Master Plan: Week 10

The master plan is a document that describes the future city , it includes maps with zoning, charts of the city streets, public buildings, utitlities and open spaces. It is designed to last for 10-20 years. With many organisations choosing to review the plan every 5 years in order to update and maintain its relevance. The plan itself is not 100 % strict on its rulings, but it is a guide in the way to city is to develop over the next period of time in consultation with the community. The reading this week described the plan has having 6 main uses to planners.1) A source of information 2) A program for correction 3) Estimate of the future 4) Indicator of goals 5) Technique of coordination 6) A device ( planning tool) to stimulate public interest.

I had a quick look at the canberra plan to try to get a better understanding on it. The plan is written by ACTPLA in accociation with the community and the document itself is quite long. They include maps which I think are the most important thing; as they help with the 6 main uses as a person can literally visualise what the plan is going to do. Such communication allows for a more open and effective plan. It covers alot of issues, inwhich to fully go through would take hours.However it is layed out well which is effective communication as it is easy to navigate to certain sections. I think that as a planner we should make sure that we include lots of maps to demonstrate our points of views. As a local citizen would not read a 70 page + book but would read a flier with a map to spark such interest of the direction of a town. As Jane Jacobs says, its ultimatly the citizens in the town who will decide if they like the plan or not and if it was effective in what they wanted. Its our role as the planner to use a hands on approach and to work with the people to create the master plan.

Canberra's most influential master plan?

Taken from ; http://drownedandsaved.wordpress.com/2010/10/26/project-towards-new-city/

If you would like information on the Canberra plans follow this link; http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/tools_resources/legislation_plans_registers/plans/master_plans
Really good site inwhich includes alot of information on the formation amd implementation of a master plan. Anyways any questions or comments, always welcome.
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Plurism and Multiculturalism: Week 9 Blog

This weeks reading was all about the importance of plurism and multiculuralism. It focused on two different type and analysed these with case studies. These were cultural moisaic, as seen in Canada and the melting point as in the United States of America. The Canadian model is about blending all individual cultures together, ie the fragments of a mosaic. Whilst the melting point is whilst individuals who have their own beliefs who are brought to together by common "American" ideals, which is the melting point that allows for intergration between individual cultures.

Australia, a multicultural nation?

Taken from: http://saveoursbs.org/archives/1770


Living in Australia we are used to this idea of multicularism. As a planner it is essential that we allow for diversity. Therefore it is our role to allow for diverse multi cultural neighbourhoods to be able to develop. Multicularlism is a key to new urbanist ( post modernist) community and is enriching to community life which what is said in the text. To really understand the importance of multiculturalism and how much it adds to a community, one must go somewhere where their is no multiculturalism. Going to India myself, I found this out. Walking the streets here, we were the only non-indians, many people had never even seen anyone with our coloured skin or hair. Infact we were walking via the river , and a family saw us and got really excited! you wanna know why?We had made their lives, we were the first "white" people they had ever seen! They started touching our hair, not to be rude but because they were so intrigued by us. Especially due to in their culture many individuals try to bleach their skin to be lighter. Coming from Australia I remember thinking how bizaar this was and relised how culturally accepting we are ( most of the time) without even relising it. And how ( most people) we are very open here to other cultures which is exciting for us as individuals and a nation to get a better understanding of the world we live in. As a to be planner, I will look to enrich my work with this key theme of multicularism. What are your thoughts on multiculturalism in Australia? Do you agree that we are more culturally accepting then we relise? Tell me your thoughts!

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"Old" New Urbanism : Week 7 blog

This was my favourite reading to date. Jane Jacobs is an interesting women to read and to be honest whilst she does critique the role of a planner she does have some good views which have shaped the profession to what it is. My favourite quote from this reading was;

"Designing a dream city is easy, rebuilding a living one takes imagination"

I think this emulates the challenges to planners, which is to make a better city which is currently already developed. Especially now in the age of sustainability, it is better to infill and remodel a current city then to let it crumble beneath itself.It is our job as the planners to find a way to incorporate the old citys and be able to modernise its facilities without loosing the things that make a place special.

Jane Jacobs advocated for new urbanist ideals.She attributed the success of Greenwhich, New York wa because it had 1) Mixed Use development 2) Short blocks 3) Narrow streets lined with commericial use 4) A dense population 5) It has conintued to develop over time. This encouraged people to always roam the street. This discouraged crime and encouraged vitality and social capital.  Other things Jacobs outlines as important for downtowns, are their individuality ( history) and the people ( Clustered of actitiveies). As well as them having the potential to be two shift cities, so that it is busy both by day and night. Therefore projects to take away this individuality or create more space between people has the potential to deaden them.


