New Urbanism; A process to create sustainable urban communities

Cities and their small units, communities, are like dynamic and alive organisms which are exposed to many changes. Thus different theories and opinions are proposed to lead these changes, so that the city and people will not face any problems at the present time nor in the future. In the recent decades, increasing growth of developmental planning, have resulted in economic, social and environmental problems. So in response to this crisis, new concepts and approaches have been formed for different parts of the city. Today sustainable development, as one of these approaches, is concerned with different parts of the society. In order to achieve the corresponding goals, we have to look for new solutions. Regarding to the considerations of the communities, neighborhoods and its people, starting the planning at this level in recent years, we have to select an appropriate approach for increasing the quality. In addition, it seems that in connection with the smaller units of the society, achieving the goals based on these principles is more objective and tangible. Meanwhile New Urbanism as a new approach in urban development considers a complete spectrum, from urban planning to urban design and architecture which was to answer the unsustainable communities. The importance of study and analysis of this pattern is due to its effects on planning in all levels and also considering economic, social and environmental matters. While the principles of new urbanism in urban and new developments, infill developments and especially in planning of urban communities and neighborhoods have a considerable importance. It seems these principles have a close connection with sustainability criteria. Today, new urbanists are somehow the leaders of postmodern urban planners and designers. They are looking for the enhancement of life quality and standards in cities and communities. The primary principles of this approach based on traditional principles of sustainable urbanism, refer to traditional community patterns for creating sustainable and efficient societies. This matter shows a comprehensive view in solving community problems. The research method of this article is descriptive-analytical. Data Gathering is based on librarian methods that explain sustainability criteria and New Urbanism principles in communities and finally the comparison of these two approaches. We conclude that applying New Urbanism principles is a way to create sustainable communities, as all the criterions of sustainable communities and New Urbanism are entangled together and all the principles of New Urbanism show the concepts of sustainability.