New Urbanism Strategies:
New Urbanism strategies can be applied to projects at the full range of scales: The Region: the metropolis, the city and town; The neighborhood, the district and the corridor; and The block, the street, and the building.
1. Walkability
Source: NewUrbanism.org
For more information see: “The Charter of the New Urbanism”
1. Walkability
- Most things within a 10-minute walk of home and work;
- Pedestrian friendly street design (buildings close to street; porches, windows & doors; tree-lined streets; on street parking; hidden parking lots; garages in rear lane; narrow, slow speed streets); and
- Pedestrian streets free of cars in special cases.
- Interconnected street grid network disperses traffic & eases walking;
- A hierarchy of narrow streets, boulevards, and alleys; and
- High quality pedestrian network and public realm makes walking pleasurable.
- A mix of shops, offices, apartments, and homes on site. Mixed-use within neighborhoods, within blocks, and within buildings; and
- Diversity of people - of ages, income levels, cultures, and races.
- A range of types, sizes and prices in closer proximity
- Emphasis on beauty, aesthetics, human comfort, and creating a sense of place;
- Special placement of civic uses and sites within community; and
- Human scale architecture & beautiful surroundings nourish the human spirit.
- Discernible center and edge;
- Public space at center;
- Importance of quality public realm; public open space designed as civic art;
- Contains a range of uses and densities within 10-minute walk; and
- Transect planning: Highest densities at town center; progressively less dense towards the edge.
- 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; and
- New Urbanism design principles are applied at the full range of densities from small towns, to large cities.
- A network of high-quality trains connecting cities, towns, and neighborhoods together; and
- Pedestrian-friendly design that encourages a greater use of bicycles, rollerblades, scooters, and walking as daily transportation.
- Minimal environmental impact of development and its operations;
- Eco-friendly technologies, respect for ecology and value of natural systems;
- Energy efficiency;
- Less use of finite fuels;
- More local production; and
- More walking, less driving.
- Taken together these add up to a high quality of life well worth living, and create places that enrich, uplift, and inspire the human spirit.
Source: NewUrbanism.org
For more information see: “The Charter of the New Urbanism”