In response to a recent piece criticizing architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff, Places Journal Editor Nancy Levinson extends the criticism to the entire field, questioning whether its global scope is realistic.
Levinson argues that the realm of architecture is global, and expecting any critic to have a global knowledge is simply asking too much.
"I'd like to spotlight an issue that's gotten less attention and which seems to me to underlie the contemporary critical dilemma. This is the rise of the global critic, the critic with the world beat, beaming copy from Beijing, Dubai, Rome, Basel, or wherever the newest icon or latest star is being born. In a sense this might seem a natural progression in the portfolio of the critic - a nimble adaptation to a discipline that's gone planetary. Yet the accelerating globalization of architecture culture has created for architecture criticism an unintentional conundrum, which is that it's practically impossible to produce good criticism on a global scale."
FULL STORY: Critical Beats
Is the Urban-Suburban Divide Destined to Disappear?
In a new book, Hans Westlund and Tigran Haas argue that the global knowledge economy is radically reshaping urban development. Eventually, they say, it'll render meaningless our present notions of "urban," "suburban," and "rural."
Report Ranks the World's Leading Cities: Now and in the Future
New York is the most important city in the world, but San Francisco is best positioned for the future, according to AT Kearney's "Global Cities" report.
The New Definition of Global City, Fit for a New World
The Brookings Institution's Global Cities Initiative recently released a report proposing a new definition for global cities, which is actually seven definitions.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
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.
Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.
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.
LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie