In simple terms sustainable urban design is about ensuring that an urban landscape is set up in order to be both economically viable but also sustainable in terms of the environment and in terms of preventing social deprivation as well. This can be a difficult balancing act to achieve but the best designers can make it easier for town and city planners to achieve this.
The environment that people live in can have very real consequences. For example it is rarely a coincidence when one side of a city becomes more affluent than another. This then results in one growing and developing while in the long term the other side becomes less and less affluent.
This also affects another aspect of sustainability. There is also the issue of a sustainable community. Ideally they should not be cut off from other areas of a town or city as this can often affect the long term prospects of the area. It is also important that an area is not overly dependent on one particular industry as this can potentially have a devastating effect if an industry fails or underperforms.
Then there is the idea of environmental sustainability. As well as ensuring that an area is kept clean it also affects the health of the people. Access to fresh food, water and electricity while at the same time ensuring this access is energy efficient can be a difficult balancing act.
While improving the economics of the area is important a designer also needs to be aware of environmental issues. There needs to be enough food for people and increasingly more people want access to fresh food that comes from sustainable sources. Furthermore adding gardens, parks and so on can also make an area appear more aesthetically pleasing and provide more reasons for people to visit the local area. Making sure there are enough recycling centres and ways of disposing of waste in a sustainable way are vital in the long term.
The design of the area can have an impact on each of these aspects of sustainability. If an area is cut off from other thriving parts of a town or city then that area can become more deprived. This has an additional effect as people see the area as being less financially viable and then decide not to move there, thus further exacerbating the impact.
This is why designers have a massive responsibility when it comes to designing urban areas. What may seem like a small decision can often have massive ramifications in the long term. While it can be hard to predict changes that can occur over a long period of time a responsible designer can often minimise potentially negative factors and improve the quality of the area in the long term.
In short the long term benefits of sustainable urban design can be potentially enormous. If you are someone who is involved it is important to engage with the local community. This will make it easier to create designs that are in keeping with the needs of the people who live in the local area. Use your local search engine to find out more about examples of how design can potentially affect the local area in the long term.
The environment that people live in can have very real consequences. For example it is rarely a coincidence when one side of a city becomes more affluent than another. This then results in one growing and developing while in the long term the other side becomes less and less affluent.
This also affects another aspect of sustainability. There is also the issue of a sustainable community. Ideally they should not be cut off from other areas of a town or city as this can often affect the long term prospects of the area. It is also important that an area is not overly dependent on one particular industry as this can potentially have a devastating effect if an industry fails or underperforms.
Then there is the idea of environmental sustainability. As well as ensuring that an area is kept clean it also affects the health of the people. Access to fresh food, water and electricity while at the same time ensuring this access is energy efficient can be a difficult balancing act.
While improving the economics of the area is important a designer also needs to be aware of environmental issues. There needs to be enough food for people and increasingly more people want access to fresh food that comes from sustainable sources. Furthermore adding gardens, parks and so on can also make an area appear more aesthetically pleasing and provide more reasons for people to visit the local area. Making sure there are enough recycling centres and ways of disposing of waste in a sustainable way are vital in the long term.
The design of the area can have an impact on each of these aspects of sustainability. If an area is cut off from other thriving parts of a town or city then that area can become more deprived. This has an additional effect as people see the area as being less financially viable and then decide not to move there, thus further exacerbating the impact.
This is why designers have a massive responsibility when it comes to designing urban areas. What may seem like a small decision can often have massive ramifications in the long term. While it can be hard to predict changes that can occur over a long period of time a responsible designer can often minimise potentially negative factors and improve the quality of the area in the long term.
In short the long term benefits of sustainable urban design can be potentially enormous. If you are someone who is involved it is important to engage with the local community. This will make it easier to create designs that are in keeping with the needs of the people who live in the local area. Use your local search engine to find out more about examples of how design can potentially affect the local area in the long term.
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