Jane Jacobs
The ever sensible, down to earth and totally on target Jane Jacobs passed away April 25. I love this excerpt, when instead of taking the opportunity to engage in a little America-bashing, she just says very simply & sensibly "So we are lucky."
http://www.metropolismag.com/cda/story.php?artid=1934
JHK: The Europeans seem to have a higher regard for city life than we do, and to do better with it. How do you account for that?
Jane Jacobs: Well, you have to go back to something I don't understand and can't explain, which are these planning hysterias that went over America. I guess different kinds of hysterias swept over Europe.
JHK: They get Adolf Hitler, and we get Ed Logue.
JJ: So we are lucky. But something else amazes me about the United States versus Europe. When we are faced with the task of fixing up a riverbank--and many American cities are on rivers--we have to put in theme parks, ballparks, aquariums, all this stuff. In Europe they make granite embankments with a ramp or stairs down to the water, and it's beautiful.
http://www.metropolismag.com/cda/story.php?artid=1934
JHK: The Europeans seem to have a higher regard for city life than we do, and to do better with it. How do you account for that?
Jane Jacobs: Well, you have to go back to something I don't understand and can't explain, which are these planning hysterias that went over America. I guess different kinds of hysterias swept over Europe.
JHK: They get Adolf Hitler, and we get Ed Logue.
JJ: So we are lucky. But something else amazes me about the United States versus Europe. When we are faced with the task of fixing up a riverbank--and many American cities are on rivers--we have to put in theme parks, ballparks, aquariums, all this stuff. In Europe they make granite embankments with a ramp or stairs down to the water, and it's beautiful.
posted by Biz at
7:58 AM
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