The New Urbanism: Toward an Architecture of Community
by Peter Katz, Vincent, Jr. Scully
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
The New Urbanism is a movement that seeks to restore a civil realm to urban planning and a sense of place to our communities. It is a tangible response to the failed Modernist planning that has resulted in unchecked suburban sprawl, slavish dependence on the automobile, and the abandonment and decay of our cities. Katz, who heads a marketing and design firm, brings together in this informative and accessible book the voices and case studies of the young architects and planners who practice the New Urbanism--Peter Calthorpe, Andres Duany, and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, among them. They gear their designs to the scale of the pedestrian and seek to promote a symbiotic relationship between urban development and public transportation. An often published example of this movement is the community of Seaside, Florida. Extensively illustrated with plans, diagrams, and color photographs and renderings, this highly instructive book is a must for architecture and urban planning collections, and suitable for general readers.
- Thomas P.R. Nugent, New York
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Synopsis
Reacting to yesterday's suburban sprawl and failed urban development, a coalition has formed of innovative architects, developers and builders in what has become known as the "New Urbanism". This movement seeks to bring back the basic amenities that make communities work, such as culturally diverse housing; easy access to work, play and schools; and efficient transportation. "The New Urbanism" shows this movement in action in "edge cities" on the fringes of existing metropolitan areas as well as in separate satellite communities. Featuring the work of such planners and architects as Andres Duany, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk and Peter Calthorpe, and complete with project specifications and feedback from participants, the book provides architectural and planning professionals with tips and techniques for building the livable cities of the 21st century.
Ingram
he edge of the 21st century. Table of Contents: I. Introduction; II. Examples of the New Urbanism: Satellite Towns; New Towns on the Edge; Urban Insertions; Urban Reconstruction; Regional Plan, Policy Studies; III. Appendix, Reference Material. Index. 500 illustrations.
From the Back Cover
"A growing movement to replace charm less suburban sprawl with civilized, familiar places that people love." So wrote Time Magazine in a recent article about Andres Duany, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk and Peter Calthorpe, leaders of the dynamic urban design revolution coming to be known as the New Urbanism. Their breakthrough planning conceptspropose a vision of the future that combines the best of the past with the realities and modern conveniences of today.
Part of a broader trend toward the restoration of community and concern for a more sustainable environment, the New Urbanism addresses many of the crucial issues of our time: the decline of America's cities, the rebuilding of its crumbling infrastructure, housing affordability, crime and traffic congestion. Not without controversy, the proponents of this new design approach suggest bold alternatives to the present sprawl and isolation that they see as the consequence of five decades of poorly planned suburban growth. Like the successful older neighborhoods and small towns where many of us grew up, the designs of the New Urbanism integrate housing, shops, workplaces, parks and civil facilities into close-knit communities that are both charming and functional. Walk ability is key, but cars aren't excluded.
Public places lie at the heart of these designs which set aside their most valued sites for parks, schools, churches, meeting halls and other civic uses. Affordability is also an important consideration--a wide range from Seaside, the acclaimed new resort town in Florida's panhandle, to a revitalization plan for the deteriorating core ofdowntown Los Angeles. Also included is a mobile-home village in Arizona (cited by Progressive Architecture in its annual design awards), the rebuilding of the nation's largest "urban renewal" housing project in Texas and a "sustainable community" for 12,000 in British Columbia.
Initiated by developers, government agencies and/orcitizen advocacy groups, these pioneering new communities and infill projects offer simple yet compelling solutions to many frequently encountered planning problems. The extensively documented case studies in this book include photographs, drawings, diagrams and urban design codes--more than 500 images in all, a majority of which are in color. Essays by the movement's leading practitioners clearly articulate the principles of the New Urbanism. Commentaries by prominent architecture and urban planning theorists complete this comprehensive publication.
The New Urbanism advocates an ambitious yet pragmatic agenda for the building and rebuilding of our neighborhoods, towns and cities. This book provides an invaluable guide to this emerging movement forarchitects, urban planners, civic leaders and concerned citizens; it is also must reading for anyone who cares about the future of America's communities.
Book Description
The move to livable communities--ideal ``small towns'' and neighborhoods where people work, live, play, and walk from place to place--is on. Profit from what a visionary group of architects leading this movement has learned about designing new ``small towns'' in Peter Katz's The New Urbanism. You'll discover the amazing potential for this kind of work as well as case studies, site plans, project analyses, and 180 beautiful photographs. This unique reference also tackles--and answers--the critical issues of crime, health, traffic, environmental degradation, and economic vitality and opens a startling window on the look and feel of future communities. Every designer can profit from this guide to building the utopias of tomorrow--today!
Q: who started CNU (Congress of New Urbanism, and when?
A: The first congress, held in 1993, was a meeting of 170 Designersorganized to compare WORK-IN-PROGRESS and exchange ideas about urban and suburban places. Architects: Peter Calthorpe, Andres Duany, Elizabeth Moule, Stefano Polyzoide, Elizabeth Plate-Zyberk, Along with organizer Peter Katz developed "THE CONGRESS NEW URBANISM" a non-profit organization to promote and disseminate
information about new urbanism. The CNU Charter was developed between 1993 and 1996, when it was ratified at the fourth annual congress in CharlestonSouth Carolina.