10 Canons of Urban Design
10 Canons of Urban Design 1: Balance with Nature Urbanization that is in balance with nature emphasizes urban ecological balance, emphasizing the distinction between utilizing resources and exploiting them. After a point of no return, anthropogenic utilization of natural resources will outpace the natural ability of the ecosystem to replenish itself. This principle promotes environmental assessments to identify fragile zones, threatened ecosystems and habitats that can be enhanced through conservation, density control, land use planning and open space design (McCarg, 1975). This principle leads to a particular level of human habitation intensity wherein the resources that are consumed will be replaced through the replenishing natural cycles of the seasons, creating environmental equilibrium. 2: Balance with Tradition The balance with tradition is intended to integrate plan interventions with existing cultural assets, respe...