The science–and some say art–of managing and directing city growth. Urban planning involves many disciplines, from architecture and engineering to environmental studies. Also know as town planning or city planning, it takes all aspects of an urban setting into consideration. It includes plans for safety, aesthetics and common sense placement of everything from houses and workplaces to parks and shopping areas. For example, parents wouldn’t want their children’s playground next to the water treatment plant and urban planning helps eliminate such problems.