Cities were first established when nomadic people settled around food sources, religious sites, or waterways. Early people soon began to design the arrangement of personal dwellings, religious buildings, food stores, and government centers within their communities along trade routes that linked cities. In the fifth century B.C.E., the "Father of Town Planning," Greek architect Hippodamus of Miletus, designed towns in a geometric pattern that was not only functional but also had aesthetic balance. Likewise, the Romans arranged residences, temples, and forums in a symmetrical design.

City planning declined after the fall of the Roman Empire only to reemerge during the Renaissance with a revival of Greco-Roman styles. During this time, the popular design for cities featured concentric circles radiating out from a central point with straight streets connecting the circles, like spokes of a wheel. European cities such as Venice (Italy), London (England), and...