Design & Aesthetics Reprint Set

Design & Aesthetics

There is a growing awareness that the quality of the physical setting is an important element in the quality of life in a place.
-- Brenda Lightner, from "Urban Design: A Place in Planning"
Design does matter. This collection of articles reprinted from the Planning Commissioners Journal provides an excellent introduction to urban design and the use of design guidelines. Articles about sign regulation, zoning for aesthetics, visual preference surveys, and more are included.

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Articles
Summary

Why Design Matters:

Design Matters
by Edward T. McMahon Good design can mean more jobs, more tourists, and increased property values.

"D" is for Design
by Laurence Gerckens, FAICP Planning historian Laurence Gerckens provides a brief overview of the role of urban design in planning. From Gerckens' Planning ABCs publication.

Community Aesthetics and Planning
by Laurence C. Gerckens, AICP Gerckens explains how city plan commissions were formed in response to the "City Beautiful Movement" and turn-of-the-century America's belief in the value of improving the quality of the physical environment.

How to Mess Up a Town
by James Howard Kunstler The author of The Geography of Nowhere takes a look at changes in his own home town.

All Development is Not Created Equal
by Edward T. McMahon Why communities should not lower their standards under the guise of generating economic development.

Bright Idea: Civic Design
by Wayne Senville New value is being placed on the design of public buildings and infrastructure, including water treatment facilities and bus shelters. From the PCJ's special Bright Ideas series.

Understanding Good Design:

An Introduction to Urban Design
by Ilene Watson Planner and landscape architect Ilene Watson provides an introductionn to urban design and how it can be used to create more people-oriented places.

An Introduction to Design Guidelines
by Ilene Watson A growing number of cities and towns are using design guidelines to help preserve or reinforce the distinctive architectural character of certain areas or districts. Ilene Watson explains what design guidelines are and how they can be used.

How Dimensional Standards Shape Residential Streets
by Joel Russell Dimensional standards have been one of the basic building blocks of zoning since its inception. Many, however, have failed to consider the significance of dimensional standards in shaping the "streetscape.

McMansions & the Geometry of Zoning
by Timothy Bates, Esq. An overview of some of the regulatory approaches to dealing with McMansions, including a look at the design review process implemented in Stonington, Connecticut.

Zoning for Aesthetics
by Christopher J. Duerksen, Esq. Attorney Christopher Duerksen examines zoning for aesthetics, and offers some guidance for communities thinking of drafting aesthetic-based regulations.

Great Communities by Design:

Public Buildings Should Set the Standard
by Edward T. McMahon Until the last half of the 20th century, key public buildings were almost always designed and built to be focal points of their communities. Unfortunately, in recent decades the trend has been to build cheaply in peripheral locations. Ed McMahon explores the long-term costs that result.

Creating Places that Work
by Kathleen Madden Not enough attention has been given to the role of the community in creating vibrant public spaces, reports Kathleen Madden of the Project for Public Spaces. Moreover, as Madden explains, small-scale, inexpensive improvements can be more effective at drawing people into public spaces than major "big-buck" projects.

Gateways: Creating Civic Identity
by Suzanne Sutro Rhees What impression do you get when you exit the highway and head into town? Can you tell when you're leaving one neighborhood and entering another? A look at how planning for gateways can help strengthen our sense of place.

Sign Regulation
by Edward T. McMahon Regulation of on-premise advertising signs is one important means by which a community can assert control over its physical environment. The end result is not just a more visually attractive environment, but one in which businesses can actually communicate more effectively to their customers.

Litter on a Stick
by Edward T. McMahon Billboards are bad news for communities, argues columnist Edward McMahon.

Billboard Regulation
by Edward T. McMahon What communities can do if they're serious about controlling billboards.

Bright Idea: Leading the Way
by Wayne Senville Read about how LEED is catching on as a way of evaluating buildings for their environmental benefits. From the PCJ's special Bright Ideas series.

