Celebration: American dream or Stepford?
"The construction of the city is one of the greatest achievements of man. The shape of his city has always been and always will be a pitiless indicator of the state of its civilization to be." Edmund Bacon, 1967
The art of building cities, and for the lost and rejected more than half a century in favor of decentralization commercial strip development and urban sprawl (the stepchildren of modernity) is being revived in a number of "New Town" projectsCutting across the country. Mare, Newport, Windsor (all on the east coast) and now Disney's Celebration, hearts and wallets of Americans want to find a balance between the isolation of the infrastructure, waste and social peripheries of our sophisticated and higher density, rough / Crime clichés taken a big city. A dispute (perhaps) bonus is that somewhere in this middle ground could be a new sense of community.
Millions of Americans in our sterile suburbs can berobbed by a human need: a balanced social education / environment (which our European colleagues have every day) to experience. Political isolation and avoidance have a root in our psyche. In our lifetime limits minimal interaction on a daily basis for children and adults with a cross section of people of different ages with different cultural, ethnic and economic consequences of our worldview and understanding of each other. The central themes of democratic communityParticipation and ownership are, perhaps, because the more philosophical and social issues that are bypassed by the consciousness that Americans continue to ignore the touch.
For New Urbanism, would most Americans do not know if they do something in the ass. As with climate change (a form of legal bribery: the destruction of the wetland protected flora and fauna, in exchange for $ 15M) Disney has not exceeded the typical subdivision in many ways. To celebrate, the peoplecommuters, commuting to their jobs, while workers in the lower CBD in the car as a result of pollution is even more so, because the entire mixed-use development with higher density. Municipalities and parks are close by-batch-enhancements compared to the monotony of the typical subdivision, no doubt.
Party is over controlled and lacks a social conscience. And 'elite: Gingerbread glosses social inequality. There is no evidence for the contribution of individualcitizenship is still there until the (homeowners association) changing hands for a day and Disney are legally immune. Totalitarian control, as in Haussmann in Paris under Napoleon III, it seems the only way that Americans are finding some measure of utopia. The abandonment of the democratic process has accepted a compromise to win the peace of mind (read racial, social, economic, cleaning). Our sad story not to modern planning and zoning, originally to improveQuality of life, showed an antiseptic, blunting social and ecological mystery, where the only winners are bureaucrats and corporate developers.
A Celebration intoxicated architects have been banned by a power that could only be protected by executive mandate company. Omnipotence design linked to the company ends up in a high-end, lead to the splitting too expensive steroids. Strangely, the architecture of the center is a product of poor management control have been,'Name' architects imported. Trivia pastels with a smooth surface (due to individual developers to build it all together and too STO) is a Disney brand. You can also get a whiff of fascism to the sequence input to the project, including Disney offices are in stark contrast to the very abstract to the colonial period and classical traditionalism of the other public buildings nearby.
In general, recalls the image of the residential facadeswestern arm of the first cities, which hide a lean "back of the house." Facade panels are pressed into a narrow lot, while the infrastructure in the form of hidden courtyards 2-3 car garage will be duplicated. Socializing around the gardens and curb is deteriorating dramatically. Screening is only on the back, where most of the families should spend their time in the pool and safe from bugs. It will not be disturbed by the parade of curious tourists, DisneyPlanning to move to the city center.
While the use of its brand and the offer is a total commitment in all aspects of predictability much Disney in Florida for the purchase of swamp a good feeling, "Utopia on a plate". Sans serendipity, surprise, surprise, or complexity of the whole subject is succinctly "defense of privilege." While "citizens" are eager to wake up in Mayberry can find, to their dismay, that actually bought into Stepford.
PART 1: A first lookDisney 'Celebration'
What if they built a city and nobody came? (An interesting thought, but perhaps not so, as guaranteed corporate inertia and mass marketing build-out.) In this example, I feel a strange sense of loss, though perhaps at first sight to be true, a dream, Neo-Classical. While many traditional architects / designers have the classic and the modern period, the random trip to the built environment and denigrated hopes that the floodagain one day, a widespread use of traditional or formal design principles, a theory with more traditional planning and biological, the concept of a utopian environment, a "return to tradition" does not attempt in this volume were (present except in Leon Krier fantasies coupled) in three dimensions. Until now.
End of February this year, many local architects and designers were residential customers, the premiere of Disney 'Celebration' guests. They planned this city of 20,000 master-state-of-the-art health and educational facilities, a town center with the usual style paintings "important" architects of the development time (including a rather surprising modernesque voice of Philip Johnson) and approximately 8,000 residential types and sizes, Its the largest 90-foot by 15 foot side setbacks.
