URBAN FUNCTIONS, SPATIAL ORGANIZATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL FORM

LANDARC 211

Urban, suburban, and rural environments intersect with the natural environment in important yet complex ways. Cultural as well as biophysical systems influence the structure and function of these environments at both local and regional scales. Exploration of these relationships by analyzing built environments and simulating future design and planning scenarios offer a transdisciplinary foundation for subsequent coursework.

URBRPL 215

We live in an increasingly urban world and anticipate that 70% of the world's population will live in urban areas by 2050. For many of us, our shared future experience will be urban and interconnected. How can we make the future of urban areas as bright as possible for everyone? The answer begins with us. Building equitable and sustainable urban futures for everyone will require the efforts of a diverse group of people from many disciplines, backgrounds, and ways of thinking. Guest presenters introduce different disciplines and perspectives through major themes related to the planning and design of urban systems and environments. Imagine and develop your plan to effect positive change in an urban area focused on relevant topics like community food systems, water conservation, multimodal and active transportation, affordable housing, and urban nature.

GEOG/URBRPL 305

Investigates urbanization as a general process, as well as the resulting contemporary physical, social, cultural and political- economic forms of cities. Emphasis will be placed on the history and current forms of spatial and social segregation of cities by race, class, ethnicity, and gender. The myriad ways that cities have addressed the tensions emerging from this history of spatial and social segregation will be highlighted. Further, emphasis will be placed on understanding the experiences of those most-affected by historical and continuing segregation.

URBRPL 611

Focusing on three basic components of the built environment (buildings, transportation systems, and open spaces), addresses the forces that shape land use and transportation patterns, the effects of urban form on public health, safety, and welfare, and ways that communities can make their built environments more livable and environmentally sustainable.

URBRPL 741

Evolution of contemporary urban and regional planning thought. Major conceptual dilemmas in theory and practice. Emerging trends in planning, e.g., forecasting and futurism.