Transect (urban)

The urban-to-rural transect is an urban planning model created by the New Urbanist Andrés Duany.[1] The transect defines a series of zones that transition from sparse rural farmhouses to the dense urban core. Each zone is fractal in that it contains a similar transition from the edge to the center of the neighborhood. The transect is an important part of the New Urbanism and smart growth movements. Duany's firm DPZ has embodied the transect philosophy into their SmartCode generic planning code for municipal ordinances.[2][3][4]

The importance of transect planning is particularly seen as a contrast to modern Euclidean zoning and suburban development. In these patterns, large areas are dedicated to a single purpose, such as housing, offices, shopping, and they can only be accessed via major roads. The transect, by contrast, decreases the necessity for long-distance travel by any means.

  1. ^ "Center for Applied Transect Studies". transect.org. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  2. ^ Steuteville, Robert (2017-04-13). "Great idea: The rural-to-urban Transect". CNU. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  3. ^ Duany, Andres; Talen, Emily (26 Nov 2007) [2002]. "Transect Planning". Journal of the American Planning Association. 68 (3): 245–266. doi:10.1080/01944360208976271. S2CID 220461929.
  4. ^ Duany, Andrés; Talen, Emily (2002). "Transect planning". Journal of the American Planning Association. 68 (3): 245–266. doi:10.1080/01944360208976271. ISSN 0194-4363. S2CID 220461929.