Urban indicators and the integrative ideals of cities

Both advocacy and performance measurement ends of the city planning spectrum have advanced the approach of measuring and monitoring urban indicators as a practical means to lofty planning goals. Urban and regional indicator projects aim to generate synergistic utility out of measures of urban quality and progress, trying to transform assessment measures into strategic levers for system change. This article reports on the theory, methods and design of an action research project that has taken place since late 2004, the Regional Vancouver Urban Observatory (RVu). RVu is the first member of the UN-Habitat Global Urban Observatory network to be established in a developed country. RVu conceptualized and completed overlapping processes in generating both expert-based and citizen-based recommendations on key regional indicators, with a view toward sustainable development. Our hypothesis has been that negotiation and integration of values and ideals will occur throughout such a process and common indicators will emerge that approach a new sustainable view of the region.