Planning Theory: Art of Planning

Like most professions, Urban Planning is subject to an “art and science” analysis, where the specific technical capacity of a given profession (the science) is recognised along with the personal and subtle skills that are vital when utilising the exercising the technical skills (the art). The Planning Profession clearly has both science and art components, for example planners need to have strong knowledge of pertinent planning techniques as well as legislation, yet to function effectively as planners they also need to a … communicative capacity, vision and mediation skills. Such specialised skills define the role of the planer and distinguish it from that of other professions. However, planning is a conspicuously multi-disciplinary field and given that, a question of the planners professional skill set is still raised. What specific skills do planners have as opposed to a composite knowledge of skills already present in their respective fields? This question is explored by Birch(2009) in the article ‘ Practitioners and the Art of Planning’.

Birch suggest that the professional skill set of a planner can be observed in the “art of planning”. Three terms are used in the description of the art of planning , they include:

‘Design’- “ physical planning or urban design”

‘Craft’- “understanding of legal, quantitative, social science…”

‘Presentation’-“planner’s personal attributes or skills… oversee planning process… discretion, practical reasoning”

Birch highlights the evolution of these three ‘art of planning’ components through the period of the 1930’s all the way to the new millennia and concludes with noting how planners have evolved from neutral technicians to a profession that blends “design, craft and presentation in numerous roles”. Modern 21^st century planners are actively observed participating in green design for places, cities and communities (design), complex multidisciplinary thought where planners academically engage in many different fields (craft) and complex mediation and dispute resolution when balancing the overarching public interest with that of specific needs of other stakeholders (presentation).