EMP 430 : Urban Planning and the Built Environment

This course provides a critical introduction to the interdisciplinary world of urban planning. Many of the world’s most famous cities were carefully laid out in relationship to their natural surroundings. How did they plan access to public infrastructures and social institutions such water, sewer and power lines, roads, schools or hospitals? Which cities are global leaders in urban planning and design? What are the most important issues for planning practitioners right now? What do planners do when they “plan”? How do we justify planning? How do we define the public interest the profession purports to serve? What are the key conflicts and ethical dilemmas? How does the global threat of climate change change the way we plan and manage cities?