An urban laboratory is a contained, ongoing process to address and urban issue.  It focuses on problem solving as well as group learning among practitioners.  Better urban practice is a result.

Labs take as much time as required to solve the problem. It can be short-term using a new urbanist “fire brigade” approach: come in quickly and put out the fire.  Or the lab can be a more extended process.  Conditions and expected outcomes determine how long it lasts and what practitioners are in the lab.

A lab is conducted among practitioners of diverse disciplines required to engage the conditions and the problem. They could include: new urbanists, the agronomist (for slow food), sociologist, public artist, planner, community psychologist, economist, and strategist. The lab applies additional perspectives and tools, depending on the social, environmental, economic, cultural, community knowledge, and built environment conditions of the place or issue under study.

For more on visit the urban lab website by clicking here or click me to download the full document.