The nature of urban planning between the normative and descriptive theories of planning

• Main Author: Ghareeb, Maryam Mohammed
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Urban planning
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0164792

This paper presents the research analysis in a theoretical way of the tension that occurs in the urban planning theories of cities between the normative and descriptive nature. As well as provides a statement of the factors that affect them as the descriptive theory is a description of the current situation of the city, whether the normative theory searches for the ideal form that is difficult to happen and wants to achieve in reality, which it means a desirable solution in a theoretical way without considering the actual current situation. However, if these two theories are intertwined to obtain fair urban planning for the city, both have individual strengths and weaknesses points in the urban planning process. Therefore, the research aims to clarify the two ideas in the city urban planning field because the normative and descriptive theories include all fields of science. The research’s practice will focus on implementing the two approaches at the local level in Sulaimani city. As a result, this study showed us that we need to develop the current normative theory to consider the current situation and stratify with the descriptive approach. Both views should apply together simultaneously when planning to create an urban city.