Smart growth vs new urbanism

Smart growth and New Urbanism are two related but distinct approaches to urban planning and development. While they share some similarities, they have different focuses and philosophies.

New Urbanism:

New Urbanism is a design movement that emerged in the 1980s, led by architects and planners such as Andres Duany, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, and Peter Calthorpe. It is characterized by a focus on creating walkable, mixed-use, and mixed-income communities that prioritize human scale, community interaction, and environmental sustainability.

Key principles of New Urbanism include:

  1. Mixed-use development: Combining residential, commercial, and recreational spaces to create vibrant, diverse communities.
  2. Walkability: Designing streets and public spaces that encourage walking, cycling, and public transportation.
  3. Mixed-income housing: Incorporating affordable and market-rate housing to promote social diversity.
  4. Community engagement: Involving residents and stakeholders in the planning and design process.
  5. Pedestrian-friendly design: Creating streets and public spaces that prioritize pedestrian safety and accessibility.

Smart Growth:

Smart growth is a broader approach to urban planning and development that emerged in the 1990s. It is focused on creating more sustainable, efficient, and equitable communities by promoting compact, connected, and coordinated development.

Key principles of Smart Growth include:

  1. Compact development: Encouraging denser, more efficient use of land to reduce sprawl and preserve natural habitats.
  2. Connectivity: Improving public transportation, pedestrian, and cycling infrastructure to promote mobility and accessibility.
  3. Mixed-use development: Combining different land uses to create vibrant, diverse communities.
  4. Infill development: Filling in vacant or underutilized parcels of land to reduce sprawl and promote more efficient use of resources.
  5. Community engagement: Involving residents and stakeholders in the planning and decision-making process.

Key differences:

While both New Urbanism and Smart Growth share similar goals and principles, there are some key differences:

  1. Focus: New Urbanism is more focused on design and aesthetics, while Smart Growth is more focused on policy and planning.
  2. Scale: New Urbanism tends to focus on smaller, more local scales, while Smart Growth is often applied at the regional or metropolitan level.
  3. Emphasis: New Urbanism places a strong emphasis on community engagement and social diversity, while Smart Growth is more focused on environmental sustainability and economic efficiency.

Conclusion:

In summary, New Urbanism is a design movement that focuses on creating walkable, mixed-use, and mixed-income communities, while Smart Growth is a broader approach to urban planning and development that prioritizes sustainability, efficiency, and equity. While both approaches share similar principles and goals, they differ in their focus, scale, and emphasis.