Writing and conversing about the urban experience has made one thing clear. Short of the word “urbanism” and its modified variants, there is no one English word which holistically captures the qualities of livable cites or the associated metrics that many commentators tout and exemplify.
Portland’s Jason King supports this point in his wonderful article,”[Fill in the Blank] Urbanism,” which I noted in March. King’s article profiled the range of paired terms which modify the basic urbanism premise–and asked readers to name a favorite.
Others have described the inadequacy of commonly used catchwords. Writing in the Washington Post, on May 8, architect Roger Lewis called for terms far more descriptive than “transit-oriented development” (TOD) to describe the qualities of walkable cities, calling for “multimodal TOD’s”.
Similarly, the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Preservation Green Lab Director, Liz Dunn, working with Walk Score’s Matt Lerner, have advocated for a Jane Jacobs-based comprehensive metric, the Jane Score, to more completely measure urban diversity and “granularity” and supplement the increasingly recognized Walk Score tool.
With such ever-expanding and thoughtful efforts to diversify the measures applicable to a renewed, compact, walkable, and multimodal urban fabric, it would help to have one word to describe the phenomenon.
I suggest that we are talking about recalibrating urbandwidth around the world.
Consider the recalibrated urbandwidth of City Square in Melbourne, Australia
(This article appears in slightly different form in seattlepi.com on July 21, here. Thanks also to Planetizen for incorporating the original form of this article under the headline “For Lack of a Better Term,” here.)
urbanists at work
A new word: "urbandwith". http://bit.ly/bhqknV "the mission ahead: recalibrating 'urbandwith'" (myurbanist) #urbanism #cities #smartgrowth
A new word: "urbandwith". http://bit.ly/bhqknV "the mission ahead: recalibrating 'urbandwith'" (myurbanist) #urbanism #cities #smartgrowth
RT @crwolfelaw: A new word: "urbandwith" http://bit.ly/bhqknV "the mission ahead: recalibrating 'urbandwith'" #urbanism #cities #smartgrowth
@civictec thanks much for RT of the "urbandwith" concept http://bit.ly/bhqknV
RT @crwolfelaw: A new word: "urbandwith" http://bit.ly/bhqknV "recalibrating 'urbandwith'" (myurbanist) #urbanism #cities #smartgrowth
@JanesWalkPhx have very much enjoyed your blog and thanks for RT of the "urbandwith" concept http://bit.ly/bhqknV
thank you. we so-called “NIMBYs” have been arguing for a “complete neighborhood” perspective rather than just units per acre. now we have something to talk about…
RT @JanesWalkPhx: RT @crwolfelaw: "recalibrating 'urbandwidth'" (myurbanist) #urbanism #cities #smartgrowth http://bit.ly/bhqknV
"urbandwith" captures the qualities of livable cites http://ow.ly/2dNnT (via @myurbanist @crwolfelaw) And "urbandepth" for lovable cities?
Thanks to @ehooge and @newmedina for further RT's of the "urban bandwidth" piece at http://bit.ly/bhqknV; @ehooge, agreed re urbandepth!
"urbandwidth" captures the qualities of livable cites http://ow.ly/2dNZe (via @myurbanist @crwolfelaw) And "urbandepth" for lovable cities?
RT @crwolfelaw: A new word: "urbandwith". http://bit.ly/bhqknV "the mission ahead: recalibrating 'urbandwith'" (myurbanist) #urbanism …
@SJOLandConsult thanks for follow and RT of "urbandwidth" piece! http://bit.ly/bhqknV
It's all about recalibrating "urbandwidth" http://bit.ly/bhqknV #transit #sustainability #urbanplanning @streets4people
RT @ehooge: "urbandwidth" captures the qualities of livable cites http://ow.ly/2dNZe (via @myurbanist @crwolfelaw) And "urbandepth" for …
RT @ehooge: "urbandwidth" captures the qualities of livable cites http://ow.ly/2dNZe (via @myurbanist @crwolfelaw) And "urbandepth" for …
[...] Others have described the inadequacy of commonly used catchwords. Writing in the Washington Post, on May 8, architect Roger Lewis called for terms far more descriptive than “transit-oriented development” (TOD) to describe the qualities of walkable cities, calling for “multimodal TOD’s” More… [...]
Recalibrating Urban Bandwidth by @crwolfelaw http://bit.ly/bhqknV via @planetizen
I'm all for helpful labels for livable cities/sustainable urbanism/smart-what-have-you … but 'urbandwidth'? http://bit.ly/bszgz1
“urbandwith” captures the qualities of livable cites. Un néologisme intéressant, une mesure nécessaire http://icio.us/uenmpk
RT @BrunoMarzloff: “Urbandwith” captures the qualities of livable cites > ce néologisme traduit le mot "urbanité" non? http://icio.us/uenmpk
@brunomarzloff @utopiesurbaines "urbandwidth" c'est l'urbanité "livable" http://ow.ly/2eW6b Ajoutez "urbandepth" pour 1 ville "lovable"
RT @ehooge: @brunomarzloff @utopiesurbaines "urbandwidth" c'est l'urbanité "livable" http://ow.ly/2eW6b Ajoutez "urbandepth" pour 1 vill …
TY @ehooge @utopiesurbaines for French discussion of urbandwith v. urbanite' http://ow.ly/2eW6b
RT @utopiesurbaines: RT @BrunoMarzloff: “Urbandwith” captures the qualities of livable cites > ce néologisme traduit le mot "urbanité" non? http://icio.us/uenmpk
myurbanist revisited: the mission ahead: recalibrating "urbandwidth" http://is.gd/eaqap #urbanism #cities #lp
Great post about urban planning! http://www.myurbanist.com/?p=3421 #urbandwidth
RT @anammanzo: Great post about urban planning! http://www.myurbanist.com/?p=3421 #urbandwidth
RT @anammanzo: Great post about urban planning! http://bit.ly/bhqknV #urbandwidth #urbanplanning
myurbanist revisited: the mission ahead: recalibrating "urbandwidth" http://is.gd/eAkbe #urbanism #cities #lp
RT @crwolfelaw: Thx @lisduarte 4 RT- the mission ahead: recalibrating "urbandwidth" http://is.gd/hmw1iu #urbanism #cities #sustainability