Urban design
Urban design shapes the physical form of cities and towns by coordinating streets, public spaces, buildings, and their relationships.
Street: A public route in a settlement, usually lined by buildings and used for movement and access. Street layout organizes movement and helps define the character of urban districts.
Urban planning: The public process of guiding land use, infrastructure, and development in settlements. Urban design gives spatial form to goals established through planning.
Walkability: The extent to which an area supports convenient, safe, and comfortable walking. Street connectivity, building edges, and destinations make walking more or less practical.
Garden city movement: A planning movement proposing self-contained towns that combine urban employment with access to nature. Its planned satellite settlements contrast with continuous, compact urban growth.
Environmental justice: The fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens, with meaningful participation in decisions. Design and investment can distribute shade, pollution, and safe open space unequally.
Public space: An open or accessible place shared by the public, such as a square, park, or plaza. Its placement and design shape how people gather and move through the city.
Zoning: Rules that regulate land uses and building dimensions on designated parcels. Zoning can enable or constrain the forms urban design proposes.
Urban regeneration: The coordinated renewal of urban areas experiencing physical, economic, or social decline. Design helps reshape public spaces and connections in changing districts.
Modernist architecture: An architectural movement emphasizing functional planning, new materials, and rejection of historical styles. Its separation of buildings and open space often conflicts with traditional street enclosure.
Induced demand: The increase in travel that follows expanded transportation capacity, often reducing congestion benefits over time. Street design that prioritizes driving can generate more vehicle travel.