As we struggle to meet housing demands, architects are continuously exploring new ideas and re-evaluating how they can meet new, modern ways of living. From state of the art settings to new housing developments, and even the restoration of historic buildings, there is always a need for reinvention and innovation.
But as the world changes, so must the way we build our cities, by expanding into undeveloped areas to ease the pressure of overcrowding in established regions such as North London.
What exactly is urban design?
Urban design is the design of towns, cities, streets and spaces in the local area. It isn’t just the design of one house or one building, but that isn’t to say adding a more urban feel and look to your current home can’t be undertaken. Primarily, urban design is laying the frameworks and processes that will facilitate present and future development in the local area.
Successful urban designers will be able to configure a complete picture of how a city will look after it has been overhauled, whether that’s with expanded roads, new street layouts, additional transport links or reinvented high streets. The details will take into account how the city will look, both when it is completed and in the future. Future plans include potential planning permission for alterations to homes that will be built as and when homeowners require this permission. It is a multidisciplinary process and collaboration is key to shaping the physical setting for everyday life, whether that be in towns, villages or cities.
Is urban design like architecture?
Urban design is about more than just the one, individual building. Urban design completes a whole way of life. It takes in many different factors – environmental, commerce and residential, to name a few – and uses this information to transform a space that is currently undeveloped into a thriving area for the local community. While architecture is part of the role of an urban designer, it isn’t the complete role.
Urban design involves various parties all working together to one common role, including architects, landscape gardeners, urban planners, civil engineers and municipal engineers. Urban design also involves property development, political economy, urban economics, social theory as well as delving into sub-fields such as strategic urban design, water sensitive urban design and sustainable urbanism. All of these roles play a part in creating a high quality urban development. Everyone needs to be able to work side by side, complementing one another to bring the creative vision of urban design to real life.
What is involved in urban design?
There are many steps that are followed to be able to deliver the plans for new urban areas, from research and market analysis to creative vision and intuitive design.
To start off with, urban design takes into account the suitability of the planned area for development. Not only to see if it can successfully sustain housing options or buildings in the long term, but also to ascertain how the new growth can enhance and contribute to existing areas, for example with new transport routes or better local amenities.
Once a full site appraisal has been carried out, the design stage can commence. Intelligent design ideas will produce specific location-based results, while solutions to urban problems will not only look to the immediate future but also further expansion in years to come. Architects, planners and urban designers will work with local companies and communities to evaluate the needs and values for the proposed area. Doing this will be what builds the social fabric that makes each town and city distinct from one another.
Taking into consideration all the necessities of modern life including schools, workplaces, civic buildings, healthcare facilities, retail and entertainment spaces, along with green spaces and parks, all helps to create a diverse and engaging design that will encourage a sense of connection for those who live in the area. The distribution of these buildings needs to be all-inclusive and accessible to all who need them. Planning for this includes taking into account how people will need to move around the area and how this can be done via foot, public transport or car. Ease of navigation is essential and urban designers will look to see how people would make their way from place to place to make sure all travel options work for everyone.
Ultimately, urban design is about developing connections between people, places, nature and the urban fabric. By weaving together the strands of place-making, environmental stewardship, social equity and economic viability into the creation of places, this can be achieved along with a distinct local identity.
Urban Design in North London
One example of good quality Urban Design in North London is Hampstead Garden Suburbs. This neighbourhood was created from a masterplan and continues to be considered as part of the bigger picture for living and working in the area.
Like many parts of London and indeed the UK, the demand for housing outstrips the supply. From brownfield regeneration to greenbelt developments, urban designers are invaluable in seeing the potential in a place and creating carefully designed plans that improve on the existing infrastructure. Together with architects, landscape designers and engineers, they have the ability to create a striking design that puts forward a modern way of life and community.
Read more about our work as North London architects
Illustration courtesy Craig Perry
