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Changing Places: The Science and Art of New Urban Planning
How the science of urban planning can make our cities healthier, safer, and more livable
The design of every aspect of the urban landscape―from streets and sidewalks to green spaces, mass transit, and housing―fundamentally influences the health and safety of the communities who live there. It can affect people's stress levels and determine whether they walk or drive, the quality of the air they breathe, and how free they are from crime. Changing Places provides a compelling look at the new science and art of urban planning, showing how scientists, planners, and citizens can work together to reshape city life in measurably positive ways.
Drawing on the latest research in city planning, economics, criminology, public health, and other fields, Changing Places demonstrates how well-designed changes to place can significantly improve the well-being of large groups of people. The book argues that there is a disconnect between those who implement place-based changes, such as planners and developers, and the urban scientists who are now able to rigorously evaluate these changes through testing and experimentation. This compelling book covers a broad range of structural interventions, such as building and housing, land and open space, transportation and street environments, and entertainment and recreation centers.
Science shows we can enhance people's health and safety by changing neighborhoods block-by-block. Changing Places explains why planners and developers need to recognize the value of scientific testing, and why scientists need to embrace the indispensable know-how of planners and developers. This book reveals how these professionals, working together and with urban residents, can create place-based interventions that are simple, affordable, and scalable to entire cities.
The design of every aspect of the urban landscape―from streets and sidewalks to green spaces, mass transit, and housing―fundamentally influences the health and safety of the communities who live there. It can affect people's stress levels and determine whether they walk or drive, the quality of the air they breathe, and how free they are from crime. Changing Places provides a compelling look at the new science and art of urban planning, showing how scientists, planners, and citizens can work together to reshape city life in measurably positive ways.
Drawing on the latest research in city planning, economics, criminology, public health, and other fields, Changing Places demonstrates how well-designed changes to place can significantly improve the well-being of large groups of people. The book argues that there is a disconnect between those who implement place-based changes, such as planners and developers, and the urban scientists who are now able to rigorously evaluate these changes through testing and experimentation. This compelling book covers a broad range of structural interventions, such as building and housing, land and open space, transportation and street environments, and entertainment and recreation centers.
Science shows we can enhance people's health and safety by changing neighborhoods block-by-block. Changing Places explains why planners and developers need to recognize the value of scientific testing, and why scientists need to embrace the indispensable know-how of planners and developers. This book reveals how these professionals, working together and with urban residents, can create place-based interventions that are simple, affordable, and scalable to entire cities.
216 pages, Hardcover
Published October 22, 2019
4 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
John MacDonald
242 books3 followersLibrarian note:
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There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name
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March 24, 2020
Changing Places emphasizes the need for scientific-based urban planning policies, not merely “we should do this because it makes sense.” Much of their research is focused in large cities like Philadelphia and Los Angeles, setting which are incomparable to the suburban Arkansan city I live in (indeed, any Arkansan city). The sections on evidence, vacant lots and blight, trees and greenery, automobile dependency, and cleanliness are all pretty good, the nature cure being my favorite chapter.
I’d recommend to someone advanced in their understanding of planning.
I’d recommend to someone advanced in their understanding of planning.
Displaying 1 of 1 review