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I thought that Alexander's "A City is not a Tree" had a statement about how grids are not necessarily a problem, and organically-shaped streets/towns are not ne
by crabmusket 3y ago
I thought that Alexander's "A City is not a Tree" had a statement about how grids are not necessarily a problem, and organically-shaped streets/towns are not necessarily a solution, but skimming it again I can't find it. Maybe it was in an essay responding to Alexander.
But grids themselves aren't necessarily bad. One can imagine a street grid as a trellis, on top of which life is able to grow in abundance. Alexander and Jacobs both didn't seem to have a problem with grids and right angles, only with poor uses of such.
For example, Jacobs talks about long blocks which prevent cross-mingling between parallel streets. She also describes how staggering streets with dog-legs and other obstructions can improve neighbourhoods by slowing traffic.