The project manager, a graduate of Princeton Architectural with an MBA, has insisted that the objective of the Master Plan in order to induce a sense of community was, and the expectation ismake a mix of ages and economic background, where families have lived there for several generations. And there was ('model' is based on the books of yesterday) is a meticulously designed and produced architectural control standards manual to see what styles acceptable to the residential units: Classical, Victorian, Colonial Revival, Coastal, Mediterranean and French.
Architectural control includes first and second floor heights and untouchablewhat types of windows and doors to use, setbacks, massing and materials for each unique style. Treatments porch, roof and facade of recommended design standards, as well. Reach Picket Fences, common areas and shady avenues, as shown in watercolor conceptual perspectives Mayberry-Savannah-Charleston feel with a seemingly happy people enjoying the good life is sitting on the floor porches and first single (highly recommended) watch the world go by .
I could not get my fingersthe thing that worries me, as I understand it was God in planning is seen or heard, recall the drums of the Third Reich. The model of Strathmore in the city seemed a little 'forced. Here were Pelli, Venturi, star, Moore and small monuments in the shape of a bank, theater, apartment, office, cultural center, observation tower, etc., all arranged neatly on separate blocks. It looked like a theme park swell place to live everything had its place on the boulevardwas the axis that connects the industrial area on the lake shore, with roads that intersect, allowing a minimum of parking spaces.
Halt any additional residential areas have been grouped by the size of the lots with alleys that separate the types and also the removal of unsightly two or three garage doors facing the main road seen, without doubt, a significant improvement over the typical layout S-America. Everything seemed so perfect as possible. Some time after 1940 wasstressed that "... architecture is a right, we're trying to develop (from well-designed buildings, implied) will continue as if it had never been interrupted;. take the left fork in the road" Very true, I agreed to modernists certainly drowned robbed this country and the world about themselves with their banal functionalism. I was skeptical at the same time rooting. A little voice inside me told me to stand up and defend ... everything - that may be missing.
I asked if theEntry points had to be filtered. "There is, we think this is an open community." What is with security issues? "No crime at a given moment." We were giggling at the vision of 40 black and white on the streets. The city will be able to sustain itself? "The whole area is currently used as a pre-lease". How you can sit in front of the portals in Florida heat and swarms of mosquitoes, especially since there are so shielded enclosure? "The ceiling fans and coolto disperse the flocks. "Well, there was nothing to criticize, Disney had understood everything. We all left satisfied and thanked our host.
The next day I shared the following sentence:
I know that the model contains the traditional European designs in an American city, but not the most successful models (especially for the viability of commercial activities) to close the circle and reintroduce classic Italian, French or German prototype?Perhaps the theme of the celebration will be II? The celebration of another irony is that I remember going to Walt's EPCOT was for a "City of the Future" vital, real life examples of futuristic living quietly and working conditions (technical progress, etc.) and building the corresponding node. I think we looked towards the future and really did not know where the "right" fork led. For now, unless there is a better alternative I have with the premise that you intend Celebrationand takes its intention to re-educate America about what a community should also really exist. They have a layout that is still a utopian glimmer of memory and desire to inspire in all who visit. "
But the unpleasant feeling in my stomach kept grinding. Eventually I put together: First, like Seaside, this community is designed to move visitors at ease only in the city and enjoy the views. Secondly, with lots of architectural control of organic trendcreative growth of the shoot was cut short before injection as an Orwellian. Even with six styles allowed, the quixotic architectural invention a street-scape was so charming and full of life makes it impossible. Victorian Colonial Revival grafted a reason not credible. Mixing classic Mediterranean Palladio prohibited. Why were they not also conceivable modern twist! (I was surprised myself a little push to the style "contemporary").
"... But if the only form of tradition,The tradition was, in following the ways of the immediate generation before us in a blind or timid adherence to its successes, should 'tradition' can be positively discouraged. "
R. Venturi, 1966
Even if we imagine the implicit objectives of innovation for the best Disney, has his own plan is not sufficiently advanced modern urban planning practice, in this case except to sterilize further. The artificiality of the independent city center reads more like an extension ofFacade of Disney or Universal citecture right in his studio lots. I always prefer the historical prototype of the European Parliament (Italian, greek, German or French) town square with its vitality and spontaneity of nature, is completely absent from American CBD. (Incidentally, the cartoon appear to be replicas of old-world themes of Disney World, more people oriented than in Celebration!) The integration of many urban problems are needed to provide a nurturing environmentespecially in the "Downtown". For example, filling the long-term growth, withdrawal and conversion is crucial to establish a thread of continuity and adds an essential level of enrichment of the urban condition.
