Ideas and beliefs about human settlement patterns have made radical fluctuations throughout the twentieth century and have inspired a number of proposals for the ideal community form. This thesis will explore the changes in these ideas over the past century and chart new ideas since the beginning of Columbia, Maryland in 1964. As Columbia's initial visions approach their fiftieth anniversary, changes throughout society and across the world pose challenges for these visions. The goal of this thesis is to spatially analyze current economic, environmental, and social issues in Columbia and proposed a series of strategies to guide design proposals. The intent is not to provide an entirely new solution for Columbia, but rather to determine how the initial framework for the planned new town can be adapted into a sustained method of growth for years to come.