Urbanism, if done right, can strengthen local identities

Ricky Burdett, "Mapping Scales of Urban Identity," Architectural Design 82 (2012): 6

The take-away: Burdett questions how urban design can contribute to, rather than detract from, the strength of local identities. Several examples are provided which demonstrate his vision of “intervention through accretion rather than rupture”.

Abstract

Ricky Burdett, Professor of Urban Studies at LSE where he is Director of the Urban Age programme, is engaged in studying cities at different scales and regional contexts. Here he looks at what gives a city like London its unique sense of scale, and how it might be possible to design in the sort of vibrancy and spatial complexity that evolve in informal neighbourhoods over time. Through examples of local initiatives in Cape Town and Mumbai, he gives concrete evidence of what constitutes this approach.

Full Article (requires access)