What Is Urban Design?

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Articles, Special Edition Articles, Urban Design

Strategies, Urban theory

What is Urban Design?

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 June 9, 2022
Architecture, Urban design, Urban Planning,

Urban Theory, Urbanism

UDL
The urban design process involves creating Photos
hop
buildings, groups of buildings, spaces, and
landscapes, as well as establishing
frameworks and procedures that will ensure
success for future generations. Town and city
Master
planning, street design, and public space class
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What Is Urban Design? 14/04/2023, 11:50 PM

design are all parts of urban design. In

essence, it’s about composing the physical
setting for life by bringing together multiple
disciplines – the art of making places.
Day 1: 29th

Urban design: why is it April, 2023 |

important? Urban
Mapping
The Ield of urban design is important
because it strengthens in the planning and Day 2: 30th
development of livable and workable April, 2023 |
surroundings. Urban designers are hired by
3D
governments and commercial businesses to
improve public spaces such as homes and Visualizatio
community centres. Urban design does have n
the potential to signiIcantly improve the
stature and value of space, so boosting the
local economy, attracting tourists, and
improving the quality of life for residents.
Additionally, urban designers are signiIcant Register
because they encourage sustainability Now
through ecologically sensitive building and
technology. They can also have an impact on
a community’s sociological and cultural
makeup by fostering participation and
communication between people.

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What Is Urban Design? 14/04/2023, 11:50 PM

Urban design can signiIcantly inKuence the

economic, environmental, social and cultural
outcomes of a place:
Urban Design |
Landscape|
1. Urban design can inKuence the Planning
economic success and socio-economic Join the largest
composition of a locality—whether it social media
community!
encourages local businesses and
entrepreneurship; whether it attracts
people to live there; whether the costs 300+
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K
ers
of housing and travel are aPordable;
and whether access to job
opportunities, facilities and services are
equitable.
2. Urban design determines the physical
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scale, space and ambience of a place

and establishes the built and natural
forms within which individual buildings
and infrastructure are sited. As such, it
aPects the balance between natural
ecosystems and built STAY UPDATED
environments,and their sustainability Join Our
outcomes. WhatsApp
3. Urban design can inKuence health and Group
the social and cultural impacts of a
locality: how people interact with each
other, how they move around, and how
they use a place.
4. Although urban design is often
delivered as a speciIc ‘project’, it is in
fact a long-term process that continues  JOIN
US
to evolve over time. It is this layering of
building and infrastructure types,
natural ecosystems, communities and
cultures that gives places their unique
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What Is Urban Design? 14/04/2023, 11:50 PM

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What Is Urban Design? 14/04/2023, 11:50 PM

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What Is Urban Design? 14/04/2023, 11:50 PM

HEIGHT + MASSING

The scale of buildings in relation to height

and Koor area, and how they relate to
surrounding land forms, buildings and
streets. It also incorporates building
envelope, site coverage and solar orientation.
Height and massing create the sense of
openness or enclosure, and aPect the
amenity of streets, spaces and other
buildings.

STREETSCAPE + LANDSCAPE

The design of public spaces such as streets,

open spaces and pathways, and includes
landscaping, microclimate, shading and
planting.

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FACADE + INTERFACE

The relationship of buildings to the site,

street and neighbouring buildings (alignment,
setbacks, boundary treatment) and the
architectural expression of their facades
(projections, openings, patterns and
materials).

DETAILS + MATERIALS

The close-up appearance of objects and

surfaces and the selection of materials in
terms of detail, craftsmanship, texture,
colour, durability, sustainability and
treatment. It includes street furniture, paving,
lighting and signage. It contributes to human
comfort, safety and enjoyment of the public
domain.

URBAN FORM

Urban form generally encompasses a number

of physical features and non- physical
characteristics including size, shape, scale,
density, land uses, building types, urban
block layout and distribution of green space.
It is the The arrangement of a built up area.
This arrangement is made up of many
components including how close buildings
and uses are together; what uses are located
where; and how much of the natural
environment is a part of the built up area.

