ELEMENTS OF URBAN DESIGN

Urban Design involves the design and coordination of all that

makes up cities and towns:

Buildings

Buildings are the most pronounced

elements of urban design - they
shape and articulate space by
forming the streetwalls of the
city. Well designed buildings and
groups of buildings work together
to create a sense of place.

Public Space

Great public spaces are the living

room of the city - the place where
people come together to enjoy the city
and each other. Public spaces make
high quality life in the city possible -
they form the stage and backdrop to
the drama of life. Public spaces range
from grand central plazas and
squares, to small, local neighborhood
parks.

Streets

Streets are the connections between

spaces and places, as well as being
spaces themselves. They are defined
by their physical dimension and
character as well as the size, scale,
and character of the buildings that
line them. Streets range from grand
avenues such as the Champs-Elysees
in Paris to small, intimate pedestrian
streets. The pattern of the street
network is part of what defines a city
and what makes each city unique.

Transport

Transport systems connect the

parts of cities and help shape
them, and enable movement
throughout the city. They include
road, rail, bicycle, and pedestrian
networks, and together form the
total movement system of a
city. The balance of these various
transport systems is what helps
define the quality and character of
cities, and makes them either
friendly or hostile to
pedestrians. The best cities are
the ones that elevate the
experience of the pedestrian while
minimizing the dominance of the
private automobile.

Landscape

The landscape is the green part of

the city that weaves throughout -
in the form of urban parks, street
trees, plants, flowers, and water in
many forms. The landscape helps
define the character and beauty of
a city and creates soft, contrasting
spaces and elements. Green spaces
in cities range from grand parks
such as Central Park in New York
City and the Washington DC Mall,
to small intimate pocket parks.
Urban Design weaves together these elements into a coherent,
organized design structure

PARIS BATH ROME

The urban design structure defines the urban form and the building
form
 PARIS BATH ROME

The creative articulation of

space is the most prominent
aspect of urban design. The
following artistic principles are
an integral part of creating
form and spatial definition

:  Order
 Unity
 Balance
 Proportion
 Scale
 Hierarchy
 Symmetry
 Rhythm
 Contrast
 Context
 Detail
 Texture
 Harmony
 Beauty
Urban Design Principles
Urban design principles are shown within a hierarchy which comprises:
■ City-wide dimension
■ Local Area dimension
■ Site/Street dimension
■ Public Realm dimension
There is a sequential relationship between the different levels and where
appropriate, the same criteria can often be applied at different levels of detail.

1. CITY-WIDE DIMENSION

1.1 INTEGRATE NEW DEVELOPMENT AND CONTRIBUTE TO DISTINCTIVENESS

Recognize the role of the site within the urban structure. Integrate major new
proposals into the city structure and ensure that new developments emphasis,
retain or enhance the City’s identity
■ major or significant proposals should be considered in the citywide context.
■proposals should protect and enhance the image of the city.
■proposals should not cause unsympathetic.

1.2 CITY WIDE VIEWS AND CONTEXT

Protect and enhance views to and from established landmarks, hills, skylines, and
recognize distinctive urban zones, layers of built form and backcloths. Maintain
strategic views from major access routes and public vantage points
■all new development should integrate with its wider surroundings and
harmonize with the general height of buildings prevailing in the area
■development should re-inforce and not detract from valued skyline and views
 ■development should respect the general urban topography
■proposed buildings, visible from higher points should maintain or enhance the
prevailing massing, articulation and any interesting existing pattern of roofs
■low rise buildings adjacent to higher neighbours should provide attractive
roofscapes ■proposals visually affecting Edinburgh’s hills require detailed
scrutiny through urban design analysis, and should exhibit architectural
excellence

1.3 DEFINE CITY EDGES

City edges and settings can be improved through appropriate new development.
These should provide integration and visual continuity from urban to rural areas
■ Examine proposals for their possible contribution to definition of edges.
■ Integrate new and existing development at the city edges in order to
provide continuity and underline contrast and gradation between urban and
rural character.

1.4 AIM TO IMPROVE IMAGE AND LEGIBILITY

Enhance the appearance and maintain the complex and varied character of arterial
routes
■ it is essential that the quality of gateways, arterial routes and their varied
character and strategic views are maintained to protect the city image and
legibility.
■new development s along these locations should be of high quality urban
design and architecture. This will involve consideration of their context and
providing them with appropriate settings.

