Spatial Planning and Urban Development - Critical Perspectives

Urban planning is a complex field of knowledge and practice. Through the decades, theoretical debate has formed an eclectic set of possible perspectives, without finding, in our opinion, a coherent paradigmatic framework which can adequately guide the interpretation and action in urban planning. The hypothesis of this book is that the attempts of founding an autonomous planning theory are inadequate if they do not explore two interconnected fields: architecture and public policies.The book critically reviews a selected set of current practices and theoretical founding works of modern and contemporary urban planning by highlighting the continuous search for the epistemic legitimization of a large variety of experiences. The distinctive contribution of this book is a documented critique to the eclecticism and abstraction of the main international trends in current planning theory. The dialogic relationship with the traditions of architecture and public policy is proposed here in order to critically review planning theory and practice. The outcome is the proposal of a paradigmatic framework that, in the authors' opinion, can adequately guide reflections and actions. A pragmatic and interpretative heritage and the project-orientated approach are the basis of this new spatial planning paradigm.

List of contents

Urban Development and Planning: Issues and Dilemmas.- The Topic of Study.- The Many Faces of Planning.- A Crossroads with Many Dimensions.- Emerging Questions.- The Course of Our Discussion.- Unfinished Projects for Disciplinary Foundation.- The Rise and Crisis of Planning Theory.- Urban Design: The Lost Object.- Decision-Centred Views.- The Social Rootedness of Urban Planning.- The Interactive Turn.- The Collaborative Shift.- Escaping into Irrationality.- Designing the Possible.- Mediterranean Planning Cultures: Italy.- Characteristics of the Italian Model.- Towards a Planning Science?.- City Design.- Reformist Mainstream.- The Challenges for Policy Making.- Reconsidering Policy Design.- Critical Issues and Perspectives.- Planning, Implementation and Policy Tools.- Urban Regulation: Critical Issues.- Sense and Limits of Spatial Visioning.- Urban Development Projects in a Strategic Framework.- Rethinking Spatial Planning and Urban Development.- Choosing the Paradigm.- The Quality in Spatial Development.

About the author

    

Summary

Urban planning is a complex field of knowledge and practice. Through the decades, theoretical debate has formed an eclectic set of possible perspectives, without finding, in our opinion, a coherent paradigmatic framework which can adequately guide the interpretation and action in urban planning. The hypothesis of this book is that the attempts of founding an autonomous planning theory are inadequate if they do not explore two interconnected fields: architecture and public policies.The book critically reviews a selected set of current practices and theoretical founding works of modern and contemporary urban planning by highlighting the continuous search for the epistemic legitimization of a large variety of experiences. The distinctive contribution of this book is a documented critique to the eclecticism and abstraction of the main international trends in current planning theory. The dialogic relationship with the traditions of architecture and public policy is proposed here in order to critically review planning theory and practice. The outcome is the proposal of a paradigmatic framework that, in the authors’ opinion, can adequately guide reflections and actions. A pragmatic and interpretative heritage and the project-orientated approach are the basis of this new spatial planning paradigm.

Additional text

From the reviews:
“The text is grounded in a broad understanding of European planning traditions and conditions, augmented with an awareness of those on the other side of the Atlantic. A good portion of the book is devoted to a historical review of planning theory that acknowledges multiple overlaps in theory and practice in time and space. … Spatial Planning and Urban Development makes a significant contribution to planning scholarship. … Ponzini and Palermo have opened many avenues for constructive debate and progress in planning praxis and scholarship.” (Sig Langegger, Journal of Planning Education and Research, Vol. 32 (3), 2012)

Report

From the reviews:
"The text is grounded in a broad understanding of European planning traditions and conditions, augmented with an awareness of those on the other side of the Atlantic. A good portion of the book is devoted to a historical review of planning theory that acknowledges multiple overlaps in theory and practice in time and space. ... Spatial Planning and Urban Development makes a significant contribution to planning scholarship. ... Ponzini and Palermo have opened many avenues for constructive debate and progress in planning praxis and scholarship." (Sig Langegger, Journal of Planning Education and Research, Vol. 32 (3), 2012)

Product details

• Authors: Pier Carl Palermo, Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 04.11.2011
• EAN: 9789048188697
• ISBN: 978-90-481-8869-7
• No. of pages: 246
• Dimensions: 156 mm x 20 mm x 242 mm
• Weight: 496 g
• Illustrations: VIII, 246 p.
• Series: Urban and Landscape Perspectives; Urban and Landscape Perspectives; Urban and Landscape Perspectiv
• Subject: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Geosciences > Geography