Southland's Designer Gives Himself a Gold Star!

By Elvis Glazier - Thursday, April 8, 2010 - In a recent article published by the Delta Optimist titled 'Southland Plan wins Award', it would seem the Congress of New Urbanism has recognized the Tsawwassen Southlands design with an award. The article is mostly filler from the CNU website.

A little digging into the Congress of New Urbanism reveals a different story. The Congress of New Urbanism was established by co-founders Andres Duany, Peter Calthorpe, Elizabeth Moule, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, Stefanos Polyzoides and Dan Solomon. Two of the founders, Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk are the co-owners of Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company the design team contracted by the Century Group for the Southlands design and charrette.

In essence, it would appear the design award is an exercise in self adoration and not newsworthy were it not reported on the eve of the final forum to discuss the Tsawwassen Area Plan. Duany's design has been criticized by many people as an attempt to re-brand cluster developments under the title of 'new urbanism'.