Everything was old so random in this country to make way for economic progress snatched the preservation movement took hold. What makes this example so interesting is the continental mix of old (story) and new, the density and mix of commercial andResidential, and proof of life - how people have their way, random events, social, shopping and watch, eat and play, etc. The main problem is attested by saying that isolates Celebration and functions of the area as many other modern plans that translated into machine-centered design or formally landscaped S. Consider the simple presence of street vendors (generally prohibited), which add so much color to life on the road. And if the new highwaysbypassed, many of the older communities of our nation, the opportunity for tourists, travelers, was dying stranger (gasp) to citizens through a chance encounter on the market or to enrich the market. The complete interaction with the outside world has been lifted. The city dies. This dilemma is especially true with the cities, as expected Celebration and sea, and the multitude of other "in the Americaine."
However, you need to know before buying in Celebration, that the correctInoculations were made. For my part I miss the smell of diesel or horse-drawn carriages to the dusty streets of Izmir, Turkey (where I spent my youth), which can happen in a bar in the corner, call a roasted nut vendor sample the 'last harvest of sea salted pistachio nuts, waiting to be served on my olive oil-braised lamb chops. Not only the smell, but the sights and sounds of my peers and in their daily way of life and I miss the rich environment that involvedWeight of these activities. Architecture can not solve scheduling problems. Only the people united to preserve their humanity.
The irony is that more than 25 years, Walt Disney created the experimental prototype city of Tomorrow (EPCOT) as a showcase home and use a viable population; real people in a work environment. That did not happen. What has been accomplished, an intelligent, but surpassed kitschsy first theme park planted with more exciting (forYoung in all of us), but cornball "futuristic" rides taken by Corporate America. Now Disney has decided that the past is the key to the future. And they have a vehicle to demonstrate that they are right totalitarian. For a while 'rooting for them, now I am more convinced that the Stepford Wives a place for them.
At a time when such a variety of buildings, visual aspect, it is absurd for the enforcement of only degenerating uniformity. Withrecognition of the principles of gradual renewal of the environment, you should follow the practices of the past, where they have been applied: each period, the construction of new building next to those from earlier and earlier times with no design elements in use. The practice is sound, influenced by a lack of confidence or a morbid desire to ensure that the control passed to the present. It has the urban and peri-urban areas of ancient times, first for museums and is protectedDelight of many English cities, where buildings are close to different times to close the city's history and where the difference of their buildings can be read. Who is on rue de Rivoli, Paris street totally depressing to understand, was that "living diversity", small-scale planning, privacy and other ecological values which meant that gradually rediscovered. Why not "design guides", not more control over opticalAppearance of officials of education and limited visual sensitivity, or neighbors, to impose their tastes or to fight as a broker, to protect their "investments" and their ulterior motives do not want to wear testing. "
Walter Segal, 1980
Epilogue
After receiving some criticism for the above and after examining the issue, I came across a social study of Pullman, Illinois (10 miles south of Chicago) as a model community built in 1881,including housing and care facilities, basic (as well as the establishment of the Company Pullman Palace Car), where 8,000 people lived and worked. My sensibilities were shocked at the parallels. He wrote: "A basic idea behind Mr. Coach" as a social commentator and economist Richard Ely, in his analysis of the city "is the commercial value of beauty." Coach asked to design a single teacher and architect design the whole city. There was a market-house, theater, library, offices, shops, bank,Hotels, fire, education, solid, etc. In describing the street-scape Ely
Design units and an unexpected variety charm us as we walk through the city. The grass is always the same width that separates the houses from the road, but they are so clean and green, cut into one to overlook this regularity of form. Even if the houses are built in groups of two or more, and also in blocks with the exception of some apartment buildings cheaply, they have noResemblance to the barracks ... French roofs, roofing square, dormers, turrets, pointed, blunt points, triangles, squares, irregular, the equipment has reached the upper floors to avoid the appearance of uniformity uninterrupted. A knowledge of mathematics shows how the infinite variety of possible combinations of a few elements, and a better understanding of this fact, as issued by the architecture of Pullman, it would be difficult to find. The roads intersect atright angles, but in this case, responsibility is terrible monotony of New York, which sometimes lead to a nervous person must cry for relief avoided. A public plaza, arcade, hotel, market, or a large building, often on a street as brilliant as the regular line breaks, but set no inconvenience to traffic. Then at the end of long roads received a pleasant prospect, and strain on the eyes - a bit 'of water, a piece of lawn, a wood or even an important, butlaboratory in order. All this sits on visitors day by day. No one else takes skill of Pullman received praise as little as its architecture.
