You're using an outdated browser. Please upgrade to a modern browser for the best experience.
Peer Reviewed
Urban Planning for the Contemporary Age: Navigating Complexities and Shaping Urban Futures
This is a peer-reviewed entry published in Encyclopedia Journal, full entry can be found at 10.3390/encyclopedia5010019

The term “urban planning for the contemporary age” describes the process of creating and overseeing urban areas to meet the many complex issues of the current times, such as social justice, climate change, growing urbanisation, and technological advancement. It places a strong emphasis on flexible, inclusive, and progressive approaches that strike a balance between sustainable development and the changing demands of various urban populations. Urban planning, particularly in the contemporary age, is a multidisciplinary discipline that tackles the complexity of contemporary cities that is influenced by social injustices, fast urbanisation, climate change, and technology breakthroughs. This entry paper examines how planners deal with these issues by using flexible, inclusive, and sustainable approaches that strike a balance between community well-being, environmental conservation, and growth. It looks at important topics including incorporating smart technology, building climate impact resilience, and creating inclusive, accessible, and egalitarian urban environments. The conflict between tradition and modernisation is also highlighted in the chapter, underscoring the necessity of creative solutions that protect cultural legacy while meeting contemporary needs. By examining global trends, this study offers insights into how urban planning is changing to satisfy the demands of a dynamic and connected society. The study used a literature review to identify the main areas that are influencing innovation in urban planning. It then delves into discussions on contemporary issues and complexities in shaping urban futures. The main research methods were a literature review and empirical analysis. In the end, it makes the case for rethinking urban futures with an emphasis on resilience, sustainability, and the welfare and well-being of urban residents.

urban planning sustainability resilient cities inclusive design climate adaptation urban futures contemporary urban development

1.1. Evolution of Urban Planning in the Contemporary Age

The demands of industrialisation and modernisation have historically fuelled urban planning, which has prioritised growth management and effective infrastructure [1]. Modernist planning concepts, such as the radiating city and the garden city, gained popularity in the early 20th century but also resulted in critical urban planning mistakes, such as urban sprawl, fast urbanisation, over-densification, passive approaches to climate issues, etc., and later led into the development of unsustainable planning paradigms in cities around the world [2]. These models were intended to provide more organised and expansive living spaces while accommodating the growing urban population. However, they brought in challenges that still remain critical to urban environments today. For distinct residential, commercial, and industrial zones, these plans placed a strong emphasis on the segregation of land uses. Functionality and order were the main objectives during this time as planners attempted to handle the fast urbanisation [3] brought on by population expansion and industrialisation.
Suburban regions expanded and large-scale urban regeneration initiatives emerged as a result of post-World War II urban planning [4]. The post-World War II redevelopment phase was characterised by rapid reconstruction efforts, often guided by modernist planning principles that emphasised efficiency, functionality, and urban expansion. While some of these efforts transformed cities, they sometimes resulted in poor planning outcomes that negatively impacted urban form, social fabric, and environmental quality. There was a lot of emphasis on zoning in planning, rapid land use changes, densification, and unsustainable urban development mainly based on car-centric planning. Here are four wellknown examples of poor urban regeneration or redevelopment approaches after World War II: (1) Coventry, UK, where there is a loss of historical character, poor connectivity for pedestrians, and overreliance on vehicles. This led to a disjointed urban experience and limited appeal as a liveable city. (2) Boston, MA, USA, where there are social dislocation, extensive gentrification, and the erasure of historical neighbourhoods. The project failed to address the housing needs of those that were displaced and prioritised economic development over community well-being. (3) Brasília, Brazil, where its infamous car-centric design created vast distances, poor walkability, and limited public engagement. The rigid zoning exacerbated social inequality, pushing lower-income groups to the peripheries. (4) St. Louis, MO, USA, where, for instance, the Pruitt–Igoe Housing Project suffered from design flaws, such as isolated layouts, lack of community spaces, and inadequate maintenance. By the 1970s, it became a symbol of failed urban renewal and was demolished. With a heavy dependence on zoning regulations and the idea that urban areas have to be strictly regulated and divided, these models were frequently top-down. Although the modernist movement produced more structured cities [5], it frequently disregarded the requirements of various people, resulting in uniform settings that disadvantaged particular social groups. Furthermore, social inclusion, environmental sustainability, and cultural heritage preservation [6]—all of which were not given priority in conventional planning models—were frequently sacrificed in the name of efficiency.
These conventional planning techniques were re-examined in the second half of the 20th century as a result of the environmental movement and the growing importance of sustainability on a worldwide scale [7]. However, early urban planning concepts’ inflexibility and hierarchical structure frequently resulted in cities that were unable to adjust to the complex problems of the contemporary age.

