 Urban design involves the

arrangement and design of buildings,

public spaces, transport systems,
services, and amenities.

 Urban design blends architecture,

landscaping, and city planning
together to make urban areas
functional and attractive.
 Urban design is about making
connections between people and
places, movement and urban form,
nature and the built fabric. Urban
design draws together the many
strands of place-making,
environmental stewardship, social
equity and economic viability into the
creation of places with distinct beauty
and identity.
 Urban design is derived from
architectural design, development
economics, engineering and
landscape, but transcends planning
and transportation policy.

 "The building of cities is one of man's

greatest achievements." -Edmund
Bacon
Urban design involves place-making
 This process is achieved by
establishing identifiable
neighborhoods, unique architecture,
aesthetically pleasing public places
and vistas, identifiable landmarks
and focal points, and a human
element established by compatible
scales of development and ongoing
public stewardship.
 Urban design practice areas range in
scale from small public spaces or
streets to neighborhoods, city-wide
systems, or whole regions.

 “ … Urban design is essentially an

ethical endeavor, inspired by the
vision of public art and architecture
and reified by the science of
construction." -Donald Watson
 Urban design operates at
3 scales:
the region The the block
city and town neighborhood street and
district and building
corridor
 Elements of Urban Design
 Buildings: Are the most pronounced
elements of urban design - they shape
and articulate space forming the street
walls of the city.
 Public Space: Is the place where people
come together to enjoy the city and each
other. Great public spaces are the living
room of the city.
 Streets: Are the connections between
spaces and places, as well as being
spaces themselves.
 Elements of Urban Design

 Transport: Transport systems connect

the parts of cities and help shape
them, and enable movement
throughout the city.
 Landscape: Is the green part of the
city that weaves throughout. It
appears in form of urban parks,
street trees, plants, flowers, and
water in many forms.
The creative articulation of space
Is the most prominent aspect of urban
design. The following artistic principles
are an integral part of creating form
and spatial definition:
•Unity •Contrast
•Balance •Context
•Proportion •Detail
•Scale •Texture
•Hierarchy •Harmony
•Symmetry •Beauty
•Rhythm •Order
Examples of great urban design
are all over the world:

Washington DC Cartagena, Col Salt Lake City, UT

Copenhagen, Denmark Portofino, Italy Strasbourg, France

Siena, Italy A new City Aleppo, Syria