There are various things to consider when looking to achieve sustainable urban design. One of the most important is being aware of what sustainability means. Often the combination of economic, social and environmental long term sustainability can be vital when balancing the needs of both a community and long term growth.
Sustainability is about making sure people benefit from the community in the long term. A big part of this is ensuring the local area is economically viable. If people have jobs and are able to use the businesses in the local area then it is more likely to thrive and people are more likely to want to go that area.
Fortunately this does not necessarily have to stay static. Poorer areas can be regenerated. A good recent example was in London during the preparations for the 2012 Olympics. Aside from the sport there was also a process of regeneration for some of the less affluent areas of East London, providing an additional boost to the local area.
Social issues also need to be considered. While luxury apartments may look good and attractive they will not serve their purpose if people cannot afford to move there. While there is nothing wrong with being ambitious and wanting to attract more people growth has to be viewed in the long term.
This is why ideally an area will not be solely reliable on one particular industry. This may be hard to predict but a good designer will often make it easier to attract a range of businesses to a local area. Reducing dependency on any one industry minimises the impact of any one particular industry collapsing. A good example of this are local areas that were dependent on manufacturing as a lot of primary industries moved out of some local areas or outsourced them to other countries.
A good design can also help to reduce social problems. Social clubs, skate parks and other facilities for young people can help to reduce youth delinquency. This may not totally wipe out youth crime but more engagement with the community can often help to reduce these problems in the long term.
Environmental sustainability also ensures that an area stays clean. Furthermore if the area is more energy efficient then people can afford to live in the area more as they pay less on their electricity bills. This is another aspect where ensuring people have the right facilities can have a massive long term effect.
In simple terms sustainable urban design can be hugely beneficial in the long term. It is crucial that any designer considers the potential impact of their work, ideally getting feedback from the local community in order to maximise the chances of creating a sustainable local area. Look online to find out examples of how sustainable design has benefited local communities as well as ways of how you can get involved, whether through local community schemes and feedback or through studying a course in urban design in order to become a designer or planner yourself.
Sustainability is about making sure people benefit from the community in the long term. A big part of this is ensuring the local area is economically viable. If people have jobs and are able to use the businesses in the local area then it is more likely to thrive and people are more likely to want to go that area.
Fortunately this does not necessarily have to stay static. Poorer areas can be regenerated. A good recent example was in London during the preparations for the 2012 Olympics. Aside from the sport there was also a process of regeneration for some of the less affluent areas of East London, providing an additional boost to the local area.
Social issues also need to be considered. While luxury apartments may look good and attractive they will not serve their purpose if people cannot afford to move there. While there is nothing wrong with being ambitious and wanting to attract more people growth has to be viewed in the long term.
This is why ideally an area will not be solely reliable on one particular industry. This may be hard to predict but a good designer will often make it easier to attract a range of businesses to a local area. Reducing dependency on any one industry minimises the impact of any one particular industry collapsing. A good example of this are local areas that were dependent on manufacturing as a lot of primary industries moved out of some local areas or outsourced them to other countries.
A good design can also help to reduce social problems. Social clubs, skate parks and other facilities for young people can help to reduce youth delinquency. This may not totally wipe out youth crime but more engagement with the community can often help to reduce these problems in the long term.
Environmental sustainability also ensures that an area stays clean. Furthermore if the area is more energy efficient then people can afford to live in the area more as they pay less on their electricity bills. This is another aspect where ensuring people have the right facilities can have a massive long term effect.
In simple terms sustainable urban design can be hugely beneficial in the long term. It is crucial that any designer considers the potential impact of their work, ideally getting feedback from the local community in order to maximise the chances of creating a sustainable local area. Look online to find out examples of how sustainable design has benefited local communities as well as ways of how you can get involved, whether through local community schemes and feedback or through studying a course in urban design in order to become a designer or planner yourself.
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