Part 4 of my South Africa series Imagine a public transportation system that combines the low cost and fixed routes of a bus, with the frequency and availability of a private taxi. The system would be idea: convenient, low-cost, and predictable. There’d be no fear the driver was taking you for a ride, and catching […]
Government-Built Sprawl
Part 3 of my South Africa Series The lack of progress bridging the social divides in South Africa has not been due to political will. In addition to a variety of political rights (many which Americans will be familiar with from our Bill of Rights), the South African Constitution includes workers’ rights to join unions, […]
The Defensive City
Part 2 in my South Africa series The combination of affluence and desperate poverty in South Africa I described yesterday has made the country a world leader in both crime and security technology. In particular, security measures are pervasive in the physical form of the city. Although some of the security measures date from the […]
A Cityscape Divided
Part 1: Setting the Scene I recently returned from spending one month in Cape Town participating in a study abroad program. Each day this week I will post a new article exploring, in order, the social context, the defensive architecture I observed, government led low-income urban sprawl, Cape Town’s ingenious Minibus taxis, and a selection […]
Georgetown Park Under Construction
After three decades of planning, debate, and delays, construction on the Georgetown Waterfront Park is finally underway in earnest. These photos were taken in late May. When it is complete in Spring 2008 the park will be the largest park created in Washington since Constitution Gardens on the National Mall in 1976. The design includes […]
My July Planetizen Post
This month I survey the career of greek planner Constantinos Doxiadis, and ask: “Where Are the Star Planners?
Ballston Examined
I completed this essay for the final assignment for my urban design class. The assignment was to conduct an analysis of this block adjacent the Ballston Metro Station in Arlington County, Virginia. My study area is part of the “Ballston-Rosslyn Corridor,” a nationally-known example of smart growth. Along the corridor, the county has added roughly […]