UPDATE: This meeting has been canceled. If, like me, you received a post card about it in the mail please disregard it. Next week the D.C. Public Library will start the first round of public meetings connected to the redesign of three neighborhood libraries: the Benning Neighborhood Library, Tenley-Friendship Neighborhood Library, and Watha T. Daniel/Shaw […]
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 […]
City Names Mies Library a Landmark
As several commenters noted on my recent post about the apparent demise of plans to build a new central public library, that building has recently been declared a historic landmark by the city and filed an application for listing on the federal register. The Historic Preservation Review Board staff report and the accompanying National Register […]
My July Planetizen Post
This month I survey the career of greek planner Constantinos Doxiadis, and ask: “Where Are the Star Planners?
The Uses of SMS
During my travels through South Africa, I was consistently surprised by the extent of coverage of my Vodocom cell phone. From the tip of the Cape of Good Hope to remote mountain passes over two hours’ drive from Cape Town, my Nokia cell phone always reported a strong signal. Perhaps I should not be surprised […]