1-5 STRENGTHEN AND EXTEND THE NETWORK OF GREEN AND CIVIC

SPACES Continue to maximize opportunities to enhance and extend links to
individual spaces and the open space network in the city
■ Consider outdoor spaces as a means of integrating and linking development
to provide structure and a shared community focus.
■ Minimize the loss of public access to areas of outdoor/visual amenity,
recreation and biodiversity interest.
■ Open spaces and citywide green corridors are of particular interest.
Development proposals should be assessed to establish the threat or
contribution they might make

2 LOCAL AREA DIMENSION

2.1 LIVELY AND ATTRACTIVE LOCAL PLACES

Mixed uses and hum an scale can give vitality and create attractive places that
contribute to promoting safe and sustainable communities. Proposals should
demonstrate:
■ Urban design to create a sense of place and integration with local context.
■ Places which are attractive, offering mixed uses, variety of form and choice
■ Integration with public transport ■priority to pedestrian and cycle
movement.
■ Sensitivity to human scale.

2-2 REINFORCE LOCAL IDENTITY

Where new development is to be located within neighborhood of distinctive spatial
structure, townscape and landscape, the proposal should reinforce the existing
character.
■significant proposals at this scale should be accompanied by a Contextual
Analysis
■new build should not be higher nor of greater mass than adjacent existing
development unless there are special townscape reasons
■identify needs/opportunities to improve the components of urban design,
form, space, activities

2.3 MAKE DISTINCTIVE URBAN FORM

Shape distinctive neighborhoods to create local identity, where the existing
development form is poor or due for regeneration
■early pre application discussion is crucial for the development of larger or
sensitive sites ■master plans will often be the preferred way of tackling
larger, mixed-use sites
■mix of uses and building forms need to be encouraged according to Local
Plan requirements and area character
■combine activities, development and spaces to give distinctive urban form

2.4 MAKE COHERENT LAYOUTS

Provide a clear and coherent spatial structure offering potential for diversity and
vitality.
■ Proposals should connect with the surrounding structure and address
adjacent development form and character
■ Establish a clear block grain and street pattern
■ Perimeter blocks can be used to create an attractive public realm and
promote diversity

3. STREET & SITE DIMENSION

3.1 REINFORCE CHARACTER
Establish key elements to ensure fit with surroundings
■ make reference to local, natural and built features, or special relationships.
■ have respect for and reflect local proportions and plot sizes
■ be consistent in the detailed design to all elevations.
■ use quality local materials

3.2 PROMOTE PEDESTRI AN ACCESS

Developments should connect with, extend or improve the local street structure
■reinforce a new or existing street structure
■provide a choice of routes that maximize connectivity and linkages
■ensure that the street structure is clearly understood

3.3 VALUE OPEN SPACE

New Development should enhance existing, and provide new open space
■ ensure that amenity is both visual and functional (recreational)
■ integrate new and existing development at their boundaries.
■ relate and connect new developments to existing street layout and built
form.
■ integrate the site’s landscape and natural features.
■ ensure that civic spaces encourage activity

3.4 INTEGRATE CAR PARKING

Almost all developments require provision for car parking. This can be catered for in
one of three ways; either, inside the boundary of a development : or outside, usually
on street; or underground.
The main consideration is how to integrate parking without allowing it to dominate
the development, the street scene, or adjacent developments.
■ Balanced approach to parking
■ Sufficient to cater for contemporary needs
■ Conveniently located close to destinations
■ Limited visual intrusion through the use of landscaping and quality
materials
■ Safe and secure

4. PUBLIC REALM DIMENSION

4.1 THE OUTSIDE ROOM THAT EVERYONE EXPERIENCES
Wherever possible, opportunities should be taken to create new public spaces in
association with development. Their design and management demands as much care
and attention as the buildings which enclose them.
■ Determine the appropriate balance between pedestrian and vehicular traffic
■ Public spaces should provide a focus for pedestrian routes which should be
accessible, safe and comfort able
■ Public spaces should have varied activities to attract people 4-1

4.2 ENCLOSE PUBLIC SPACES

Buildings should give positive definition and enclosure to the shape and function of
public space encouraging a range of activities to take place. Outdoor space and
buildings should make direct contact with each other.
■ Provide a welcoming space that contains activity and safety and
acknowledges its local circumstances.
■ Continue or create a strong building line that addresses public spaces.
■ Where setbacks occur from the building line ensure that useable space is
created.
■ Always define enclosures.

4.3 MATERIALS AND STREET FURNITURE IN THE PUBLIC REALM

Ensure high quality streetscape design, street furniture and materials are used in
the renewal/provision of the public realm. Street furniture should be located
sensitively in relation to vistas, elevations of buildings and should avoid becoming
street clutter.
■ Keep the design of street and foot way simple and use appropriate
materials to fit local character.
■ Remove superfluous street signs and keep new signs to a minimum.
■ Use street furniture to help create and delineate the public realm.

