Theories of Urban Planning

Planning, defined as the process of preparing systematic action programs to achieve future goals, is based on the idea that human free will can replace the notion of structural necessity, and that people can intervene in life and dominate it. Planning is the prioritization of a constructive and formative human consciousness against the uncertainty of the market mechanism. Urban planning, on the other hand, involves designing how the spatial formation and organization of urban areas will occur and the different forms of intervention to be followed in this formation and organization process.

Modern urban planning, which emerged as a means of intervention with a decisive public dimension to solve the major social and spatial problems caused by the industrial revolution in urban areas, has been heavily criticized by both right-wing ideologues and Marxist theorists, especially since the 1960s.

In today's world, where neo-liberal policies are gaining strength, the central position of the state is being questioned, leading to a crisis in the fields of social, economic, and spatial planning, which function as a strategic tool for the public. This compilation aims to present the historical development of urban planning, emphasizing its theoretical dimension, from its inception.