Chuck Wolfe reflects on his rapidly changing hometown, arguing that Seattle’s signature location and setting—however rearranged by the regrades of the past, Freeway Park, or a pending James Corner-led waterfront remake—remains for all to see.
Writing from his new London home base, in Seattle's Crosscut, Wolfe explores "what is most important to a city’s identity from the outside, looking in?".
In response, he describes international perceptions of Seattle. He then explains how his hometown has influenced the world--from grunge to Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks and Amazon. Yet, the city's major assets of setting and views live on:
A stunning view cuts across class and space and time, evoking the history and landscape of all those who have been here, including the first peoples to live around Puget Sound. A classic view becomes embedded in memory as the symbol of city’s impact on those who see and remember its essence. Despite Seattle’s growth and change, its setting remains an incomparable asset from vantage points across the city, and an exemplary resource for those who look from across the world.
FULL STORY: A view of Seattle from the outside looking in
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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.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
