In recent decades, the landscape of cities has changed significantly because of rapid urban population growth. A major feature of fast growing cities is urban sprawl, which drives the occupation of large areas of land and is usually accompanied by many serious problems including inefficient land use, high car dependency, low density and high segregation of uses. Coupled with land use speculation, current models of city growth result in fragmented and inefficient urban space where urban advantage and city concept are lost.
Cities of the future should build a different type of urban structure and space, where city life thrives and the most common problems of current urbanization are addressed. UN-Habitat proposes an approach that summarizes and refines existing sustainable urban planning theories to help build a new and sustainable relationship between urban dwellers and urban space, and to increase the value of urban land. This approach is based on 5 principles that support the 3 key features of sustainable neighbourhoods and cities: compact, integrated, connected.
Published by: UN-Habitat Headquarters
Date published: September 2014
Publication type: Discussion note – A new strategy of sustainable neighbourhood planning (PDF)
Pages: 8
