... Accompanying this shift from a religious/divine view of the world to a secular/rational one w... more ... Accompanying this shift from a religious/divine view of the world to a secular/rational one was a value shift from an emphasis on the collective, what many historians describe as "civic society," to a striving for independence and self-determination, variously referred to as "familism ...
Island Press/Center for Resource Economics eBooks, 2013
We use strong words when we talk about places, proclaiming our “love” or “hate” for a city, neigh... more We use strong words when we talk about places, proclaiming our “love” or “hate” for a city, neighborhood, house, or other building. Indeed, we probably use these words more often with regard to place than people. Needless to say, the places we love support us, while the places we hate strain us.
Good urbanism preserves the strengths of places and enhances what may be underperforming with min... more Good urbanism preserves the strengths of places and enhances what may be underperforming with minor adjustments. If it stopped there, it might be Celebrity Chef Urbanism, whipping up dishes from given ingredients. Instead, it may be more like Iron Chef Urbanism, judiciously adding new ingredients that “best express the unique qualities” of a featured theme ingredient (Iron Chef TV Program).
Island Press/Center for Resource Economics eBooks, 2013
Thomas Campanella recently touched a nerve in the planning field by exposing a concern that it ha... more Thomas Campanella recently touched a nerve in the planning field by exposing a concern that it had become a “trivial profession” (Campanella 2011). Asking “How did a profession that roared to life with grand ambitions become such a mouse?”Campanella (2011) posed this challenge:
... 8. Ellin, N. 2010. The Tao of urbanism. In What We See: Advancing the Investigations of Jan... more ... 8. Ellin, N. 2010. The Tao of urbanism. In What We See: Advancing the Investigations of Jane Jacobs, Edited by: Goldsmith, S. and Elizabeth, L. Oakland: New Village Press. ... Arizona Republic, 12 July; 14. McKnight, JL & Kretzmann, JP (1996) Mapping Community Capacity. ...
assisted design, Eisenman and his associates shifted the angles of the original building ("tracin... more assisted design, Eisenman and his associates shifted the angles of the original building ("tracing"), twisted and turned them ("torquing"), and connected the entire complex with blue "chevrons."
Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability, Mar 1, 2012
Over the last several decades, broad-based sustainability efforts have been contributing to impro... more Over the last several decades, broad-based sustainability efforts have been contributing to improve quality of place on a global scale. Indeed, a virtual consensus has been emerging among planners, urban designers, municipalities, private developers, public health professionals and communities around what constitutes good urbanism. This consensus holds that networks of quality public spaces should be lined with and punctuated by vital hubs of activity. Stated inversely, urban regions should comprise of mixed-use cores (large hubs and smaller nodes) connected by corridors of transit, automobile, bicycle and pedestrian routes as well as other quality public spaces to ensure walkability. These public spaces include outdoor places – for circulation, recreation and preservation of natural landscapes – as well as indoor cultural institutions and gathering places. Good urbanism honors the past by preserving historic fabrics and adaptively reusing existing structures. It also honors the future by celebrating creativity through supporting new and innovative architecture, public art and creative entrepreneurship at all scales. Good urbanism offers a full spectrum of housing options, accommodating a wide range of household types and income levels, comprising a diverse community that is engaged in shaping and managing its future. Key to good urbanism is the connective tissue: infrastructure, public space and community engagement. Whether retrofitted or new, for practical purposes or pleasure, infrastructure is integrated with public spaces and both are multipurpose, technologically advanced, attractive and harmonious with natural and cultural settings. Communitybuilding and engagement occur spontaneously in the quality public space as well as more deliberatively through interesting and fun initiatives sponsored by municipal organizations, community groups or businesses. In sum, good urbanism is vital, vibrant, safe, comfortable, legible, accessible, equitable, efficient, elegant, convenient, walkable, sustainable, beautiful, distinctive and dynamic. While there are many iterations with a range of foci, most recommendations converge on these principles. Despite this emergent consensus, however, good urbanism still eludes in far too many instances. Why? How can we achieve good urbanism more reliably? Learning from exemplary practices, obstacles along the path toward good urbanism can be overcome by enriching the conventional approach that advances proposals informed by initial research (Figure 1) with a process that builds upon existing assets, while leveraging the resources and support to realize them. I have described this enriched approach as VIDA, Spanish for ‘life,’ Latin for ‘light’, and acronym for Visioning, Inspiring, Demonstrating, and Advocating (Ellin 2010). VIDA (Figure 2) begins by identifying strengths in places and communities, rather than
The city is our canvas, and we are all urban artists. As anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss sugge... more The city is our canvas, and we are all urban artists. As anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss suggests, cities can be great works of art as people skillfully and lovingly shape them over time. Beyond two- and three-dimensional art, the places we live are 4-D, including the fourth dimension of human experience in space and time. Good urbanism regards our places as potential masterpieces co-created by all and for all to appreciate. The art of urbanism refers to (1) the city as a work of art (a product) and (2) the art of making cities (a process).
