CNU XII will build on traditions, break new ground

When it convenes in Chicago from June 24 to 27, the Twelfth Congress for the New Urbanism will convey both a respect for tradition and openness to debate and innovation. Enriched by their connections to CNU’s host city — a storied metropolis striving to meet global economic and environmental imperatives — these themes are woven through the congress’s sessions and events, many of which break new ground. Re-examining modernism Sometimes miscast as narrow and nostalgic, new urbanists are characterized by an unusual willingness to hold their ideas up for scrutiny, debate, and revision. A perfect example of this fact is the sessions at CNU XII that re- examine the modernist movement, long criticized for its destructive effect on cities and towns. Still bearing the forceful imprint of Mies van der Rohe and his disciples, Chicago is an ideal setting for an in-depth plenary session on modernism’s complicated legacy. Leading the discussion will be an impressive group — architect and critic Robert Campbell, Illinois Institute of Technology dean Donna Robertson, and architect Thomas Beeby. The next day, a follow-up breakout session, “Working with the Modernist Legacy” will take a close-up look at work on the building and block scale, emphasizing that interest in this issue is more than academic. Modernism’s offspring are all around us — isolated public housing towers, sterile office parks, and sprawl zoning. Who has achieved success humanizing these environments? And with modernist architecture undergoing a revival in the marketplace, what are the prospects for using these styles in ways that contribute positively to the urban form? Chicago architect and Architecture magazine contributing editor Edward Keegan will lead the inquiry, joined by architects Ann Beha and Peter Landon, and Vancouver planning co-director Larry Beasley. Facing the libertarians: In the last year, libertarians have attacked New Urbanism and Smart Growth in two “Preserving the American Dream” conferences and cranked up their defense of sprawl as the hope of aspiring homeowners and an expression of free market demand. Meanwhile, new urbanists have been proving that walkable communities and transit can be workable and popular choices if the playing field is leveled. CNU heavyweights — board chair and Reconnecting America president Hank Dittmar and CEO and president John Norquist — will face off against prominent libertarian economist Randal O’Toole of the Thoreau Institute and University of Illinois-Chicago professor Robert Bruegmann. Governing magazine executive director Aran Ehrenhalt will referee. Back to the future: Mayor Richard M. Daley and civic leaders share a vision of a great region that builds on its established urban form while setting the pace in using resources efficiently and respecting its natural environment. CNU will fully explore both the traditional and futuristic aspects of this vision, with examples from Chicago and around the world. The cutting-edge green urbanism program will feature a special Green Energy and Renewable Products Exhibit. Sessions will build on the inherent environmental advantages of urbanism. The impressive cast includes Tim Beatley, author of Green Urbanism, a thorough examination of European advances in this area, plus Herbert Dreiseitl, the designer of brilliant storm water absorption and retention systems that function as art without disrupting the urban street grid. Front-loaded and back-loaded: CNU XII offers more sessions than prior Congresses, with an added program of six Sunday morning breakouts. The sessions are Anatomy of New Urbanist Codes; the Sustainable Block; Radical Manuals: Street Design from the Leading Edge; TODD: the Design of Transit-Oriented Development; and Metaphysical Planning. There is a lot to do and learn even before the congress formally opens Thursday evening. Anyone registering for the full congress is also able to register at no additional charge for Thursday’s New Urbanism 101, a daylong immersion course in the principles and techniques of New Urbanism, updated for 2004 with new topics and speakers. Sessions on the movement’s history and principles will be supplemented by segments on the link between public health and urban design, green urbanism, and a panel discussion on new urbanist retailing. u