In 1969, Magazine New Society published an article entitled
'Non Plan: An Experiment in Freedom', credited to the architect Cedric Price, editor
Paul Barker, architecture historian Rayner Banham, as well as geographer and
planner Peter Hall. This article challenged the orthodoxies of bureaucratic
planning and achieved iconic status in the history of post-war British
architectural thought. (“Panning the planners Non Plan: Essays on Freedom,
Participation and Change in Modern Architecture and Urbanism Edited by Jonathan
Hughes and Simon Sadler. Architectural Press (Butterworth-Heinemann), | Archive
| Architects Journal,” n.d.)
The idea emerged after a conversation about the appalling
results of current urban planning strategies and the effect if there is absence
of planning. In that period, ‘Non-Plan’ infuriated many architects and planners
because not only it was extremely provocative and contentious but it also went
against the established order and controlled uniformity of the built
environment. (“Non-Plan | citymovement,” n.d.)
Cedric Price expressed his view that city is not as a
cohesive structure but instead as an unstable series of systems, in continual
transformation, constantly reorganizing and rearranging itself through
processes of both expansion and retraction. Price supported the idea of the
“anticipatory architects” in which the public could determine, control and
shape their own surroundings. (“Non-Plan | citymovement,” n.d.)
The major premise behind Non-Plan was when ‘professionals’
were designing communities they should think before telling other people how
they should live because everyone had their own preferences and ideas. Non-Plan
explored ways of involving people in the design of their environments by
circumventing planning bureaucracy and letting the people shape the environment
they want to live and work in. (“Non-Plan | citymovement,” n.d.)
For my opinion, I think there is no right or wrong for this ideology,
as the application should depend on the target population and location. It is
good to involve public in the planning so that they could contribute their idea
for their living space, as the users are the one who will be affected the most
by the planning instead of the town planner.
In the meanwhile, it is hard to fulfil everyone’s need and
not everyone has proper knowledge on urban planning. It might cause a series of
problems if everyone only think about their preference without consideration of
other aspects. For instance, poor management of services, insufficient of facilities,
confusing circulation, wasted land usage, bad environment and slow development.
Urban planning is a technical and political process concerned
with the development and design of land use and the built environment,
including air, water, and the infrastructure passing into and out of urban
areas, such as transportation, communications, and distribution networks. (“Town planning - Designing Buildings Wiki,” n.d.) The impact of proper planning
is much significant in the area with larger population like metropolitan and city
compared to area with low density of population.
However, it is easier to apply non-plan in rural area like
Tanjung Pura Sabtu as there is ample of land and less people. Tanjung Pura
Sabtu is located in a remote area with river, forest, old Malay houses and
small village of 1208 residents. Most of the villager own a big land and less
facilities are needed so it does not require a complex planning. The people are
free to modify the land for their own usage like garden, farm, workshop and
storage.
In general, the authorities will pay less attention on the rural
area as it is hard to control the community. This provides the freedom for
users to develop their own planning. A special relationship is built between
the people and its surrounding, where most of them will use the land that is enough
for their necessity only, instead of over developing it into commercial usage
like factories or shop lots. This reduces the problems arose due to improper
planning.
Non-Plan
| citymovement. (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2020, from https://citymovement.wordpress.com/2012/04/11/non-plan/
Panning
the planners Non Plan: Essays on Freedom, Participation and Change in Modern
Architecture and Urbanism Edited by Jonathan Hughes and Simon Sadler.
Architectural Press (Butterworth-Heinemann), | Archive | Architects Journal.
(n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2020, from
https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/home/panning-the-planners-non-plan-essays-on-freedom-participation-and-change-in-modern-architecture-and-urbanism-edited-by-jonathan-hughes-and-simon-sadler-architectural-press-butterworth-heinemann/190305.article
Town
planning - Designing Buildings Wiki. (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2020, from
https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Town_planning
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