Briefing: From urban foresight to project bundles—the case of Huntsville, Alabama

Abstract

Urban foresight and its project packages may follow linear temporality paths towards intended urban futures. Changes in conditions in one project package might affect the others. This briefing argues that project bundling can offer a more dynamic way to implement these visions. Such implementation allows project pathways to respond to contextual conditions, actors, community priorities, and funding availability. In the pre- and post-Big Picture plan in the City of Huntsville, Alabama, two project bundles were identified for reflection: places of activities and circulation patterns. The analysis of the City of Huntsville shows that flexible policies, interconnected project bundles, and loose coordination can support implementation while allowing projects to respond to changing contextual conditions. The analysis identifies six characteristics of foresight-based project bundles: flexible policies, spatial differentiation, functional interconnection, cross-sectoral composition, multi-actor involvement, and temporal asynchrony. These characteristics enable projects to evolve by multiple implementation pathways while maintaining relationships with a long-term urban vision.