THE ART OF PLANNINGREADING: ‘’ PRACTITIONERS AND THE ART OF PLANNING’’, EUGENIE L. BIRCH, #9.

Week 2

By Olivia Smith and

Imogen Featherstone

THE EMERGENCE OF PLANNING

• Planning as we know it today is a relatively young discipline, evolving in America in 1917.

• The American Planning Association, American Institute of Certified Planners and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning have formalised and structured planning processes and procedures in the modern context of consistent change.

Planning in the past could be seen as ad hoc but today has developed from drawings and graphs to encompass the conglomeration of the assembly of data and information that can be used to work with other departments in a multifaceted discipline.

From the early to late 20th century, the role and demand of planners has become considerably more specific and intricate.

In the early 20th century there were limited resources available to planners, including limited detailed data concerning zoning and land use information.

Since this time, rapid technological advancements have shaped the way planning is exercised today, for example computer systems GIS.

DO YOU THINK PLANNING WAS AN ‘ODDS AND ENDS’ JOB?

In the 1940’s – 1960’s planning alone was not a straight degree. It was possible to do architecture or architectural landscape with planning, and although this was a start for planning, the core teachings were not planning orientated.

An idea to think about: Was planning taken seriously by the industry?

ART VS. SCIENCE

‘Good design must express both feeling and thought and therefore can’t truly be founded on desire for artistic expression anymore than on logic alone’ – Thomas Adams 1974.

There has been a constant struggle to gain the right balance between the social science and geography of planning and the artistic expression of aesthetic principals.

Literature has demonstrated throughout the last century subtle changes in the arrangement of art and science in the titles of planning material.

When looking at all facets of the planning profession we see planning encompasses a broad spectrum which cannot be clearly defined as art or science.

Planning as a whole?

PoliticalSocialEnvironmentalGovernanceEconomic

In the past there was a focus on an either/or approach whereby planners had a narrower outlook on the profession; either philosophical or scientific.

It was not until later the two extremes were brought together. Hence there are different ideologies in every generation of planners as more resources become available and the depth of knowledge of planners give greater insight to the profession.

HOW PLANNING HAS CHANGED!

1930’s-1960’s Little to no public consultation Little empirical knowledge (observation,

experience and experiment) of the relationship of land uses in general let alone for a whole city.

Movement from City Beautiful to City Efficient.

1960’S

Decentralisation Low Density settlements Highway legislation (increase) Heightened consciousness of racial inequality

and discovery of negative environmental impacts of large public works fuelled planners reassessment.

1970’S

• Emergence of environmental planning.• Outpour of literature, ranging from planning

theory to suburban sprawl.• Simultaneous upward and outward growth-

rapid transit facilities.• Decentralisation- creation of new sub centres

1980’S 1990’S

Social policy interests Environmental planning Urban design Transportation Economic development Ethics Negotiation and conflict resolution New emphases of presentation

MILLENNIUM

Globalisation “The phenomenon of globalisation has

renewed interest in thinking about the place and role of cities in the international system. Recent literature proposes that the fate of cities (and their residents) has become increasingly tied to their position in the international flows of investment and trade’’. A. Alderson and J. Beckfield 2006

Planning in the Millennium has been shaped and reformed by the process of globalisation.

Technological advance have facilitated growing linkages throughout the world, increasing the speed at which information is sent and received. This in turn has brought planning to the world stage. As a result there are now international standards for planning.

This is seen in global cities such as New York and London which obtain their importance from transactional networks of information, capital and people.

“ It is instead a changing connective configuration with variable actors which can be thought of as ‘node’ of local and global networks”. Dematties 2000 63.

In looking at each era of planning it has subtle yet obvious differences in its approach as to changes in society.

From the Seminar so far what do you think these changes have been?

Social changes (materialistic views and the buy now attitude)

• Movement from being apolitical and neutral to consultative

Technological advancements, automobiles and the rate at which technology dates!!!!!

Environmental awareness Rate of unrenewable resources being consumed Exponential growth rate of population leading to

a trend of Urban renewal Emphases on Economic development

REFERENCE LIST

Adams, T. (1974) The Design of Residential Areas, New York: Arno Press.

Birch, E, L. (2009) The Urban and Regional Planning Reader, New York: Routledge.

Barth, G. (1980) City People, New York: Oxford University Press.

Bartholomew, H. (1971) Land Uses In American Cities, Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Taylor, P. Derudder, B. Saey, P. Witlox,F. (2007) Cities in Globalisation, London and New York: Routledge.