Urban Planning and Environment

¶ … economy is in a state of recovery from the great recession. One of the key implications of this economic recovery for urban planning encompasses the decline in unemployment rate. Between 2010 and 2016, the unemployment rate has significantly declined from about 10% to the prevailing rate of 4.9% (Bureau of Labor Statistics). However, it is imperative to note that a great deal of employment opportunities are in major cities such as California, Washington, Florida, Texas and Pennsylvania. Fifty percent of new business establishments across the nation evolved in only 20 major urban counties (Florida). This implies that such urban places are bound to experience an increase in population from skilled workers. In turn, this will cripple the other areas. Considering this, there are also implications for economic policy, governmental budgets and local and state governments. In particular, the local and state governments should apportion and channel government budgets to the developing counties to instill recovery in order to improve the unemployment rate and better prospects. This is likely to affect my own personal future in the sense that as congestion in urban areas continues to increase, the affordability in basic aspects such as housing and commodities will increase leading to a crisis (Brasuell). It is imperative to note that the economic recovery, which has been uneven, has been disruptive for the middle-class jobs and workforces (Florida).

Question 3

With respect to the future of urbanism, several factors are most likely to influence cities, suburbs, and metropolitan areas in the next 25 years. With respect to technological factors, there is the propagation in internet connectivity. Having extensively accessible and easily obtainable broadband and Wi-Fi 3G/4G connectivity, will facilitate the participation of everyone in the digital economy. This would generate smart digital urbanism, which encompasses the circumstances and settings in which lively, open-minded digital cities develop and grow from the efficacious innovations of their citizens, societies and industries in the information economy (Robinson). A key social and demographic factor that will have a massive influence in cities is the population levels. A significant increase in population implies that the cities, suburbs, and metropolitan areas will be congested and therefore, potentially give rise to negative elements to urbanism such as crime, urban homelessness, and poverty. Economic factors also have to be taken into account. A key economic factor in this case is the level of employment. An increase in employment levels, spread across the nation implies that there will be no need for congestion in major urban cities. In addition, it implies that the skilled workers will continue to develop the suburban and metropolitan areas, and avoid losing them to migration (Florida).

Question 4

My views of an ideal urban environment is one that meets the human needs and generates optimal settings for the way of life of both society and individuals. In particular, this ideal urban setting should cater to individual or personal needs, such as psychological and physiological needs. Secondly, it should cater to the needs of the society, such as social, economic, cultural and communicational needs. Lastly, it should cater to the need to preserve an environment owing to cultural values and care about the future generations (Zaleckis). When I establish more "enduring" roots and "settle down," I would like to settle in a suburban area. One of the key ideas discussed that has affected about the kind of environment I would prefer to live in is the aspect of mobility. It is imperative to note that mobility in an urban setting is key to the quality of life of an individual. Therefore, I would opt for a suburban area and not a city due to aspects such as congestion, space for children to run and play and also the lack of pollution due to cars and industrial manufacturing units.

Question 5

There are different views on urban planning, urban design, and the future of American urbanism as regard conceptions of the "good ideal place." One of the views is that a good ideal place is one that promotes the quality of life of a citizen. Another view is that it can easily provide the basic needs of a human being. Another perspective is that it considers future generations (Zaleckis). As represented in the Birch table of the evolution of ideas about urban design and the current state of urbanism, the ideas of "new urbanism" relate to this in the sense that it considers the sustainability and globalization/climate change eras (Birch 438). These views are to some extent similar to my own understanding of the "good-ideal" urban environment. From my perspective, such an environment ought to be sustainable and which promotes green space, less congestion, and less pollution.

Question 6

Based on work done this semester, an issue of particular interest to me is sustainable urban development. In my understanding, urban planning and development ought to be steered by a sustainable planning and administration visualization. This should be a vision that promotes interrelated green space, mixed-use development and a multimodal transportation system. Diverse public and private associations and affiliations ought to be utilized to generate sustainable and accommodating societies that safeguard momentous, cultural, and ecological resources. What is more, legislators, supervisory bodies and developers ought to support sustainable location planning and construction methods that diminish effluence and produce a sense of balance between constructed and natural systems. The setting up of walkways, tracks, and private paths, linked to transit stops and an intersected street linkage within these mixed-use developments creates viable movement options and aids decrease pollution by decreasing vehicle trips (American Society of Landscape Architects).

Question 7

A key issue in urban planning is the lack of an urban policy in several cities. One of the key differences and contradictions is the sense that cities are currently being perceived as regions for capitalism. Rather, they ought to be platforms for fiscal innovation and wealth creation. My opinion is that urban planning should consider the diversity within cities as centers for innovation and growth and development. The results of the 2016 presidential election have affected the issues and plans that concern urban policies and programs that affect the quality of your lives. The Trump administration vouches for "A Plan for Urban Renewal." However, this is a worrying move as scholars and several city dwellers consider urban renewal to encompass massive destruction of minority communities, and removal of neighborhoods to facilitate creation of highways and civic projects (Badger).

Question 8

Howard, Wright, and Lecorbusier are some of the urban planners and visionaries of the early 20th Century, all of who designed ideal cities. In accordance to Robert Fishman, several individuals dream of a better world. Each of these designers went further ahead and planned one. Their social principles encompassed this exceptional and outstanding stride because they believed that, over and above any other objective, their societies necessitated new kinds of cities (Fishman 3). Howard made the conception of the garden city where shops and bungalows fashioned the epicenter of a geometric arrangement with countryside surrounding. Secondly, Wright imagined and thought of Broadacre City, which is the eventual suburb where the automobile was king. Lastly, Le Corbusier planned Ville Radieuse, which is the city of cruciform high-rise buildings set forth in open meadows (Fishman 4). However, the views of Fishman are in contrast with the "utopian" orientation of Howard, Wright, Lecorbusier and other urban planners and visionaries. He considers the utopias of these three visionaries to be untenable and improbable. He deemed them to be intelligible programs of action, emanating from a profound consideration that pursued to rise above the direct program, which if carried out would disrupt the structure of an conventional society (Ganjavie 12).

Question 9

Hans Blumenfeld in his article, "Criteria for judging the quality of the urban environment," discusses different aspects of urban-metropolitan development. One of the aspects is densities in urban environment. Densities are curtailed by zoning regulations recommending least possible sizes for residential lots in expanses of the metropolis, commonly more remotely, well-ordered by upper- and middle-income whites ascertained to disregard the poor and the black from their neighborhoods. The outcome is that the city ends up extending over an expanse and region much bigger than freedom of movement and economic factors solely would decree. For instance, according to Bluenfeld (47), the general density of American urban regions is about one fifth to one sixth of the density prevailing a century ago, when walking was the leading mode of transportation.

Question 10

The article chosen is the one written by Camillo Sitte in the City Reader 5th Edition. One of the key elements elucidated in the article is the relationship between buildings and monuments. In particular, Sitte lay emphasis that the center of plazas ought to continue being perpetually unoccupied. This is owing to the aspiration to have a line of unrestricted vision and not obstructed by monuments. What is more, from the perspectives of Sitte, such monuments would not only hinder with the sight of buildings but the buildings would give rise to the worst kind of background for the monuments. Another consideration is the lack of judgement in the manner in which public buildings are constructed in the middle of plazas. This is because it ruins the sighting of the plaza and also restricts sufficiency in space distance to perceive the facade of the building adequately (Sitte).