1.2. The Shift Towards Adaptive and Resilient Urban Practices

Urban planning in the contemporary era has progressively adopted resilient and adaptive strategies in response to the drawbacks of conventional approaches [8]. New methods of city planning that can endure future uncertainty are required due to the fast rate of urbanisation and issues including social inequality, climate change, and economic changes [9]. Flexibility, sustainability, and the capacity to adjust to the changing requirements of urban populations are currently the main concerns of contemporary urban planning.
The tendency towards sustainable urban development, which aims to include environmental factors in all planning aspects, is one noteworthy development. Frameworks such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which emphasise the significance of developing urban settings that are ecologically responsible, socially inclusive, and economically viable, reflect the worldwide emphasis on sustainability [10]. Green areas, waste minimisation, energy efficiency, and the advancement of renewable resources are given top priority in this strategy. In addition, smart city technologies are being adopted by cities more frequently in an effort to boost efficiency and enhance urban administration [11][12][13]. In order to create more responsive and effective urban systems, the paradigm shifts should involve integrating data and digital tools to monitor environmental conditions, optimise traffic flow, and lower energy use.
Concurrently, the focus of urban planning has switched to resilience, emphasising cities’ capacity to bounce back from setbacks and adjust to evolving circumstances. The significance of creating cities that are resilient to social and environmental shocks has been brought to light by the increased awareness of climate change and the dangers posed by natural disasters [14]. The ability to withstand, respond to, and recover from climate-related disasters including hurricanes, heat waves, and floods is emphasised in resilient cities. This calls for policies that support social justice and climate action, as well as adaptable infrastructure like flood-resistant structures and rainwater-absorbing green infrastructure.
Furthermore, urban planning has changed as a result of the growing awareness of social justice. These days, planners work to build inclusive cities that cater to the needs of all citizens, especially those from under-represented groups [15]. This entails enhancing housing, transit, and public service accessibility as well as including local communities in the planning process to guarantee that urban areas are constructed to meet the various demands of its inhabitants. In summary, the shift in urban planning from strict, top-down approaches to more adaptable, flexible, and resilient techniques illustrates how complicated today’s urban issues are becoming [16]. Nowadays, cities are seen as dynamic settings that must adjust to constant social, environmental, and technological changes rather than as static objects that need to be managed. The future of urban planning depends on adopting resilient, inclusive, and sustainable strategies that can help cities navigate an uncertain future as urban populations continue to rise.

References

  1. Brockerhoff, M. An Urbanizing World; Population Reference Bureau: Washington, DC, USA, 2000.
  2. Cheshmehzangi, A. Urban Health, Sustainability, and Peace in the Day the World Stopped; Springer Nature: Singapore, 2021.
  3. Alexander, E.R. Approaches to Planning: Introducing Current Planning Theories, Concepts, and Issues; Taylor & Francis: Abingdon, UK, 1992.
  4. Pleša, D. Post-WW II Decline of the American City: Racial Tensions and Suburbanization. Ph.D. Thesis, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of English Language and Literature and Department of Sociology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia, 2019.
  5. Edwards, S.; Charley, J. Writing the Modern City: Literature, Architecture, Modernity; Routledge: Abingdon, UK, 2011.
  6. Hobson, E. Conservation and Planning: Changing Values in Policy and Practice; Routledge: New York, NY, USA, 2003.
  7. Hall, P.; Tewdwr-Jones, M. Urban and Regional Planning; Routledge: New York, NY, USA, 2019.
  8. Cheshmehzangi, A.; Zhu, Y.; Li, B. Integrated design approach-urban design for sustainability. In Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Responsive Manufacturing-Green Manufacturing (ICRM 2010), Ningbo, China, 11–13 January 2010; IET: Ningbo, China, 2010; pp. 241–247.
  9. Allam, Z.; Cheshmehzangi, A.; Khavarian-Garmsir, A.R. Climate change and the cost of rapid urbanization: Planning lessons from Dubai’s flood. Discov. Cities 2024, 1, 16.
  10. Boychev, M. Reshaping Cities Through Sustainable Urban Planning Strategies and Creating Healthy, Equitable and Sustainable Communities Addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 2021. Available online: https://yorkspace.library.yorku.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/f114b832-feda-4305-a380-647c82e476fd/content (accessed on 28 November 2024).
  11. Lea, R. Smart cities: An overview of the technology trends driving smart cities. IEEE Adv. Technol. Humanit. 2017, 3, 1–6.
  12. Sánchez-Corcuera, R.; Nuñez-Marcos, A.; Sesma-Solance, J.; Bilbao-Jayo, A.; Mulero, R.; Zulaika, U.; Azkune, G.; Almeida, A. Smart cities survey: Technologies, application domains and challenges for the cities of the future. Int. J. Distrib. Sens. Netw. 2019, 15, 1550147719853984.
  13. Bellini, P.; Nesi, P.; Pantaleo, G. IoT-enabled smart cities: A review of concepts, frameworks and key technologies. Appl. Sci. 2022, 12, 1607.
  14. Roaf, S.; Crichton, D.; Nicol, F. Adapting Buildings and Cities for Climate Change: A 21st Century Survival Guide; Routledge: New York, NY, USA, 2009.
  15. Fincher, R.; Iveson, K.; Leitner, H.; Preston, V. Planning in the multicultural city: Celebrating diversity or reinforcing difference? Prog. Plan. 2014, 92, 1–55.
  16. Rivero Moreno, L.D. Sustainable city storytelling: Cultural heritage as a resource for a greener and fairer urban development. J. Cult. Herit. Manag. Sustain. Dev. 2020, 10, 399–412.
More
© Text is available under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
Upload a video for this entry
Information
Subjects: Urban Studies
Contributor MDPI registered users' name will be linked to their SciProfiles pages. To register with us, please refer to https://encyclopedia.pub/register :
Ali Cheshmehzangi
View Times: 219
Entry Collection: Encyclopedia of Urban Planning
Online Date: 10 Mar 2025
Table of Contents
    Academic Video Service
    Feedback