Urban Design and Public Space

Catalog description

Urban design focuses on "the space between the buildings." Effective treatment of this space in projects and their environs is important for a host of aesthetic, social, and functional reasons, but above all because it is linked to something more abstract and more important: the public realm of civil, political, and social interaction. This course provides a broad theoretical introduction to urban design and public space integrating three perspectives: historical patterns and practices in architecture and planning; findings in the social and behavioral sciences relevant to small urban spaces; and contemporary design criteria and practice. Analytical writing, design proposals, and substantial in-class participation are required. This course serves as a capstone for the Urban Studies and Planning Program. Only one of A USP 475Y or A PLN 575 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A GOG/A USP 125 or A GOG/A USP 220 or A USP 201.