Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Box 6.2 Smart and new urbanism
Smart and new urbanism are two interconnected, but distinct, urban planning responses to the
problems of suburbanization. Both planning movements share a desire to construct more interesting,
walkable and community-oriented forms of urban development. To these ends, both approaches
oppose the construction of bland and homogenous suburban landscapes, which are car oriented
and provide little opportunity for social interaction. They do differ, however, in important ways. While
new urbanism tends to prioritize the use of creative and diverse architectural styles in urban design
(often with an emphasis on the neoclassical), smart urbanism tends to focus more on the goal of
high-density, mixed-use planning. New urbanists tend to be critical of smart urbanism due to its
failure to recognize the importance of architectural form in the creation of convivial metropolitan
spaces, while smart urbanists suggest that new urbanism is more concerned with design aesthetics
than the practicalities of planning liveable urban neighbourhoods. In reality many new and smart
urbanist developments combine elements of both planning schools.
Source: Author's own collection
Key reading
Krueger, R. and Gibbs, D. (2008) 'Third wave sustainability: Smart growth and regional development in USA',
Regional Studies49(9): 1263-1274
