Healthy Cities & Streets

With Kellen Krause | 1 AIA CES Learning Unit|HSW and 1 credit towards the Certificate in Classical Architecture (Elective)

On December 6, 2019, the ICAA held the 2019 Health, Safety, and Welfare in Traditional Design Day. As part of the day's series of lectures, the ICAA hosted Kellen Krause, architect at Historical Concepts in New York, for a presentation exploring the impact of urban planning on the welfare of a city's residents.

This course explores the mix of public and private realms as expressed in architecture and their urban relationships. How does NYC convey its meaning through notable buildings as well as those down the street? Which associations encourage a better life, and which inhibit? Students will be exposed to a variety of traditional and contemporary buildings and urban patterns as the course illustrates both successful and ineffective conditions.

Learning Objectives

• Understand how an expression of hierarchy in a city equates to the welfare of its citizens; that "foreground" buildings to celebrate the best of a city's public and private realms (such as town halls, libraries, and churches) are personified in prime lots and buildings in contrast to "background buildings", and that this celebration affects the positive outlook one has on their surroundings
• Explore how select neighborhoods in New York City have been conducive to safe or unsafe conditions overtime due to the design of their foreground and background buildings, and their urban form
• Understand the relationship of enduring design for foreground buildings as a means of healthy environments that do not require frequent renovation; specifically the importance of well-proportioned architecture that represents a timeless local tradition and therefore a fundamental tenant of a sustainable way of building
• Understand the use of foreground and background buildings as appropriate to the creation of healthy environments; that certain neighborhoods benefit from more or less of one type, and that an improper balance can be detrimental to the health and safety of a neighborhood; specifically with regard to impoverished neighborhoods, districts without a mix of use, and neighborhoods which are "unreachable" for a majority
• Explore the application of foreground and background buildings in a manner which raises one's spirits, that is, results in a positive community where buildings contribute to (rather than detract from) a community's welfare

Quiz & Credit

Viewers may receive 1 AIA CES Learning Unit|HSW and 1 credit towards the Certificate in Classical Architecture (Elective) by watching this video and subsequently scoring at least 70% on a quiz that tests your understanding of the material. For more information on Continuing Education credit, please email [email protected], or call 212-730-9646 x 112.

The assessment is available here.

Course Navigation and Review Questions

As you watch the video, you can browse by subject using the course outline and timestamps below. As you progress through the video, you can follow along with optional (ungraded) review questions here to help assess your understanding of the material.

0:00: Introduction; Characteristics of Healthy Neighborhoods; Tenement Houses and New York City Reforms

22:35: Roadways and Traffic

33:33: Green Space and Hierarchy

Course Feedback Form

Once you have watched the course, we would appreciate your feedback on the course content via this anonymous feedback form, which will help us to improve future online courses.

Prerequisites

There are no pre-requisites required for this course.

AIA Continuing Education Provider Information

Please click here for additional AIA CES Provider Information:

Course Delivery Type: On-Demand e-learning Program

Program Level: Introductory

AIA CES Program Approval Expiration Date: January 10, 2026

Provider Number: G193

Provider Statement: The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number G193. All registered AIA CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider or this learning program may be sent to AIA CES ([email protected] or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3).

This learning program is registered with AIA CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.

AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.

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