Questo articolo attribuisce a un pervasivo senso di paura, combinato a determinati aspetti dell&a... more Questo articolo attribuisce a un pervasivo senso di paura, combinato a determinati aspetti dell'ambiente edificato, una serie di sconcertanti tendenze in tema di salute pubblica e di isolamento sociale negli Stati Uniti. Troppo spesso l'ambiente edificato non č in grado di sostenere la vita in modo adeguato, rendendo per contro necessarie altre forme di ‘supporto vitale'. Gli statunitensi hanno fatto fronte alla frammentazione urbana, al degrado ambientale e alla mancanza di ‘senso del luogo' in modo reattivo - attraverso forme di diniego, diversione e distrazione - che si manifestano attraverso un'ossessione per la sfera privata e una corrispondente deviazione di energia e attenzione dall'investimento nella sfera pubblica Allo stesso tempo ci sono stati significativi sforzi proattivi che hanno promosso in modo soddisfacente la qualitÀ della vita migliorando l'ambiente su tutti i livelli.
ABSTRACT This postoccupancy evaluation of participatory architecture undertaken by Belgian archit... more ABSTRACT This postoccupancy evaluation of participatory architecture undertaken by Belgian architect Lucien Kroll highlights discrepancies between intention and realization. A review of Kroll's published statements as well as interviews with him and with the inhabitants reveals that neither fully obtained their desired results. This article describes the aspirations of both architect and inhabitants for this small housing development in France and their respective disappointments with the fruits of their labors. It then suggests strategies for learning from this experiment to refine participatory practices in the future.
Island Press/Center for Resource Economics eBooks, 2013
We all have a natural nesting instinct - we know what makes a good place. And a consensus has dev... more We all have a natural nesting instinct - we know what makes a good place. And a consensus has developed among urban planners and designers about the essential components of healthy, prosperous communities. So why aren't these ideals being put into practice? In "Good Urbanism", Ellin identifies the obstacles to creating thriving environments, and presents a six-step process to overcome them: prospect, polish, propose, prototype, promote, present. Ellin illustrates the process with ten exemplary projects, from Envision Utah to Open Space Seattle. For planners, urban designers, community developers, and students of these fields, Ellin's innovative approach offers an inspired, yet concrete path to building good places.
Island Press/Center for Resource Economics eBooks, 2013
Once people and place nuggets are revealed, transforming them into jewels is most successful when... more Once people and place nuggets are revealed, transforming them into jewels is most successful when done collaboratively. Good urbanism invites others to contribute, welcomes them when they do, and brings them in as true partners (figure 4.1). In the words of Jaime Lerner (2010, 191): “A city is a collective dream. To build this dream is vital. [It involves] a process that acknowledges and welcomes the multiple visions that managers, inhabitants, planners, politicians, businesses, and civil society have of their city.… The more generous this vision, the more good practices will multiply.”
November 15, 2007 at The Warehouse. Syracuse Architecture Assoc. Professor Jonathan Massey (Intro... more November 15, 2007 at The Warehouse. Syracuse Architecture Assoc. Professor Jonathan Massey (Introduction); Nan Ellin, Arizona State University School of Public Affairs. Leading national journalists and academics explore the role of the media in shaping public understanding of architecture and urban design in relation to strategies for urban revitalization. A program of UPSTATE: at Syracuse Architecture in conjunction with the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University
We all have a natural nesting instinct - we know what makes a good place. And a consensus has dev... more We all have a natural nesting instinct - we know what makes a good place. And a consensus has developed among urban planners and designers about the essential components of healthy, prosperous communities. So why aren't these ideals being put into practice? In "Good Urbanism", Ellin identifies the obstacles to creating thriving environments, and presents a six-step process to overcome them: prospect, polish, propose, prototype, promote, present. Ellin illustrates the process with ten exemplary projects, from Envision Utah to Open Space Seattle. For planners, urban designers, community developers, and students of these fields, Ellin's innovative approach offers an inspired, yet concrete path to building good places.
