as the title speaks it self, can a ‘Planner’ (Town/ Urban or Spatial Planner) become a ‘Designer’?
Conceptually and theoretically, ‘Planning’ itself is understood as a ‘Design’ discipline; and its practitioners as ‘Designers’ (Levin 1966, Owen, 2007, Lawson, 2005, Razzaouk and Shute, 2012 etc.). This is commonly accepted on the basis that the ultimate object of ‘Spatial Planning’ (I would refer to term spatial in covering a wide array of specialities) is achieving physical form or space—be it urban, rural or in between. In this sense, a Spatial Planner’s contribution irrespective of being involved in strategic or statutory planning activities, would be to shape the intended physical form, directly or indirectly. It is at this point that I intend to view the title question to be two fold, of which I would write focussing only on the first premise within this post.
As a Town Planner who is immensely passionate about urban design practice, yet never was fortunate (or unfortunate?) enough to have formal specialization in Urban Design, I have often felt less confident as a designer. I have been less confident in composing those perfectly-smooth and eye-catching diagrams, lines, curves and visuals that are supposed to communicate the great planning proposals I have in my mind. I often compare my ‘urban design’ work to that of architects (and students who usually have gone through intensive training in those areas) and realize how far behind I am. This is strongly evident when it comes to designing smaller spaces, the finer details of a typical urban space, that I feel I am not familiar enough to do so. But, I must state that I possess above-par skills in sketching and drawing compared to my fellow planning colleagues. My design portfolio would stand proof of this. I’m also confident that similar to any spatial planner, I too understand the language of spatial thinking.
Does this mean a spatial planner naturally lack such competence? That they have to go through additional training in order to actually be able to design city spaces.
Does that mean becoming a ‘designer’ of cities, is that straightforward for ‘planners’? What does this tell us about urban design?
I would present a second premise in the following Part-2 of this post, which focuses on a concept that is considered rather unfamiliar, at least within planners.
- Note: My own original article Linkedin (B. Kanishka Guluwita)