The goal of this course is to provide a comprehensive historical context for modern planning. Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Current and Aspiring Urban Planners
• Architects and Preservationists
• Historians and Art Historians focused on cities
• Cultural Resource Managers
• Policy Analysts interested in the evolution of planning law
• Students in Urban Studies, History, or Geography
• Professionals working in urban revitalization

• Historical Case Studies with in-depth analysis
• Critical Readings and Discussion of foundational texts (e.g., Howard, Jacobs)
• Individual Exercises: Tracing the historical development of a local neighborhood
• Visual Analysis of historical maps, plans, and archival images
• Group Activities: Debates on the merits of historical planning movements
• Lectures accompanied by extensive visual aids

Unit 1: Foundations in Antiquity and the Medieval Period

• The planning of ancient Mesopotamian and Indus Valley cities
• Gridiron planning in Greek and Roman settlements (e.g., Miletus, Timgad)
• Philosophical ideals of the 'ideal city' (Plato, Aristotle)
• Water and sanitation engineering in the Roman Empire
• The collapse and survival of urban form in the Dark Ages
• Feudalism and the organic growth of medieval European towns

• The rediscovery of classical planning principles
• The influence of perspective and geometry on urban design
• Baroque planning: grand axes, vistas, and military fortification
• The planning of capital cities (e.g., Rome, Paris, Washington D.C.)
• Early concepts of public space and civic squares
• The role of absolute monarchy in controlling urban form

Unit 2: The Industrial City and Reform

• The social and environmental crisis of 19th-century cities
• The role of technology (e.g., railroads, steel, elevators) in urban growth
• Sanitary reform movements and public health initiatives
• Early tenement laws and housing reform efforts
• The influence of philanthropic housing (e.g., Peabody Trust)
• Municipal engineering and the development of modern infrastructure

• Utopian communities and their urban plans (e.g., New Harmony)
• The Garden City Movement (Ebenezer Howard) and its influence
• The City Beautiful Movement (Daniel Burnham) and its focus on aesthetics
• Critiques of industrial capitalism and alternative city visions
• The development of parks and parkways for public leisure
• Early attempts at comprehensive master planning

Unit 3: The 20th Century: Modernism and Reaction

• Le Corbusier's Radiant City and the rejection of the street grid
• The Athens Charter and the functional separation of land uses
• Public housing projects and the rise of modernist architecture
• The influence of the automobile on city form and infrastructure
• The establishment of mandatory zoning and planning commissions
• Federal government involvement in planning and housing policy

• Slum clearance and urban renewal programs (e.g., in the US and UK)
• The construction of the interstate highway system and its urban impact
• The rise of suburbanization and the decline of central cities
• Critics of Modernism (e.g., Jane Jacobs, Kevin Lynch)
• The emergence of preservation movements and historic districts
• The shift towards greater public participation and advocacy planning

Unit 4: Contemporary Planning Theories and Challenges

• The rise of environmentalism and ecological planning
• The concept of 'Smart Growth' and New Urbanism
• Planning for social equity and recognizing marginalized groups
• Global city theory and the role of transnational corporations
• The impact of deindustrialization and economic restructuring
• Post-modernism and its influence on urban design and architecture

• Comparing planning traditions in the Global North and South
• The challenges of planning for rapid urbanization in Asia and Africa
• Planning for climate change and urban resilience
• The role of digital technology and 'Smart Cities' concepts
• Ethical challenges in contemporary planning practice
• The evolution of planning law and regulatory frameworks

Unit 5: Historical Case Studies and Legacies

• The planning legacy of Haussmann's Paris
• The development and critiques of Brasília and Chandigarh
• The transformation of New York City and the legacy of Robert Moses
• Post-socialist urban transitions in Eastern Europe
• The history of planning for racial segregation (e.g., South Africa, US)
• Lessons from planned cities that failed or succeeded (e.g., Columbia, MD)