PLAN 210 Final Exam Study Guide (Fall 2024, Perrott)
The registrar has scheduled the final exam for PLAN 210 on Monday, December 16, 2024, from
4:00pm to 6:00pm in STC 0010 & STC 0020. Students in the first half of the alphabet by last
name - Abbasi to Li will be in STC 0010. Students in the second half of the alphabet by last
name - Lilley to Zollner will be in STC 0020.
Students with testing accommodations must communicate directly with AccessAbility services to
arrange your writing location and start/finish times.
Exam is worth 25% of your final grade. The exam will be marked out of 50.
Exam format
PART I: Multiple choice (20 questions, 0.5 mark each, 10 marks total for Part 1). You can expect a mix
of “quick answer” questions: for example, true/false, multiple choice, matching terms and definitions,
diagramming on top of and/or labeling a photo or map, and short answer (answer in a few sentences).
Budget approx. 15-20 minutes to answer Part I.
PART II: Long Answer (2 x 20 marks, 40 marks total for Part II). The bulk of your time in the exam
will be spent writing two long answer, essay style questions (answer in full paragraphs). There will be 3
options for the essay questions, and you will select 2 of those to answer. Budget approx. 30min-40min
for each answer, 60min-90min. total for Part II.
This is a closed book exam, no aids (“cheat sheets”) permitted
Before the exam: Aim to arrive 10 minutes early. At 3:50pm, students will be allowed into the exam
room. You will find a seat with an exam and 2 blank exam booklets placed in front. DO NOT TURN
THE EXAM OR BOOKLETS OVER UNTIL PM 4WHEN THE EXAM STARTS. As soon as you
enter the exam room all of your personal belongings including electronics and study materials must
go in a bag under your desk. The ONLY things you can have on the desk are your student
ID/WATCARD, pencil/pens, eraser/white-out, and a clear water bottle with no label. No one is
permitted to leave between 3:50pm and 4pm while students are entering the rooms.
If you arrive late, follow the direction of the exam proctor/TA on where to sit. They will note your
time of arrival on the front of your exam. There will be no extension of time for students who arrive
late. Students who arrive more than 1 hour late will not be permitted to write the exam if other
students have already left.
During the exam: Once you have entered the exam room you must remain for the first 60 minutes
(until 5pm). If you need to use the washroom, raise your hand to get the attention of an exam proctor
who will escort you to a nearby washroom. If you need nutrition, similarly, raise your hand and a
proctor will supervise your removal of a simple snack from your bag and escort you outside of the
exam room. You may need to wait until another student and proctor have returned. The exam
proctors/TAs will be circulating to ensure academic integrity. Do not disrupt other students.
Answers for Part 1 go directly on the exam. For Part 2, it is important that you write each answer in
a separate exam booklet. These are thin lined-paper booklets that will be provided at your desk along
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with the exam. Write your name and student number on the exam. Write your name, student number,
and the option you are answering (e.g. "Part 2, Option C") on the front cover of each booklet. If you
need an extra booklet, raise your hand and a proctor will bring one to you.
When you are finished writing the exam: No exams or booklets (even blank ones) can be removed
from the room. Give your completed exam AND the exam booklets to a proctor and leave quietly. If
you finish early, you may leave between 5pm and 6pm. Ensure that your attendance has been
noted/Watcard ID checked before you leave. You must leave the room and building immediately at
the end of the exam (6pm).
See: [Link] and
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General tips on exam writing are here: [Link]
Studying advice:
• The final exam is cumulative and will test your understanding of the material presented since the
beginning of term, so review course content since week 1.
• Review course slides for defined terms, concepts, phrases, and key people. Follow up with your
notes and the textbook (see course outline for textbook sections that align with the weekly
topics) for detailed explanations.
• Consider important take-away messages and quotes that I’ve highlighted in lecture slides. Would
you be able to write a reflection on what it means, and provide an example?
• The Carmona text includes a lot of lists and frameworks for thinking about and evaluating
design, consider which lists and frameworks I’ve highlighted in lecture and through assignments.
Could you use the framework to discuss and evaluate a design example?
• Review concepts that you diagrammed or reflected on during in-class activities and assignments.
Could you replicate those in the exam setting? Was there a concept that you are unclear on?
Follow up by reading the Carmona textbook to improve your understanding.
• Consider forming a small study group to discuss concepts and fill in any gaps in your own notes.
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Example Questions:
PART I:
Q1: What is referred to by Jane Jacob’s term "eyes on the street"?
a) Continuous use of the streets to create a safety for both strangers and residents, clearly distinguishing
what is public vs. private space.
b) Technology mounted on buildings of varying ages and sizes to monitor activity on the street, and to
create a neighbourhood watch to alert enforcement authorities.
c) People living in high-rise buildings that exist in dense urban settings are required to watch their
streets as part of their volunteering in the community.
d) Maintaining a history of the city, by providing art and culture icons on the streets to enable people to
relive its history through the eyes of others.
