New Urbanism in the Academy

On “Finding Resilience” how gratifying that PAW recognized Princetonians from ’67 to ’83 who first described the guiding principles that led to their 1992 founding the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), having its 29th annual meeting this year. To extend the CNU story, add Ralph Bennett ’61 *66 and Steve Hurtt ’63 *65 (Cornell ’67). Bennett and Hurtt attended CNU I, Alexandria, Va., ratified as signatories the CNU Charter at CNU IV 1996, Charleston, S.C., and have participated in many Congresses since.

CNU, an educational engine for professionals and citizens devoted to building community on environmental and town-city resilience, has had too modest an academic presence. To the cited PU professors Graves, Stillwell, and Coffin, add Gerald Breese (Princeton, 1949-77) among the first sociologists studying world cities, teaching required courses for architecture graduate students, and Graves’ alter ego, Peter Eisenman, who, after teaching at Princeton (1961-68), founded the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies (IAUS) and Oppositions journal.

Then note Princeton graduates who have promoted resiliency, new urbanism, urban design as architecture school deans: Harrison Fraker ’64 *66, Minnesota (1989-96) and UC Berkeley (1996-08); Doug Kelbaugh ’67 *72, Michigan (1998-08); Liz Plater Zyberk ’72, Miami (1995-13); Steve Hurtt, Maryland (1990-04); Stefanos Polyzoides ’69 *72, appointed at Notre Dame (2020). Hurtt’s deanship paralleled the early CNU years. We hosted a CNU lecture series 1993-94. Between 1994 to 2005 we expanded our graduate degrees to include Planning, Preservation, Real Estate Development, Regional and Urban Planning and Design, and a National Center for Smart Growth.