This post is first in a series – 5 Key Elements of Great Cities
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A Framework for Understanding Cities
Everything in a city can be viewed through the framework of 4 ingredients:
- social
- economic
- political
- physical (both natural and built environments)
A city is the meshing together of these four ingredients in a positive, efficient, dynamic, effective, adaptable, approachable manner. Urban planning involves a multidisciplinary understanding of the patterns of interaction among these ingredients across time – past, present and future. While it is true that urban planning is constantly evolving, it is no secret how each of these ingredients can be optimized to mesh well together. The problem lies in their in interdependency, the failure of one of the 4 ingredients will prevent a city from maximizing its potential. We can look at all of Detroit’s needs and assets through this lens. Stop and think for a moment how severely or for how long any one of those ingredients has been dysfunctional in Detroit and you start realizing both the breadth and depth of the problem, or perhaps the opportunity.
Up Next: A Vision For The Future