Q2: Which of the following options below is part of Kevin Lynch’s legibility analysis?
a) Grain
b) Edges
c) Scale
d) Heights
Q3: True or false: the maps in Ontario Official Plans show “zones.”
a) true
b) false
Q4: For Jan Gehl, the order of urban design priority, from most to least important is:
a) equity > access > design excellence
b) social activity > necessary activity > vehicular activity
c) architecture (buildings) > engineering (systems) > planning (policy)
d) life > space > buildings
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Q5: Pick (2) of the following bullet points representing key visual ordering principles of design,
following Ching and Carmona. On top of the image provided, draw an arrow to the element and
label it with the ordering principle that you’ve identified. Beside the label write a brief 1 sentence
explanation of why you labeled that element:
a. axis
b. symmetry (bilateral or radial, major or minor)
c. balance (harmony without symmetry)
d. hierarchy (by size, shape, or placement)
e. rhythm, rhyme
f. datum
g. transformation
h. enclosure
datum. explanation: top of
podium is a line that visually
organizes the building and
marks the upper limit of
human-scaled, eye-level
visual interest.
rhythm. explanation:
visual repetition of
façade articulation
through protruding
windows
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PART II: LONG ANSWER (DISCUSS A THEME)
You will answer each question in a separate exam booklet (1 answer per booklet).
Choose ONLY TWO (2) of the three (3) options to answer.
Answer in full sentences, in paragraph form, attending to proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Use bullet points only sparingly and when used, enclose bullets in an opening and closing sentence.
Using course vocabulary, refer to key theorists, concepts, and examples from lecture, assignments,
and/or the Carmona textbook. Draw diagrams where relevant.
In general, except where specific mark divisions are noted below, we are grading for five (5)
substantive and distinctive points (answer components) worth 4 marks each. There will be sub-
questions listed for each option to prompt your 5 substantive points. Substantive here means detailed,
descriptive, provides examples where relevant, and distinctive points meant that you are not repeating
things you’ve already said.
Example question and prompting sub-questions.
Q: What is urban design and why does it matter? Consider: How does it relate to allied
knowledge fields (professions and disciplines)? In what ways is urban design a noun and/or a
verb? Who can be considered an urban designer? Explain how urban design fits into a planning
and land development processes in Ontario. What is the difference between placemaking and
placeshaping? Identify one theorist/thinker discussed in lecture and in the textbook, describe 2
concepts that they are known for contributing to urban design.
On the sub-question of “What is the difference between placemaking and placeshaping?”
Example that is not a substantive point: One idea makes a place, the other one shapes a place (0
marks).
Example of a partially substantive point: Placemaking is kinda the same as urban design. I
think that the difference between placemaking and placeshaping has to do with urban designers
shaping places that past people, or wind, or glaciers, etc. have already shaped before. I think that
placeshaping is another way of talking about change (2 marks).
Example of a fully substantive point: Placemaking is the current mainstream tradition in urban
design and is a term often used interchangeably with “urban design.” Carmona makes a
distinction between placemaking and placeshaping because urban designers don’t make a place
from scratch like a consumer product, but it’s more accurate to say that we shape and reshape
places over time. Often, traces of the environmental context and cultural past, called
“palimpsests” remain part of the existing urban fabric. For example, the repurposing of a heritage
factory for an apartment is one way that the urban form is shaped and reshaped over time. (4
marks).
Make another 4 substantive points that are distinctive/different from the point above to earn the
20 marks on that long answer discussing the theme: "What is urban design."
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Other example long answer question options:
Q: Kevin Lynch has stated that the “built form is always willed and valued.” Explain what this
means, referring to the temporal, morphological, and governance dimensions of urban design.
Identify key actors who participate in the urban design process and their typical level of influence. What
implications does this statement have for organic metaphors of urban design? Using an example from
Ontario, describe how the built form of a specific location was/is being willed and valued.
Q: Did Modernism ruin city form? (take a stance, yes or no, explaining why). Consider/: How do
Carmona (text) and Gehl (video in lecture) characterize the grand narratives of modernism and its
influence on city form through modern planning and architecture? What can be characterized as a
positive influence of modernism, and what can be characterized as negative? Identify at least one key
modernist city-shaper and discuss their main ideas. Compare the morphological and functional
dimensions of the built form influenced by modernism to older cities in Europe or Asia.
Long Question Answers
Q: What is urban design and why does it matter?
Urban design is the process of shaping better places for people than would otherwise be produced
(Carmona, 2021). It is crucial because it directly impacts the functionality, aesthetics, and social
interactions within urban spaces.
Relationship to Allied Knowledge Fields: Urban design bridges planning, architecture, and landscape
architecture. While planners focus on policies and regulations, architects design individual buildings,
and landscape architects design open spaces, urban designers integrate these elements to create cohesive
environments. For instance, Carmona discusses how urban design synthesizes technical knowledge
(engineering) with cultural and social considerations (anthropology).
