South of Broad, I’On to be part of Clemson University neighborhood study

Charleston Regional Business Journal
st
February 6, 2009

Two Lowcountry neighborhoods are the focus of a Clemson University study on the relationship between the age and design of urban places and residents’ emotional attachment to them.

The research on South of Broad in downtown Charleston and I’On in Mount Pleasant is meant to help planners, urban designers and historic preservationists better understand how residents value new and old urban neighborhoods. South of Broad was selected because it is historic; I’On was selected because it is new but was designed using traditional urban patterns and architectural styles.

In the next few weeks, Jeremy Wells, a doctoral candidate in Clemson University’s program in planning, design and the built environment, will conduct an online survey of residents in those neighborhoods.

He is trying to answer the following questions: Can places that follow time-tested urban design patterns mean a higher quality of life for residents? What is the role of physical age in fostering emotional attachment to urban neighborhoods?

“Until recently, the investigation of subjective values associated with urban design and historic preservation has been a taboo subject, too closely associated with creating a false sense of history,” Wells said. “Critics of new urbanism complain that nostalgic design is backwards, regressive and fake, while practitioners of historic preservation largely overlook the impact of social and cultural values in determining historical significance.”

Study results will be released to local homeowners associations and the cities of Mount Pleasant and Charleston. Participants will not be asked to identify themselves.

Back To The Top