Cities

What will cities look like some 200 years in the future? In the past, visions of the future city have been full of magnificent skyscrapers, moving sidewalks and flying cars. In actuality, the future city will be built one structure at a time and will contain many current buildings and neighborhoods.

The image above represents an imaginary city constructed of a melange of styles from a European past. What city exists in your dreams? What changes should occur in the way we design and develop cities? What development approaches should we continue? Which should we dump? Most importantly, which approaches are most supportive to a creative and thriving human society.

Original Urban Philosophers

Many thinkers about successes and failures among existing cities have pondered what direction city planners should take in the future. Some of these intellectuals have been original in their thinking. Only a few have had a broad and lasting impact upon the urban fabric. I choose to call these people Original Urban Philosophers. More than just think, these philosophers have set in motion definite changes in the established way of viewing and developing cities.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

This heading is the title of one of my favorite western movies. Rather than the mythical American West, the focus is on urban environments either (1) to be emulated or (2) to be seen as experiments that went awry. The question is, which urban designs and landscapes should be models for the future?

If we respect our history, culture and what works, the best of what exists will remain and be imitated elsewhere. On these web pages, urban places are scrutinized from an individual perspective for those characteristics that make for such success or failure.

Politicians

The future of cities is determined by the decisions of politicians. The politicians authorize the investment of public resources in the infrastructure which enables a city to function: the sewers, transit, highways, seaports, parks, garbage collection and airports. They also approve the plans and/or zoning which determine where and what private individuals may build. The decisions may be based on objective criteria and professional advise or who contributed to their last political campaign. Whatever the basis for the decision, it determines the appearance and environment of the city of the future.

Developers

A city will not be built without developers. Their sources of funding may be private or public or both. Theoretically, what and where they can develop depends on the applicable general plans and zoning, the state of the local economy and the cost of land in different locations.

The present and future city as presented in Shanghai's Planning Museum.

However, too frequently political influence and financial contributions to politicians are significant factors. Too often cheap land on the city outskirts becomes major development locations not because the city plans allow it, but because that is where lies the greatest private profit and political influence trumps the plans. Plans get amended or ignored and optimizing the benefit to the urban environment is disregarded.

Professionals

Three professions have a significant impact on the future city; planners, civil engineers and architects. These are the people that politicians and developers consult when considering changes in a city.

Planners - Planners create visions of the desired urban future and lay out the land use pattern of the city in a general plan and zoning. In the USA, the planning profession is represented by the American Planning Association. The equivalent in the United Kingdom is the Town & Country Planning Association. Planum provides news on planning in Europe. Links to planning organizations in other parts of the world may be found under 'site links' on the Asian Planning Schools Association (APSA) website. Cyburbia is an excellent site discussing issues related to urban planning.

Engineers - Engineers are responsible for designing our urban infrastructure. The American Society of Civil Engineers is the professional organization in the USA. The Institution of Civil Engineers is the international body.


The engineer's impact on the city is illustrated by these two images, an old canal in Manchester, UK and a new elevated highway in Shanghai, China. Architects helped the rebirth of the former's mill area and the planners modulated the impact of the latter's highway engineers.

Architects - Architects design the individual buildings within the city. The American Institute of Architects is the professional organization for that country. In the United Kingdom there is the Royal Institute of British Architects. The Open Directory Project is a good source for architecture organizations on the international level. Atlas for Architecture of the Future provides visions and conceptions from all over the world about the architecture and the town of tomorrow.

Innovative approaches to the Urban Future

Central Escalator climbing the slopes of Hong Kong Island

There are a number of groups advocating for future urban environments supportive of healthy, productive and rewarding human lives.

These organizations take a broader view. Urbanicity is sponsored by the United Nations. The Urban Land Institute has taken an international role. Planetizen is a network for planning and development. Smart Growth is a coalition of organizations working to improve the ways we plan and build. NewUrbanism.org is an informational website promoting good urbanism, smart transportation, transit oriented development, and sustainability.

These groups are more focused in their approach. The Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) promotes walkable, neighborhood-based development as an alternative to sprawl. According to their website, New Urbanists are providing leaders with the tools to reverse course and strengthen the character, livability, and diversity of their communities. Transportation Alternatives advocates for transportation approaches different from the highway. Project for Public Spaces (PPS) is dedicated to creating and sustaining public places that build communities. An organization advocating for liveable cities in the Bay Area of California is the Greenbelt Alliance.