Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Retrofitting suburbia through pre-urban patterns: Introducing a European perspective

  • Original Article
  • Published:
URBAN DESIGN International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article contributes to the literature and debate on ‘retrofitting suburbia’ by drawing on European planning methods that emphasize the morphology, history and culture of places. Building on approaches to redevelop the periphery areas in Catalonia, Spain, this article suggests that an analysis of pre-urban patterns, such as agricultural plots, homestead systems, rural grids, and watercourses, is an important basis for developing strategies to retrofit suburbia. Specifically, the recovery of rural grids and watercourses as the main elements of civic networks allows one to (i) increase diversity, accessibility and connectivity of the overlapping suburban growth; (ii) reinforce the synergies among interconnected urban regeneration projects; while (iii) integrating urban retrofitting strategies with the unique characteristics of each place. The implementation of this approach is outlined using the Barcelona Metropolitan Region in Spain as an example. We also consider the applicability of this approach to US suburbs such as those in Boston or Phoenix. The article concludes that retrofitting suburbia through pre-urban patterns not only constitutes a promising approach in Spain but also in the United States.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Figure 1
Figure 4
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
Figure 9
Figure 10
Figure 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alanen, A.R. and Melnick, R.Z. (eds.) (2000) Preserving Cultural Landscapes in America. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Planning Association. (2002) Policy Guide on Smart Growth. Chicago, IL: American Planning Association, http://www.planning.org/policy/guides/pdf/smartgrowth.pdf, accessed 4 May 2010.

  • Balsas, C. (2008) Sustainable urban regeneration in Phoenix, Arizona: Implications for multi-dimensional governance. In: T. Kidokoro, N. Harata, L.P. Subanu, J. Jessen, A. Motte and E.P. Seltzer (eds.) Sustainable City Regions: Space, Place and Governance. Tokyo: Springer, pp. 299–319.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Barba, J. and Mercadé, M. (2006) Les urbanitzacions a la província de Barcelona: Localització i característiques dels sistemes de baixa densitat residencial. Barcelona: Diputació de Barcelona.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berger, A. (2006) Drosscape: Wasting Land in Urban America. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boeri, S., Lanzani, A. and Marini, E. (1993) Il territorio che cambia. Ambienti, paesaggi e immagini della regione Milanese. Milano: Abitare Segesta Cataloghi.

    Google Scholar 

  • Busquets, J. ([1992] 2004) Barcelona: La construcción urbanística de una ciudad compacta. Barcelona: Ediciones del Serbal.

    Google Scholar 

  • Calthorpe, P. (1993) The Next American Metropolis Ecology, Community and the American Dream. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Canalscape. (2010) Canalscape, http://canalscape.asu.edu, accessed 8 May.

  • City of Phoenix. (2010) Green Phoenix, http://phoenix.gov/greenphoenix/greenphx/index.html, accessed 8 May.

  • Corboz, A. (2001) Le Territoire comme palimpseste et autres essais. Besançon, France: Éditions de l’Imprimeur.

    Google Scholar 

  • Department of Conservation and Recreation. (2010) Historic Landscape Preservation Initiative. Department of Conservation and Recreation, Massachusetts Government, http://www.mass.gov/dcr/stewardship/histland/histland.htm, accessed 8 May.

  • Duany, A., Plater-Zyberk, E. and Speck, J. (2000) Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream. New York: North Point Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunham-Jones, E. and Williamson, J. (2009) Retrofitting Suburbia. URBAN DESIGN Solutions for Redesigning Suburbs. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellin, N. (2009) Canalscape: An Authentic & Sustainable Desert Urbanism for Metro Phoenix. Phoenix, AZ: Arizona State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farr, D. (2008) Sustainable Urbanism: URBAN DESIGN with Nature. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Font, A., Llop, C. and Vilanova, J.M. (1999) La construcció del territori metropolità: Morfogènesi de la regió urbana de Barcelona. Barcelona: Mancomunitat de Municipis de l’Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frank, L.D., Andersen, M.A. and Schmid, T.L. (2004) Obesity relationships with community design, physical activity and time spent in cars. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 27 (2): 87–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garreau, J. (1991) Edge city: Life on the New Frontier. New York: Doubleday.

    Google Scholar 

  • Generalitat de Catalunya. (2009) Pla Territorial Metropolità de Barcelona: 2009. Barcelona: Generalitat de Catalunya.

