All you need to know

This is a talk given in San Antonio, TX, back in 1991 by new urbanist planner and architect Andres Duany.

Duany talks about the elusively simple way to create a sense of place, the confused psychology of suburbia, separtion of building and neighborhood uses, building set-backs, the importance of on-street parking, height/width ratios, affordable housing, lack of choice on proximity to commerce/services. Duany points out that big box development is not a result of lax, laissez-faire approach to planning (a common thought among critics of sprawl), but by very rigid labrynth of codes dreamed up by several generations of planning groupthink. Urban spaces are simple and affordable to build, but illegal under codes (even in traditionally urban areas.

Although this talk was given 19 years ago, and dealt mostly with planning issues in suburban areas of the U.S. Sun Belt, it is totally (and unfortunately) relevent to Winnipeg of 2010.

Part One


Part Two


Part Three


Part Four


Part Five

Granny Flats and affordable housing, sense of place

Part Six


Part Seven


Part Eight


Part Nine