Good Urbanism 101

By Katherine Moore

People continue to flock to our Good Urbanism 101 course to learn how our communities can be shaped to create a more walkable, sustainable lifestyle.

The spring 2010 course was packed with planners, architects, government officials and neighborhood leaders. The course was approved for continuing education credits for architects and planners. The high level of interest demonstrates there's an eager audience for our message of promoting walkable communities that can adapt to changing land uses over time.

Interest has been so high that the Georgia Conservancy is planning to expand the Good Urbanism program to include a course in Savannah later this year and to develop a Good Urbanism 201 level course to be held in the Atlanta area.

The Good Urbanism 101 course explores the need to create walkable blocks, a true mix of land uses and a robust street grid. These design elements were critical in the development of some of our nation's most beloved cities, like Savannah and Philadelphia. But they're often illegal today due to current zoning and land development regulations.

This year's course featured lectures from Richard Dagenhart, Doug Allen and David Green from Georgia Tech's College of Architecture. A new lecture on the history of Atlanta's street form and function was given by Heather Alhadeff, former Assistant Director of Transportation Planning with the City of Atlanta and new member of the planning staff at Perkins+Will.

While the title of "Good Urbanism" may imply the class applies only to downtown areas, in fact, the lessons are applicable to any built environment, including the suburbs and exurbs. Any area that is built or is facing redevelopment could benefit from the lessons promoted through this class. Only thoughtful development and redevelopment will ensure that our built spaces have a long life that adapt to changing land uses and market demands, thus making them sustainable.

The final class included snacks provided by the Atlanta Street Food Coalition with a brief statement from one of its founders, Hayley Richardson. Hayley provided the class attendees with an update on the struggles the Coalition is facing in changing City of Atlanta regulations that prohibit or limit food vending opportunities. This message provided a timely link into the final class topic of what makes a community vibrant-the life and people on the streets, including vendors.

Thanks to our course co-sponsors the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Georgia Chapter of the American Planning Association (GPA). Thanks also to Gateway Development and Enterprise Innovation Institute (Georgia Tech) for providing classroom space.

Katherine Moore
Kmoore@gaconservancy.org

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What is Good Urbanism 101?

Good Urbanism 101 is a six-session course on quality urban design. Learn about the history, principles, and current practices of urban design, including an emphasis on walkability, integration of alternative transportation options, sustainability, and the relationship between urban infrastructure and the urban experience. Join the Georgia Conservancy's Growth Management Program and Georgia Tech professors David Green, Richard Dagenhart, and Doug Allen to learn about urban design and how different professions can collaborate to improve the city of Atlanta and its region. The professors will be joined by different guests each week who are professionals and experts in their field.

Each of the six sessions will explore a different theme and set of issues that are crucial to the development of the built environment today. These themes include platting and subdivision, street design and transportation, zoning, and urban design. The course contextualizes urban issues in the history of urban design while paying special attention to the specific challenges facing Atlanta.

The courses will be presented in informal PowerPoint lectures with questions welcomed at any time.

Sessions will include handouts and time for questions and discussion. Every session will include a midway break with light snacks available. However, meals are not provided and attendees are encouraged to brown bag, given the evening time of the classes.

Who should attend?

Anyone interested in planning, designing and building a better Atlanta - neighborhood residents, government officials, engineers, non-profit advocacy and advisory groups, architects, landscape architects, planners, attorneys, financial professionals, developers, and real estate brokers.

Register Now! - Space is Limited (click here for registration information)

Course descriptions

Instructors:

Richard Dagenhart is associate professor of architecture and urban design at Georgia Tech, where he teaches urban design seminars and studios in both the Architecture and City and Regional Planning programs and heads the master's of science-Urban Design Program. He is an architect and city planner with more than 35 years' experience in teaching, practicing and learning about urban design in the United States and across the globe.

David Green is an architect and professor of practice in the College of Architecture at Georgia Tech, teaching urban design and architecture studios while also being involved in an emerging national and international urban design practice as associate principal with Perkins+Will in Atlanta. He has been involved in all stages of urban design practice from urban design visions, neighborhood participation, zoning and subdivision processes and building design.

Doug Allen is professor and associate dean of the College of Architecture at Georgia Tech where he teaches the most popular course in the college, The History of Urban Form. His teaching focuses on the American City and American Landscape and includes undergraduate, master's degree and Ph.D. students in architecture and city and regional planning. Prior to becoming associate dean, he maintained a landscape architecture practice, winning numerous awards in Atlanta and across the Southeast.

Continuing Education Credit:

In the past, we have been able to offer continuing education credits for some professions. We have been able to offer twelve (12) AIA Health, Safety, and Welfare and Sustainable Design Continuing Education Credits and twelve (12) AICP Certificate Maintenance Credits. For Professional Engineers and other fields that are self reporting, the Georgia Conservancy is happy to provide assistance. Our credits are still pending approval for Spring 2010, and we will update the website and inform registrants as we learn more.

Additional Information: Good Urbanism 101 is sponsored by the Georgia Conservancy in partnership with the Urban Design faculty in the College of Architecture at Georgia Tech.

ALL PROCEEDS from Good Urbanism 101 support urban design education by giving scholarships or research assistantships to Georgia Tech urban design graduate students! Registration: Register Now!- Space is Limited General registration is $200, and registration for those seeking professional education credits will be $300.

Class Scholarships: We may be able to offer a limited number of scholarships for Good Urbanism 101. To be considered for a scholarship, you must be an employee or volunteer of a non-profit organization whose work involves transportation, urban design, housing, or related issues; a citizen member of a civic association, neighborhood planning unit, or planning or zoning commission; or be otherwise clearly involved in volunteer activities that involve the built environment. To apply, please provide a 500 word statement describing your interest in the class, how you will utilize the class lessons in your professional or personal life, and how you are involved in urban design issues. Application statements should be emailed to Katherine Moore, Georgia Conservancy,kmoore@gaconservancy.orgby March 31. You will be notified one week prior to the first class regarding your application, if the scholarship positions become available.

Location: Centergy Building at Tech Square, 75 5th St., Atlanta, GA 30308

April 20 and 22 and May 4 we will be in the Hodges Room, and April 15, 27, and 29 we will be in the 10th floor Conference Room. Click here for a map to the Centergy Building and here for driving directions. The building is in walking distance from both the Midtown and the North Avenue MARTA stations (note: the Tech Trolley stops at the Midtown station).

We regret we cannot offer free parking, but there is plenty of deck and street parking in the vicinity.

Sponsors: