| By eliminating the planning profession from physical design, urban policy planners have been placed in a situation where they are required to devise new rules and solutions to urban problems, without being in a position to fully understand the causes, relationships or effects. As a result, a question arises regarding the role of the Planner in the design and evolution of the built environment. It is within the framework of this question that this thesis investigates the physical and theoretical concepts of the planning and design of urban places.; The underlying basis for this investigation is public space and the creation of places, streets and neighbourhoods which are attractive, functional and comfortable. Determining where the attention of the profession stops and where the role of the architect or landscape architect begins, arose early in the intellectual exploration of the question. Recognizing that there is a ‘grey area’ between planning and the design professions in how the public realm of the street is designed, contributed to the form and focus of the thesis question and overall project goals.; The project is structured into three main parts—Question, Approach and Response—which investigate theoretical perspectives and practical alternatives for understanding the structure and components of the form of an urban street. Applying developed principles and guidelines to a specific location, provided examples of the ways in which the Profession can begin to define and accept a new role in the physical design of the urban landscape. |
