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The world is littered with examples of this, mostly showcases of what urban planning of the time didn't understand. So much so it's a recurring theme on 99 PI:

The world is littered with examples of this, mostly showcases of what urban planning of the time didn't understand. So much so it's a recurring theme on 99 PI: https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/bijlmer-city-future-part-1/ https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/bijlmer-city-future-p... -- ended up as slums outside of Amsterdam https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/soul-city https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/soul-city -- a city for and by blacks https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/fordlandia/ https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/fordlandia/ -- ford's company town to build tires There's also Brasilia that was supposed to be full of monumental grand plazas, but they learned people don't want to walk 3/4 of mile through a grass field outside their apartment tower just to get to the local market bodega. Today I think Google is making one outside of Toronto, and I heard of someone doing something around Boulder. Economic Opportunity Zones (ie regional tax breaks for development) are kinda in this realm. Personally I'm waiting for Elon's planned city where he will MVP all his social and organizational concepts before blasting off for mars.

ng12 8y ago
> Personally I'm waiting for Elon's planned city where he will MVP all his social and organizational concepts before blasting off for mars. This is more what I'm thinking of. Most planned cities I'm aware of are more like planned suburbs. I'd be more interested a Manhattan without cars.
jamestimmins 8y ago
There's a good book called A History of Future cities that talks about historical examples of this. Although "success"is relative bc it was often the British forcing it on a country that was colonized. IIRC the cities discussed are St. Petersburg, Mumbai, Shanghai, and Dubai. The biggest takeaway is that this is a lot easier if you're an autocrat with an army.
- ng12 8y ago
  > The biggest takeaway is that this is a lot easier if you're an autocrat with an army. I'd believe it. I've often heard that a lot of the most recognizable features of Paris came from Napoleon's renovations.
  - jamestimmins 8y ago
    It would be interesting to see an in-depth look at how different government/social power structures have correlated with successful city design.
outworlder 8y ago
> There's also Brasilia that was supposed to be full of monumental grand plazas, but they learned people don't want to walk 3/4 of mile through a grass field outside their apartment tower just to get to the local market bodega. As if people ever walk there :) It's only walkable if you are going from one apartment complex to another. But the major problem is that there isn't much room for expansion. There is space, but it would mess up the planning. So they push people to 'satellite' cities.
- simonebrunozzi 8y ago
  I've read it has 4 to 5 times the number of pedestrian accidents per capita compared to other large cities in Brazil. I've been there once, I can confirm that it's not pedestrian-friendly.

ng12 8y ago

> Personally I'm waiting for Elon's planned city where he will MVP all his social and organizational concepts before blasting off for mars. This is more what I'm thinking of. Most planned cities I'm aware of are more like planned suburbs. I'd be more interested a Manhattan without cars.

jamestimmins 8y ago

There's a good book called A History of Future cities that talks about historical examples of this. Although "success"is relative bc it was often the British forcing it on a country that was colonized. IIRC the cities discussed are St. Petersburg, Mumbai, Shanghai, and Dubai. The biggest takeaway is that this is a lot easier if you're an autocrat with an army.

ng12 8y ago
> The biggest takeaway is that this is a lot easier if you're an autocrat with an army. I'd believe it. I've often heard that a lot of the most recognizable features of Paris came from Napoleon's renovations.
- jamestimmins 8y ago
  It would be interesting to see an in-depth look at how different government/social power structures have correlated with successful city design.

outworlder 8y ago

> There's also Brasilia that was supposed to be full of monumental grand plazas, but they learned people don't want to walk 3/4 of mile through a grass field outside their apartment tower just to get to the local market bodega. As if people ever walk there :) It's only walkable if you are going from one apartment complex to another. But the major problem is that there isn't much room for expansion. There is space, but it would mess up the planning. So they push people to 'satellite' cities.

simonebrunozzi 8y ago
I've read it has 4 to 5 times the number of pedestrian accidents per capita compared to other large cities in Brazil. I've been there once, I can confirm that it's not pedestrian-friendly.