacted by the ideals of urban design. There is only a single city; how can there be multiple urban designs? The course material and research are structured to investigate: How is one to evaluate which urban design ideals to subscribe to, and thus design better sustainable environments?