Design Review: Challenging Urban Aesthetic Control

232 Pages·1994·16.6 MB·English

by  Brenda Case Scheer (auth.)

DESIGN REVIEW
CHALLENGING URBAN AESTHETIC CONTROL
- - - - - - EDITED BY - - - - - -
BRENDA CASE SCHEER ar: WOLFGANG F. E. PREISER
SPRINGER-SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, B.V.
First published in 1994 by
Chapman & Hall
One Penn Plaza
New York, NY 10119
Published in Great Britain by
Chapman & Hall
2-6 Boundary Row
London SEI 8HN
© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
Originally published by Chapman & Hall, Inc. in 1994
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1994
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any
electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and
recording, or by an information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Scheer, Brenda Case, 1951—
Design review : challenging urban aesthetic control / Brenda Case Scheer and Wolfgang F.E. Preiser,
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-412-99161-5 ISBN 978-1-4615-2658-2 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-4615-2658-2
1. Architectural design—Standards. 2. City planning. I. Preiser, Wolfgang F. E. II. Title.
NA2750.S33 1994
729-^dc20 94-19274
CIP
British Cataloging-in-Publication Data available
Contents
Foreword vii
Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk Principal, DPZArchitects, Inc., Miami, FL
Preface xv
Wolfgang F. E. Preiser University ofCincinnati
Contributors xix
Introduction: The Debate on Design Review 1
Brenda Case Scheer University ofCincinnati
I ISSUES IN DESIGN REVIEW
1 Democracy and Design 13
John Delafons University ofReading, United Kingdom
2 Reviewing New Design in Historic Districts 20
Ellen Beasley Historic Preservation Consultant, Houston, Texas
3 Can the Process ofArchitectural Design Review Withstand Legal Scrutiny? 31
Richard Tseng-yu Lai Arizona State University at Tempe
4 The Abuse ofDiscretionary Power 42
Brian W. Blaesser, Esq. Rudnick &Wolfe, Attorneys, Chicago
5 Design Review and Conservation in England: Historical Development
and Contemporary Relationships 51
John V. Punter University ofStrathclyde, Glasgow
6 Design Review from the Inside 62
Bernard J. Frieden Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology
II DESIGN REVIEW IN PRACTICE
7 Discovering Suburban Values through Design Review 75
Gary Hack Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology
8 Design Review Comes to Phoenix 85
Grady Gammage, Jr. Gammage & Burnham Attorneys atLaw, Phoenix, Arizona
v
vi Contents
9 Santa Fe Styles and Townscapes: The Search for Authenticity 95
Harry Moul Planner, City ofSanta Fe
10 Transforming Suburbia: The Case Study ofBellevue, Washington 111
Mark L. Hinshaw Urban Design Consultant. Bellevue. Washington
11 Discretionary Design Review: Shaping Downtown Cincinnati 119
Hayden May Miami University ofOhio
12 The New England Life: Design Review in Boston 133
Allan D. Wallis University ofColorado at Denver
III CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES OF DESIGN REVIEW
13 Place-Making and Design Review 147
Michael Hough York University, Toronto
14 Carbuncles, Columns, and Pyramids: Lay and Expert Evaluations of
Contextual Design Strategies 156
Linda N. Groat University ofMichigan, AnnArbor
15 Local Architectural Language and Contextualism 165
Anthony D. Radford University ofAdelaide, Australia
16 Disciplinary Society and the Myth ofAestheticJustice 175
Patrick J. Pouler Architect, Santa Barbara. California
17 Private Design Review in Edge City 187
David J. Baab Planning Consultant, Irvine. California
18 Battery Park City: An American Dream ofUrbanism 197
Francis P. Russell University ofCincinnati
Epilogue 210
Witold Rybczynski University ofPennsylvania
Index 213
Foreword
Thatthe topicofdesignreview is somehow trou Mybiasesareclearfromthestart: Iamamong
blesome is probably one thing all readers can those who believe that, despite all signals to the
agree on. Beyond this, however, I suspect pros contrary, the physical structure of our environ
pects of consensus are dim. Differing opinions ment can be managed, and that controlling it is
on the subject likely range from those desiring thekeytotheameliorationofnumerousproblems
controltothosedesiringfreedom. Saysonecamp: confronting society today. I believe that design
our physical and natural environments are going can solve ahostofproblems, and that the design
to hell in a hand basket. Says the other: design of the physical environment does influence be
reviewboardsareonlyasgoodastheirmembers; havior.
