Editorial Reviews
New Urban News, January*February 2000
Every new urbanist should have a copy of the Charter Book. Critics should have a copy, too, so that they really know what they are attacking. The Charter book is the most complete and comprehensive statement of the New Urbanism movement.

...Readers are also likely to look at all of the illustrations, plans, and photos before getting through all of the text.

From Book News, Inc.
Presents a set of essays written by charter members of the Congress for the New Urbanism, a movement which seeks to support an American movement to restore urban centers, reconfigure sprawling suburbs, conserve environmental assets, and preserve our built legacy. The volume's 27 essays are organized into three sections: metropolis, city, and town; neighborhood, district, and corridor; and block, street, and building.

Customer Reviews
Architectural Record says:, September 20, 2000
Reviewer: A reader "An important work that defines the tenets of New Urbanism, this book serves as the group's manifesto.

The charter illustrates the 27 principles of New Urbanism, from the scale of regions to neighborhoods and buildings, and pairs each with an essay by a different author. Now followers of the movement can use the charter to define their work and detractors can refer to it when presenting their side of the debate. ... Graphically pleasing, the book reads well ... When defining the problems of today's development patterns, the text is clear and seductive. ... The test of the Charter of New Urbanism will be its timeless quality. ..."

You must read this book!!, August 24, 2000
Reviewer: Dan Zack from Fresno, CA, USA
The Charter of the New Urbanism is an absolutely fantastic book. It should be required reading for all planners, architects, public officials, engineers, and citizen activists. It brings together in one book essays from some of today's brightest minds. Andres Duany, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, Peter Calthorpe, Walter Kulash, John Norquist and others describe the Congress for the New Urbanism's (CNU) positions on many important issues, such and traffic congestion, regional planning, environmental issues, affordable housing, civic art, and of course, curbing urban sprawl. New Urbanism is a highly organized and diverse branch of the "Smart Growth" family tree. They have brought a broad range of people together in forming this book, which shows that the problems of sprawl, environmental degregation, inner city decay, and increasing separation by race and income are "one interrelated community-building challenge."

Charter of the New Urbanism, July 8, 2000
Reviewer: Lucy M. Rowland, MS, MLS from Athens, GA
Charter of the New Urbanism should be required reading for every planning commissioner, county commissioner, and anyone else involved in the process of designing communities. The book is a series of 27 essays by prominent new urbanists who explain in detail, copiously illustrated by pertinent photographs and drawings, the principles of the Charter for the Congress for the New Urbanism. The book logically moves through how communities are designed and constructed within levels: The Region (metropolis, city and town; The Neighborhood, district, and corridor; and The Block, street, and building. There are many examples of both old (Alexandria, VA) and new (Seaside, FL) towns that utilize the principles which create beautiful, distinctive, and walkable places that encourage leaving the car in the driveway. The authors thoughtfully and thoroughly describe how, using time tested design, the organization of new communities and infill within old ones can facilitate social interaction by integrating rather than separating land uses. They do so persuasively and without dumbing down the material--it's really quite elegantly written, especially considering that there are 35 contributors in all. There is a selective bibliography with the major recent book titles and classics, such as Jane Jacobs' Death and Life of Great American Cities, for further reading. An index is unfortunately not included, although I would consider this a minor omission, since each chapter/essay is annotated and reasonably short. In addition to local government officials, this book is highly recommended to architects, landscape architects, designers, professional planners, developers, bankers, real estate professionals, and local business leaders. It also should be included as required reading for students in architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, and urban planning. It will become a classic.

Practical Resource on New Urbanism, April 21, 2000
Reviewer: Ed Brenegar from Asheville, North Carolina
The Charter of the New Urbanism is an important resource for anyone concerned with the future of the places where they live, work and play. The book illustrates the principles of the Charter through essays written by founders of the New Urbanist movement. This movement in architecture and town planning looks beyond the aesthetics of buildings to the role that they have in human community. The Charter book is an excellent resource for understanding the guiding principles of this important movement in restoring cities and suburban communities to more humane quality of life. I use the book on a weekly basis to expand my understanding of the issues that confront my community. As a Op-Ed columnist for my local newspaper, the Charter book is a resource for understanding how New Urbanist thinkers address specific community building issues. For example: How the form and structure of neighborhoods contribute to the safety of children. How the placement of streets can reduce the amount of time and length of travel that families must make each day. How important the location and design of public squares, green spaces and civic buildings is to enhancing citizen involvement. The Charter book is an important resource for anyone who shares a concern for the development and welfare of their community. Use it to learn to think about what's missing in your neighborhood. Use it to learn how to address local planning boards or commissions. Use it to plan for the location and social setting for a new residence, office or retail store. The Charter book will help you to gain an understanding of New Urbanism, which is becoming the most significant and comprehensive movement for the reform of cities and suburbs in the past half century. Anyone concerned with the future of their community should have The Charter of New Urbanism on their short list of must read books this year.

• Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream
  by Andres Duany, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, Jeff Speck [ISBN: 0865476063]
  Not only a passionately argued, carefully reasoned dissection of the mess that is becoming man-made America but also a clear program of steps that can be taken to enhance the humanity of both our suburbs and our cities while conserving our rapidly dwindling countryside. Everyone who cares about the future of our American way of life should read this book.
  Check price at: amazon.com , amazon.co.uk
• The New Urbanism: Toward an Architecture of Community
  by Peter Katz [ISBN: 0070338892]
  The New Urbanism is a movement that seeks to restore a civil realm to urban planning and a sense of place to our communities. It is a tangible response to the failed Modernist planning that has resulted in unchecked suburban sprawl, slavish dependence on the automobile, and the abandonment and decay of our cities.
  Buy @ amazon.com , amazon.co.uk
• The Urban Design Handbook: Techniques and Working Methods
  by Ray Gindroz, Karen Levine, Urban Design Associates [ISBN: 0393731065]
  From an important urban design and architecture firm comes this manual for urban designers, based on the firm's in-house practice and procedures. Covering the process from basic principles to developed design, this invaluable book can serve as an introductory course in urbanism as well as an operations handbook for architects, planners, developers, and public officials.
  More detail at amazon.com , amazon.co.uk
• Community By Design: New Urbanism for Suburbs and Small Communities
  by Kenneth B. Hall, Gerald A. Porterfield [ISBN: 007134523X]
  A practical guide to implementing New Urbanism principle sin suburbs and small communities. Case studies present clear solutions for typical suburban problems: the need for pedestrian access, the lack of parking, the presence of industrial-park eyesores, and the issue of how to create a "sense of place"