insight ← → planning
Everybody, researchers and professionals alike, has thought about planning and how design choices can be better. We face those subjects so much every day that we don’t even think deeply about the basics of these actions. In this article, let’s try to unpack what planning, design, and representation actually mean and why they matter so much to us all, especially to professionals in those fields.
Strangely, it is a challenge to make sense of everyday terms. This isn’t a textbook, and the readers won’t be quizzed at the end. Still, these topics can be like a puzzle. We’ll introduce some pieces, and hopefully readers will start to see how they fit together in our world.
The basics are what we’re talking about. And the subject could be unfolded in so many ways that no article would be enough to cover it all. We could think of planning as setting life goals. People can have a big-picture idea of what they want, but might not know every step to get there. Sometimes, people are simply unsatisfied with their present situation and pray that things will change somehow. As much as planning can be generic, it can also be broken down into very specific steps. Design is another general term that unfolds in many directions, not all of them specific. I like to think that design involves directions, sometimes with very precise instructions and sometimes too vague, like following the stars. A project is another complex term, that can be understood as an action plan, full of specific to-dos, just as a project can mean those big life goals, we mention while waving a beer in the air. Some ideas are related to all the others, like the concept of representation, which is not only a way to share our visions.
Why are these words complicated? Words like “planning” and “design” can be tricky because they mean different things in different contexts. Planning our weekend is different from urban planning, but the core idea — setting out what you want to happen — is similar. Let’s talk about ethics. When we design or plan, we’re making choices that affect others. So, questions like “Who benefits from this?” or “Who might be harmed?” are so crucial, that this is a conversation we should all be part of.
It is common to see planning as the big picture that sets the stage. But it’s often just a starting point. It is also usual to think that design will make it possible to take that big picture and turn it into a blueprint. Everyone should agree that in these processes we start making choices about how things look, feel, and function. Projects may sound like where the rubber meets the road, by turning those plans and designs into a material reality. Typically, in different, specific ways. Representation isn’t just recreating what we see. It sure is about communicating ideas, sometimes abstract ones. It’s also about whose perspectives are being shared, and whose ideas might be left out — choices everywhere again. So, maybe, foresight is the unsung hero, as being able to think ahead, by extending the planning pathway from an unsatisfactory present to a more satisfying future is what helps make good plans and designs into great ones.
Extending pathways involves learning from the past. Like a song from Pearl Jam says, “It’s evolution, baby!” Ernst Gombrich can teach us a thing or two about how our understanding of ‘art’ has evolved. This can give us fresh eyes to look at planning and design today. Humanity has covered a lot of ground, but this is really just the beginning.
This text intends to provide deeper explorations of the connections among planning, design, representation, foresight, and building metaphors. This article encompasses the conceptual foundations of these terms in relation to their applications in design, art, urban planning, and architecture. However, it is an ambitious topic with too many targets and too many aims to be tackled from multiple angles. The theme and its objectives don’t allow smooth transitions. It is expected that the flow of ideas will happen in the minds of the readers. General conceptualization has been much sought after. The Bauhaus school, for instance, has tried to find an integrative education for art, architecture, music, technology, and design. The aforementioned terms and definitions are intricate, not to mention the brief discussion of their Latin origins. A preliminary discussion is not expected to provide closure. A rich array of subtleties was intended to be touched on in well-talked-about ideas. The intention is to provoke, not to settle down.
The subject matter is both fundamental and intricate, and delving into the intricate connections between these and other terms is more akin to a discussion than a discourse. Planning usually involves an understanding of resources, constraints, and goals. Most of all, planners and other creative professionals have to understand all the nuances of what they have to do professionally. The organization of the meanings offers an interesting framework that reminds me of a wall panel of tools in the atelier of a joinery workshop. It also shows how each layer is a form of representation for the one that comes before, comes after, or just connects to planning. Let’s examine this hierarchy of planning, design, and project further.
The process of planning is typically more expansive and may encompass a series of objectives; however, it typically lacks specific steps. Design, however, is a directive vision with constraints and references. It may even serve as a bridge between the plan and the project. A project could manifest in various ways depending on its purpose, like a set of documents for legal approval or a blueprint for building walls. And all these concepts are related to representation. Definitions of representation mean speaking or acting on behalf of someone or an image or model of something. A representation intended to represent a particular entity must not be confused with the entity it represents for the purpose of planning and design. Anyone who is involved in planning or designing needs to know these things. Each layer has its own set of requirements for expertise, its own pitfalls, and its own form of representation. A misinterpretation of these concepts could potentially result in unsuccessful outcomes. Planners and designers are aware of the possibility of rejection in their jobs, and no planner or designer wants to be unsuccessful.
Ernst Gombrich is renowned for his work, “The Story of Art.” The book is mostly about art history, not about planning, designing, and managing projects during the creative process. He does, however, discuss the evolving techniques and styles in art, including how artists plan and execute their works, but these are often not the central focus of his writings. The intersection of planning, design, and artistry can still be very relevant to our exploration of planning meanings. The way Gombrich thinks about how history and culture influence art can be used in architecture and urban planning too. Understanding these contexts can inform better planning and design. Both art and planning benefit from cycles of trial and error, continually refining ideas.