more often than not their interventions produce Clearly, this isaperspectivethatencompasses
mediocre architecture. more than one building at a time and demands
As a town plannerand architect, Iam sympa thateach buildingunderstand its place in alarger
thetic to the full range of sentiment. Perhaps a context-the city. Indeed, anyone proposing
discussion of these two concepts-control and physical solutionsto urbanproblemsisdesigning
freedom-and their differences would now be or, as may seem more often the case, destroying
useful. But let me instead suggestthatboth posi the city. It seems difficult enough to distinguish
tions share common ground in their goal ofpro designfrom destruction thesedays. Thequestion
ducing good design. And this common goal can "What is good design?" spawns another: "Is it
allow both freedom and control in design to co possible to suggest criteria for good design?"
exist. Allowmetoventureafewthat,althoughrefer
The context for discussion of design review ring to architecture and cities, might be applied
changes when review is coupled with regulation. to other design endeavors as well:
That is: control and freedom can coexist most
effectively when incorporated in regulations that 1. Gooddesign isan intentionalactthatprovides
precedetheactofdesign, framing theparameters an elegant solutionto agiven problem, hope
of a given program, rather than conflicting in fully withoutgenerating any majornew prob
judgment exerted on the completed design. Re lems ofits own.
view without regulations, orsomeclearly articu 2. Gooddesign often achieves maximum results
lated intention, is nonsensical, painful at least, from minimum means. It is not a cosmetic
andoftenresulting inbanalcompromiseasholis addition that can be cut from the budget, it is
ticconceptionssubmittofragmentedadjustments. a process ofsolution.
Design regulations reduce the unpredictability of 3. Gooddesign understands thebroaderparame
thereviewsothatitsubstantiatesarticulatedinten ters of a problem, beyond those given in a
tions rather than punishing the designer. programorsuperficiallyevident. Forinstance,
vii
viii Foreword
providingaffordablehousingisnotjustamat
terofbuildinginexpensivelyorfindingacheap
site, it is also a matter ofproviding different
typesofhousingand integratingthem intothe
community.
4. Good design iscriticalofassumption and cli
ches. Widening roads or building new roads
does not necessarilysolvethetrafficproblem.
However, reorganizing land use and detailing
streetstoencouragepedestrians,andthustran
sit use, might do so.
5. Gooddesign hasahealthy respectforhistory,
understanding that some experience tran
scendstimeandcanbebeneficiallyapplicable
undernew circumstances. Therearestillrele
vantgoodreasons, relatedtoinfrastructureef
ficiency, whyeighteenth- and nineteenth-cen
turyhousesandciteswerecompactanddense. Figure F-l. Williamsburg, Va., was founded with
regulations establishing the relationshipofbuildings
and fences to the street.
This reference to history inspires the question of
how good design has been produced in the past.
a clear picture ofhow things should be in order
The quick answer is that harmony of form was
to attack the situation.
traditionally generated by a consensus among
To make a beautiful, functional, and sustain
practitioners, and a palette limited by geography
able environment, one must have a master plan
and materials and methods. We all haveourown
conceivedinthreedimensions, andregulationsto
favorite Mediterranean village to illustrate this
guide its implementation in two aspects: public
theory.
