Michael McAtee

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October 18, 2005

Rural planning

While significant amounts of time and energy have been spent dealing with urban planning, suburban planning, and even exurban planning, little attention has been paid to masterplanning at a purely rural level. In the expansive midwest, once the city fabric ends an agricultural patchwork extends indefinitely, punctuated only by the occasional buildings and towns or natural features. In spite of regional planning documents and conservation studies, very little attention incorporating actual occupation of this environment. How does one begin to establish a system for the rational planning of a region whose context consists of unimpeded horizon and cultivated fields?

Recently I've been put to task on such a development, a masterplan for a school district in an unincorporated rural setting in Kane County Illinois. Although just beyond the grasp of the Chicago metropolitan area and more closely Aurora, the region is predominantly agrarian and underdeveloped. In the context of this site the establishment of an intercessory system is imperetive. Over time I will be investigating the development of at least two schemes for the planning of the site: the Ecotome model, and the Organic Agriculture model. As these naturalisic and artificial system of development of rural areas are explored two divergent architypes with the common intention of sustainable systems for rural development will be established.

Posted by mdmcatee at October 18, 2005 10:37 PM

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