Welcome to the Handbook
Soft City: Building Density for Everyday Life
Description:Imagine waking up to the gentle noises of the city, and moving through your day with complete confidence that you will get where you need to go quickly and efficiently. Soft City is about ease and comfort, where density has a human dimension, adapting to our ever-changing needs, nurturing relationships, and accommodating the pleasures of everyday life. How do we move from the current reality in most cites—separated uses and lengthy commutes in single-occupancy vehicles that drain human, environmental, and community resources—to support a soft city approach? In Soft City David Sim, partner and creative director at Gehl, shows how this is possible, presenting ideas and graphic examples from around the globe. He draws from his vast design experience to make a case for a dense and diverse built environment at a human scale, which he presents through a series of observations of older and newer places, and a range of simple built phenomena, some traditional and some totally new inventions.
The Public Humanities Turn: The University as an Instrument of Cultural Transformation
Description:Humanities have the potential to transform human culture―and an obligation to preserve it.
Author:Philip Lewis
Publication Year:2024
The Death and Life of Great American Cities
Description:This book is considered a classic within the City Planning industry. In it, Jacobs talks about neighborhood parks, sidewalks, city blocks, buildings, concentration, and diversity. I highly recommend it.
Author:None
Description:Eric Foner is a prominent American historian focusing on the history of the United States, particularly the Civil War, Reconstruction, and slavery. His works explore themes of social justice, equality, and civil rights. Foner's contributions to public understanding of history have been significant through his numerous publications and lectures.
Description:Christopher Alexander (1936–2022) was an architect, urban theorist, and mathematician known for his work on pattern-based design and human-centered architecture. His book A Pattern Language (1977) introduced timeless design principles that create functional, livable spaces based on human needs. Alexander emphasized organic, adaptable urban planning over rigid structures, influencing placemaking, sustainable architecture, and software design. His ideas continue to shape community-driven urban development worldwide.
Description:A sociologist and urbanist, Whyte conducted detailed studies on how people use public spaces. His work, The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces (1980), analyzed seating, walkability, and social interaction, influencing the design of parks, plazas, and streets to encourage engagement.
Description:Create community garden plots around neighborhoods to foster integrity and community.
Description:Placemaking inspires people to collectively reimagine and reinvent public spaces as the heart of every community. Strengthening the connection between people and the places they share, placemaking refers to a collaborative process by which we can shape our public realm in order to maximize shared value.
Description:Ensures pedestrian-friendly streets, pathways, and bike lanes, while also enhancing access to public transportation.
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Jennifer Brady 2023