Charter of the New Urbanism Book Released

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The original Charter for the New Urbanism, published in book form in 1999, was a groundbreaking document aimed at reclaiming cities and towns from the destructive force of suburban sprawl. Thoroughly updated to cover the latest environmental, economic, and social implications of urban design, Charter of the New Urbanism, Second Edition features insightful writing from 62 authors on each of the Charter's principles. Featuring new photos and illustrations, it is an invaluable resource for design professionals, developers, planners, elected officials, and citizen activists. Real-world case studies, plans, and examples are included throughout.

This pioneering guide illustrates how CNU works to change the practices and standards of urban design and development to support healthy regions and diverse, complete neighborhoods.

“In the first edition of this book, I wrote that I did not expect the Charter to be a stagnant document, that the ideas and strategies of New Urbanism would need to mature and evolve,” writes Shelley R. Poticha, former president of CNU and now Director of the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, in the book’s foreword. “They have. Included here are new and better ways of building and rebuilding – a progression of ideas.“

The new edition includes commentary from some of the most prominent architects and authors of this movement, including Andrés Duany, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, Peter Calthorpe, John Norquist, Galina Tachieva , Douglas Kelbaugh, James Howard Kunstler and Ellen Dunham-Jones.



“Addressing climate change clearly and forcefully was one of the most important updates to the book for me,” explained book editor Emily Talen, a professor of in the School of Geographic Sciences and Urban Planning and the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University. “The original Charter of the New Urbanism laid the groundwork beautifully for changing our communities to be more sustainable, even before there was widespread recognition for climate change. In this version, we’ve included essays that push those ideas further.”

Charter for the New Urbanism, Second Edition is available now at Amazon.com and bookstores everywhere.

If you are a member of the media and would like to request a review copy, email your request with your physical address thalbur@cnu.org. Editor Emily Talen and CNU President John Norquist are available for interviews.