Urban Planning Concepts and The New Urbanism Game

Urban Planning Concepts and The New Urbanism Game

Overview

  • The New Urban Game simulates stages of urbanization, suburbanization, and urban renewal from 1945 to 2020 in the United States.

  • Participants design cities while applying modern urban planning concepts.

Important Urban Planning Concepts

  • Infrastructure: A society’s basic physical & organizational structures & facilities (e.g., roads, buildings, public utilities).

  • Infilling: Redevelopment of vacant parcels of land within already developed areas.

  • Segregation: The separation of different groups (e.g., by class/race) into different residential areas, can be by law or for other reasons.

  • Edge City: A concentration of economic activities located outside the Central Business District (CBD).

  • Sprawl: Poorly planned, low-density areas of new growth outside the city’s existing developed areas.

  • Exurb: A fast-growing suburb on the outskirts of the metropolitan area.

  • Urban Renewal: Large scale redevelopment in the CBD and older inner-city areas, common in the 1950s-1960s.

  • Metropolitan Area: The urban core and its economically connected surrounding areas combined for statistical purposes.

  • Greenbelt: A line or ring of park, forest, or agricultural land left open to reduce sprawl between urban areas.

  • Gentrification: The redevelopment of a neighborhood as wealthier people move in and renovate housing and businesses, often displacing existing residents.

  • Boomburb: A large, fast-growing suburb with at least 100,000 residents.

  • Urban Growth Boundaries: A limit on a city’s expansion, separating urban land use from rural land use.

  • Inclusionary Zoning: City ordinances to incentivize affordable housing in new developments.

  • New Urbanism: Smart growth policy to limit sprawl by creating dense, walkable, transit-accessible, mixed land use neighborhoods.

  • Mixed Land Use: Combining multiple purposes (e.g., residential, commercial, education, recreation) in one development project.

Game Structure and Rules

  • The game is divided into rounds representing different years, with specific instructions and urban concepts applied in each round.

  • Each round requires participants to add specific features to their city maps while respecting the urban planning principles discussed.

  • General Rules: Keep shapes & labels simple; housing sizes for each class should be consistent; cannot destroy or erase features unless permitted; lower class housing can be destroyed to create space for development with the condition of rebuilding an equal amount elsewhere.

Rounds of Development in The New Urban Game

Round 1: 1945

  • Add Definitions: 1. Infrastructure: Basic physical & organizational structures & facilities. 2. Infilling: Redevelopment of vacant land in developed areas. - Map Features: Draw features (housing by class, primary/secondary tertiary activities, CBD, etc) and include highways and a park.

Round 2: 1947

  • Continuation: Add two highways, ensuring connectivity from N/S/E/W edges and intersecting near the CBD.

Round 3: 1950

  • Define Suburbanization: Movement of people from the city’s urban core to the outskirts.

  • Map Changes: Add a suburb consisting of various housing units related to new tertiary units along the new highway.

Round 4: 1954

  • Apply Residential Segregation: Add different classes of housing while converting existing housing types to reflect segregation.

Round 5: 1959

  • Beltway Addition: Draw a beltway encircling the city, avoid proximity to the CBD.

Round 6: 1960

  • Update: Define Edge City and develop features along the beltway.

Round 7: 1963

  • Define Urban Sprawl & Exurbs: Add housing in poorly planned areas on the outskirts.

Round 8: 1966

  • Apply Urban Renewal: Redevelop parts of the CBD and add structures like parking lots post-demolition.

Round 9: 1973

  • Metropolitan Area Definition: Add major recreational features like a sports stadium, theme park, and airport.

Round 10: 1978

  • Greenbelt Definition: Create new park areas to reduce future sprawl.

Round 11: 1985

  • Add additional exurbs and connect through new highways, maintaining the structure of the suburbs.

Round 12: 1992

  • Apply Gentrification: Redevelop units in the CBD, add luxury apartments while replacing lower-class housing outside city limits.

Round 13: 2000

  • Boomburb Definition: Expand one exurb to become a boomburb.

Round 14: 2006

  • Define Urban Growth Boundaries: Instill temporary limits on expansion beyond city limits while establishing historic areas.

Round 15: 2010

  • Simplified Addition: Add middle-class housing units within city limits.

Round 16: 2011

  • Inclusionary Zoning Definition: Incentivize new affordable housing near middle-class units.

Round 17: 2020

  • New Urbanism Definition: Integrate smart growth policies, mixed land use, and enhanced urban connectivity.

Conclusion

  • By the end of the game, all features of the modern urban planning elements need to be integrated within a viable city map, showcasing urban evolution from 1945 through 2020 with respect to various societal changes.