Urban design, infrastructure help cities compete

The rapid urbanization of countries around the world is challenging cities to accommodate population growth with adequate infrastructure investments and high-quality urban design, according to Urban Land Institute President Richard M. Rosan.
ULI is a global non-profit research and education organization dedicated to responsible land use.
According to a March 9 news release, Rosan discussed urban regeneration efforts and the impact of urbanization during a keynote address at the MIPIM international real estate forum and global marketplace in Cannes, France.
By 2025, Rosan said, the United Nations projects that urban population growth will make up about 90 percent of the world’s population growth. It estimates that in 20 years, 85 percent of the population in the United States will live in urban areas; in Europe, 83 percent; in Asia, 55 percent, and Africa; 54 percent.
“As our world becomes more urbanized, cities are struggling with many of the same issues: managing growth, responding to demographic changes, building enough affordable housing, providing adequate transportation options and parking, and in general, finding the best way to rebuild, restore and renew our urban areas,” Rosan said.
Rosan cited the rise in “mega cities,” a term coined by the United Nations to describe cities with at least 10 million inhabitants.
In 10 years, the United Nations projects that more than 20 cities will have more than 10 million people, and six – four in Asia, two in Latin America – will have populations exceeding 20 million.
“Obviously, it’s not a matter of whether growth will occur, it’s how and where growth will occur,” Rosan said.
Of the two major challenges for high-growth areas – infrastructure investment and high-quality urban design – the former is the issue in which many cities, particularly in the United States, are falling short, he said.
In contrast, many cities in Asia, such as the major population hubs of Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing, are making multibillion dollar investments in infrastructure.
“I believe Asia is setting an example on infrastructure for the rest of the world. Clearly, many political leaders in Asia’s cities are making the connection between land use planning, transportation planning and community livability,” he said.
In the area of urban design, cities appear to be making more progress, Rosan said
“Urban design is now recognized for the impact it has on influencing human behavior and for the role it plays in creating communities that will stand the test of time,” he said. “We are improving how we design, develop and build because the industry’s working environment has become much more interdisciplinary. There is a willingness by architects, urban designers, urban planners and developers to rely less on habit as their guide, to break from the conventional, and to experiment.” The result, Rosan added, is more architecturally compelling, more complex design that mixes land uses.
“Building competitive cities means building more than just places to live and work. It’s about creating places that inspire, places with character, places that draw people through a powerful sense of identity,” Rosan said. He added that in many cities, the economy is increasingly driven by creative, “knowledge” workers who tend to be well educated, financially comfortable, and highly mobile.
While city cores once relied heavily on manufacturing and industries as their economic engines, they now rely on these new residents – young, childless professionals, older workers and retirees – for both economic and social stability, Rosan said. According to Rosan, the most successful urban regeneration efforts are based on:
• Strong political leadership.
• An environment for intellectual stimulation and creativity; being a “brain-gain” city rather than a “brain-drain” city by offering an array of arts, entertainment, recreation and culture.
• An environment that is tolerant of diversity.
• A commitment to provide housing to people with a variety of incomes.
• A solid track record in creating long-lasting public-private partnerships.
• A commitment to transit-oriented development and transportation infrastructure.
• A willingness to aggressively preserve land for parks and open space.
“These factors will have a long-term impact on the way our cities are developed and redeveloped, and on the way our cities are perceived and marketed around the world. Our cities are being rediscovered not just as places to visit, but as energetic, wonderfully diverse places to live,” Rosan said. “The cities that are able to offer a high quality of life – in the form of efficient transportation, recreational and cultural amenities, diverse neighborhoods and a safe, clean, lively environment – will be the winners.
“As community builders and place makers, all of us have a tremendous responsibility in shaping both the private and public space in which people carry out their lives. People will move to places and stay in places that instill pride, that give them a sense of belonging, a stake in what’s happening in their communities. That is the core of keeping our communities competitive in Europe, the United States and in the rest of the world,” Rosan said.
Established in 1936, ULI has more than 25,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.