Urban Design

Urban design is an approach to the design of buildings and the spaces between them that focuses on specific design processes and outcomes. In addition to designing and shaping the physical features of towns, cities, and regional spaces, urban design considers 'bigger picture' issues of economic, social and environmental value and social design. The scope of a project can range from a local street or public space to an entire city and surrounding areas. Urban designers connect the fields of architecture, landscape architecture and urban planning to better organize physical space and community e ...more

The Death and Life of Great American Cities
Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design
Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time
The Image of the City
A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction (Center for Environmental Structure Series)
Cities for People
Soft City: Building Density for Everyday Life
The High Cost of Free Parking
Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity
The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces
Streetfight: Handbook for an Urban Revolution
Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream
Walkable City Rules: 101 Steps to Making Better Places
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America
Great Streets (Mit Press)

As much as we complain about other people, there is nothing worse for mental health than a social desert.
Charles Montgomery, Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design

Today, one marvels at the conversions of old buildings that are now offices and and residences or both. Office buildings are apartment houses, mansions are office buildings, manufacturing lofts are apartments, tenement apartments are small factories, everything from a barge to a barn is a restaurant...These buildings were not designed with flexibility in mind, but their manageable scale provided inherent adjustability and their design and quality constriction provided inherent appeal.
roberta gratz

More quotes...
The Global Grid Reads Reading group of The Global Grid. Here we will share the books we review on The Global Grid, the…more
38 members, last active 8 years ago
ThreadATL Books Books about urbanism (urban design, housing affordability, streets) with an Atlanta focus. Compi…more
26 members, last active one year ago