INTRODUCTION

In the realm of planning and urban design, three major trends have substan-

tially influenced the public mind-set over the past decade: demographic shifts

in the marketplace, ease of access to information, and concern for the environ-

ment. Taken together, these developments indicate the emergence of a more

enlightened urban dweller-one who is seeking a more flexible, sustainable

environment that enables a unique, diverse, vibrant, and responsible way of

life. These new urbanites want an alternative to the typical postwar develop-

ment patterns of suburban and semiurban sprawl.