A would-be Jane Jacobs of the suburbs offers some savvy analysis
and worthy advice. "The suburbs we build are fostering an unhealthy
way of life," declares Langdon (Urban Excellence, not reviewed), as
he expands on his Atlantic Monthly articles on the topic, citing
examples from around the country as well as his home community in
New Haven, Conn. Thus he critiques the distortions our culture
wreaks on houses and neighborhoods and observes that such
fragmented communities can't teach kids street smarts. He suggests
good streets make connections between people and local
institutions. Noting that outdoor life has shifted from social
front porches to private backyards, he suggests that zoning changes
and limits on mortgage deductibility could hamper the spread of
overlarge houses; and he recommends that building-trade
publications acquire a more critical ethos. He closely describes
the Florida Gulf Coast suburb of Seaside, showing how
"neotraditionalist" architects Andres Duany and Elizabeth
Plater-Zyberk have created a more connected community. A success
story in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area shows how city and suburb
have reduced competition by tax sharing, and Kirkland, Wash., is an
example of suburban renewal, having rebuilt its downtown with
offices, housing, and discreet parking. Observing that robust
neighborhood life in the past was the product of scarce resources,
Langdon tempers his prescriptions with the caution that current
surplus wealth fosters waste, but he suggests that a heightened
environmental consciousness could presage reform in community
design. Langdon's narrative voice sometimes could be smoother as he
cobbles together previous writings with new material, but this is a
vital contribution to a too-often neglected issue. (Kirkus Reviews)
A highly praised critique of the modern suburb
What is it about modern American suburbs that has led to so much
dissatisfaction? How has the typical suburban design of the past
fifty years exacerbated the stress of daily life, and what better
alternatives can be found? Philip Langdon crisscrossed the country
to see how suburbs are being built and to interview designers,
developers, planners, and residents. The first results of his
research were published in a cover story in the Atlantic. Since
then, he has broadened his analysis to create this well-illustrated
and highly readable book.
"American suburbs foster social isolation, dependence on the
automobile, long commutes, and segregation of land use, thereby
contributing to family distress and urban decay. That damning
verdict by Langdon ... informs a much-needed visionary critique of
suburban planning and life-styles.... Compelling reading for those
concerned with the declining quality of life, his well-illustrated
analysis will serve as a sourcebook for planners, architects,
builders, and designers". -- Publishers Weekly
"An excellent journalistic study of the 'neo-traditional'
approach to town planning, which seeks to build suburbs designed
deliberately to foster some of the oft-celebrated qualities of
small towns: next-door neighbors who know each other, local
gathering places where strangers can converse freely, attractive
public spaces that encourage foot traffic". -- Wall Street
Journal
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