Since the creation of the term Urban Design there has been questions as to its true definition. Those within and out of the urban design field have discussed its meaning. The following definitions display the vast majority of opinions on this topic. .
An article in the Chicago Sun Times written by Andrew Herrmann discusses how after WWII the suburbs became incredibly popular. Between then and now, the views of suburbs by scientists have traveled the scale from bad to worse. They are seen as a no-man's land. Many suburbs do allow for a sense of community, which comes as a surprise to these experts. Herrmann sarcastically discusses how many of these experts have inappropriately judged his suburban lifestyle and enjoyment thereof. He scoffs at how his view of suburbs has finally come to be more common, that suburbs may be a "place, as opposed to no place." Although he may scoff as to how long it took the experts to arrive at this new enlightenment, he welcomes the ideas. .
Urban spaces all work to serve the people of their respective areas. These spaces have been neglected in the past, but a concern for the revitalization of these has become more and more popular over the years. Albert C. Martin, author "Urban Design: The space between buildings" states several criteria which make an urban space positive. The first of these is the freedom from monotony. "A growing tree in Brooklyn" is a precious things; a forest growing in Brooklyn would soon become firewood." This analogy simply explains that too much of a good thing is no longer a good thing. The second criterion is people. The people make the space popular and alive. No one would go to a theatre, simply to see the stage. The audience comes to enjoy the actors and actresses and to be entertained by their interaction with one another. According to Martin, the built environment is merely the stage, "It is the planning of space between buildings that completes the whole architectural design Meaningful buildings and open space create the urban stage set for life's colorful pageantry.
