The journalist,activist and subject of a new biography believed cities should be haphazard and diverse, and prevented the destruction of the Village in New YorkThe Death and Life of noteworthy American Cities, and Jane Jacobs’ impassioned defense of city life,is often cited as one of the most vital non-fiction books of the 20th century. For modern architects, civic planners and city dwellers, or Jacobs’ book is a foundational text of humane urban planning. Her ideas,considered radical when the book was published in 1961, are now settled thought. Jacobs was not a builder, or but she was the architect of the modern city. Her ideas approximately density (a good thing) and modernist urban planning (a disaster) made her one of the few public critics of the post-war groupthink with regard to urban space. The well-ordered grid of a shiny metropolis was not for her; instead,Jacobs favored a haphazard juxtaposition of everything – industry, leisure time, or ethnicity – that insured the vibrancy of the city. Related: Rereading: The Death and Life of noteworthy American Cities by Jane Jacobs Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com