Richard L. Meier
Encyclopedia
Richard Louis Meier, is an US regional planner
, systems theorist, scientist, urban scholar, and futurist, who was Professor in the College of Environmental Design at University of California at Berkeley. He was an early thinker on sustainability in planning
, and recognized as a leading figure in city planning and development. He is not related to the New York-based architect Richard Meier
, with whom he was often confused.
, Meier grew up the oldest of five children in a family of modest means. His father was a German-American Lutheran schoolteacher, choirmaster, and organist
. His mother became seriously ill shortly after the birth of her youngest child, and much of the running of the household fell to young Meier. He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 1940, and a master’s and a doctorate in organic chemistry from UCLA.
Meier earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry at the University of California
, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1944.
During World War II, Meier worked as a Standard Oil
research chemist in Richmond, California. Even before taking his Ph.D. in organic chemistry at University of California
at Los Angeles in 1944, Meier made his mark as a generalist and futurist, persuading the newly established department to teach leading-edge developments in nuclear chemistry and physics. Meier began talking with Berkeley scientists about the post-war implications of atomic energy and weapons. He founded along with his colleagues, what is now called, the Federation of American Scientists
, a non-profit organization focused on consolidating scientific knowledge to aid national interests.
During a Fulbright Fellowship in Manchester, England, in 1949-50, Meier shifted his attention to technological solutions for the problems of the world's biggest and poorest cities. As early as 1951, he convinced a University of Chicago
colleague, the New Deal “brain-truster” Rexford Tugwell
, of the inevitability of Meier's forecasts. These included a long list of developments, among them the radical improvement of communications using ultra fax and television devices, more effective antibiotics, and “advances toward technological oneness in the world ... followed by tighter organization and by holistic planning devices,” Tugwell said.
Between 1950 and 1956, he taught in the University of Chicago's influential Program of Education and Research in Planning. End 1950s he was among the first members of the Society for General Systems Research
. Between 1957 and 1967, he first was a research social scientist in the Mental Health Research Institute
at the University of Michigan, focusing on systems theory. At Michigan Meier and Kenneth Boulding were colleagues, they bounced ideas off each other, and Meier had enormous respect for him. Later he became professor in Michigan’s department of natural resources, School of Conservation. Meier began his career at UC Berkeley in 1967, and helped establish the new doctoral program in the Department of City and Regional Planning (DCRP). For more than 35 years, he was a faculty member in the Departments of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and City and Regional Planning in the College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley
.
In retirement, Meier continued teaching, writing, and generating new ideas, despite increasing disabilities. His final book "Ecological Planning, Management and Design" published online in 2003, laid out many of his strategies for creating sustainable communities, particularly for the urban poor in developing countries. It reflected his unquenchable optimism about the future and his belief that good planning and social justice are inseparable.
Urban planner
An urban planner or city planner is a professional who works in the field of urban planning/land use planning for the purpose of optimizing the effectiveness of a community's land use and infrastructure. They formulate plans for the development and management of urban and suburban areas, typically...
, systems theorist, scientist, urban scholar, and futurist, who was Professor in the College of Environmental Design at University of California at Berkeley. He was an early thinker on sustainability in planning
Sustainable design
Sustainable design is the philosophy of designing physical objects, the built environment, and services to comply with the principles of economic, social, and ecological sustainability.-Intentions:The intention of sustainable design is to "eliminate negative environmental...
, and recognized as a leading figure in city planning and development. He is not related to the New York-based architect Richard Meier
Richard Meier
Richard Meier is an American architect, whose rationalist buildings make prominent use of the color white.- Biography :Meier is Jewish and was born in Newark, New Jersey...
, with whom he was often confused.
Biography
Born in 1920 in Kendallville, IndianaKendallville, Indiana
Kendallville is a city in Wayne Township, Noble County, Indiana, United States. The population was 9,862 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Kendallville is located at ....
, Meier grew up the oldest of five children in a family of modest means. His father was a German-American Lutheran schoolteacher, choirmaster, and organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
. His mother became seriously ill shortly after the birth of her youngest child, and much of the running of the household fell to young Meier. He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 1940, and a master’s and a doctorate in organic chemistry from UCLA.
Meier earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1944.
