The ground plan is a fundamental element for acting on the urban landscape. It provides planners, urban designers and architects with a structural focus on urban form, with high potential impact on socioeconomic diversity and environmental sustainability. The ground plan does not hinder the creativity of these professionals. It frames their design options by the structure and dynamics of the place, as well as the understanding of urban form’s influence on other aspects of urban life. These arguments are explored in one of the many ongoing initiatives of New York City’s Planning Department, the Gowanus Neighbourhood Plan in Brooklyn. Two of the plan’s projects are critically evaluated: the comprehensive design of Gowanus Green, a new site facing the Gowanus canal, and the rehabilitation of two housing estates, Gowanus Houses and Wyckoff Gardens. This assessment, along with the framework defined throughout the book, leads to a proposal for a limited number of design changes with high potential impact on the lives of Gowanus residents and workers.