American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Practice Exam

Which principle is a primary focus of the City Beautiful Movement?

1. Urban sprawl

2. Civic design

3. Strict zoning laws

4. Industrial growth

The correct answer is: Civic design

The City Beautiful Movement primarily focuses on civic design as a means to instill a sense of pride and beauty in urban environments. Originating in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this movement emphasized the creation of aesthetically pleasing public spaces, including parks, boulevards, and monumental buildings. The belief underpinning this movement was that a well-designed city could foster a sense of community and improve the quality of life for its inhabitants. Civic design encompasses the layout of public spaces and the integration of art and architecture, aiming to create harmonious environments. It focused on planning city layouts that inspired moral and civic virtue through beauty and grandeur, contrasting with notions of urban sprawl, which emphasizes unchecked expansion, or strictly enforced zoning laws, which might limit creative and holistic urban design. The movement consciously sought to counterbalance the rapid industrial growth of the time, advocating for more thoughtful and conscious design that facilitated a community-oriented urban experience.