Why Do You Hate New Urbanism?

That Celebration is the poster-child for New Urbanism. gag.

I have to say I really like Stapleton, though. They had me sold with the allee of Quercus fastigiata and lots of grasses.

Seems we are back to the age old argument that someone WILL be designing new housing, so it might as well be us- which makes sense. This also gets back to choice and variety- some people are set on living in the ‘burbs, some prefer dense urban areas. Ideally we can help provide well though out options for both, and ideally the American mindset will become a little more aware of the big picture sooner than later.

As much as I hope that we can get commuter rail lines in place, I don’t think that it’s realistic to plan on this happening “someday”. As you allude to, the industry and political framework is so entrenched in the ideas of the past that anything new is a hard sell.

I like your statement on patterns. I don’t necessarily agree with it, but it’s really making me think…

I hate new urbanism (big surprise..) It is garbage..Planning needs to occur at a much more general scale – draw the line on the urban center density, and stop there for new villages – go up,not out! within that core. And within that core, focus on banishing the car. The small scale interests of new urbanism drive me crazy – picket fences!! gack!! I specifically wrote into an ordinance the allowance for six foot high stockade fencing in the front yard – that front yard is your space!!! picket fences…gack!! Architectural review boards will be happy to rake you over the coals over the shape of your doorknobs…I think that is totally inappropriate.

We need to move WAY beyond new urbanism, into perhaps “ethical/environmental design.” what is the word….No cars…New urbanism is DEAD! But do NOT let architects talk about it – they all want Dubai..Gack, again!! Although only because it is in a desert..no water, no reference to local ecology for development guidelines..I would prefer high-rises, a la, Frank Lloyd Wright, in the urban core, to new urbanism..He was right on that.. But NOT in a DESERT..Build where there is water, for god’s sake!!

I haven’t seen too many new urbanist projects that really hold true to all the principles. It seems like people pick and choose the principles they like. Maybe I just haven’t seen enough NU projects, though.

Part of my final project was actually based on New Urbanism. Before I started I was all about it, but then once I began to do more research on it, I began to realize its faults.

Don’t get me wrong its ideals and principles are great in theory, but I saw that sometimes it isn’t implemented properly, and in the end it fails. I’ve seen many examples around Georgia in person that have attempted New Urbanism Projects, but have never really been successful. One problem is location. Many of these New Urbanism projects are located in suburbia, far away from any major urban areas. If people want to visit or shop at these NU projects, they usually drive (completely contradicting one of its principles.) Another is housing prices. “Creation of multiple housing types that are affordable to encourage diversity and increase density,” are you kidding me? The prices at some of these places are INSANE, ranging from $300,000 to $600,000. These are only a couple reasons I’m against New Urbanism, and I have more.

Now don’t get me wrong, sometimes it is effective and can work. But most of the time I believe that it isn’t being applied properly. I think we should take these principles and apply them to already existing urban cities. I mean the “skeleton” for everything is already there. Public transportation, ability to walk, connectivity, etc…

That was what my whole project was really about, taking these New Urbanism principles and applying them to places where they can be effective.

Nick, Landscape Arch’s who work as planners spend their entire lives worrying and working on where density belongs, so I disagree with your statement that we don’t get to choose where the projects go..Perhaps an individual project, but in working as a planner, as I said, it is your job to decide where stuff goes..I started to think about this in terms of Master Plans – I have been through two community Master Plan processes, after there had been no action on a new Master Plan for ten or so years..But I think Virginia actually has a mandated time frame for updating master plans.. Albemarle County Virginia has been supporting this really nasty growth plan designed along the major highway, Hwy 29..That has been reinforced at least twice in the past 15 years, by additional ordinances..So a normal planning job may entail four cracks at changing the ordinances, over your lifetime…
So we do get to work on this, and it is worth figuring out..
I also think a lot of the development pattern is built in by our federal tax incentive structure..That is something we as LA;s really have almost no control over..But that is where I think we need to change..Why are people encouraged, almost enticed, to buy new homes, to move to the burbs? Why are schools designed for thousands of students, to be bussed..It is all economics..