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Why does Urban Design

matter?

Over the last 30 years, there have been

signiIcant changes in how urban growth and
development are managed. The emergence
of a post-industrial economy, the rise of the
environmental movement, and the critique of
top-down government decision-making in
Europe and North America have necessitated
new approaches to the design and building of
urban settings, both theoretically and
methodologically. Traditional master plans
are being phased out in favour of more
strategic plans and ‘urban initiatives’ that
develop critical locations in metropolitan
areas. Cities’ politicians and civic leaders
realise the need for high-quality urban and
natural settings as they deal with the
obsolescence of old industrial districts and
face increased competition for knowledge
workers. They are increasingly doing so in
public-private partnerships with signiIcant
public engagement.
These economic and political transformations
accelerated the rise of Urban Design in the
Ields of Architecture, Planning, and
Landscape Architecture. Its growing
prominence reKects a general recognition
that human environments are inherently
complex and diverse and the consequent
need for design interventions to acknowledge
local social, historical, and environmental
contexts.

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What Is Urban Design? 14/04/2023, 11:50 PM

What sort of work does an

Urban Designer do?

There really is no ‘typical’ Urban Design

practitioner, nor is there a ‘standard’ set of
skills that, once learned, can be mechanically
applied for the rest of one’s career. There are,
however, several tasks that are central to
Urban Design in practice:

Describing characteristics of and

transformations in particular
settlement patterns, including
morphological and typological studies;
Examining the operative relationships
linking power, politics, and the form of
cities and urban areas;
Exploring, analysing, and drawing
conclusions related to the images and
meanings people have of diPerent
urban environments; and
Describing, interpreting, and shaping
the built and natural environment of
cities and metropolitan regions, for
other professionals, decision-makers,
and ‘lay’ populations.

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What Is Urban Design? 14/04/2023, 11:50 PM

Who are Urban Designers?

Urban designers are typically architects, town

planners or landscape architects. Their skill is
to bring together ideas from developers, local
communities, architects, planners, tra`c
engineers, landscape architects, transport
planners and many others, to resolve
problems and conKicts in order to create
better places for everyone. Sometimes this
will result in new places being built or a new
appreciation of existing urban areas in cities,
towns and villages. Urban designers can be
employed by developers, local planning
authorities or community groups, including
neighbourhood planning groups.

Careers in urban design

There are many career paths you can pursue

within the Ield of urban design, including the
following careers:

Architecture
Architecture is a common career in the Ield
of urban design. Architects plan and design
the structures necessary for constructing
various forms of infrastructure. They
frequently work alongside other urban
designers, such as civil engineers and city
planners, to ensure that projects are meeting
proper standards.

Civil engineering
Civil engineers develop plans for various
types of infrastructure, including bridges,
highways and buildings. They also help
monitor the construction progress of projects
and ensure that they adhere to regulations.

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The typical work environment of a civil

engineer can include both o`ce buildings
and construction sites. Civil engineers
typically require a state engineering license.

City planning
City planners are local government
employees who frequently work alongside
other specialists, including landscapers,
architects, civil engineers, environmental
specialists and health and safety experts.
These professionals manage the
development and upkeep of their assigned
city zones. They typically conceptualize and
plan infrastructure projects and coordinate
with contractors who conduct most of the
work.

References:

1. https://www.mcgill.ca/urbandesign/wh
at
2. Urban Design Group
3. https://www.indeed.com/career-
advice/career-development/what-is-
urban-design
4. Cover
Image: https://www.arch.columbia.edu/
student-work/9839

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What Is Urban Design? 14/04/2023, 11:50 PM

About the
Author

This is the admin account of

Urban Design Lab. This
account publishes articles
written by team members,

Urban contributions from guest

Design Lab writers, and other occasional

submissions. Please feel free
to contact us if you have any
questions or comments.

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