THE EXPERTS VISION - THE ROLE OF DESIGN IN THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTOF CITY-PLANNING

Responding to criticism of recent planning-design initiatives, this es say re-examines the role of design in the development of planning from a historical perspective. The ideas and accomplishments of designers Frederick Law Olmsted and Daniel Hudson Burnham created an image of th e planner as the expert with the vision to improve the urban environme nt. When the city planning profession broadened its focus to include e lements not based in design and developed a theory drawn from the soci al sciences, the image of planner as visionary expert remained. At the same time, constraints imposed by political, social, and economic rea lities limited the planners' ability to achieve their goals, while the results of their efforts often brought criticism. Despite these const raints and critiques, contemporary planners are again (still?) trying to create particular urban environments intended to stimulate particul ar human behaviors. They might do well to let the successes and failur es of the past guide their vision for the future.