CEU – Germany
Berlin, 2007

Ranking: Urban Design

Level: Urban Quarter

Preliminary Remarks

The rankings attempt to identify best practices in urban design. Our reference is the Charter of the Council for European Urbanism which promotes sustainable communities and sustainable urban design: culturally, environmentally, socially, and economically.

The ranking of the criteria is formulated in a positive points system. There are 10 criteria; each criterion can be awarded up to 10 points, thus a maximum of 100 points total. The final evaluation falls into 3 broad categories: 0-33 points = poor urban design quality, 34-66 points = fair urban design quality and 67-100 points = good urban design quality. Those projects with a rating of 84-100 points can be awarded the rating “best practice” if no individual criterion receives less than 7 points. Only built projects, regardless of the completion date, may be submitted for ranking.

Ranking Criteria:

1. Robust urban form: durable, traditional creation of diverse places; clear differentiation of public and private space and front/back of buildings, small parcels of property, orientation to topography and local characteristics.

2. Respect for historic conditions: respect for historic urban form, public spaces, properties, and buildings.

3. Appropriate density: compact form of the urban quarter, relationship to the location in the city and integration into the landscape.

4. Mixed use and architectural variety: dependant on the location in the city.

5. Social diversity: integration of aspects concerning different ethnic, cultural, and age groups in the mix of uses, especially regarding housing.

6. Variety and quality of public space: functional, understandable, pedestrian friendly and emotionally appealing design, security and accessibility for all social groups, connection to public transport, lessening of dependence on the automobile.

7. Protection of resources: reuse of brownfield instead of green field sites, conversion and reuse of existing buildings instead of demolition, positive energy balance through use of renewable energies, and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.

8. Priority of urbanism over architecture: architecture which strengthens the urban quarter and respects the existing neighborhood, analysis of local building traditions, strengthening of the local, distinctive atmosphere, distinction between special public/civic buildings and buildings which form the urban fabric background, architecture which responds to the different uses, and the integration of architecture in the broader urban context.

9. Public and private sector economic profitability: long-term use of public/private finances to assure economic viability without long-term subvention.

10. Level of participation in the design: general public and local residents/groups through the use of charrettes, cooperative practices, and design competitions.