The most important parts of a neighbourhood to Jacobs was the streets. It was here that the flavour, feel and sights of a city are communicated. Therefore it was important that these are appealing for pedestrians, thus the street cannot be boring. It must have variety and that planners need to incoporate this rather then planning blocks of land without individuality. The effects of planning should be judged by the people rather then the maps. As the planner should get in the thick of the planning process by having a hands on approach. This means they should ask themselves if their project is what is needed by going to the site and talking to the poeple. In the end it will be the citizens who deside what results they want in the end.

I thorougly enjoyed this read and found myself tending to agree with much of what she was saying. Whilst many say she was against planning. I tend to think she didn't. She was just saying that the planner must experience things first hand and that they must provide the ingredients for a happy city. But ultimatly its up to the people to help shape this over time.
So what did you think of Jacobs ideas? Did you see the merit in what she was saying?
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New Planning theory: Week 6 blog

"Theories are a product of the time"

This chapter was written about the evolution of different planning theories. The quote I highlighted above is important to note. As it considers the context of theory and its importance. It shows how planning theory has evolved with the challenges it has had to face. Orginally planning theory derived from the problem of poor sanitation, overcrowding , dirty city centres in the 1800's. It then looked to spacial arrangement to address these negatives of urban living. This context was all about the planner knowing the best solution to each problem. The problems with this approach is that the community does not get much involvement within the planning process. The chapter looks to engage in three types of planning; social, physical and economic.

As the profession has continued to evolve their has been more of a communicative planning theory beyy Patsy Heal. Where the planner is mediating between all state holders and advocates for the needs of a town. This thery was about top-down planning. The problems with this theory is its lenghthy time and rhetorical and action plans. And the many conflicts of interest and the difficulty to allow all stake holders to be incoprorated within the process.

New Urbanism is a designed oritented apporach. As it is the spatial relations that alow for a close knit community to build social capital. It can be taken on the communicative planner approach. The theory is about spacial determisism, The problems that arise are that this determism can be wrong, it does not address social injustice and diversity shouldn't be planned. Rather the planner should give communties the means to be able to become diverse.

The "Just City" theory was written by Feinstein so understandley there was a biased view on its development. This was hard to grasp this theory but it was about the political economy. It was about normative analysis in the distribution of social benefits.It does not assume neutrality of governments and takes into the account the capitalist economy which is resides in. It is utopian and looks towards a middle-class society.In terms of planning it understands them to mobilise the public rather then telling those in office to do. Obviously the writer chose to not put in her critiques of the theory. However time will assume its validity. But what do you all think about this theory? Your thoughts would be appreciated in my own understanding :)

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Planning theory since 1945 : Week 5 Blog

This reading asked the questions whether there had been paradigm shifts within the plannning profession since 1945?  The definition of a paradigm shift was given by Thomas Kuhn as the funademental views or concepts of reality on a world scale that is revolutionary shifted or changed. An example of this would be that the world is flat, which is a paradigm and the paradigm shift would be that the world is round. Most paradigms once accepted last for centuries. Thus a paradigm shift is a fundamental shift in planning theory in this case. In my opinion, there has not been a full shift but rather a gradual evolution inwhich had added to an already dynamic profession but not totally shifted away from original theory. A theory in the text is a proved hypothesis.

Planner as a creative designer to scientific analyst and rational decision maker.'

Town planner started out as merely the physical designer of a town. It was considered arhietecture on a large scale ( whole town) rather then individual buidlings. Up until the 1960's and beyond most planners were trained as artictectects which meant that most towns had aethic conditions.Changes began due four reasons;

1) Physical view-> interelated activities in a cluster

2) Physical, social and economic activies

3) Live process rather then a blue print , black and white view of a plan

4)Conceptual changes-> skills and techniques appropriate to planning

Whilst the profession had turned rowards a planner as more of a rationalists, aethics planning is still incoporated within this model. Thus it had continued to incoporate more rationalism , but is not a paradigm shift. 

Tech expert to communicator;

A planner has the specialist knowledge and skills. These skills traditionaally about aethic appreciation and root judgements. Then there is more the shift towards identifiying and mediating between stake holders and faciliating rather then being the tech expert who comes up with a solution in an office. It becomes more of an open and democratic process. Influences come from poeple like Pauld Davidoff with his advocacy view and Habermas theory of communcicative action. Whilst there has been an alternative way of proceeding this is not a total paradigm shift as the planner still does have the specialist knoweledge.

Modernist and post modernist;

Post modernmists reverted back to aethic design, "bring back style" . This was instead of the modernists view of aethic minamlism and geometric buildings and functionalism. Modernists looked towards Jane Jacobs to show that the city is complex and dynamic rather then simple which was proposed by Howard and Le Corbusier. Therefore there was more advocacy for mixed used development. Post modernists tried to break the intelectual tradition of positive analysis of a city which dated back to enlightenment theory times. It tried to look towards what the city ought to be, normative analusis. It meant that there are no single conceptions and that an ideal post modernists city is multicultural.No paradigm shift as functionality and sustainability being just as important as the aethics of design.

