The New Urbanism

• introduction
• history
• principles
• form
• case study
• local examples
• questions

NRE 688, 02.17.2010

 The New Urbanism
what is it?

• “Views disinvestment in central cities, the spread of placeless

sprawl, increasing separation by race and income,
environmental deterioration, loss of agricultural lands and
wilderness, and the erosion of society's built heritage as one
interrelated community-building challenge.”
• “Promotes the restoration of existing urban centers and towns
within coherent metropolitan regions, the reconfiguration of
sprawling suburbs into communities of real neighborhoods and
diverse districts, the conservation of natural environments, and
the preservation of our built legacy.”
• “Recognizes that physical solutions by themselves will not
solve social and economic problems, but neither can economic
vitality, community stability, and environmental health be
sustained without a coherent and supportive physical
framework.”

NRE 688, 02.17.2010

 The New Urbanism
seaside starts a movement

• The first New Urban community was Seaside

developed by Robert Davis with DPZ in 1982. The
intention was to create a community which respected
the traditional (contextual) architectural heritage of the
region
• The Congress for the New Urbanism was founded in
1993 by a group of architects/planners/LA’s who had
each worked for years to create buildings,
neighborhoods, and regions that provide a high quality
of life for all residents, while protecting the natural
environment. They were brought together by Peter Katz
(The New Urbanism: Toward an Architecture of Community),
who soon became the first Executive Director of CNU

NRE 688, 02.17.2010

 The New Urbanism
guiding principles

• Neighborhoods should be diverse in use and

population
• Communities should be designed for the pedestrian
and transit as well as the car
• Cities and towns should be shaped by physically
defined and universally accessible public spaces and
community institutions
• urban places should be framed by architecture and
landscape design that celebrate local history,
climate, ecology, and building practice

NRE 688, 02.17.2010

 The New Urbanism
the region

Wilderness, farmland, villages, town edges, town centers,

city neighborhoods, and city centers each have their own
building densities, street sizes, and appropriate mixtures
of retail, residential, open space, and other functions.

Ebenezer Howard, cir.1890

NRE 688, 02.17.2010

 The New Urbanism
the neighborhood

The optimal size of a neighborhood is a quarter-mile

from center to edge. For most people, a quarter mile is a
five-minute walk. For a neighborhood to feel walkable,
many daily needs should be supplied within this five-
minute walk. That includes not only homes, but stores,
workplaces, schools, houses of worship, and recreational
areas.

NRE 688, 02.17.2010

 The New Urbanism
the block

• In New Urbanism, streets are safe, comfortable,

interesting places for people to walk and meet.
Buildings open onto sidewalks, rather than parking
lots. Windows and doors facing the sidewalk make
streets safer, and more interesting, for everyone.
• New urbanist streets can accommodate cars while
also providing comfort and convenience for
pedestrians, bicyclists, and wheelchair users.

NRE 688, 02.17.2010

 The New Urbanism
spin off’s

• TOD’s – Transportation Oriented Design

• TND’s vs. New Urbanism (east coast vs. west coast)
• Smart Growth
• Retail “Town Centers”
• Form Based Code (Smart Code)
• HOPE VI
• LEED ND (USGBC, ASLA, NRDC & CNU)

NRE 688, 02.17.2010

 The New Urbanism
LEED® ND

The LEED for Neighborhood Development Rating

System integrates the principles of smart growth,
urbanism and green building into the first national
system for neighborhood design.
• Smart Location and Linkage (27)
• Neighborhood Pattern and Design (44)
• Green Infrastructure and Buildings (29)
• Innovation and Design Process (6)
• Regional Priority (4)

NRE 688, 02.17.2010

 The New Urbanism
baldwin park, fl

• From 1940 throughout World War II and until 1968,

the site was an Army Air Corps and Air Force base.
• From 1968 until 1999 the base was used by the
Orlando Naval Training Center (ONTC).
• Lake Baldwin and Baldwin Park take their names
from former Under Secretary of the Navy, Robert H.
B. Baldwin.
• A re-development of a site in the grater Orlando
metropolitan area.

NRE 688, 02.17.2010

 The New Urbanism
baldwin park, fl

“An Old Fashioned Florida Community

Baldwin Park has been carefully planned to create a definite

sense of community. A Traditional Neighborhood
Development (TND), Baldwin Park has no gates or walls,
but blends seamlessly into surrounding areas. It's pedestrian
friendly with wide sidewalks. Homes are within easy
walking distance of stores, offices and restaurants. Parks,
lakes, playgrounds and common areas are other places to
meet and socialize, making Baldwin Park one of the
friendliest communities in Orlando, Florida.”

NRE 688, 02.17.2010

 The New Urbanism
baldwin park, fl

• Baldwin Park has a variety of home styles, from

single family estates to apartments over retail
• Porches and rear alleys add to the quality of the
pedestrian experience
• The community is organized into discrete
neighborhoods developed around small parks or retail
centers

NRE 688, 10.02.2007

 The New Urbanism
baldwin park, fl

• Baldwin Park’s town center creates a vibrant place

for community interaction
• It supports the community with services, and
entertainment that can be reached on foot
• Provides a venue for home based offices, boutique
retail, and national chains

NRE 688, 02.17.2010

 The New Urbanism
baldwin park, fl

• Civic buildings terminate long views, and anchor

public spaces
• A variety of open space types are located in
neighborhood centers with playgrounds and other
public amenities
• Natural features have been protected and restored,
and are linked with pedestrian connections and
available for community enjoyment

NRE 688, 02.17.2010

 The New Urbanism
local examples

• Cherry Hill Village - Canton, MI

• Novi Town Center – Novi, MI
• Campus Martius - Detroit, MI
• Eton Street Station – Birmingham, MI
• Howell Town Commons – Howell, MI
• Woodbridge Estates – Detroit, MI
• Easton Town Center – Columbus, OH
• Macomb Town Center – Macomb, MI
• North Sky – Ann Arbor, MI
• Lower Town – Ann Arbor, MI

NRE 688,02.17.2010
The New Urbanism
questions

?
NRE 688, 02.17.2010