RDEV250 Quiz 1: Urban Planning

What is Urban Planning?

Urban planning is the design and regulation of the uses of space that focus on the physical form of the urban environment and on the location of different activities within it.

It involves goal setting, data collection and analysis, forecasting, design, strategic thinking, and public consultation.

NODES - Kevin Lynch's work focuses on the visual quality of the American city by studying the mental images of that city which is held by its citizens.

Match the correct description to each of Kevin Lynch's urban elements that analyze cities. - NODES

Points of entry

PATHS-Kevin Lynch's work focuses on the visual quality of the American city by studying the mental images of that city which is held by its citizens.

Match the correct description to each of Kevin Lynch's urban elements that analyze cities.-PATHS

Routes of Movement

DISTRICTS-Kevin Lynch's work focuses on the visual quality of the American city by studying the mental images of that city which is held by its citizens.

Match the correct description to each of Kevin Lynch's urban elements that analyze cities.-DISTRICTS

Areas with common features

EDGES-Kevin Lynch's work focuses on the visual quality of the American city by studying the mental images of that city which is held by its citizens.

Match the correct description to each of Kevin Lynch's urban elements that analyze cities.-EDGES

Boundaries

LANDMARKS-Kevin Lynch's work focuses on the visual quality of the American city by studying the mental images of that city which is held by its citizens.

Match the correct description to each of Kevin Lynch's urban elements that analyze cities.-LANDMARKS

Points of orientation

The Marchetti principle declared that people have always been willing to commute for about __________ , one way, from their homes each day. This is referred to as the Marchetti constant.

30 minutes

Using Jane Jacob's The Death and Life of Great American Cities, which answers are the Four Generators of Diversity.

Mixed Primary Uses

Short Blocks

Buildings of Various Ages

(NOT economics)

From Johari's TED talk, what did poor people seek as a priority?

Fresh water

Roads

Not to be evicted

Toilets

(NOT economic justice)

TRUE or FALSE: In reference to Jane Jacob's The Death and Life of Great American Cities, "Fostering a functional identity at the national level" is one of her Four Pillars of Neighborhood Planning.

FALSE: The correct answer would be at the DISTRICT LEVEL, not the National level.

Jane Jacob's attacks were about the principles and aims that have shaped modern, orthodox city planning and rebuilding. Do you agree that this is true, and what is your opinion about her approach. Secondarily, is her approach relevant or not to today?

I believe that it was wise of Jacobs to spend so much time viewing the real people who inhabited cities to determine the success of urban planning. I do believe that some of the principles of orthodox city planning were credible and should not have been so attacked by Jacobs. Still, Jacobs' overall beliefs hold resonance today.

The term sustainable development came to represent an ideal outcome in the sum of urban planning goals.

Sustainability typically refers to development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Do you agree or disagree with the above statements? Explain why or why not

I fully agree with the first statement. Today, urban planners constantly discuss sustainability and see it as a primary goal.

I do believe that sustainability refers to development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, though I also think there are more aspects to it. "Sustainability" seems to be a hard-to-define term which encompasses much more than one sentence. I believe that sustainability also includes the importance of balancing social justice, economic development, and environmental preservation.

In one paragraph, please explain the concept of suburban sprawl and how that came to be.

In a second paragraph, explain whether or not you believe that the suburbs should still be booming and becoming extensions of the city, or if you believe the city should revitalize itself to keep a divide amongst the two. Consider incorporating information from the tiny house and homelessness article, the coronavirus article, knowing the elements of an urban plan and what makes for a good city, and any other information from Module 1 to back up your responses.

Suburban sprawl is a widespread expansion of cities. It is a merging of the city and countryside, as Ebenezer Howard discussed. As transportation methods grew faster and easier, people realized that they could live farther from their places of work, farther from the city center. The Marchetti Constant explains that people will generally only commute one half hour to work. With faster transportation, people could live farther from the city. So, they created suburbs with larger homes on larger plots of land. The cities expanded to have widespread homes on the edges besides for the dense inner cities.

I believe that suburbs should continue to thrive. While transportation can be tricky with car-heavy suburbs and city centers full of congestion, I believe that a happy medium can be achieved. With remote work now a possibility, some traffic into the city will be alleviated. Additionally, families can live in spacious homes with access to nature while having all the amenities of a city nearby. Road traffic can be improved and public parking within the city increased to allow for more easy access to the cities from suburbs. Additionally, EV cars can help continue supporting goals of sustainability.

In one paragraph, please explain the concept of suburban sprawl and how that came to be.

In a second paragraph, explain whether or not you believe that the suburbs should still be booming and becoming extensions of the city, or if you believe the city should revitalize itself to keep a divide amongst the two. Consider incorporating information from the tiny house and homelessness article, the coronavirus article, knowing the elements of an urban plan and what makes for a good city, and any other information from Module 1 to back up your responses. EXAMPLE RESPONSE

EXAMPLE RESPONSE: The suburban sprawl was an attempt to expand urban lifestyles and infrastructure to the edges of cities, which resulted in negligent construction planning and excess energy consumption. These neighborhoods were low-density and lacked identity across the board. The economics of the planning led to a resurgence in suburban areas, creating unsustainable conditions and commuting difficulties.

I believe the suburbs should still be extensions of the city as long as commuting becomes more sustainable. Smruti Jukur Johari mentioned in her TED Talk, "What if the poor were part of city planning?" that it is vital for the community to have more options instead of establishing urban plans that reduce choices and force citizens in and out of areas. Providing more of a variety of ways to travel from suburban districts to urban districts will justify the importance of suburban communities. Examples of this would be constructing more Metro stations, bike lanes, and eco-friendly vehicles.

Kevin Lynch provides a 5 part vocabulary for defining city patterns and how lack of attention to these 5 areas results in infrastructure breakdown. What are the 5 areas, and do you believe it is necessary for urban planners should target these areas in their neighborhood plans?

Answer also why or why not to the targeting question.

The 5 areas are the following: paths, edges, nodes, districts, landmarks. I do believe that urban planners should focus on using these areas to create a legible, easy-to-navigate city. It simply makes sense that an effective city would have aspects to make orientation easier and these would do so, as Lynch explains.

EXAMPLE RESPONSE: The 5 areas Kevin Lynch lists to define city patterns and their importance in sustaining infrastructure are paths, edges, districts, nodes, and landmarks. I believe it is necessary for urban planners to target these areas in their neighborhood plans because they guide citizens around the community and provide security and orientation to the residents. Missing an area could limit the neighborhood's identity or relevance and mislead visitors and potential inhabitants.