Elements of a Sustainable Neighborhood

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Elements of a Sustainable Neighborhood

Introduction

In “Shaping Neighborhoods for Local Health and Global Sustainability,” authors Hugh Burton, Grant Marcus and Guise Richard discuss planning and design elements that underpin the significance of rejuvenating settlements. The main idea of the book is to design localities that are attractive, welcoming, safe, and fit for residents and communities while promoting self-sustainability regarding local services, energy and water. For example, in chapter 5 (Figure 5.3: The Twin Track Process) shows how a spatial design is supposed to be made by city planners. For that reason, the authors bridge knowledge gaps between rhetoric and realism, enhancing inter-professional and combined strategies that provide friendly and healthy localities. In chapter 3, 4, 5, and 6, the authors present many elements that support processes of urban design that this paper aims to cover.

Urban Context

In chapter 3, the authors address the element of urban context since it entails the collaborative and multi-disciplinary approaches of designing villages, towns and cities. Burton, Marcus and Richard (2010) concluded that present and future generations prioritize quality of life, equity and health. Consequently, the original idea of this chapter is to elaborate on urban contexts through determining the role of neighborhood design principles such as stakeholder involvement that ensure planners meet needs of local communities. Urban settings evaluate, establish and shape metropolitan forms through considering effects of local enterprises.

Another important point made by the authors involves access to jobs and resilience of local economies that informs the shaping of physical settings in a neighborhood. According to Burton et al. (2010), while designing a township, planners consider the possibility of local work, therefore, offering workspaces for small businesses capitalize on non-car access and reduce environmental pollution. The authors posit that planning systems should actively deliver home-working conditions to residents with diverse choices, particularly for those working part-time or cannot travel. Besides examining effects of local enterprises on planning efforts, the authors also discuss how access to local facilities informs urban contexts.

In designing a township, planners contemplate localizing important facilities to ensure that residents quickly access social amenities such as schools and hospitals. In chapter 3, Burton et al. (2010) posited that easing the use of local transport systems, bikes, and foot are among the predominant aspects considered by the authorities when designing every neighborhood. According to the authors, planning processes should understand the ever-changing needs of service providers, for example, in market and institutional areas. Urban contexts allow planners to shape neighborhoods by demanding active participation of dwellers to enhance feasibility through clustering facilities.

Spatial Framework

Burton, Marcus, and Richard issue an overview of physical characteristics that institute built-up areas, including configuration, density and shape of neighborhoods. The authors believe that it is essential for planners to consider attributes of a whole town/district before making decisions involving a development proposal of an area. According to Burton et al. (2010), comprehending dynamics that make up urban form is crucial in the promotion of self-sustainability in a city. Urban form approaches let planning systems to establish long-term proposals of green space and land use, augmenting general feasibility through tenets of metropolitan designs.  

Processes of township design entail analyzing and shaping urban forms for planners to understand the lived experiences of residents. In essence, it refers to how communities and a city can enjoy shared and inter-dependence growth, for example, as illustrated in chapter 5 (Figure 5.3: The Twin Track Process). Using this spatial framework, Burton et al. (2010) underpin how city authorities create schemes that concentrate on human activity while focusing on maintaining ecological sustainability. Urban design involves placemaking, where place entails events and activities that make it possible to create a feasible neighborhood, especially streets.

According to the authors, linear town planning patterns consider the predominant green space and transport routes to inform the placement of blocks or streets. For instance, in chapter 5 (Figure 5.2: Principles of the Twin Track Model) the authors illustrates an essential planning instrument since it focuses on metropolitan activities and grading of land utilization. The spatial framework offers a bigger picture as...