This slideshow from Design Observer takes a look at New Deal-era utopian cities as they exist today.
Photographer Jason Reblando uses these cities to show how the ideals of utopian planning have fared over the years, and how these places are experienced by their inhabitants today.
"Observing the overcrowding and foul air of late 19th-century London slums, Howard proposed the Garden City concept, which would combine the social and economic opportunities of the city and the natural beauty of the country. The Greenbelt Town Program set out to be the most fully realized manifestation of Garden City principles in America.
In these photographs, my goal is not only to evoke the communal spirit for which the greenbelt architecture was designed but also to meditate on the urge to create a better society. I learned that many residents remain proud of the New Deal legacy; today the greenbelt towns enjoy common green spaces, and housing layouts encourage neighborly interaction. Yet I want my images to acknowledge somehow that utopia is a problematic goal. It is unsettling to realize that African-Americans helped to build Greenbelt, Maryland, but were not allowed to live in it; they were confined to a separate development, Langston Terrace. We might ask: Who defines utopia? Who has the opportunity to experience it? "
FULL STORY: New Deal Utopias
Capturing the Post-Pandemic City: The Power of 'Visual Prosecution'
Have you ever tried immersive photography to show how urban landscapes, with their ever-evolving stories, are changing post-pandemic? A three-time author of books about understanding the innate identities of urban places updates his perspective.
EPCOT: The Original 'Smart City'
What can today’s futurists learn from Disney’s unrealized utopia?
New Research Reexamines HOLC's Role in Redlining
New Deal agencies did engage in discriminatory lending practices–but not quite in the way we think.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie