History of City Planning 1: Ancient Times to the Modern Age (7,500 BC to 1900)

Summary

This course, Introduction to City Planning, led by Jason Luger, delves into the evolution of city planning from ancient times to the early 20th century. It explores the development of cities, key planning innovations, and historical movements, including sanitation, urban design, and the industrial revolution. Students will examine the social, economic, and political shifts that shaped cities and planning practices. By studying past planning successes and failures, the course provides insights into how cities are shaped today and the future of urban planning.

Takeaways

• 😀 The course, 'Introduction to City Planning,' explores the history and development of cities from ancient times to 1900.
• 😀 Students will understand the evolution of contemporary planning by examining early movements and key developments.
• 😀 Key topics include ancient cities like Catal Hoyuk, Tenochtitlan, Rome, and Athens, and their influence on modern city planning.
• 😀 The Industrial Revolution's dramatic impact on cities, including challenges like sanitation and public space, is a major focus.
• 😀 The course will highlight how the discipline of city planning emerged from the contributions of architects, political thinkers, and reformers.
• 😀 Students will explore how technological innovations like aqueducts, railroads, and automobiles shaped urban planning.
• 😀 The course emphasizes critical evaluation of past planning movements and the lessons they offer for today's cities.
• 😀 Attention is given to the relationships between planning, the economy, politics, and society, and how they intersect in urban development.
• 😀 The course will cover the transformation of cities after the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of the Anthropocene.
• 😀 The 19th-century urban revolutions, fueled by industrialization, are discussed in detail, including the challenges of the modern city.
• 😀 The course ends by setting the stage for future exploration of early 20th-century planning and its implications for the modern world.

Q & A

What is the focus of the course 'Introduction to City Planning'?

The course focuses on the history of city planning, examining the development of cities from ancient times to the early 20th century, and how historical developments, technological innovations, and planning debates shaped modern cities.

Who is teaching the course, and what is their background?

The course is taught by Jason Luger, a geographer and city planner who is a faculty member in the Department of City and Regional Planning at UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design.

What time period does the course primarily cover?

The course covers the development of cities from 7500 BC, starting with the ancient city of Catal Hoyuk, and spans through to the early 20th century around 1900.

What are some key ancient cities explored in the course?

Some of the key ancient cities discussed in the course include Catal Hoyuk, Uncor, Tenochtitlan, Rome, and Athens.

What are some key topics that the course will address?

The course addresses topics such as early planning innovations, the Industrial Revolution's impact on urban transformation, public space sanitation, the advent of the boulevard, and the grid of streets.

How did the Industrial Revolution influence city planning?

The Industrial Revolution led to dramatic urban transformations, including rapid industrialization, which created new challenges in planning, such as sanitation, mobility, and overcrowding, thus sparking early reform movements in city planning.

What is the significance of historical planning movements in this course?

The course critically evaluates historical planning movements, exploring how they shaped the discipline of city planning, their successes, their failures, and how their ideas continue to influence contemporary urban development.

What role do different social groups play in the development of city planning?

City planning evolved through the contributions of a diverse range of people including architects, designers, political thinkers, writers, theorists, and social reformers, who brought their expertise and visions to the field.

What technological advancements are discussed in the course, and how did they impact cities?

Technological advancements like aqueducts, railroads, and automobiles are discussed, focusing on how they changed cities by improving mobility, water distribution, and overall urban infrastructure.

What major urban transformations occurred in the 19th century, and why were they significant?

In the 19th century, urban revolutions took place as cities struggled to modernize. These revolutions were significant because they marked a turning point in how cities were planned, as planners had to address issues related to industrialization, overcrowding, and public health.