During World War II, Meier worked as a Standard Oil
Standard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...
research chemist in Richmond, California. Even before taking his Ph.D. in organic chemistry at University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
at Los Angeles in 1944, Meier made his mark as a generalist and futurist, persuading the newly established department to teach leading-edge developments in nuclear chemistry and physics. Meier began talking with Berkeley scientists about the post-war implications of atomic energy and weapons. He founded along with his colleagues, what is now called, the Federation of American Scientists
Federation of American Scientists
The Federation of American Scientists is a nonpartisan, 501 organization intent on using science and scientific analysis to attempt make the world more secure. FAS was founded in 1945 by scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project to develop the first atomic bombs...
, a non-profit organization focused on consolidating scientific knowledge to aid national interests.
During a Fulbright Fellowship in Manchester, England, in 1949-50, Meier shifted his attention to technological solutions for the problems of the world's biggest and poorest cities. As early as 1951, he convinced a University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
colleague, the New Deal “brain-truster” Rexford Tugwell
Rexford Tugwell
Rexford Guy Tugwell was an agricultural economist who became part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's first "Brain Trust," a group of Columbia academics who helped develop policy recommendations leading up to Roosevelt's 1932 election as President...
, of the inevitability of Meier's forecasts. These included a long list of developments, among them the radical improvement of communications using ultra fax and television devices, more effective antibiotics, and “advances toward technological oneness in the world ... followed by tighter organization and by holistic planning devices,” Tugwell said.
Between 1950 and 1956, he taught in the University of Chicago's influential Program of Education and Research in Planning. End 1950s he was among the first members of the Society for General Systems Research
Society for General Systems Research
The Society for General Systems Research is predecessor of the current International Society for the Systems Sciences , known to be one the first interdisciplinary and international co-operations in the field of systems theory and systems science...
. Between 1957 and 1967, he first was a research social scientist in the Mental Health Research Institute
Mental Health Research Institute (Michigan)
The Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute at the University of Michigan is an interdisciplinary research institute, which played a key role in the development of general systems theory...
at the University of Michigan, focusing on systems theory. At Michigan Meier and Kenneth Boulding were colleagues, they bounced ideas off each other, and Meier had enormous respect for him. Later he became professor in Michigan’s department of natural resources, School of Conservation. Meier began his career at UC Berkeley in 1967, and helped establish the new doctoral program in the Department of City and Regional Planning (DCRP). For more than 35 years, he was a faculty member in the Departments of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and City and Regional Planning in the College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
In retirement, Meier continued teaching, writing, and generating new ideas, despite increasing disabilities. His final book "Ecological Planning, Management and Design" published online in 2003, laid out many of his strategies for creating sustainable communities, particularly for the urban poor in developing countries. It reflected his unquenchable optimism about the future and his belief that good planning and social justice are inseparable.
Publications
- 1956. Science and economic development; new patterns of living. Cambridge, Mass., M. I. T. Press.
- 1959. Modern science and the human fertility problem. New York, Wiley
- 1962. A communications theory of urban growth. M.I.T. Press
- 1962. Croissance urbaine et théorie des communications. Paris, Presses universitaires de France.
- 1965. Developmental planning. New York, McGraw-Hill.
- 1967. The influence of resource constraints upon planning for worldwide economic development. Athens, Athens Technological Organization, Athens Center of Ekistics, 1967.
- 1974. Planning for an urban world: the design of resource-conserving cities. Cambridge, Mass., MIT Press.
- 1978. Risk-taking considered in a community ecology framework. Berkeley : Institute of Urban & Regional Development, University of California.
- 1978. The new paradigm for planners--:community ecology. Berkeley : Institute of Urban & Regional Development, University of California, 1978.
- 1981. Energizing urban ecosystems in the Philippines, Manila. Berkeley, Calif. : Institute of Urban and Regional Development, University of California
- 1989. Life alongside a revolution : a Hong Kong diary, June 1989. Berkeley, Calif.: Institute of Urban & Regional Development, University of California at Berkeley.
- 2003. Ecological Planning, Management and Design. Online manuscript of his final work at berkeley.edu.
External links
- IN MEMORIAM Richard Meier 1920-2007. Office of Public Affairs, University of California.
- Richard L. Meier-Planner and Futurist blog was established by the family of Richard Meier.