MOD 5

While not glamorous or exciting codes rule our profession.  There are book and books filled with rules guiding how we are allowed to design and build.  Often times in academia codes are seen as restrictions that hinder our designs but in reality they enforce a standard in our built environment.  Ideally codes would help keep the standard of building high while allowing creative designers to create good and interesting architecture.  This does sometimes occur and in many more cases codes and regulations enforce good urban design.

My personal favorite regulation/code is the Urban Growth Boundary which is famously employed by Portland.  This boundary helps to increase and maintain the density of downtown Portland.  The boundary line is drawn around downtown and requires that the area inside be densely developed before the boundary is made larger.  This simple regulation has helped to maintain the dense and walkable downtown and reduced parking which has promoted mass transit options.  This code does have restrictions but it's implications are immensely beneficial for the urban design of the city.

I am extremely interested in the sector of urban design and was very interested in the different styles of urban design explained in the lecture.  One of the examples I found interesting was the all-of-a-piece design.  This style seems to be fairly common as it is easier to achieve that a total design and is more flexible.  I have heard of Celebration before and was off put the first time I learned about it.



Perfectly matching homes and civic buildings all lining winding roads.  It creates a town with a cohesive visual style and makes an impact with a strong sense of place.  It also limits the freedom of those living in the community.  Home owners are part of very strict HOA's requiring all homes to be at the same standard and visual appeal.  Like Seaside, also in Florida, I see Celebration as a failure.  It seeks to emulate historically great urban design that was developed piece-by-piece but has not achieved the actual benefit of the urban design.  These designs fail to recognize the beauty of great urban design comes from the rich interaction and alterations that occur when citizens take control of their environment and adapt it to their needs.  These adaptations alter the "master plan" but create more human and personal spaces that people crave.