This is not
stock
photography.
There is no such
thing as
"Anywhere, USA".
We are not
living in an
urban
renaissance.
Detroit is not
dead.
There are many
misconceptions
about American
cities, most
born of
stereotypes that
may be partly
true but only tell us
half of the
story.
Of course,
those cities
that have
stereotypes
could consider
themselves
fortunate.
Close your eyes
and think of San
Jose- can you
picture even the
skyline?
That's a
problem, not
least because
it's the 10th
largest city in
the nation and
the urban center
of Silicon
Valley.
The point is,
America is more
than just New
York, Chicago
and L.A., and
New York,
Chicago and L.A.
are more than
just glitzy
skylines.
Every city in
America has
hundreds of
blocks and
corners,
thousands of
doors and
millions of
windows that
together weave
into the most
colorful and
diverse tapestry
ever created,
that of the
nation's urban
fabric.
The writer and
urbanist
William H. Whyte
spent years
observing people
in Manhattan's
public spaces to
conclude that
"people tend to
sit most where
there are places
to sit." This
may not seem
like a stunning
revelation but
it belies how
complex our
relationship
with the built
environment is.
Indeed, we spend
so much time in
cities that many
of their basic
features seem
obvious- but are
they?
The Built Study
is an attempt to
answer that
question and
many others.
But you'll only
find them if you
look. |