  • Girling, C.L. and Helphand, K.I. (1997) Retrofitting suburbia: Open space in Bellevue, Washington, USA. Landscape and Urban Planning 36: 301–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harnik, P. (2006) The excellent city park system: What makes it great and how to get there. In: R.H. Platt (ed.) The Humane Metropolis: People and Nature in the 21st-century City. Cambridge: Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, pp. 47–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayden, D. (1995) The Power of the Place: Urban Landscapes as Public History. Cambridge: The MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayden, D. (2003) Building Suburbia: Green Fields and Urban Growth, 1820–2000. New York: Pantheon Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holcomb, E.L. (2008) The City as Suburb: A History of Northeast Baltimore Since 1660. Chicago, IL: The Center for American Places at Columbia College Chicago.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, J.B. (1972) American Space. New York: W. W. Norton and Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, J.B. (1984) Discovering the Vernacular Landscape. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenneth, T.J. (1985) Crabgrass Frontier: The Suburbanization of United States. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kidokoro, T., Harata, N., Subanu, L.P., Jessen, J., Motte, A. and Seltzer, E.P. (eds.) (2008) Sustainable City Regions: Space, Place and Governance. Tokyo: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, J. (2007) Perceiving and valuing sense of community in a new urbanist development: A case study of Kentlands. Journal of Design 12: 203–230.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kunstler, J. (1994) The Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America's Man-made Landscape. New York: The Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsen, L. and Alameddin, D. (2007) The evolution of early Phoenix: Valley business elite, land speculation, and the emergence of planning. Journal of Planning History 6 (2): 87–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Logan, M.F. (2006) Desert Cities: The Environmental History of Phoenix and Tucson. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lynch, K. (1960) The Image of the City. Cambridge: The MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Massachusetts Government. (2000) Community Preservation Act. September 2000 (Chapter 267 of the Acts of 2000). Boston: Massachusetts Government, http://commpres.env.state.ma.us/content/cpa.asp, accessed 4 May 2010.

  • McHarg, I. (1969) Design with Nature. New York: Natural History Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muñoz, F. (2008) Urbanalización: paisajes comunes, lugares globales. Barcelona: Editorial Gustavo Gili.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nel·lo, O. (2002) Dinàmiques urbanes, activitats emergents i polítiques públiques a la regió metropolitana de Barcelona. Papers: Regió Metropolitana de Barcelona 36: 105–114.

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Connell, J.C. (2003) Ahead or Behind the Curve?: Compact Mixed-use Development in Suburban Boston. Cambridge: Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, http://www.lincolninst.edu/pubs/Default.aspx, accessed 8 May 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Platt, R.H. (ed.) (2006) The Humane Metropolis: People and Nature in the 21st-century City. Cambridge: Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Register, R. (1987) Ecocity Berkeley: Building Cities for a Healthy Future. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosemann, J. (ed.) (2007) PermaCity. Delft, The Netherlands: Delft University of Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rossi, A. ([1966] 1971) L’Architettura della città. Barcelona: Editorial Gustavo Gili.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowe, P.G. (1991) Making a Middle Landscape. Cambridge and London: The MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rueda, S. (2002) Els costos ambientals dels models urbans dispersos. Papers: Regió Metropolitana de Barcelona 36: 73–104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scheer, B. (2001) The anatomy of sprawl. Places: A Forum of Environmental Design 14 (2): 25–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schipper, J. (2008) Disappearing Desert: The Growth of Phoenix and the Culture of Sprawl. Oklahoma City, OK: University of Oklahoma Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Secchi, B. (1994) Tre piani: La Spezia, Ascoli, Bergamo. Milan: Franco Angeli.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sieverts, T. (2003) Cities without Cities. London and New York: Spon Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Soule, C.D. (2006) Urban Sprawl: A Comprehensive Reference Guide. Westport, CT; and London: Greenwood Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stokes, S.N., Watson, E. and Mastran, S.S. ([1989] 1997) Saving America's Countryside. Baltimore, MD; London: The Johns Hopkins University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sudbury Valley Trustees. (2010) Sudbury valley trustees: Conservation, collaboration and community since 1953, http://www.sudburyvalleytrustees.org, accessed 8 May.

  • Tachieva, G. (2010) Sprawl Repair Manual. Washington DC: Island Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Talen, E. (2005) New Urbanism and American Planning: The Conflict of Cultures. New Cork: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Talen, E. (2008) Design for Diversity: Exploring Socially Mixed Neighbourhoods. Burlington, NC: Architectural Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vall, P. (2008) Revisión metodológica sobre el planeamiento de un paisaje cultural. El Plan Director Urbanístico de las Colonias del Llobregat. Urban 13: 122–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Von Petz, U. (2006) ¿Resucita el ave fénix de sus cenizas? La Exposición Internacional de Construcción (Internationale Bauausstellug-IBA) del Parque del Emscher. Urban 11: 44–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warner, S.B. ([1962] 1978) Streetcar Suburbs: The Process of Growth in Boston (1870–1900). Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are deeply grateful to Dr Emily Talen for her valuable feedback, Ms Marta Benages for her help with the images and Dr Judith Garcia-Aymerich for her thorough revisions. Thank you also to two anonymous reviewers who helped to improve the quality of this manuscript. All remaining errors are our own.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of URBAN DESIGN and Planning, School of Architecture, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Immaculada 22, Catalunya, Barcelona, 08017, Spain

    Pere Vall-Casas & Carmen Mendoza

  2. GeoDa Center for Geospatial Analysis and Computation, School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, Arizona State University, PO Box 875302, Tempe, 85287-5302, Arizona, USA

    Pere Vall-Casas & Julia Koschinsky

Authors
  1. Pere Vall-Casas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Julia Koschinsky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Carmen Mendoza
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pere Vall-Casas.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vall-Casas, P., Koschinsky, J. & Mendoza, C. Retrofitting suburbia through pre-urban patterns: Introducing a European perspective. Urban Des Int 16, 171–187 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1057/udi.2011.9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/udi.2011.9

Keywords

Search

Navigation