... Accompanying this shift from a religious/divine view of the world to a secular/rational one w... more ... Accompanying this shift from a religious/divine view of the world to a secular/rational one was a value shift from an emphasis on the collective, what many historians describe as "civic society," to a striving for independence and self-determination, variously referred to as "familism ...
Island Press/Center for Resource Economics eBooks, 2013
We use strong words when we talk about places, proclaiming our “love” or “hate” for a city, neigh... more We use strong words when we talk about places, proclaiming our “love” or “hate” for a city, neighborhood, house, or other building. Indeed, we probably use these words more often with regard to place than people. Needless to say, the places we love support us, while the places we hate strain us.
Good urbanism preserves the strengths of places and enhances what may be underperforming with min... more Good urbanism preserves the strengths of places and enhances what may be underperforming with minor adjustments. If it stopped there, it might be Celebrity Chef Urbanism, whipping up dishes from given ingredients. Instead, it may be more like Iron Chef Urbanism, judiciously adding new ingredients that “best express the unique qualities” of a featured theme ingredient (Iron Chef TV Program).
Island Press/Center for Resource Economics eBooks, 2013
Thomas Campanella recently touched a nerve in the planning field by exposing a concern that it ha... more Thomas Campanella recently touched a nerve in the planning field by exposing a concern that it had become a “trivial profession” (Campanella 2011). Asking “How did a profession that roared to life with grand ambitions become such a mouse?”Campanella (2011) posed this challenge:
... 8. Ellin, N. 2010. The Tao of urbanism. In What We See: Advancing the Investigations of Jan... more ... 8. Ellin, N. 2010. The Tao of urbanism. In What We See: Advancing the Investigations of Jane Jacobs, Edited by: Goldsmith, S. and Elizabeth, L. Oakland: New Village Press. ... Arizona Republic, 12 July; 14. McKnight, JL & Kretzmann, JP (1996) Mapping Community Capacity. ...
assisted design, Eisenman and his associates shifted the angles of the original building ("tracin... more assisted design, Eisenman and his associates shifted the angles of the original building ("tracing"), twisted and turned them ("torquing"), and connected the entire complex with blue "chevrons."
Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability, Mar 1, 2012
Over the last several decades, broad-based sustainability efforts have been contributing to impro... more Over the last several decades, broad-based sustainability efforts have been contributing to improve quality of place on a global scale. Indeed, a virtual consensus has been emerging among planners, urban designers, municipalities, private developers, public health professionals and communities around what constitutes good urbanism. This consensus holds that networks of quality public spaces should be lined with and punctuated by vital hubs of activity. Stated inversely, urban regions should comprise of mixed-use cores (large hubs and smaller nodes) connected by corridors of transit, automobile, bicycle and pedestrian routes as well as other quality public spaces to ensure walkability. These public spaces include outdoor places – for circulation, recreation and preservation of natural landscapes – as well as indoor cultural institutions and gathering places. Good urbanism honors the past by preserving historic fabrics and adaptively reusing existing structures. It also honors the future by celebrating creativity through supporting new and innovative architecture, public art and creative entrepreneurship at all scales. Good urbanism offers a full spectrum of housing options, accommodating a wide range of household types and income levels, comprising a diverse community that is engaged in shaping and managing its future. Key to good urbanism is the connective tissue: infrastructure, public space and community engagement. Whether retrofitted or new, for practical purposes or pleasure, infrastructure is integrated with public spaces and both are multipurpose, technologically advanced, attractive and harmonious with natural and cultural settings. Communitybuilding and engagement occur spontaneously in the quality public space as well as more deliberatively through interesting and fun initiatives sponsored by municipal organizations, community groups or businesses. In sum, good urbanism is vital, vibrant, safe, comfortable, legible, accessible, equitable, efficient, elegant, convenient, walkable, sustainable, beautiful, distinctive and dynamic. While there are many iterations with a range of foci, most recommendations converge on these principles. Despite this emergent consensus, however, good urbanism still eludes in far too many instances. Why? How can we achieve good urbanism more reliably? Learning from exemplary practices, obstacles along the path toward good urbanism can be overcome by enriching the conventional approach that advances proposals informed by initial research (Figure 1) with a process that builds upon existing assets, while leveraging the resources and support to realize them. I have described this enriched approach as VIDA, Spanish for ‘life,’ Latin for ‘light’, and acronym for Visioning, Inspiring, Demonstrating, and Advocating (Ellin 2010). VIDA (Figure 2) begins by identifying strengths in places and communities, rather than
The city is our canvas, and we are all urban artists. As anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss sugge... more The city is our canvas, and we are all urban artists. As anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss suggests, cities can be great works of art as people skillfully and lovingly shape them over time. Beyond two- and three-dimensional art, the places we live are 4-D, including the fourth dimension of human experience in space and time. Good urbanism regards our places as potential masterpieces co-created by all and for all to appreciate. The art of urbanism refers to (1) the city as a work of art (a product) and (2) the art of making cities (a process).
