Design, Law, Policy

Prerequisites: GSD 5201, GSD 5206, or equivalent background.Law has a powerful imprint on the design of the built environment. As much as technological innovation, market calculation, artistic creativity, and cultural norms, law shapes constructed objects through application of rules and precedents embodied in statutes, ordinances, regulations, and judicial opinions. Such legal mechanisms as design review, zoning, subdivision controls, historic preservation ordinances, building codes, and infrastructure standards, among others, intentionally or inadvertently influence the look and feel of communities in ways not fully appreciated by professionals, scholars, and the public. This course explores the goals, rationales, and approaches of law as it affects the design of the built environment.