Fitting Roadways to Community Needs
by Edward T. McMahon The product of five years of hard work, a recent report by the Institute of Transportation report provides a much needed approach to integrating the transportation objectives of roadways with design considerations that take into account the built environment and pedestrian needs.

Take a look also at our other "Taking a Closer Look" reprint sets

Articles	Summary
Why Design Matters:
Design Matters by Edward T. McMahon	Good design can mean more jobs, more tourists, and increased property values.
"D" is for Design by Laurence Gerckens, FAICP	Planning historian Laurence Gerckens provides a brief overview of the role of urban design in planning. From Gerckens' Planning ABCs publication.
Community Aesthetics and Planning by Laurence C. Gerckens, AICP	Gerckens explains how city plan commissions were formed in response to the "City Beautiful Movement" and turn-of-the-century America's belief in the value of improving the quality of the physical environment.
How to Mess Up a Town by James Howard Kunstler	The author of The Geography of Nowhere takes a look at changes in his own home town.
All Development is Not Created Equal by Edward T. McMahon	Why communities should not lower their standards under the guise of generating economic development.
Bright Idea: Civic Design by Wayne Senville	New value is being placed on the design of public buildings and infrastructure, including water treatment facilities and bus shelters. From the PCJ's special Bright Ideas series.
Understanding Good Design:
An Introduction to Urban Design by Ilene Watson	Planner and landscape architect Ilene Watson provides an introductionn to urban design and how it can be used to create more people-oriented places.
An Introduction to Design Guidelines by Ilene Watson	A growing number of cities and towns are using design guidelines to help preserve or reinforce the distinctive architectural character of certain areas or districts. Ilene Watson explains what design guidelines are and how they can be used.
How Dimensional Standards Shape Residential Streets by Joel Russell	Dimensional standards have been one of the basic building blocks of zoning since its inception. Many, however, have failed to consider the significance of dimensional standards in shaping the "streetscape.
McMansions & the Geometry of Zoning by Timothy Bates, Esq.	An overview of some of the regulatory approaches to dealing with McMansions, including a look at the design review process implemented in Stonington, Connecticut.
Zoning for Aesthetics by Christopher J. Duerksen, Esq.	Attorney Christopher Duerksen examines zoning for aesthetics, and offers some guidance for communities thinking of drafting aesthetic-based regulations.
Great Communities by Design:
Public Buildings Should Set the Standard by Edward T. McMahon	Until the last half of the 20th century, key public buildings were almost always designed and built to be focal points of their communities. Unfortunately, in recent decades the trend has been to build cheaply in peripheral locations. Ed McMahon explores the long-term costs that result.
Creating Places that Work by Kathleen Madden	Not enough attention has been given to the role of the community in creating vibrant public spaces, reports Kathleen Madden of the Project for Public Spaces. Moreover, as Madden explains, small-scale, inexpensive improvements can be more effective at drawing people into public spaces than major "big-buck" projects.
Gateways: Creating Civic Identity by Suzanne Sutro Rhees	What impression do you get when you exit the highway and head into town? Can you tell when you're leaving one neighborhood and entering another? A look at how planning for gateways can help strengthen our sense of place.
Sign Regulation by Edward T. McMahon	Regulation of on-premise advertising signs is one important means by which a community can assert control over its physical environment. The end result is not just a more visually attractive environment, but one in which businesses can actually communicate more effectively to their customers.
Litter on a Stick by Edward T. McMahon	Billboards are bad news for communities, argues columnist Edward McMahon.
Billboard Regulation by Edward T. McMahon	What communities can do if they're serious about controlling billboards.
Bright Idea: Leading the Way by Wayne Senville	Read about how LEED is catching on as a way of evaluating buildings for their environmental benefits. From the PCJ's special Bright Ideas series.
Fitting Roadways to Community Needs by Edward T. McMahon	The product of five years of hard work, a recent report by the Institute of Transportation report provides a much needed approach to integrating the transportation objectives of roadways with design considerations that take into account the built environment and pedestrian needs.
	Take a look also at our other "Taking a Closer Look" reprint sets