How Cities Work: Suburbs, Sprawl, and the Roads Not Taken

Do cities work anymore? How did they get to be such sprawling conglomerations of lookalike subdivisions, megafreeways and big box superstores surrounded by acres of parking lots? And why, most of all, don’t they feel like real communities? These are the questions that the author tackles in this hard-hitting, highly readable look at what makes cities work. The author argues that urban life has broken down because of our basic ignorance of the real forces that shapes cities - transportation systems, industry and business, and political decision making. He explores how these forces have built four very different urban environments - the decentralised sprawl of California’s Silicon Valley, the crowded streets of New York City’s Jackson Heights neighbourhood, the controlled growth of Portland, Oregon, and the stage-set facades of Disney’s planned community, Celebration, Florida. To build better cities, the author asserts, we must understand and intelligently direct the forces that shape them. Without prescribing any one solution, he defines the key issues facing all concerned citizens who are trying to control urban sprawl and build real communities. This book should be of interest to a wide public and professional audience.