Lean Urbanism Is About Making Small Possible

Abstract

This chapter argues against approaching urbanism as a production and storage problem, and for focusing on the potentials of informal urbanization. The informal economy is not just a coping strategy in the Global South, but it is permeating the creative and culinary sectors in Western cities. This chapter demonstrates how Lean Urbanism can disrupt the sclerosis of conventional planning, help people with fewer means contribute to their communities, and make nicer places. Lean Urbanism relaxes codes and challenges conventional development processes in Pink Zones, designated urban districts that relax the ‘red tape’ of zoning and building codes. The chapter concludes with an example of an open-source toolkit that underlies Lean Urbanism and focuses on energy-efficient buildings.

Sadly, we lost Hank Dittmar in April 2018. He was one of the very first to articulate the environmental paradox of cities, as well as to think about public space and urbanism as more important than individual buildings. He fervently believed that built capital is the physical stage upon which humans live out their lives. His presence, wisdom and insight will be missed.