spaceandbuildingsurface; inotherwords, urban
Acloserexaminationofspecifichistoriccases,
design and architecture. The first is typological,
however, showsthatdrawings and verbalregula
thesecondelemental.Iftheregulationsarelimited
tiontogetheroftenplayedapartinmakingbea.utif~l
in their purview to the effect buildings have on
places.ForthosereluctanttolookabroadforInSpI
thepublicrealm,asinWilliamsburg,thencontrol
ration, ourearly American heritage offers prece
and freedom can coexist in their common goal
dentforbuilding-designcontrols. Nicholson'sde
for good design.
sign for Williamsburg, for example, required all
The implied relationship is that control is ex
thehousesonthe DukeofGloucesterStreettobe
ertedintherealmofcommongoodwhilefreedom
builtsix feet behindthefront propertyline, to be
is pursued in the private realm. That is a simple
fenced, andto"frontalike'" (Fig. F-l).
concept,acceptableinmostcivilizedsocieties,yet
But, one can argue, these were simple rules
somehow confounded in the built environment
for simple times. In our day and age, are not
today.Forexample,zoningcodesregulatingbuild
design rules just another layer of regulation im
ingheightinfeetratherthanstoriesresultinmulti
peding the design process and precluding the af
ple-floorbuildingswithlowceilings,thusunint~n­
fordability of building? Yes, ofcourse they are,
tionally restricting private space, while
andthisisdueinparttoastructureofgovernance
nonprescriptivesetbackregulations(establishinga
thatdidnotanticipatethemetropolisandhaspro
minimumdistanceratherthanabuild-to-line)vir
duced fragmented and overlappingjurisdictions.
tuallyabrogatecontroloftherelationshipofbuild
But let us not be fainthearted. Let us indulge in
ingtostreet,andthustheformationofpublicspace.
The work of my firm has been exploring the
rangeandformatofdesignregulationsfor master
1. John W. Reps, The making of Urban America.
plans of new and existing neighborhoods and
(Princeton,N.J.:PrincetonUniversityPress, 1965),pp. 110
II. towns foroverten years. The fundamental prem-
ZONINGCODE tUthJyCodeItTheappliesallpri\'UdySeuide1000.il_owDedOClIIU'OWIIIdistiIJed.bWIdin,ltK.oJoat)'formdocumeatMpeCtItawwbic:bdiRctty.t':1public:rmIm.P'IIhic1baDllxCodendIet~-yllwwrineD.c)tilei:I~~mditswithoutWKIenwxIproICIIioMIrIOI:bui.IdiDa.timIomtit._obMacle10perceiveeiIluTbcrerypa.aU.d.eTbftlrfor11_,~~~thrftfor~.iIpriDcipUJyraidanilLl'aDd_CockemploY'1'lM:ollOIlloiaIlbecoaveaao.alPrin6.witlllUbewltialnrilltiocl.tcdlbut--.tbaefoUo-U:w:~~tIM:_V..--.epaalCdootbrbe.-01~meril._AIpClCified1llliailDUlllpacan..oItl1ekllfroatap:lDUttbebuill---.outinordulooWMaiDdIe~de6Ditioaoltbrlt.reel.-Picket~l.h~froatfmeaIDMdI«ICIfortoaforwithyarcbdeep _PotdIsraidaltialdiaria_aDduadaincommn-Nldinric:tIUifroabF.buihmUllbe10_a11beThil~~iIe.eslIDallodle_t1IcnIlOWII••rype,lDd_p:IIIitiftin11UftK1e'OGthelOC:illlutilizatioaoldle.-..taw01~~.rev_0uIbuiIdiAptoa_t'J'he.,C'mIIC 01tmd~~'"dtiedaDd10theteCOOdary10~h~.FtJIn.IircIeraualdQprnedwithin&aWyThis~~10or..,aDddieiDc:omei:IUirmdedpm'aItmodcr1Ideftk'l_~UI.tocommosI-11xloci1ocItioo0lpartUae:withintbr10withspecifiedpredsiooi:Iausi.arc&oatloc_the~t~tiDu.it:ielputtiDcinIUft1flQll,UIC·01_MiaimumaDdbciPhIpKif'ICdpof'Cbesroo&md~..-:a.-baa0110de c:oaa'OldieproponioapubliI:uddlctofonDaltenniDcthedepunriMioaofiDUIftU._Towcnol--UroeMpriDt(200-a.ft.)ut~naywha1:towcC'ft:lltbe_laDdIoc:bdboule..,.rac:bfOl'_vicwofthe...-iIlIbe.-..nther_BowaduieIthanuUd·bb:k_tO«'W'fypeI.now.UoDe:c:oa1"ClltioDalJyIU'CCII.nilIU'ftIIaDd-a.-nDIClftbuiIIlinacobtrmtpanitoal..beentitieswitllspMi&Itosimilucypcs_Ul.tdn.
