An interesting and relevant question! Planning and design disciplines have various, but overlapping histories. The references to their origins also show some similarities, with different disciplines referring in one way or another to the same sources and knowledge bases. The naming of the disciplines, as well as distinguishing them from others, is always evolving, partly in relation to wider changes within society and the context specific competition (e.g. for resources) with related disciplines. An more extensive overview is presented in the article co-evolutions of planning and design.

Article Co-evolutions of planning and design: Risks and benefits of ...

An interesting and relevant question! Planning and design disciplines have various, but overlapping histories. The references to their origins also show some similarities, with different disciplines referring in one way or another to the same sources and knowledge bases. The naming of the disciplines, as well as distinguishing them from others, is always evolving, partly in relation to wider changes within society and the context specific competition (e.g. for resources) with related disciplines. An more extensive overview is presented in the article co-evolutions of planning and design.

Article Co-evolutions of planning and design: Risks and benefits of ...

Short and clear answer: unfortunately, there is too less interaction between these fields; and still missing: SYSTEMATIC links of these areas and sociology and psychology. Systematic and intensive research in this complex interactive field is needed as the complexity for only some field being integrated is too high.

Thanks Claus. Your comment is a motivation for me to go on with my research.

Yes, it is interesting to note that the professional demarcation exists. In practice, I feel the stronger designs are those achieved by interdisciplinary firms or collaborations. It seems that whilst there is a common framework, each discipline focuses on certain elements. When brought together viewpoints express each of the elements and the resultant overlap provides the output.

I agree that they do have same knowledge base. Basically, all these professions (and if i may add civil, transportation and environmental engineering) are intermixed and interrelated to some extent. Without careful balance of all these professions, they all would collapse. While urban planning has evolved through health safety and defining building heights and open spaces, architecture has incorporated it. Similarly, to accommodate better architectural views; the field of landscape architecture and urban design has evolved. None of the profession will work without the existence of others. And well that is my opinion and other people might views might differ.

I'm yet to come across such an insightful question in a very long time! Can one venture to suggest that civil engineering forms the basis for all these disciplines and they sprouted due to diversification and technological advancements?. And just like Irfan opined, there must be careful balance between them or disorder sets in.

@Christy. While we can't determine which discipline was the basic. Human civilizations and settlements were the foundation for all. Egyptian, Greek, Indus Valley etc. records shows that almost all buildings/landmarks constructed were planned according to their uses and accessibility to various land uses (thus element of planning, civil engg. as well as architecture were formed simultaneously). In my belief these fields were formed together and later we classified them separately to excel in their own fields.

Thanks for all the contributions for a fruitful discussion. I never thought this might go so far. This is great! I'm achieving real progress with my research thanks to all who commented here. This is definitely a major confidence boost for me.

While they remain in the field of design you can talk of a common base, because all come from a technical practice not scientific.

However, should talk about Planning only, here if we go into a multidisciplinary field (sociology, economics, etc.) even if it has its repercussion in a physical area as the territory or in the urban environment.

Eduardo Caceres. Full profesor in the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

@Eduardo,

I've got a planning background but have some design skills that I developed my self. I'm very passionate about urban design, but i've often struggled in working on detail designs of a plan. Do you think Planners are suppose to or expected to do spatial designs? the school of thought in my university is that urban design does not necessarily have to be a separate profession, rather it should be done with the design ability of the planner. A Planner can obviously be seen as a designer of urban space, then to what extent Planners possess design skill?

Let me throw some thoughts into this discussion. First I have to admit I'm not Urban planner but I'm teacher of architectural design. My point of view is based on some observation that is taken in country that just , well 25 year ago, left totalitarian system. At that time in many cases Urbanists took over design matters, especially while creating big housing estates or even cities.They were just using houses like toys. Outcome of these experiments are poor. From broken communities to communication problems. And of course scale of urban design,(if they actually design something) requires some sort of totalitarian system to erect their vision (examples of proof of this are common and easy to recognize: from Hausmanns Paris to Olympic Village in Sochi).

That's why I say: Let them stay with planning because planning is quite different sort of design and when they start taking over design red light in your head should light on.