The Death And Life Of Great American Cities By Jane Jacobs

The Death and Life of Great American Cities

How cities ought to work is discussed greatly in The Death and Life of Great American Cities, by Jane Jacobs. Throughout this book, Jacobs leads readers through her experiences living in a diverse multitude of cities but generally highlights her time in New York City. Through her eyes, readers are reintroduced to urban planning and its history. Additionally, Jacobs attempts to give readers an understanding of how cities function well, and those aspects that need improvements. Jane Jacobs vigorously critiques Ebenezer Howard's Garden City, the City Beautiful movement, and Le Corbusier's Radiant City.

The opening of The Death and Life of Great American Cities introduces a straightforward critique of

Her understanding is that great cities should include these four qualities; a variety of functions, short building blocks, a mix of buildings of different ages, and a high density of housing, based on an examination of daily life in the city. Jacobs had an eye for detail, and eloquently discussed these functions in terms of living, not just existing in a lively city. As Jacobs sees it, a higher-density city with its own economies and a wide array of people will facilitate the spirit and diversity that cities

Four conditions generate diversity according to Jacobs. Jacobs proposes that a successful district must serve multiple functions, she suggests that short blocks are preferable as they allow for diverse patterns of use. Additionally, incorporating buildings of varying ages can enhance economic yield. Diverse cities are innovative and productive. Being exposed to different people, ideologies, and experiences is why people visit different cities, to begin with.

Part three brings analyzes the forces that are negatively impacting cities today. The first force is displacement, which occurs when more well-off people and businesses from other areas move in and replaces those in a particular area. This inevitably results in a decrease in overall diversity and a ripple effect on neighboring areas. The second force, described by Jacobs as large single facilities, becomes a place for a much more generalized use and creates vacuums around them. This could include a college campus and parking lots adjacent. The third force that Jacobs identifies is population instability, which refers to people moving to or from the city without contributing to its growth or diversity, particularly in low-income areas. This can hinder diversity and contribute to economic inequality. The fourth force she highlights is the idea that money alone, whether from private or public sources, is not enough to make a city thrive. Rather, a combination