In fact, continues. "Very gratifying is the impression of the visitor, hurriedly crossed Pullman and observes only the splendid provision for the material comforts of the inhabitants of what is seen on a walk or a ride through the streets is so pleasing to the eyes of first cry a woman is to make sure"Perfectly lovely!"
But it was dug about six years after the spade in the first place to start this utopia of a major riot broke out. Coach came despite efforts to beautify their income through the cultivation of the city and to maximize comfort, the most practical for his workers for the inevitable collapse. It should be noted that, like many other companies, cities, workers are not even their property. Strikes, and mutual charity initiativeAssociations were frustrated, depressed or discouraged. A woman who had lived in Pullman for two years said: Ely, only three families still lived in their first knowledge there. Ely said: "It 's like living in a big hotel, right?" Your answer was: "We call the field".
Ely has concluded. "It 'an oppression here as elsewhere, a marked individuality tends to all, residents of the city as a punch, the best character in'. Made retired" expressedNote that at this point does not refer to the social problems that undoubtedly had a profound negative impact on people, but refers more to the architecture and design office properties, which previously had described as idyllic! Ends up in a political responsibility, "... the conclusion is inevitable that the idea of Pullman is un-American. It is an approach than anything the writer seems to be that the ideal of the great German Chancellor has seen. And ' is notAmerican ideal. And 'benevolent, well-meaning feudalism, which desires the happiness of the people, but it got the authority. One can not help thinking of the late Tsar of Russia, Alexander II., For the welfare of his subjects was a real cause for concern. He wanted to be happy, but willed his fortune to go to him, in which everything should center. Serfs were emancipated, abolished the whip, and did not raise insurmountable objections to the reforms, until hisPeople have shown a strong determination to take up my own to govern themselves, and pursue their own happiness in their own way. "How much of the unrest was by coach from negative social factors and how much could be attributed to physical infrastructure seemingly utopian?
"The more influence a person is able to exert on its environment, becomes more involved."
Herman Hertzberger, 1980
A free people must take their free choiceLiving in terms of style, materials, costs, etc. In many areas where over-the law under the pretext of protecting the integrity of the community a boring repetition of results occurs because of restricted size, height, materials and style. In addition to reports of the area associated with the design of structures resulting restraint (who are desperately looking for any gaps through which you can find fragments of individualism assigned) are often tempted horrible practice, originality and personalityan oppressive environment architecture. Legislation rather than how to complete the entire project, including the style, why not let the individual (and his architect!) To choose, innovate better addressed in a series of guidelines?
Some time after 1940 has been observed, "... architecture is a right that you try to continue the development [of well-designed buildings, implies], as if never interrupted;. Take the left fork in the road "
"There is a repression hereas elsewhere, a marked individuality. Everything tends to residents, such as a stamp on the city, the best character in 'machine-made' Express ...
Construction should understandably poor and badly thought out systems that are not allowed, but the refusal, as the canon of strict "Mediterranean" or "French" is not followed, was "the book" The limits of creative growth and experimentation for a long time term, if allowed, a fertile variety, freshness, even in times of conflict isthat can only enrich the built environment and "Empower" individuals with the right to freedom of expression. Style should not be prescribed by law. Bad architecture, should be eliminated.
"A good architect will always be original work. A bad work is bad 'modern' and working poor (ie, imitative) to do with historical forms." P. Johnson, 1961
It 'unfortunate that can not be convincing in the development of new cities and smaller communities, the rich texture of urban classicsreplicated. Given the choice between a pasteurized and homogenized model of the city with its inherent philosophical anomalies have taken the path of pebbles on dusty roads will pass old, dilapidated building with the doors and weather-gnarled wood of beautiful designs, where the smell permeates the bread Being my baker in the morning, the markets of the past, breathing the smell of fresh tomatoes, corn and meat, from the fields, where even brought the pungent smell ofPack animals are mixed with exotic scents, where the hordes together to joke about the price of goods under the canvas canopy open air, and the dealers in the niches of the relics of stone fort, which serves the smell of freshly ground coffee in sidewalk cafe, hidden, and where even the smell of a defective sewage mixes with diesel exhaust. Above all, men have to leave these places come alive as an actor on a set where they have the opportunity to have the color and from whichremember their history.
