Remoreras, Christian O.
AR 451-ARCH41S6 - Planning 2
The idea of the neighborhood unit dates back to the 19th century, a time
when many academics were worried about the standard of living in the city.
However, it was promoted as a thorough planning tool after Clarence A.
Perry's paper titled "The Neighborhood Unit" was published in 1929. It was
intended to be used as a self-contained residential neighborhood that
encouraged a community-centered living away from the noise and bustle of
the metropolis, particularly during the early 1900s when New York metropolis
was industrializing. A neighborhood, according to Perry, is a group of houses
that are close to one another and share a passion for the local culture. A
neighborhood, according to him, is a small-scale community where residents
know one another, participate in many of the same activities, and have a
feeling of belonging. Perry 1953 underlined the significance of the physical
environment in fostering a feeling of community later in his book titled
"Neighborhood Planning." He held that factors such as the type of housing,
streets, walkways, trees, lights, etc. affect the quality of life. He suggested
that the quality of life would be low if these components were improperly
designed. In order to promote social connection and cohesion among
individuals living in the defined area, he argued that community planning
should be based on the requirements of the people who live there.
The concept’s importance in urban design and community architecture
is Self-sufficiency, the neighborhood unit should provide for all of the basic
needs of its residents, including housing, food, healthcare, education,
recreation, and employment. This reduces the need for residents to travel
outside of the neighborhood for basic necessities. Mixed-use development,
the neighborhood unit should include a mix of residential, commercial and
industrial uses. This promotes a diverse and active community, and also
makes the neighborhood more self-sufficient.
The concept’s elements or principles and relate it to other urban design
concepts/strategies are Compactness, the neighborhood unit should be
compact, with a clear boundary and population of around 5,000 to 20,000
people. This allows for the efficient use of land and resources and promotes
a sense of community. Green spaces, the neighborhood unit should include
parks, playgrounds, and other green spaces. These spaces provide
important recreational opportunities, and also help to improve air and water
quality Transportation The neighborhood unit should be designed to be
walkable and bikeable, with a network of streets that are safe and convenient
for pedestrians and bicyclists. This helps to reduce dependence on cars, and
promotes healthy and active lifestyle.
The value or essence in urban design of the neighborhood unit concept
by Clarence Perry is a model for urban planning and design that emphasizes
the importance of creating self-sufficient, compact and livable communities.
By following the principles of the Neighborhood Unit Concept, we can create
communities that are more livable, sustainable, and equitable for all
residents. Urban design involves the intricate connections between
buildings, public domain spaces, the nature and quality of the public domain,
and the patterns of movement and activity established within a village, town,
or city. Good urban design adds economic value by creating an urban
regeneration and place marketing dividend and reducing the cost to the
public purse of rectifying urban design mistakes.
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