New Urbanism, also known as neo-traditional or traditional neighborhood design, represents a growing awareness that architects have a responsibility to society that goes beyond simply designing buildings that won't fall down. This awareness, in turn, has given rise to a new architectural paradigm: the "architect as community builder."

Central to New Urbanist thought is the belief that community of place, the neighborhood, is a vital component of urban ecology in which human, natural, and built environments interact.

In earlier times, civic interaction was instinctive. Town planners shaped the built landscape to best promote the livelihood and well-being of a region's inhabitants. Many early American settlements, for example, began with a central green or park that could be used for grazing sheep or community gatherings. Ringing the green were shops, markets, churches, schools, and other public buildings. Residential streets radiated outward. The density and design allowed residents to walk almost anywhere in town, socialize, conduct business, and establish support networks.

But the arrival of the automobile and the mortgage in the earlier part of this century encouraged the replacement of this urban model. Suddenly, suburban living offered an attractive option: new housing, large yards, clean streets, and quiet neighborhoods. But with school, work, and play no longer within walking distance, civic interaction declined. Builders compounded the problem by turning the suburban-living focus inward. Walls were placed around subdivisions, cul-de-sacs replaced through streets, and garage doors replaced windows facing the street. Television (and now, the Internet) have turned homes into virtual cocoons, further discouraging social interaction in neighborhoods.
Then, in the 1970s, the principles of New Urbanism emerged, when disenchanted architects proposed an alternative model for suburban development. Their ideas drew heavily from early town design: sidewalks, back alleys, detached garages, front porches, and even white picket fences.

In time, New Urbanism advocates realized that their goals could not be accomplished through housing design alone. Diminished civic interaction was also a result of zoning laws and public policy. For example, laws that prevent home owners from renting out garage apartments or other spaces restrict the integration of socioeconomic groups. And laws that restrict markets and shops adjacent to residential zones further encourage dependence on the automobile. New Urbanism, in its fullest sense, is now an interdisciplinary approach to tackling design and planning challenges.