Urban Design Principles

Planning to effectively meet the conditions and realities of a Post Carbon,
Climate Responsible world will require a shift in our current understanding
of what constitutes good urban design and planning. Many of the practices
that we now take for granted, such as planning cities around automobile
transportation, and zoning for single uses, will no longer be economically,
environmentally, or culturally viable. To address the changes in urban
design and planning, we are putting forward the following principles for
resilient urban planning and design in a post-carbon, climate-responsive
building environment.
1. Density, Diversity and Mix
Resilient Cities and neighborhoods will need to embrace density, diversity
and mix of uses, users, building types, and public spaces.
Creating resiliency and reducing the carbon footprint of urban development requires us to
maximize the active use of space and land. A single use low density residential
neighborhood or suburban business parks, are typically underutilized during long periods
of time. A vibrant and sufficiently densely populated urban environment, by contrast, is
well used round-the-clock, all days of the week, and during all seasons. This results from a
closely knit mix of uses (e.g. offices, residences, coffee shops etc.) with sufficient density,
and which are accessible to a diversity of users (e.g. children, youth, seniors, high-income,
low-income, etc.). Dense mixed use neighborhoods also allow for the effective functioning
of all types of business, social and cultural activities with very low inputs of energy for
transportation and logistics, thus increasing the resilience of these neighborhoods.

2. Pedestrians First
Resilient cities and neighborhoods will prioritize walking as the preferred
mode of travel, and as a defining component of a healthy quality of life.
Reducing car-dependency is a key objective and imperative. Luckily, the alternative modes
of transportation – namely walking, cycling, and transit – result in more sustainable urban
environments, and in an improved quality of life. It are the cities and neighborhoods that
have prioritized walking, that have created desirable locations to live, work, play, and
invest in. (The term pedestrian, as used in these principles, includes persons with
disabilities.)

3. Transit Supportive
Resilient cities and neighborhoods will develop in a way that is transit
supportive.
After walking and cycling, transit is the most sustainable mode of transportation. Resilient
cities will need to re-orient their way of thinking, by shifting from car oriented urban
patterns (e.g. cul-de-sacs and expressways) to transit oriented urban patterns and
developments (e.g. mobility hubs, intensified corridors, and TODs). Not only will
pedestrian, and mass transportation friendly planning increase the quality of life of a
cities, as fuel prices rise after Peak Oil, only cities that are viable without heavy
dependence on the car will have the best chances of economic and social success.

4. Place-Making
Resilient cities and neighborhoods will focus energy and resources on
conserving, enhancing, and creating strong, vibrant places, which are a
significant component of the neighborhood’s structure and of the
community’s identity.
All successful cities and successful neighborhoods include vibrant places, with a strong
sense of identity, which are integral to community life and the public realm: parks, plazas,
courtyards, civic buildings, public streets, etc.

A resilient post-carbon community, which reorients city-life to the pedestrian scale (a 500
m radius), must focus its efforts to creating a number of local destinations, which attract a
critical-mass of users and activities. Sprawl, for example, has very little place-making. A
traditional village or an urban downtown, by contrast, have innumerable nocks and
crannies, grand public spaces, gorgeous streetscapes, which make them desirable,
successful, and sustainable.

Heritage resources – buildings, structures, and landscapes – represents a significant

opportunity for place-making (i.e. through their cultural significance and identity), as well
as a significant environmental investment (i.e. through their embedded energy) that should
be conserved and leveraged.

5. Complete Communities
Resilient neighborhoods will provide the needs of daily living, within
walking distance (a 500 m radius).
Resilient communities, will reduce their carbon footprint by ensuring people opt to walk or
cycle, instead of using a car. To achieve this, destinations must be accessible within a
pleasant walking distance – people should be able and willing to walk from home to work,
to school, to shop, to recreate, and to engage the activities of their everyday life. Longer
distances should be achievable through transit.

Connectivity is central to making an area pedestrian oriented. Streets and pedestrian

walkways must be enjoyable to walk, must link key destinations, and must operate at a fine
scale. Communities must also be compact and concentrate a critical-mass of people and
activities to support walking, and to support animated and vibrant place-making.

6. Integrated Natural Systems

Resilient cities and neighborhoods will conserve and enhance the health of
natural systems (including climate) and areas of environmental
significance, and manage the impacts of climate change.
Our individual and collective health is intricately tied to the health of air, water, land, and
climate. How we choose to live, how we choose to move around, how we develop land, all
have an impact on the quality of the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the weather
we experience. Cities and neighbourhoods need to develop in a way that conserves and
enhances the quality of the water flow and supply, likewise for the quality of air and land.
Climate is, increasingly, a key driver to transforming our development patterns and living
choices. Action on this front is imperative.

