PL599 : The Class : Planning Basics : Introduction : Introduction

Introduction

Public Planning is a very diverse and complex field. Like other disciplines, there are myriad specialties; Commercial, residential, long-range, parks and open space, environmental, redevelopment, housing, and historic are some of the aspects available to specialize in. The common factor is man. The relationship of man to the physical, social, financial, and perceived environment and land base is the basis of planning.

Planners are problem solvers. They choose the field in order to, in some way, solve problems and make the world a bit better. The problems range from those of form and function such as transportation systems and efficiency, urban growth and financial impacts of infrastructure provision, to how to make a place more aesthetic by providing types of open space.

To begin a course such as this, one that tries to address many topics in the planning realm and serve both those with planning experience and those without, it is necessary to first provide a brief background in urban processes and form. More rural topics will be addressed later in the course, however do keep in mind that there is a rural-urban continuum. The processes tend to be the same, the difference is a matter of scale. For example, urbanization occurs in both urban and rural areas. These first readings focus on basics re: the built environment, urbanization, and some basic definitions but also move into the realm of transportation - a cricial aspect of our built environment today.

Things to think about…

What is urbanization and why is there a continuum between urban and rural processes?

How has government and private enterprise aided urbanization?

How has transportation including the automobile shaped the city? Can we change the form of urbanized areas today with any rapidity? Should we?

What does the built environment reflect?

Additional reading:

James Vance. This Scene of Man.
Robert Mitchell and Paul Groves. North America: The Historical Geography of a Changing Continent.

To complete this Topic successfully, please complete the following activities in the order shown below