Urban Design as a Noun and a Verb: Urban design is both a product (noun) and a process (verb). As a
noun, it refers to the physical outcomes like parks, plazas, or streetscapes. As a verb, it involves the
iterative and collaborative process of planning, designing, and shaping urban spaces. For example, a city
master plan is the noun, while the meetings, drawings, and adjustments are the verb.
Who is an Urban Designer?: Urban designers are not confined to a single profession. Planners,
architects, engineers, and community activists can all participate in urban design. Jane Jacobs, for
example, was not a formally trained urban designer but made significant contributions by advocating for
human-scaled, community-focused design.
Urban Design in Planning and Development in Ontario: In Ontario, urban design is embedded in the
planning process through policy frameworks like Official Plans and Site Plan Controls. These
frameworks ensure that urban design principles, such as compatibility with existing streetscapes, are
considered in new developments. For example, the Places to Grow Act emphasizes design excellence in
intensification areas.
Placemaking vs. Placeshaping: Placemaking focuses on creating new places that cater to current needs,
often emphasizing community participation. Placeshaping, as described by Carmona, involves adapting
and reshaping existing urban forms while respecting their historical and environmental context. For
instance, the Distillery District in Toronto exemplifies placeshaping, where old industrial buildings were
repurposed into a vibrant cultural hub. Urban designers are better described as place-shapers rather than
place-makers because they typically work with existing locations that already have people, local culture,
and some infrastructure. Their role is to shape these places in ways that respect and build upon the
history and culture of the communities that live there.
Q: Kevin Lynch has stated that the “built form is always willed and valued.”
Kevin Lynch’s claim that the “built form is always willed and valued” highlights how urban design
reflects deliberate choices and cultural values.
Temporal Dimensions: The built form evolves over time, reflecting societal priorities and technological
advancements. For example, Lynch’s idea of “imageability” emphasizes how the legibility of a city
changes with temporal shifts, such as the transition from industrial to post-industrial landscapes in cities
like Hamilton, Ontario.
Morphological Dimensions: Urban morphology, or the study of urban forms and their formation, shows
how built environments are shaped by human intention. For example, grid patterns in North American
cities reflect a rational, utilitarian approach to land division, contrasting with the organic layouts of
European medieval towns. Life-space-building, in that order, shows that to be willing to make a change,
we must first look at the life of living within the space. Then, the space that we want to construct on, and
finally, the buildings used that we want to be re-developed.
Governance Dimensions: The built form is influenced by governance structures, including zoning laws,
heritage policies, and urban design guidelines. Municipal governments, developers, and citizens all play
roles. In Ontario, the Toronto Islands’ limited development reflects governance decisions to preserve
public recreational space.
Organic Metaphors and Willed Built Form: While some urban theorists use organic metaphors to
describe cities as “living organisms,” Lynch’s statement challenges this view by asserting that cities do
not grow naturally but are shaped intentionally. For example, the redevelopment of Toronto’s waterfront
exemplifies Lynch’s idea. This transformation, driven by public-private partnerships, reflects a deliberate
effort to balance residential, commercial, and recreational uses, valuing the city’s connection to Lake
Ontario.
Q: Did Modernism ruin city form?
Modernism in urban design had both positive and negative impacts on city form. I argue that Modernism
did not ruin city form entirely but introduced both beneficial innovations and significant challenges.
Carmona and Gehl on Modernism: Carmona critiques Modernism for prioritizing grand narratives like
efficiency and functionality over human-scale design. Jan Gehl highlights the negative impact of
Modernist planning on walkability and social interaction, noting that wide roads and high-rise blocks
often isolate communities.
Positive Influences of Modernism: Modernism introduced innovations like zoning and mass housing,
addressing overcrowding and unsanitary conditions in industrial cities. For example, Le Corbusier’s
Radiant City proposed high-density living with ample green space, aiming to improve urban health and
efficiency. It is also beneficial for the environment as it uses less gas and electricity to heat an apartment
building with more people than it would to heat up the same number of houses for each of those
individuals.
Negative Influences of Modernism: However, the rigid application of Modernist principles often resulted
in sterile and alienating environments. For instance, there is a housing project in St. Louis called Pruitt-
Igoe, that failed due to poor design and lack of community integration, becoming a symbol of
Modernism’s shortcomings.
Key Modernist Thinker: Le Corbusier, a Swiss-French architect and designer, and pioneer of Modernism,
advocated for functionalism and the "A house is a machine for living in" concept. While his ideas
influenced urban design globally, his emphasis on functionality sometimes may have neglected local
cultural and social contexts. For example, the city of Chandigarh, which was designed by Le Corbusier to
reflect his modernist vision, emphasizing functionality and clean lines. However, his approach didn’t
fully account for Indian cultural traditions or how people in the region used public and private spaces.
Comparison of Morphological and Functional Dimensions: Modernist cities prioritize function over
form, emphasizing highways, skyscrapers, and zoning. In contrast, older cities like Kyoto or Paris
demonstrate a balance of form and function, with intricate street networks and mixed-use neighborhoods
really showing vibrant urban life.