The health and integrity of wildlife and vegetation are also a priority. Protecting existing
biodiversity, indigenous or endangered species, wetlands, the tree canopy, connectivity, are
all a necessary aspect of securing healthy natural systems.
7. Integrated Technical and Industrial Systems
Resilient Cities and neighborhoods will enhance the effectiveness, efficiency
and safety of their technical and industrial systems and processes,
including their manufacturing, transportation, communications and
construction infrastructure and systems to increase their energy efficiency,
and reduce their environmental footprint.
The economic health and vitality of cities is inextricably bound up with the effectiveness,
efficiency and safety of its technical and industrial systems and processes. The importance
of reducing negative environmental impacts of economic activities and processes, as well
as reducing their dependence on fossil fuels will require us to develop more integrated and
more highly efficient industrial processes and technical systems that ensure a maximum of
efficiency in the use of both materials and energy resources, as well as the elimination of
all wasteful and potentially harmful bi-products.

Technical and industrial uses need to be integrated into the city in ways that allow them to
make the most efficient and synergistic connections and associations with similar
and complementary uses that will design for waste products from one industry or
technical process (such as heat energy) to be effectively used as a beneficial input in
another industry or technical process, thus increasing the overall efficiency of the city as a
system, while reducing the creation of harmful and/or wasteful bi-products.

The health and integrity of the neighborhoods that these technical and industrial systems
are part of is also a priority for the Resilient City. The strategic integration of industrial
and technical systems into mixed use neighborhoods should be planned so as to produce not
only better economic performance, but also to create easily accessible and safe working
environments, healthy surrounding neighbourhoods, and no negative impacts on the
natural environment.

8. Local Sources
Resilient regions, cities, and neighborhoods will grow and produce the
resources they need, in close proximity (200 kilometer radius).
The environmental cost of the movement of goods and energy increases every day, and the
potential for price increases in transportation fuels as a result of Peak Oil increase the
future costs of non-local sources. Thus, populations must seek to satisfy their consumption
needs from local and regional sources. The ‘100-mile diet’ and local-food movement has
increased awareness of the importance of consuming local products, to decreasing our
carbon footprint. The same principle that applies to food, also applies to the manufacture of
goods, the production of energy (e.g. district energy, district heating), recreation needs
(i.e. 100-mile tourism), waste disposal, water management, and any other resources which
we consume.

9. Engaged Communities
The development of resilient cities and neighborhoods will require the
active participation of community members, at all scales.
From the seemingly trivial activities of everyday life (e.g. using a plastic bag) to the overtly
transformational (e.g. growing the city), citizens have a role to play and a responsibility. It
is only through the sum total of individual choices, of individual actions, that change will
come about.

Residents and stakeholders must be part of planning and designing their cities and their
communities. They must also be part of delivering a new vision: by choosing to walk, by
engaging each other, by generating awareness, and by demanding higher standards.

10.Redundant and Durable Life Safety and Critical Infrastructure Systems

Resilient Cities and neighborhoods will plan and design for redundancy and
durability of their life safety and critical infrastructure systems. Planning
and design of these systems will aim for levels of redundancy and durability
that are commensurate with the increasing environmental, social, and
economic stresses associated with the impacts of climate change and peak
oil.
The physical, social and economic health of the Resilient City and its citizens is directly
connected to the city’s ability to maintain the effective functioning of its key life safety and
critical infrastructure systems – especially during episodes of intense environmental stress
(such as during severe storms, floods, or other weather related events). Key infrastructure
systems such as drinking water supply, electrical power, and residential heating in winter,
and key life safety systems, such as police, fire, and emergency response services and their
support systems, must be planned and designed for a level of redundancy and durability
that will allow them to be durable enough to resist present and future environmental
stresses, as well as to have enough redundancy built into their design to allow the system
as a whole to remain sufficiently functional and intact that if one or more constituent parts
of the system is compromised, the system as a whole will nevertheless remain operational
and able to provide the necessary outputs or services.

11. Resilient Operations

Resilient cities and neighborhoods will develop building types and urban
forms with reduced servicing costs, and reduced environmental footprints.
Urban sprawl is extremely expensive to service and maintain – the amount of land, roads,
pipes, and infrastructure required per capita is disproportionately large. A compact, mixed-
use urban environment, by contrast, is far more efficient in its demand for municipal
services and infrastructure requirements. Resilient cities will not subsidize inefficient
forms of development (e.g. building roads and assuming operating costs) and instead
prioritize city patterns and built forms that have a reduced footprint on the environment
and a reduced burden on municipal resources (e.g. directing growth to where services
exist: infill).