Unit 3: Urban Planning Theories & Principles Flashcards
Who designed New York’s Central Park in 1856?
Frederick Law Olmstead
Name the Design Concept & Principles Frederick Law Olmstead proposed? (3)
- Natural Style – Inspired by informal 18th-century English gardens.
- Diverse Features – Includes paths, lakes, a zoo, museums, theaters, and open spaces.
- City Buffer – Luxury buildings around the park block city noise & views.
What are the imperatives of Frederick Law Olmstead’s proposed designs?
- Improve health – Use sanitation and trees to fight pollution.
- Help urban poor – Prevent social decline, especially for children.
- Advance civilization – Provide equal access to urban facilities.
Who proposed the Garden City Concept in 1899 and what were the propositions?
Prof. Sir Ebenezer Howard (Howard’s Theory)
It would combine the best elements of city and country and would avoid the worst elements of city and country.
What are the three magnets in Howard’s theory?
Town, Town-Country, and Country
What is the main idea behind Howard’s Garden City Concept?
Decentralization to alleviate overcrowding in cities.
Name 5 differences between towns, town-country and country
NSWEA (No Silly Workers Enjoy Art)
- Nature
- Society
- Wages
- Environment
- Amusement
Draw the conceptual city growth according to the Garden City model.
(See notes)
What did Unwin’s Theory emphasize?
Social reform and community living are essential parameters of urban life.
What are essential components to achieve social reform and community living according to Unwin?
Landscaped foot paths, green belts, gardens, community centers, court yards and culls - de - sac
Explain Patrick Geddes’ Theory
His philosophy was “diagnose before treatment.”
What factors should be included in comprehensive planning surveys according to Geddes? (10)
- Historical
- Geological
- Biological
- Climatic
- Sociological
- Geographic
- Economic
- Transportation
- Topographical
- Aesthetic
Who proposed the “Central place theory”?
Walter Christaller
Describe the Central place theory.
Justifies the locations of cities and towns as a function of their ability to supply goods and services to the surrounding area, rather than as a function of history or geography. This theory forms the basis of marketing and economic techniques.
What is Le Corbusier’s theory also known as?
“Social engineering”
What are some of Le Corbusier’s important ideas? (3)
- Build vertically
- Separate traffic types
- Increase open space.
What concept did Frank Lloyd Wright propose?
Broadacre City
What is the key idea of Broadacre City?
Decentralization and a low-density, car-oriented fabric of inhabited landscape.
What are some of the physical resources needed in Mumford’s theory? (4)
- A fixed site
- Durable shelter
- Permanent facilities for assembly
- interchange
What model did Burgess develop?
Concentric ring model (or concentric zone theory)
What is Writh’s social definition of a city based on? (3)
PPS
- Population size
- Population density
- Social heterogeneity
What are the core ideas of Utopian concepts? (4)
- Ideal, self-contained community
- A greenbelt
- Discourage metropolitan sprawl
- Industrial centralization.
What did Friedrich Engels observe and write about?
The misery of the working class in 19th century Manchester.
What are some key ideas of Neo-Marxist theories?
Spatial patterns are determined by circuits of capital and capitalist development.
What are the five elements of the city according to Doxiadis? (5)
NMSSN
- Nature
- Man
- Society
- Shells
- Networks