All these concepts from the text were interesting to think about. Whilst I think that whilst there have been changes to the profession i think they have been more add ons and evolutionary rather then total  paradigm shifts. Tell me what you think ?

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Modernism: Week 4 blog

This reading is about the evolution of planning theory and the people who have helped to create these with particular focus on modernist planners. In reminance of this I am going to dedicate this blog to some of the sames mentioned within this chaptor. Besides that the chapter talks about the importance of planning as a new profession and how it is only in the absense of strict planning that slums occur.  The role of the urban planner is to deal with land use and traffic to manage growth. I think this definition in the chapter is very simplistic and that there is much more then this facets of life that a planner must manage examples of this would be any social issues.  Important additives of modern planning is the scales inwhich it is done; for a city, a region, state and nationally.

My dedications:

 Parks Movement: 1840's
Revolt against industrial revolution. Look to enhance urban spaces by critical design landscapes. Gave the poor and working class workers of the city a place for recreation and a place to nuture morality. It provided congested city with "lungs".

Most famous Parks movement development? Central Park

Taken from http://javed-sultan.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-york-central-park-cool-picture.html


Ebenezer Howard: Garden City- 1898
Utopian theory; Improve the health of a city and elimiate congestion. Designed to house 32,000 and be connected to other social cities via rail networks. The land was collectively owened and allowed the country side to not be too far away. First garden city Letworth in England.

Easily connected with other urban centres

Taken from : http://www.library.cornell.edu/Reps/DOCS/howard.htm

Daniel Burham:City Beautiful movement 1900's
"Make no little plans they have the tenedency to stir young ments blood"
( Could easily write a blog dedicated to this man who had so much influence in the planning profession). The movement was about aethetic designs of towns, in particular city (civic) centres. It was about physical determinism and enhancement of morals. Visionary plans for whole metropolitians outlined in his infamous plan for Chicago.

Most famous plan?

Taken from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnham_Plan


Edward Bassett
Look towards comprehensive plans of not only single cities but of entire regions. Used both text and maps to communicate plans which were organised through the small number of planning elements.

Patrick Geddes
Look towards advocacy in planning. Looked at the regional vision of cities. The importance of looking at the region as a whole and making environmentally sensitive plans.

Le Corbusier: Cubsism
Utopian ideas; Planned the city for three million. This idea of evenly spaced sky scrapers and parks became increasingly popular after world war 2 in Western countries. He looked at the city as an admin centre for the beurocratic technocratic state. This man was very interesting, if you have the time I recommend you google him.

Taken from: http://www.brianmicklethwait.com/culture/archives/architecture/

Frank Lloyd Wright: Broadacre city
Utopian ideas; automobile based sprawl. Every family entitled to 1 acre with no large urban concerntration.The automobile and phone were the elimanators of space. He look towards more naturally aethically pleasing architecture. Designed the Usonian house.

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http://www.medienarchitektur.at/architekturtheorie/broadacre_city/2011_illustration_004_de.shtml

Catherine Bauer:
Advocated the neal deal in urban planning. True modernist and rationalist.

These people are all so influential within the planning context and most could have written whole blogs dedicated to them individually. Whilst this week was about modernism I have focused on a timeline of important planning theorists. But to sum up modernism; It was about a more efficient way of planning a city. Not neccerily aethically pleasing but sustainable. A black and white way of looking at planning issues.

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How plans work: Week 3 blog

Hopkins reading this week went into specific ideas of how plans are able to work. His main ideas that successfull plans share some common attributes inwhich may include an agenda, policy, vision,design,  and strategy. It talked of the importance of investment and regulations in terms of providing infrastructure inwhich influences where and how people choose to live. In order to improve plans hopkins tells us to continually review and monitor policy, his evaluation included effect, eternal validity, external validity and net benefit.

The reading sparked my own thinking on the importance of making plans. I thought of my own experiences in comparing Canberra with Kolkata in India. Whilst Canberra is a fully planned city, Kolkata is a victim of its huge size and is lacking this clear distinct boundaries and vision.
Whilst the CBD is quite well planned, the outer suburbs are polluted and undermanaged. By thinking about my experience i am able to practically see the importance of making plans inwhich invest in community infrastructure and have vision for the future. The photos below look at this idea, as for most of my stay i was in the outer suburbs and saw the lack of infrastructure that many of these communities face and the importance of planning longterm!
Enjoy the photos! X

Roof top view of the outer edges of Kolkata , Taken by Olivia (friend)

Just cows crossing the road in the middle of a busy street

- taken by olivia (friend)

Who needs seatbelts? Taken by Olivia ( Friend)

Rooftop view of kolkata , Taken by Olivia (friend)

Street in Kolkata - Multi-use, Jane Jacobs would approve? Taken by Millie (friend)

Small villiage in Kolkata ( Not much infrastructure yet) Taken by Millie (friend)

Back streets of Kolkata- notice all the rubbish ( right) and state of the road (left) taken by Milly (friend)