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  • © 2010

Spatial Planning and Urban Development

Critical Perspectives

  • A critical review of current planning theory and literature, and problems of the planning practice
  • Interpretation of planning theory and practice through architecture and public policy perspectives
  • Strong transdisciplinary links between the fields of architecture, urban planning and policy studies

Part of the book series: Urban and Landscape Perspectives (URBANLAND, volume 10)

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Table of contents (25 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-viii
  2. Urban Development and Planning: Issues and Dilemmas

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
    2. The Topic of Study

      • Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
      Pages 2-5
    3. The Many Faces of Planning

      • Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
      Pages 7-11
    4. A Crossroads with Many Dimensions

      • Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
      Pages 13-17
    5. Emerging Questions

      • Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
      Pages 19-22
    6. The Course of Our Discussion

      • Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
      Pages 23-27
  3. Unfinished Projects for Disciplinary Foundation

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 29-29
    2. The Rise and Crisis of Planning Theory

      • Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
      Pages 31-35
    3. Urban Design: The Lost Object

      • Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
      Pages 37-40
    4. Decision-Centred Views

      • Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
      Pages 41-52
    5. The Social Rootedness of Urban Planning

      • Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
      Pages 53-63
    6. The Interactive Turn

      • Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
      Pages 65-76
    7. The Collaborative Shift

      • Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
      Pages 77-89
    8. Escaping into Irrationality

      • Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
      Pages 91-98
    9. Designing the Possible

      • Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
      Pages 99-108
  4. Mediterranean Planning Cultures: Italy

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 109-109
    2. Characteristics of the Italian Model

      • Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
      Pages 111-116
    3. Towards a Planning Science?

      • Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
      Pages 117-124
    4. City Design

      • Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini
      Pages 125-133

About this book

Urban planning is a complex field of knowledge and practice. Through the decades, theoretical debate has formed an eclectic set of possible perspectives, without finding, in our opinion, a coherent paradigmatic framework which can adequately guide the interpretation and action in urban planning. The hypothesis of this book is that the attempts of founding an autonomous planning theory are inadequate if they do not explore two interconnected fields: architecture and public policies.The book critically reviews a selected set of current practices and theoretical founding works of modern and contemporary urban planning by highlighting the continuous search for the epistemic legitimization of a large variety of experiences. The distinctive contribution of this book is a documented critique to the eclecticism and abstraction of the main international trends in current planning theory. The dialogic relationship with the traditions of architecture and public policy is proposed here in order to critically review planning theory and practice. The outcome is the proposal of a paradigmatic framework that, in the authors’ opinion, can adequately guide reflections and actions. A pragmatic and interpretative heritage and the project-orientated approach are the basis of this new spatial planning paradigm.

Reviews

From the reviews:

“The text is grounded in a broad understanding of European planning traditions and conditions, augmented with an awareness of those on the other side of the Atlantic. A good portion of the book is devoted to a historical review of planning theory that acknowledges multiple overlaps in theory and practice in time and space. … Spatial Planning and Urban Development makes a significant contribution to planning scholarship. … Ponzini and Palermo have opened many avenues for constructive debate and progress in planning praxis and scholarship.” (Sig Langegger, Journal of Planning Education and Research, Vol. 32 (3), 2012)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Dipto. Architettura e Pianificazione, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy

    Pier Carlo Palermo, Davide Ponzini

About the authors

    

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access