Does anybody care about "New Urbanism" anymore?
New Urbanism, a design movement that aims to create walkable, vibrant communities with mixed-use development and strong social connections, was once the buzzword of urban planning. But as cities continue to grow and evolve, has New Urbanism fallen out of favor, or is it still a relevant and sought-after design philosophy?
Although the term might not be as popular as it once was, the principles behind new urbanism continue to inform urban planning and development practices around the world. Today, New Urbanism is most often used by urban planners, architects and community activists as a response to the problems associated with suburban sprawl, such as traffic congestion, environmental degradation and social isolation.
Seaside, Florida, is one of the earliest successful examples of New Urbanism in the United States. Designed by architects and pioneers of New Urbanism Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk in 1985, the community features narrow streets, a mix of residential and commercial buildings and a plethora of lush public spaces that help position it as a vibrant and walkable environment with community at its forefront.
More recently, Serenbe, a neighborhood located in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia, founded by Steve Nygren, perfectly exemplifies how new urbanism communities continue to remain in demand. The award-winning community sold its first residential home in 2004 and is home to gourmet restaurants, horse stables and art galleries, among other luxuries today. Serenbe further embraces new urbanism philosophies by protecting 70% of its total land for conservation, along with promoting geothermal, solar and net zero homes.
Similarly to Smart Growth and Sustainable Urbanism, the development principle promotes walkable, mixed-use and sustainable communities, emphasizing human-scale design, connectivity and a sense of place. And while New Urbanism has been successful in many cases, its development doesn’t come without challenges. One major obstacle comes from resistance from existing communities and zoning regulations that favor car-centric developments. Additionally, if they're not meticulously implemented, they can lead to displacement and gentrification.
Despite those challenges, the future of New Urbanism looks promising. With growing concern for the environment and the desire for more vibrant and socially connected communities, the design philosophy is seeing more interest than ever.