Solving Urban and Environmental Problems with The Transect

Held in Seaside, Florida, the purpose of this seminar was to provide the first complete introduction to the theory and practice of transect-oriented planning and urban design. Participants in the seminar had an opportunity to discuss application of the transect to a full range of urban and environmental issues, and work with experts from relevant disciplines: architecture, urban design, planning, traffic engineering, landscape design, environmental science, and social science. The seminar also explored the value of the transect as a theory that brings clarity to the interconnected problems of urban and environmental planning and how it also enables practical techniques for articulating clear and effective solutions. Using real examples, presenters were able to explain the details of transect-based codes and discuss its advantages. Seminar participants had the opportunity to try their own hand at transect analysis in the field, and explore its usefulness for diagnosis and repair of an existing urban fabric.