Da Vinci's Experiment with Town Planning (Yes, That Da Vinci)

Was Leonardo a proponent of sprawl? The Renaissance man evidently believed the congestion of cities caused plagues in Milan in the 1480s, and drew up plans for a new city with wide streets and a network of canals.

1 minute read

December 16, 2010, 2:00 PM PST

By Tim Halbur

Da Vinci's plans were a "radical departure from the organic fabric of the medieval city," writes Anamika Mishra:

Circulation was a predominant theme in Leonardo's proposals, whether related to people, freight or waste. This was articulated by straight roads in a grid iron pattern and the extensive use of waterways as a means of circulation.

Leonardo's proposal for segregating the various aspects of a city, in order to maintain sanitation created a very tangible functional zoning, an attribute adopted centuries later by modernist urban planners."

A map of Milan, drawn by Da Vinci in his Codex Atlanticus

FULL STORY: Leonardo da Vinci's Ideas on Town Planning

Sunday, November 28, 2010 in Suite 101

Architecture Europe Leonardo Da Vinci

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.