Editing Denise Scott Brown (section)

== Planning Work ==

Scott Brown's urban planning work addressed campus planning, downtown revitalization, and neighborhood development, bringing architectural sensitivity to scales beyond individual buildings. Projects for universities, cities, and institutions demonstrated how planning could support rather than destroy urban vitality. Her approach emphasized learning from existing conditions rather than imposing abstract schemes, respecting community knowledge while providing professional expertise.<ref name="brownlee"/>

South Street in Philadelphia provided early demonstration of her approach. When city plans threatened the historic commercial street with highway construction, Scott Brown studied and advocated for preservation of the existing urban fabric. Her analysis revealed value in the street's variety, complexity, and community function that highway planners had ignored. The highway was never built, and South Street's subsequent vitality vindicated the preservation approach. This project established patterns Scott Brown would pursue throughout her career.<ref name="stierli"/>