The emergence of comprehensive urban design planning in the United States: the case of the San Francisco Urban Design Plan

Abstract

The research question addressed in this paper is as follows: how can planners create municipal-scale urban design plans? The authors analyze the San Francisco Urban Design Plan, the first comprehensive urban design plan for a major American city, as a case study to answer this question. Adopted in 1971, the plan focused on design objectives for the city and the social roles of urban design in people’s lives. It was a policy document, and included implementation techniques, but no guidance on architectural design. It was a departure from urban design planning practice at the time, which focused more on guidance for architecture and large-scale master plan models.