Dictionary
We speak cities
In doubt about urbanist jargon? Here’s a few definitions.
Urban design guidelines
Set standards for shaping the built environment, ensuring cohesive, sustainable, and livable urban development.
Walkable cities
Designing urban areas that prioritize pedestrians, making it easy, safe, and enjoyable to walk through the city.
Urban regeneration
Revitalizing declining urban areas to restore their social, economic, and environmental vitality.
Transit hubs
Multimodal transport stations designed to optimize movement while serving as vibrant, public-friendly destinations.
Tactical urbanism
Temporary interventions in urban spaces that test ideas for improving public life before permanent implementation.
Urban design policies
Regulatory frameworks guiding the development of public spaces, buildings, and infrastructure to enhance city livability.
Sustainable urban planning
Developing cities that meet today’s needs without compromising future generations, integrating green spaces and efficient infrastructure.
Social infrastructure
The spaces and services that support social connection and advance health equity, climate resilience, and economic opportunity.
Retail strategy
Planning and designing retail spaces that integrate with public life and enhance the urban environment.
Urban mobility
Strategies for enhancing movement within cities through sustainable, efficient, and people-friendly transport options.
Urban retrofitting
Adapting and modernizing existing urban infrastructure to meet current environmental, social, and technological needs.
Behavior analysis
Studying human behavior in urban spaces and analyzing the data to inform design decisions that enhance social interactions and public life.
Climate action
Urban designs and strategies that nudge sustainable behavior change in individuals and communities.
Public realm
The network of all publicly accessible urban spaces where public life unfolds and communities connect.
Urban revitalization
Renewing neglected urban areas through strategic investments in infrastructure, public spaces, and community services.
Public space
Open areas, such as parks or plazas, designed to be accessible to all, fostering community interaction and engagement.
Urban development
The process of planning, designing, and constructing the built environment to foster public life and economic growth.
Landscape architecture
Designing outdoor spaces that balance beauty, function, and environmental sustainability to enhance public life.
Urban planning
The process of designing and organizing urban spaces to improve quality of life, sustainability, and functionality.
Climate adaptation plans
Strategies to ensure urban environments are resilient and adaptable to changing climate conditions.
Urban research
Data-driven studies to understand the relationship between people, public spaces, and urban design.
Public life
The everyday social activities and interactions that occur in public spaces, influenced by design and infrastructure.
Urban sustainability
Designing cities that balance environmental, social, and economic needs to support long-term livability.
Placemaking
Revitalizing spaces and districts to foster inclusion, community well-being, and enhance cultural and economic vitality.
New mobility technology
Emerging technologies like autonomous and electric vehicles, charging systems, delivery logistics, and emerging mobility modes.
Mixed-use development
Integrating residential, commercial, cultural, and public functions in an area to create vibrant, diverse urban environments.
Landscape design
Shaping public outdoor spaces like parks and plazas to encourage community engagement and ecological balance.
Inclusive urban planning
Designing cities that ensure access and equity for all people, regardless of age, ability, or background.
Human scale
Design dimensions that relate to the human body, ensuring that spaces enhance experiences and interactions at eye-level.
Ground-level
Urban amenities and commercial activities that enhance the overall quality of a street.
Eye level
The ‘horizontal line’ from the level of the human eye that influences how one senses, behaves, and interacts with the surrounding environment.
Environmental planning
Integrating ecological systems with urban development to ensure sustainability and resilience in city development.
Community engagement
Involving local communities in urban planning processes to ensure solutions reflect their needs and aspirations.
Life-centered design
A design approach that considers the needs of all of life — both humans and more-than-humans — that make up our environments.
Urban design
Shaping the physical layout of cities, prioritizing public spaces, mobility, and human-scale development.