Planning the Future of NYC

Planning the Future of NYC - MHC Seminar IV

HN 1000C - Thursdays 2.10-4.40

Course Overview:

Cities are places of contradiction — extreme affluence exists alongside severe poverty. Global cities such as NY offer the best and the worst to their citizens. The past 50 years have brought unprecedented changes to our urban world; suburban population shifts, the restructuring of urban economic bases, social fragmentation, new immigrant populations, and the complex forces of globalization. Each of these changes has a lasting impact upon the urban experience. For many of us, built form (the city skyline, for example) defines the culmination of these intersecting forces. The resultant consequences - pollution, population growth, and natural hazards also shape city form and our experience of the city. In this course, we will use the lens of physical planning and urban design to better understand the interplay between the social, political and economic forces that shape the urban environment. This knowledge will be used to create inoovative urban policies that will create vibrant public spaces, healthy communities, and sustainable urban environments. This course has a strong NYC focus, but wil include discussions about other cities in the US and abroad.

Structure and Format of Class:

The class will meet once a week. Students are expected to arrive before the designated start time (2.10 pm) and should plan their schedule so as to stay in class until 4.40 pm. Tardiness and/or absence (2 or more) will negatively impact your final course grade. Although this class is primarily a lecture class, students are expected to have completed assigned readings ahead of time and will be expected to participate actively in discussion. Typically, we will discuss assigned readings and relate them to contemporary and situational contexts.

Required Text:

LeGates, Ricard and Frederic Stout. 2007. The City Reader, 4th Edition. New York: Routledge.

Recommended Text:

Jacobs, Jane. 1961. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Vintage.

Grading Scheme:

• Regular Attendance and In-Class Participation 10%
• Online Participation                                                 20%
• Assignment 1: Op-Ed piece                                     10%
• Assignment 2: Mini Studio (group grade)           35%
• Assignment 3: Planning Issue Brief                      25%

Deadlines:

Unexplained late submissions will not be graded. In special circumstances such as illness or family emergencies, the student may be able to negotiate a later submission deadline.