Freeway Landscapes and Timescapes

"As 'natural landscapes' become increasingly elusive and scarce, and as sprawl consumes greaterterritory, there may be more attempts to create 'wilderness infills' in the midst of urbanized areas."

1 minute read

September 28, 2000, 6:00 AM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


The "American mythology of the freedom of the open road" no longer squares withreality. Our highways are so congested that just being on the highway furthersour sense that we are not in control of our lives. "As 'natural landscapes'become increasingly elusive and scarce, and as sprawl consumes greaterterritory, there may be more attempts to create 'wilderness infills' in themidst of urbanized areas: highly-constructed recreational or meditativeenvironments that stand in for what is no longer so accessible." Beyond that,the next step may be to make highways not look so much like highways: perhapsour SUVs will glide along "smart highways" cleverly engineered "to look like awoodland glade."

Thanks to Sally Greene

Thursday, October 1, 1998 in Bad Subjects

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

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