So, it’s important to understand the different definitions of planning, design, and projects to effectively manage the complexities of architectural and urban planning. One might look at works by scholars and experts in many fields, such as art, history, architecture, and urban planning. Some experts attempt to bridge these disciplines by focusing on the subtleties of their fundamental terms. Nonetheless, it appears that a limited number of theories approach the interrelationships between representation and foretelling, which is the act of anticipating future events based on pre-existing knowledge or indications. In planning and design, it is evident that foresight is necessary in order to predict what will happen or be needed in the future. It depends on some level of foresight to stretch a pathway from the present situation to possible futures. It may be advantageous to revisit earlier definitions of Latin terms, such as Portendere (por = forward + tendere = to stretch), which, to a certain extent, means to foretell, to give a sign, or to give a warning. Ostendere (ost = view + tendere = to extend) means to show or make visible, like in ostensible. Drawing a path from where we are now to where we might be in the future is helpful. Scenarios allow us to look at different options for flexible planning when dealing with dynamic situations. Designers and planners must be aware of their goals as well as their processes. Planning endeavors can be clarified with a visual or theoretical representation. Other aspects could be important, such as stakeholder communication, which requires a certain degree of representation to aid with intricate plans. Planners must also be able to reduce risk, which is often studied through representation. Potential risks must be anticipated and addressed in the planning stages. Planners must deal with a lot of complex dynamic aspects with care and accuracy amidst all kinds of representations. In order to generate novel possibilities and novel realities, a designer must acquire proficiency in handling representations that are obviously not real. This is because representations are simplified abstractions with plenty of sharp details, so the designer can be fooled and lose sight of the planning process. Misinterpretation occurs frequently. Insufficient care could lead to misunderstandings, which could lead to flawed planning or ethical concerns. There’s an enormous potential for misrepresentation, mistakes, and the exclusion of perspectives. It can be compared to linguistic analysis. Portendere (to stretch forward), the Latin term, captures the essence of extending our current understanding into the future to guide decisions. Design itself (de = to give + sign = meaning) is another term to take from Latin meanings. Design deals with meanings, before it goes into the materialization of ideas and solutions. Design often gives direction or defines meaning to something that is otherwise abstract or uncertain. Ostendere, is invoked to discuss the gaps between representation and reality and how discrepancies should evolve into effective meanings in the process of planning. Besides all these terms, a designer has to cope with other difficult and nebulous practices. A planner always needs to try some balancing acts. Planning and design require a balance between imaginative representation and practical foresight. The Latin etymology enriches our understanding of these complex processes, bringing light to subtleties in a way that can be both advantageous and precarious, depending on the pathway that stretches ahead.
There’s an advantage for planners and designers to know more about this ethical and practical awareness. A designer or planner must be aware of the limitations and ethical implications of representation. Given my apparent methodology of throwing up many ideas and organizing them later with old lights to recall their real meanings. I can only expect readers to flesh out each of these sections with their own examples, case studies, and further theoretical analysis to reach their own target length. The readers’ experience will not only make this text particularly comprehensive, but also allow for a more nuanced personal understanding of the subject.
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- Design Meaning: Meaning Design by R. B. Assunção (tiogegeca)
Kindle Edition https://amzn.to/4bhMsrL Dive into the intricate relationship between design and meaning in this thought-provoking exploration. Perfect for anyone fascinated by how design shapes our experiences and interactions, this book challenges, inspires, and enlightens readers across disciplines. - Planning Philosophy: Philosophy Planning by R. B. Assunção (tiogegeca) Kindle Edition https://amzn.to/3WEX3sT Explore the interplay between philosophy and urban planning. This edition has been significantly revised and expanded, offering focused reflections on how planning philosophy and philosophy of planning shape our physical and social environments.
- Lições Solitárias: Arquitetura e Evolução das Ideias by R. B. Assunção (tiogegeca) Available in eBook and Print-on-Demand (Brazilian edition) https://amzn.to/3w5logB Dive into a reflective journey, where architecture meets the evolution of ideas. This book offers fresh perspectives on the materialization of projects, discussing project representations and processes enriched with the author’s drawings. Ideal for architects, designers, engineers, and anyone interested in urban planning and humanity’s progress.
- A PERSONALIDADE ARQUITETÔNICA DE OURO PRETO by R. B. Assunção (tiogegeca) Kindle Edition — Available only as eBook (Brazilian edition) https://amzn.to/3V2yCUM Embark on a unique journey through Ouro Preto with a guide that intertwines architectural insights with the rich historical tapestry of this iconic city in Minas Gerais, Brazil. This eBook expands into a dialectic exploration of Ouro Preto’s evolving identity, from its 17th-century origins to its present-day allure. This guide is not just about architectural styles but is a profound reflection on how architecture and urban planning encapsulate the soul of a place.
