Urban Governance and Urban Design. A Case Study of Waterfront Development in the United States

After entering a new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the improvement of urban governance has become a hot topic in public management, and the development of waterfront areas has become a pain point in urban construction; Urban design, as a public policy that participates in urban governance and guides urban spatial form, faces new challenges and demands. This article first reviews the historical development of waterfront areas in the United States from the perspectives of urban governance and urban design control, reflecting their socio-economic changes and changes in government roles in urban governance. Then, from the perspectives of policy evolution, governance institutions, and urban design, it compares and introduces the similarities and differences in the development of waterfront areas in Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle. Finally, the author attempts to provide reference opinions for urban design to participate in urban governance from three aspects: legal formulation, governance institutions, and implementation of guidelines.