Urban design starts with social design. Critically evaluate this Essay

Urban design starts with social design. Critically evaluate this statement in the context of place-making - Essay Example Social design involves the designer coming up with creative designs while keeping his or her responsibility in the society in mind. The designer uses the design to bring about the required social change. From the definitions, it is evident that there exist a relationship between urban design, social design and placemaking. In all of them, the designer has the client’s preferences at heart designing to ensure that the wants of their clients are fulfilled. In place making, the comfort and happiness of the client is the motivation behind its design. In urban design, the main motivation involves changing the shape of villages, cities and towns according to the specification of clients in those areas. In social design, the designer is interested in enhancing their social responsibility. Despite this relationship, social design is not the first to consider when doing urban design and placemaking. The reason is that it is difficult for inhabitants in a certain area to have the same sense of place (Lucas 2012). Individual clients for the different designs experience multiple and disjointed areas with poor relationships among them. There exists a difference between social policy, expectations of the reform is and real-place making capacity. There is an increasing tension existing between planners and architects concerned with placemaking and an enlightened approach to urban designs, though they all have a less socially based agenda. Despite that, they still have a tremendous influence on shaping what can be built through the enforcement of the technical requirements and standards. Urban designs does not start with social design, it could start with needs and preferences of the client, which is more important than social design. In beginning the social impact initiative for these social designers, they have to declare their specific intentions. The reason is that designs and