Elements of Spatial Planning: Theory. Part I.

Abstract

One reason that planning of any sort is a difficult process is that it involves altering natural boundaries to fit human needs and desires. While it may not be "nice to fool Moother Nature" the act of planning may be predicated on such an attempt, especially when the balance between human and environmental needs is tipped strongly toward the human side. At a very general level, planning how to use the Earth's surface involves what space to use and when to use it. The "what" issues are those that involve spatial planning; they typically involve the concept of scale. The "when" issues involve temporal planning; they typically involve the concept of sequence. This article attemps to derive some principles derived from these observations of "what" and "when."