The key to urban vitality, as LMRoth describes the opinions of an eminent writer and editor of Architectural Forum in the early sixties, like Jane Jacobs, is "the diversity and complexity." Kip Leonard wrote from Genoa for the development of our cities (1870): "With what joy that satisfaction (the traveler) wandering through its narrow alleys, finding new surprises around every corner!" From Paris, he describes the feeling of "losing ourselves ... with the full awareness that we arebe led astray ... not bad "
The Americans have for too long, the fruits of modern planning principles, urban gray landscapes constructed from manual to plan recognized breed with the heart-dispersive (rather than implosive) zoning, with the consequent separation of its parts, suburban and waste infrastructure . If "a house is like a city" we all live in extravagant waste of space, empty corridors lead to remote areas, whose only functional relationships canbe followed by a mapping system. Kip aptly describes our communities and neighborhoods new feature, "... when people see the whole road was rolled in front of him like a diorama, he soon ceases to feel any spark of individual taste, but capture the spirit of builds and builds others in the same style as everyone around him, and so, in a house, the owner, is not measured at home, but only a certain number of linear feet of a rule. "
InHalf of the twentieth century, Lewis Mumford criticized the result of increased ownership of the space for the automotive industry in America, the city that the city exists for the "care and culture of the people" instead of a compromise to the mechanical monster. Los Angeles is the epitome of '"perfect immunity and lethal efficiency" (Leland M. Roth, builds America) has gone from the principles and provisions of the Federal Highway Act mutant. Mumford asked: "Why would anyone take a car andto drive a few miles to get a pack of cigarettes or a loaf of bread to get, how often you need in a suburb? Why, on the other side should be a growing minority of people unable to walk back to work, living within the city, or for that matter, be able to return home from the theater or concert hall? If urban services are compact, yet inspired by the American Vai: He did not travel thousands of miles just to enjoy this privilege in the historic city coresEurope? ... Nothing would do more to revitalize our urban centers such as frustrated restore the pedestrian area, shopping malls and Pleasance designed to make circulation a delight! "
Failure of this celebration. Even if you alleys hide the car really does not require the entire layout, the pedestrian street and ordered his clinical allow you to leave even the smallest items. Food Corner used to be in the free zone and free of organic cities yesterday, but lacksHere. The plan looks good from the top view, but not to deliver in reality. The look of Charleston and Savannah will be here, but try going to miss the activity and vitality, at least as a product of their citizens. (Oh, yes, the lights in the houses of the celebration of the residents should have no time and out at night, the landlord at their Swiss time-share during the period from May to October).
"The construction of the city is one of the peoplegreatest hits. The shape of his city has always been and always will be a pitiless indicator of the state of its civilization.
Edmund N. Bacon, 1967
Celebration should be submitted to the American city par excellence? Charles Moore (one of the symbols chosen for a Disney celebration center facilities) that characterizes the American attitude in the description of "the vernacular of contemporary North America," as "the work of a nation of people who sooner or later, in compoundmore or less, have dispensed with tradition, a strike alone "But, he concluded:" .. Some of our vibrant and exciting places, in fact, are fantasies, Williamsburg or Disneyland "
Disney needs for their commitment and meticulous attention to detail are praised as always, but the ideal test and lose so clearly through the organization of the design of their dream city of the components that make up the soul and lifeblood of every excluded communities (seen inmodels of great historical value for the vibrant cities) are possible only in a sterile sum of construction, as American cities that have been circumventing the main roads are abandoned by the left relegated to peripheral shopping malls and super-decaying inner core. If not for the elect, who have left paid to sign their names on the mortgage papers, the streets first. Architect James Marston Fitch has described the Italian way as "the most delightful experienceembrace and shelter is no place on earth. "Satisfying people / street image that Disney's Epcot theme has created a fantasy enjoyed by millions of people. It 'was reached the effect that Bernard Rudofsky describes as done with the streets" instead of deserts into oases. "Cities like Charleston and Savannah are perfect models for the living community. They reflect what Edmund Bacon, who characterized the ancient Greek cities as" the intimacy of the inherited tradition ... receive. "Why not do moreclosely the example of her and the other cities of similar vitality and charm to rethink our building regulations sterile, reducing the size of the sumptuous private residential lots, compact integration of living and working in the area, and adding spaces green in the most advantageous? Encouraging pedestrian traffic will not be a problem if there are services and entertainment nearby, if he could go on a walk in the park, the food, when their way of working, it could easily be aNewspaper and a snack by the seller on the street. Sounds like a utopia? It 'been done. It can be done. Only the mentality and the status quo - and our 90-year love affair with our cars prohibits this healthy and economical alternative.
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