URBAN DESIGN
PROCESS &
THEORIES
TODAY'S LESSON OBJECTIVES
You will be able to distinguish the different urban
planning theories.
You will be able to know the purpose and
reasons of each urban planning theories.
Return loop for verification
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FIVE SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT WITHIN NORMATIVE
PLANNING THEORY(HUDSON)
Rational (Synoptic) Planning Theory
Incremental
Transactive
Advocacy - Oriented
Radical Traditions
Urban Planning Theories
SYNOPTIC RATIONALISM
Rational (Synoptic) Planning Theory
What do you understand by Rationality?
Urban Planning Theories
SYNOPTIC RATIONALISM
Rational (Synoptic) Planning Theory
What do you understand by Rationality?
• Making decision based on reason/logic and in pursuance of one’s
best interest.
Urban Planning Theories
SYNOPTIC RATIONALISM
Rational (Synoptic) Planning Theory
In philosophy in general, rationalism is the foundation and
embodiment of the scientific method. It serves the same role in
planning theory.
Urban Planning Theories
The rationalist model of the planning process generally contains the
following steps.
Goals and objectives are set.
Policy alternatives are identified.
The policy alternatives are evaluated – vis-à-vis effectiveness
(in attaining the goals and objectives), efficiency, and
constraints – using scientific conceptual models and evaluation
techniques (e.g., cost benefit analysis).
The selected policy alternative is implemented.
Urban Planning Theories
Rational process approach
The focus on the procedural aspect of
planning had already been pioneered
by Geddes in his Survey-Analysis-Plan
approach.
Patrick Geddes
2 October 1854 – 17 April 1932
A Scottish biologist.
Pioneering town planner
He is known for his innovative thinking in
the fields of urban planning and sociology.
Urban Planning Theories
Rational Process Approach
However, this approach had several shortfalls because it did not
consider the reasons for doing a survey in the first place. It also
suggested that there should be simply a single plan to be
considered.
Finally, it did not take into account the implementation stage of the
plan. There should also be further action in monitoring the
outcomes of the plan after that.
Urban Planning Theories
Rational process approach
The rational process, in contrast, identified five different stages:
(1) the definition of problems and aims
(2) the identification of alternatives
(3) the evaluation of alternatives
(4) implementation
(5) monitoring
Urban Planning Theories
Evolution of the Rational-Comprehensive
Planning Model (RCPM)
Planning Experiments in the US during the New Deal Era. a series of programs,
public work projects,
financial reforms, and
Planning re-defined as a scientific process regulations enacted
by President Franklin
(based on scientific techniques) and not D. Roosevelt in the
United States between
just a design activity.
1933 and 1939.
Based on emerging Keynesian economics.
Urban Planning Theories
Characteristics of the Rational-Comprehensive
Planning Model (RCPM)
Based on the application of logical positivism.
Rationality defined exclusively in terms of positive knowledge
and instrumental calculation.
Politicians chose the values, while planners provide the
processed facts.
Decisions made according to technical rules for choice among
alternatives
Urban Planning Theories
Characteristics of the Rational-Comprehensive
Planning Model (RCPM)
Planning viewed as a goal-oriented process that relies heavily on
quantitative models
cost-benefit analysis
input-output analysis
spatial interaction models
projection/forecasting
operation research
Urban Planning Theories
Critique of the Rational-Comprehensive Planning
Model (RCPM)
Too costly and technically demanding
Tends to be top-down or centralized
No mechanism to deal with conflicting goals, local needs or
changing values.
Urban Planning Theories
Critique of the Rational-Comprehensive Planning
Model (RCPM)
Criticisms of Charles Lindblom (1959):
Unattainable and out of step with political realities
Political leaders cannot agree on goals in advance
They prefer policies and goals at the same time
Urban Planning Theories
INCREMENTALISM
This theory was supported by Charles Lindblom in "The Science of
Muddling Through"
Practical response to rationalism.
Planning is seen as less of a scientific technique and more of a
mixture of intuition and experience.
Major policy changes are best made in little increments over long
periods of time.
Incrementalism very accurately describes what actually occurs in
most planning offices on a daily basis.
Urban Planning Theories
Charles Edward Lindblom
March 21, 1917 – January 30, 2018
One of the early developers and
advocates of the theory of
incrementalism in policy and
decision-making.
Proposed Incremental Theory as
conservative, market-oriented
alternative to
Urban Planning Theories
TRANSACTIVE PLANNING
Like incrementalism, transactivism does not view planning purely as
a scientific technique. Transactivism espouses planning as a
decentralized function based on face-to-face contacts, interpersonal
dialogues, and mutual learning. Transactivism is roughly
behavioralist-style planning.
Urban Planning Theories
ADVOCACY PLANNING
Advocacism abandons the objective, non-political view of planning
contained in rationalism. Planners become like lawyers: they
advocate and defend the interests of a particular client or group
(which is preferably economically disadvantaged and/or politically
unorganized or underrepresented).
Urban Planning Theories
Paul Davidoff
Urban planning scholar and Civil
Rights activist
Planner, planning educator, and
planning theoretician
Conceptualized "Advocacy
Planning" with his wife, Linda
Stone Davidoff.
Urban Planning Theories
Paul Davidoff
An early champion of advocacy
planning.
He argued that there is no one
public interest for planners to
serve, and thus, that planners
have no choice but to become
non-objective advocates for
specific interests and groups.
Urban Planning Theories
Saul Alinsky
American community activist and
political theorist.
Work through the Chicago-based
Industrial Areas Foundation. helping
poor communities organize to press
demands upon landlords, politicians,
bankers and business leaders won him
national recognition and notoriety.
Urban Planning Theories
Saul Alinsky
Developed an advocacist vision of
planning that is centered around
socalled “organizations.” Alinsky’s
organizations develop where people
feel powerless. These organizations
then hire planners (which Alinsky largely
sees as political organizers) to identify
problems, develop an awareness of
these problems, and generate action.
Urban Planning Theories
Alan Altshuler
Alan A. Altshuler is a Harvard University
Distinguished Service Professor and the
Ruth and Frank Stanton Research
Professor in Urban Policy and Planning
(emeritus) at Harvard's Kennedy School
of Government and Graduate School of
Design. emeritus
former holder of an office,
especially a college professor)
having retired but allowed to
retain their title as an honor.
Urban Planning Theories
RADICAL PLANNING
Radicalism takes transactivism to its logical extreme. Radicalism
hates hierarchical bureaucracies, centralized planning, and
domineering professional planners.
It argues that planning is most effective when it is performed by non-
professional neighborhood planning committees that empower
common citizens to experiment with solving their own problems.
Urban Planning Theories
RADICAL PLANNING
The ideal outcomes of this process are collective actions that
promote self-reliance.
Urban Planning Theories
UTOPIANISM
Utopianism believes that planning is most effective when it proposes
sweeping changes that capture the public imagination. Daniel
Burnham’s Plan of Chicago, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Broadacre City, and
Le Corbusier’s La Ville Contemporaine are often cited as utopian
works.
Urban Planning Theories
METHODISM
Methodism addresses situations in which the planning techniques
that should be used are known, but the ends that should be achieved
by these techniques are not.
Such a situation would be making a population projection just to
have it handy when it is needed. Methodism views planning
techniques as ends into themselves.
Urban Planning Theories
