Many recently published books have been devoted to the plight of Urban sprawl. How Cities Work is a recommended addition. Clear, concise and to the point it establishes a solid perspective from which to view the choices that we have made in how we choose to live. The book begins by asserting that the factors that shape any city are a combination of its Transportation, Economics and Politics. After creating a framework for understanding these factors the book presents a critique of the so-called "New Urbanism". Marshall chooses none other than Disney's Celebration in Orlando Florida as his case study for the New Urbanism movement. Contrasting the Potemkin-like Celebration with neighboring Kissimmee, Marshall examines the forces that shaped each. The history of Kissimmee, complete with its ups and downs, demonstrates the workings of an authentic city. Celebration, in comparison, shows itself to be all style and little substance. Cities don't "just happen". It wasn't the simply the car or modern technology that shaped how we live today. Rather, it was the integration of the three forces of Transportation, Economics and Politics. The car is only as good as the roads that get built through government funding and a city's growth is shaped by the politics of zoning boards. The history of the last 50 years has shown that we have chosen a centrifugal direction for these forces. From general neglect of mass transportation to the emergence of restrictive covenants, we've chosen a path that has lead us to the creation of communities that serve to segment and isolate rather than bring together. While Marshall's remedies, especially his penchant for generally left-wing approaches to social policy, may sometimes miss the mark, his book offers an excellent framework from which to approach the task of remaking our cities into much more livable places. How Cities Work : Suburbs, Sprawl, and the Roads Not Taken
A previous reviewer faulted the author for poor analysis. I don't think we read the same book. Throughout the book, the author repeatedly explains issues of economy, transportation, and the power of governmental choice in the formation of cities. He points out, as few new urbanists do, that cities exist for the economic advantage of its citizens, that government makes real decisions about what kind of transportation system is to be utilized, and that it is the transportation system that ultimately determines the form of regions. He effectively articulates that the functions of a city are innate and independent of the forms that city might take. To the author's credit, he clearly identifies his personal preferences for a developmental form that is transit oriented and dominated by urbanist forms.The book is easy to read, and its theories are clearly and repeatedly stated. Is the book correct? Who knows. The author, very ambitiously, attempts to get at the very basics of the existence of the city form, and I think he proffers thoughtful and compelling arguments.
I have been interested in the New Urbanism philosophy for a while now. Living in a walkable community is important to me. In this book, Alex Marshall opened my eyes to different factors involved in maintaining a "traditional city". It challenged my assumptions and changed my opinions. In some ways, Alex is against New Urbanism, saying that usually New Urbanism simply results in buidling new suburban developments. It is not as simple as building houses with front porches within walking distance of a small commercial street. Maintaining a community and a healthy urban core involves transportation, regional government, and politics. Interestingly, Alex challenges that increasing parking and freeway access to a downtown area can kill a City rather than help it. Some people do not like WalMart's because they take business away from smaller community stores. The problems is, this started with the advent of the automobile. If you have a car, you can't blame WalMart. Many people would rather drive to a large box-retail-store to save money than try to find parking at a local small store and pay higher prices. Granted, you might get to know the owner of the local store and meet some neighbors. Gas is cheap and freeways are plentiful. Sadly, there are few alternatives to the car anymore. The minority that would rather live in a "community" and shop at local stores have limited options. As soon as you say "growth restrictions" someone else says you are taking away their right to a new home on 1/2 an acre close to the new freeway paid for and maintained by your tax dollars. What about your right to enjoy a local neighborhood? But, once that person buys their 1/2 acre house, you bet they will fight for growth restrictions to keep that empty stretch of land farther out free from further development. Of course, the developers would have something to say about that. Alex also talks about how suburban developments often seperate housing from retail which makes cars a requirement, and use pods and culdesacs along with feeder streets. This really puts the damper on any ideas of trying to walk or use public transit. It appears that Alex is not a Liberatarian. He supports that governments should not be considered as evil. The entire capitalistic system would not work without the government to enforce the laws, create the transportation systems, print money, form the SEC, etc. Strong and wealthy nations usually have strong governments with a healthy tax base. On a local level, governments used to layout cities, but they don't anymore. Really, state transportation departments build freeways which preceed growth. Now big developers lay out "communities" and turn them over to the city to maintain. Alex does come up with some suggested solutions, but they are not trivial. Overall, the book is an interesting read.
This is a fine read, with humor and deep feeling, showing the plight of the modern city and therefore the modern soul.Marshall argues convincingly that the unmittigated promotion of the automobile has robbed us of both community and even the convenience it was ostensibly designed to promote, turning our cities into isolated cul-de-sacs and sad little strip malls, with the "city" itself often either blighted or turned into a theme park for tourists.This loss of place, he argues, is not ammended by most of the "new urbanism" that's in vogue, which he claims is simply the same old suburb dressed up in a sentimental veneer. Neither is simply building more roads a viable solution.Marshall looks to government, in its best sense, as a public institution as the beginning to working with this dilema. The easy answer of a market driven laizze-faire approach is no answer at all. Instead he argues that we need to first understand how cities function and how good design can be both practical and pleasing. Individuals shouldn't be the ones driving growth around their own short term benefit- communities should be looking towards the long term good. We all need to get involved, and make some tough choices.I was taken on an interesting ride by this book, with intimate, street level looks at some of the most soulful and souless communities around- Copanhagen, Silicon Valley, Jackson Heights among others. I speak of soul here, because even though the book is crisp and articulate, I could sense that the author had a real relationship with these places and invites us to deepen our own, looking at the quality of our lives, and how that relates to the cities, towns, and burbs we live in. Not only an important book, but also an enjoyable one. - Roads - Regional Planning - Suburbs'
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