Europeans confront sprawl much like America’s

Leading architects discussed challenges to urbanism in Europe, and their solution, at the EuroCouncil’s inaugural meeting in Belgium. “It’s time to move forward quickly to change the world!” was Andres Duany’s proclamation at the April opening of an international assembly of leading architects and town planners in Belgium. By the end of a week of long sessions and presentations, the group was well on its way, deciding to form a European organization — the Council for European Urbanism — that will be devoted to reestablishing urbanism. Increasingly, European towns and cities are experiencing sprawl, disposable buildings, autocratic planning, left- over and irrelevant “public space,” and disconnected street patterns — problems similar, though not identical, to those that have plagued the US since the mid-20th century. The first EuroCouncil, held in Brussels and Bruges, followed the model of the successful New Urban Councils that have taken place in Charleston and Santa Fe since 2001. It brought together some of the best urban designers from the United States and many countries in the European Community. “When you looked around and saw who was in the room, you knew something significant would result,” said John Massengale, comparing the EuroCouncil favorably with the

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