Questo articolo attribuisce a un pervasivo senso di paura, combinato a determinati aspetti dell&a... more Questo articolo attribuisce a un pervasivo senso di paura, combinato a determinati aspetti dell'ambiente edificato, una serie di sconcertanti tendenze in tema di salute pubblica e di isolamento sociale negli Stati Uniti. Troppo spesso l'ambiente edificato non č in grado di sostenere la vita in modo adeguato, rendendo per contro necessarie altre forme di ‘supporto vitale'. Gli statunitensi hanno fatto fronte alla frammentazione urbana, al degrado ambientale e alla mancanza di ‘senso del luogo' in modo reattivo - attraverso forme di diniego, diversione e distrazione - che si manifestano attraverso un'ossessione per la sfera privata e una corrispondente deviazione di energia e attenzione dall'investimento nella sfera pubblica Allo stesso tempo ci sono stati significativi sforzi proattivi che hanno promosso in modo soddisfacente la qualitÀ della vita migliorando l'ambiente su tutti i livelli.
ABSTRACT This postoccupancy evaluation of participatory architecture undertaken by Belgian archit... more ABSTRACT This postoccupancy evaluation of participatory architecture undertaken by Belgian architect Lucien Kroll highlights discrepancies between intention and realization. A review of Kroll's published statements as well as interviews with him and with the inhabitants reveals that neither fully obtained their desired results. This article describes the aspirations of both architect and inhabitants for this small housing development in France and their respective disappointments with the fruits of their labors. It then suggests strategies for learning from this experiment to refine participatory practices in the future.
Island Press/Center for Resource Economics eBooks, 2013
We all have a natural nesting instinct - we know what makes a good place. And a consensus has dev... more We all have a natural nesting instinct - we know what makes a good place. And a consensus has developed among urban planners and designers about the essential components of healthy, prosperous communities. So why aren't these ideals being put into practice? In "Good Urbanism", Ellin identifies the obstacles to creating thriving environments, and presents a six-step process to overcome them: prospect, polish, propose, prototype, promote, present. Ellin illustrates the process with ten exemplary projects, from Envision Utah to Open Space Seattle. For planners, urban designers, community developers, and students of these fields, Ellin's innovative approach offers an inspired, yet concrete path to building good places.
Island Press/Center for Resource Economics eBooks, 2013
Once people and place nuggets are revealed, transforming them into jewels is most successful when... more Once people and place nuggets are revealed, transforming them into jewels is most successful when done collaboratively. Good urbanism invites others to contribute, welcomes them when they do, and brings them in as true partners (figure 4.1). In the words of Jaime Lerner (2010, 191): “A city is a collective dream. To build this dream is vital. [It involves] a process that acknowledges and welcomes the multiple visions that managers, inhabitants, planners, politicians, businesses, and civil society have of their city.… The more generous this vision, the more good practices will multiply.”
November 15, 2007 at The Warehouse. Syracuse Architecture Assoc. Professor Jonathan Massey (Intro... more November 15, 2007 at The Warehouse. Syracuse Architecture Assoc. Professor Jonathan Massey (Introduction); Nan Ellin, Arizona State University School of Public Affairs. Leading national journalists and academics explore the role of the media in shaping public understanding of architecture and urban design in relation to strategies for urban revitalization. A program of UPSTATE: at Syracuse Architecture in conjunction with the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University
We all have a natural nesting instinct - we know what makes a good place. And a consensus has dev... more We all have a natural nesting instinct - we know what makes a good place. And a consensus has developed among urban planners and designers about the essential components of healthy, prosperous communities. So why aren't these ideals being put into practice? In "Good Urbanism", Ellin identifies the obstacles to creating thriving environments, and presents a six-step process to overcome them: prospect, polish, propose, prototype, promote, present. Ellin illustrates the process with ten exemplary projects, from Envision Utah to Open Space Seattle. For planners, urban designers, community developers, and students of these fields, Ellin's innovative approach offers an inspired, yet concrete path to building good places.
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