New urbanism and case studies

New urbanism and smart growth

New urbanism is a planning movement (the Congress for the New Urbanism was founded in the USA in 1993) that favours walkable, compact, mixed-use neighbourhoods: homes, shops, schools and offices within walking distance, with good public transport and public spaces. It reacts against urban sprawl, the spread of low-density, car-dependent suburbs.

Smart growth principles: mixed land use; compact building design; a range of housing choices; walkable streets; many transport choices; preserving farmland and open space; directing growth to existing areas (infill) rather than open countryside.

Case studies

Curitiba (Brazil): under mayor and architect Jaime Lerner, the city pioneered Bus Rapid Transit in the 1970s, with dedicated bus lanes and raised “tube” stations where passengers pay before boarding. It also created large parks on flood-prone land and a “Green Exchange” scheme in which residents trade recyclable waste for food or bus tokens.

Bogotá (Colombia): under mayor Enrique Peñalosa (1998–2000), the city built the TransMilenio BRT system (opened in 2000), hundreds of kilometres of cycle paths, and pedestrian spaces. Its weekly Ciclovía closes major streets to cars on Sundays and holidays for cycling and walking, and it held car-free days.

Cuba: after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Cuba lost cheap oil, fertilisers and food imports (the “Special Period”). It turned to urban agriculture, including organopónicos (organic gardens in raised beds) in Havana, and to organic methods, bicycles and local food production.

Cochabamba (Bolivia): in 2000, the city’s water supply was privatised and handed to a foreign-backed consortium, and water prices rose steeply. Mass protests, the “Cochabamba Water War”, forced the government to cancel the contract. It became a symbol of the struggle to treat water as a public good and a human right.

Key points

• New urbanism: walkable, mixed-use, compact; against sprawl.
• Curitiba → Jaime Lerner, BRT, Green Exchange.
• Bogotá → Enrique Peñalosa, TransMilenio (2000), Ciclovía.
• Cuba → urban organic farming after 1991.
• Cochabamba → Water War against privatisation (2000).

Exam tips

The common question gives a description and asks for the city. Remember one keyword per city: Curitiba = BRT pioneer/Green Exchange, Bogotá = TransMilenio/Ciclovía, Cuba = organopónicos, Cochabamba = water war.

Common mistakes

• Mixing up Curitiba (Brazil) with Bogotá (Colombia).
• Thinking Cochabamba is a transport case study; it is about water privatisation.
• Thinking smart growth means building outward on farmland; it means infill and compactness.