July Find of the Month: Determinants of City Form

An unusual Department of Community Development report from 1971 was meant to incorporate ecological and urban design factors into Seattle’s city planning efforts. Titled “Determinants of City Form,” the document is more or less an atlas of stylized maps with accompanying narratives. A transmittal letter to the mayor declared the study “a major milestone in laying the groundwork for the evolution of a city which can match the excitement and beauty of its natural setting.”

The report emphasized Seattle’s uniqueness, and the language got a little flowery at times. For example:

Some cities are more memorable than others. A city’s milieu frequently borders on a mystique which is difficult to define. It is not only the parts of the city but also the composite of the various phenomena that gives a city character.

The maps are the real stars of the document. Some are fairly typical, illustrating topography, population density, or neighborhoods. Others are more unusual, like a word map, or maps showing view orientation or peak shadows. More esoteric maps depict concepts like activity clusters, time envelopes, and massing of building bulk.

The section of transportation maps includes some interesting visualizations. A movement systems map shows arrows of varying widths illustrating roads, transit, and ferry routes. A time-distance map shades the city based on travel times from a central point at 4th and Madison. Other maps show traffic volume and public transportation systems.

The report declared itself to be “an inventory of the existing forces that have shaped and are shaping the quality of the environment.” However, it pointed out that social issues and human needs were also important factors that should be taken into account in the city planning process, and urged that these be incorporated into decision making to meet “the changing needs of the human user of the city.”