Urban design pursues multiple objectives for multiple clients

A critical, defining aspect of urban design that separates it from single-client master
planning is that urban design is directed toward accomplishing a variety of objectives for
all populations in a community. This sometimes involves balancing different interests,
but a real benefit is that urban design can provide solutions that address more than one
problem. For example, in rezoning a neighborhood to accommodate a variety of infill
housing types, design guidelines can help ensure that the new structures “fit” with their
neighbors. 

Urban design addresses the sensory environment

Urban design addresses how people perceive and use their environment. People care
about the look, feel, and livability of their communities, and urban design tools are a
planner’s most effective tools to address this need. To accomplish this, urban designers
must be well-versed in the way human perception and behavior is affected by their
physical surroundings, which also involves understanding cultural behaviors and
preferences, economic factors, and functional activities associated with the physical
environment.

For example, the Olympia Downtown strategy, which is shown in the image

below, focused on a number of actions to reinforce the design character of the
downtown’s six subdistricts, thereby increasing its visual and functional diversity. The
strategy also included a number of key elements to deal with economic development,
sustainability, and social equity that were supported by the design elements.

Urban design considers the implications of form-giving actions in a range of

scales

A successful urban design project typically addresses conditions within the project
boundaries but also the recommendations effects on the larger surroundings. At the
same time, such efforts should examine how the proposed actions relate back to the
experiences of the individual. Urban design is often thought of addressing only urban
design features, such as a park, street, or town center, but urban design tools are also
effective in addressing regional, landscape-scale objectives.  

The Delridge Triangle Plan is a good example of this approach. As image below

demonstrates, the designers considers the local socio-economic context and related
opportunities (i.e., the parks walkability gap, county equity score, and locations of
several unused public right-of-way) in the redevelopment of the project site. Looking at
the community context helped the neighborhood argue for additional city resources.

Urban design uses an explicit, public decision-making process

Broad and focused engagement techniques are critical in most public planning efforts
and urban design brings with it a number of tools to help people participate meaningfully
in the design process. This includes visual preference surveys in which participants
evaluate different building types, park features, or environmental measures to identify
which might fit best within their community. People also seem to respond well to hands-
on exercises that allow them to identify the type and location of desired improvements.
Children and youth also can add their thoughts through such exercises, and many
urban design issues can be evaluated using web-based tools.

Urban design offers a wide variety of public engagement tools that allow for meaningful
participation, and an urban designer can play an important role in the city/community
building process in at least two ways:

1. As a problem-solving supporter of a larger comprehensive planning or

infrastructure development effort; and
2. As a leader or manager of a complex, multi-disciplined professional team working
on a complex project.

Urban design solutions have been key in implementing growth management activities
and humanizing large infrastructure projects, as the image below demonstrates. 

At the same time, because urban design integrates other disciplines — including transportation,
land use, environmental protection, housing, etc. — it is a logical discipline around which to
approach, for example, a downtown or community plan, a transit-oriented development effort, or
a large-scale redevelopment strategy.