If you think your street, neighbourhood or town is a "great place" to live, the newly established Academy of Urbanism wants to hear about it, says Frank McDonald, Environment Editor.

The name might sound a bit pretentious, but the Academy of Urbanism - being launched in London tonight - has a mission that is profoundly relevant to everyone in these islands. And that's why it has set out to involve the public in both Britain and Ireland in an effort to identify what makes an urban area great.

The academy's chairman, architect John Thompson, has long been a crusader for better urban environments as a leading figure in the "community architecture" movement - since he was shocked into action by the appalling conditions he found on the London Borough of Hackney's "sink estate" of Lea View, way back in 1980.

Built in the 1960s, it had become a place which the people who lived there were ashamed of. So he moved half his office onto the estate and talked to all the tenants about what they wanted to see happen: "I realised the real skill was in understanding people's cares and worries." The result was hailed as "paradise regained".

He believes that "bad urbanism" worsens the lot of disadvantaged people.

"It means they're isolated, they've no access to culture and recreation, they don't feel good, their children feel even less good - and then, surprise surprise, there's a raging inferno around Paris for two weeks," he told Regeneration & Renewal magazine.

Good urbanism, on the other hand, creates opportunities for the disadvantaged. So Thompson is an advocate for the urban renaissance agenda set by Richard Rogers - higher-density living served by good public transport and a range of local services within walking distance. "It's not sustainable to have all new homes spread out," he says.

He defines urbanism as "the art of planning and creating successful places" - something that goes beyond architecture, town planning and urban design.

"Urbanism is the way people's lives are organised . . . If you are living in an ugly, depressing, mono-functional estate it is unlikely that you will reach your full potential as a human being."

In a real sense, it's about rebuilding the social capital that once existed. In the past, as he told New Start, "you had the church, you had politics, culture, sport - all these things were social forces . . . but now everybody has got their iPod, their mobile phone and personal computer, so you get a pretty big shift away from social responsibility".

The Academy of Urbanism's manifesto declares that the practice of good urbanism "can establish a high quality of living, nurture a healthy and creative way of life, support economic, social, political and cultural activity and deliver robust, distinctive and attractive physical environments" in the context of a collective vision.

Those it seeks to engage are not just design professionals and housing specialists, but also developers, government and the wider community. "The identity, diversity and full potential of the community must be supported spiritually, physically and visually to sustain a sense of collective ownership, belonging and civic pride," it says.

"Vibrant streets and spaces . . . with their own distinct character, should form a coherent inter-connected network of places that support social interaction . . . with pedestrian priority that gives maximum freedom of movement, a good choice of means of transport [ and] essential activities within walking distance," the manifesto goes on.

It says places "must provide a diversity of functions, tenure, facilities and services, have a mix of building designs and types and include a variety of appropriately scaled districts and neighbourhoods . . . Security should be achieved by organising the urban environment in ways that encourage people to act in a civil and responsible manner".

The design of public spaces and buildings "should be influenced by their context and seek to enhance local character and heritage whilst simultaneously responding to current-day needs, changes in society and cultural diversity", and future decisions must also "engage stakeholders and the local community through public participation".

The manifesto maintains that "diverse, accessible, affordable and active villages, towns and cities will encourage successful commercial activity, promote prosperity and support the well-being of their inhabitants". It also says new and existing places should "connect to the natural environment within and around them".

Urban parks and other landscaped areas should provide space for recreation, encourage biodiversity and help support a balanced environment, new urban forms should be capable of adaptation over time to meet changing needs and the built environment should minimise the use of carbon and other non-renewable resources.

All very sensible stuff, which would really make a difference if it became public policy. But time is running out, as John Thompson says.

So the new academy aims to be a "learned voice" lobbying for change as well as providing an inclusive forum for dialogue across all disciplines and promoting public awareness of urbanism in general.

To get the public involved, it's hosting a web poll in which anyone in Britain or Ireland can make nominations for awards in five categories - great streets, great neighbourhoods, great towns, great cities and great places (these could include a public square, seafront, riverbank or anything that doesn't fall into the other categories).

It is intended to award a "City of the Year" prize, alternating biennially between Britain and Ireland, and mainland Europe. Last year, in a dry-run for the academy's scheme, the Royal Institute of British Architects gave the gong to Copenhagen; others in the running for it included Barcelona, Graz, Rotterdam, Zurich and - wait for it - Dublin.

The criteria were informed by the "principles of urbanism" that now infuse the academy's manifesto, including the quality and "liveability" of a city's public realm, its housing and neighbourhoods policy, "cultural offer" and ease of transportation. It was probably on the latter yardstick, in particular, that Dublin failed to make the final cut.

There are some who may question the need for yet another awards scheme, given that there are so many already. But this one directly involves the public and the cause it seeks to promote is so obviously worthwhile. The results will also provide a snapshot of "best practice" in each category, to enhance our understanding of urbanism.

Frank McDonald is one of the 10 Irish founder-members of the Academy of Urbanism. The Irish Times has also agreed to become a media partner for the academy's Urbanism Awards 2006

How to vote in web poll

Nominations for the Urbanism Awards 2006 are in five categories: city of the year, great town, great neighbourhood, great street and great place. They may be made by members of the public through the Academy of Urbanism’s website, www.academyofurbanism.org.uk.

The results of the web poll, which closes at 5pm on Friday, April 28th, will be reviewed by the academy’s awards group, which will select up to 10 in each category for further consideration by its full membership.

A shortlist of three in each category will then be selected. This filtering process will be useful in guarding against "write-in" campaigns for particular places. The shortlist in each category will be published on June 5th and will then go "head-to-head", backed by regional support teams, at an Oscars-style awards ceremony to be held at the Dorchester Hotel in London on November 10th.