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x Foreword
ise is that a predictable vision of place is the
primarygoal intowndesign, andthe relationship
ofindividualbuildingstothepublicrealmismore
important than the style or elemental control of
thebuilding.Thismayseemhardtobelieve,espe
cially lookingatsomeoftheearliestbuildingsof
ourbest-knowncodingendeavor-Seaside, Flor
ida-but it's true (Fig. F-2).
TheoriginalSeasidecoderegulatedbothurban
and architectural issues. In subsequent projects,
the two arenas have been separated. Seaside's
Figure F-3. At Kentlands, the urban regulations
architectural controls were mainly aimed at pre
require otherwise typical suburban houses to conform
cluding the worst of 1970s Florida second-home
to abuild-to line, and limit automobile access to
construction, referring to proportions, materials,
private lots from rear alleys.
and methods. And the code prescribes only for
privatebuildings,theurbanfabricofthetown,not
tiveness in directing implementation (Figs. F-3
forpublicmonuments. Becausethefirstbuildings
through F-6).
were stylistically specified, common perception
Anumberofneighborhoodsareinconstruction
is that the code is stylistically prescriptive. It is
now, testing the method under varying circum
not; theSeasidecodehasroom for interpretation,
stances. Kentlands, a new town in suburban
and more recent buildings show that several de
Washington (Fig. F-3), transforms conventional
signers have figured this out.
subdivision housing types by their placement in
In subsequent town designs, we have devel
an interconnectedstreetgridofsmallblocks, and
oped the implementation ofdesign with the fol
by the relegationofparking to the rearofhouses
lowing tools:
offalleys. Andalthoughstreetdimensionsdeviate
littlefromsuburbanpublicworksstandards,street
• A master plan based on the principles of
design(oftenterminatingvistaswithpublicbuild
compact, mixed-use neighborhood design;
ings) andthemaintenanceofabuild-to-lineclose
• Specific street and public space designs di
tothestreetbothspatiallydefinethepublicrealm
mensionedanddetailedtoencouragepedes
in a manneroutside the contemporary norm.
trian circulation, illustrated in section;
Windsor, nearVeroBeach, Floridaincontrast
• Urban codes that establish the allowed
to Kentlands, is more tightlycontrolled, both ur
buildingtypesandtheircontributiontopub
banistically and architecturally. A limited palette
lic space by controlling such aspects as
derived from the early Anglo-Hispanic settle
build-to-lines,porches,buildingheights,lo
mentsoftheCaribbeanproducescourtyardhouses
cationofparking,outbuildings, andfences;
closetonarrowstreets, withgardenwallsprovid-
• Architectural codes that direct imagery and
character in relation to the geography and
historyoftheplace,oftenlimitingmaterials
and methods of construction to those spe
cifically ofthe region;
• Landscapecodesthatensurethecompatibil
ity ofhuman planting with the ecosystems
of the site, endeavor to enhance degraded
natural situations, and support the public
space-makingintentionsofthemasterplan.
In all cases the quality of the drawings and the
accessible nature of both the drawings and the
codes are considered paramount for their ability
toelicitadmirationandrespectandfortheireffec- Figure F·4.
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