As suggested on the large photos that introduce this website, the things that determine the design of our built environment at the larger scale of the city are many, including the geography and history of the place. All older cities, towns, and villages that I know of evolved over time as a logical design response to such things such as a crossroads, an existing river, a dominant land form, an important economic operation, or an important cultural activity. The current state of many of these places can often be traced to how much respect and attention has been paid over the years of improvements and development to the original reasons for their existence–even as the reason for the town’s very existence changes. Take Aspen Colorado for example. Originally a mining town, it is now a resort. But the way its history has been respected, preserved and incorporated into its new uses gives it charm, vitality and meaning. The incredible land values there suggests that many agree with this assessment and value it highly.
At the scale of the city, among the things that must be considered are building height, limit of development (city edges), street patterns, view corridors, and land use (all separate items of discussion) and all interactively forming the look, feel and aesthetic appeal of the place. But why is this important? It is important because the design of this scale of the built environment gives direction and order to the more immediate, more familiar scales of the streets and plazas (Streetscape) and buildings (Architecture) that follow. With Cityscape, there are certain things (as with all good design) that are obvious, and as a result are easy to articulate: the wonderful response that Paris has to the Seine river that runs through it for example. But what often also comes with this is an unconscious feeling of appreciation. “I really like spending time there” might express an appreciation without a clear understand of why exactly. Good design has this effect.