New Urbanism

Seaside, Florida

Celebration fl

Downtown baldwin park

St petersburg florida downtown

Post office in celebration

New Urbanism is an urban design movement that promotes environmentally friendly habits by creating walkable neighborhoods containing a wide range of housing and job types. It arose in the United States in the early 1980s, and it has gradually influenced many aspects of real estate development, urban planning, and municipal land-use strategies.

New Urbanism aims to address the sprawl and lack of community often found in modern suburbs by emphasizing a return to traditional neighborhood structures. These are characterized by a clear center, often with a public space such as a square or green, and a discernible edge. The movement seeks to encourage a strong sense of community by designing spaces that promote people to gather and interact.

Principles

The principles of New Urbanism are encapsulated in the Charter of the New Urbanism, which outlines the movement's commitment to creating sustainable, human-scaled places. Key principles include:

• Walkability: Neighborhoods should be compact, pedestrian-friendly, and within walking distance of public amenities and work opportunities.
• Connectivity: An interconnected street grid network is encouraged to disperse traffic and enhance the walking environment.
• Mixed-use and diversity: A mix of shops, offices, apartments, and homes on site. Mixed-income, multi-generational housing is encouraged to create diverse communities.
• Quality architecture and urban design: Emphasis on beauty, aesthetics, human comfort, and creating a sense of place; architectural and natural harmony.
• Traditional neighborhood structure: There should be a defined center and edge, with public spaces at the center.
• Increased density: More buildings, residences, shops, and services closer together for ease of walking, to enable a more efficient use of services and resources, and to create a more convenient, enjoyable place to live.

New Urbanism's approach contrasts sharply with the mid-20th-century trend of designing for cars and suburban sprawl, promoting instead a return to a more localized, pedestrian-friendly way of living.

Criticism

Critics of New Urbanism argue that it is a form of nostalgic revivalism, attempting to recreate an idealized, pre-automobile street pattern that may not suit modern needs. Others point out that New Urbanist developments can be more expensive than traditional suburban developments, potentially leading to issues of affordability and social equity.

Examples

Prominent examples of New Urbanism include Seaside, Florida, the first community intentionally designed around these principles, and Kentlands, Maryland, one of the first attempts to apply them to a larger suburban community. Internationally, projects such as Poundbury, in Dorset, England, showcase New Urbanism's influence outside the United States.

Impact

New Urbanism has significantly influenced urban planning and development. Its principles have been integrated into numerous planning policies and guidelines, such as the LEED-ND (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development) certification system. The movement has also inspired the development of the Smart Growth and Complete Streets initiatives, which share many of its goals.

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