Nicolai Ouroussoff, The New York Times' architecture critic, argues that philistine planning decisions such as the one that restricted the height of Jean Nouvel's proposed tower last month, "risk transforming a living city into an urban mausoleum."
The building would have been as tall as the Empire State Building, minus its antenna, "a fact that probably made planners tremble." Amanda Burden, the city planning commissioner, said the tower's top, did not live up to the aesthetic standards of a building that would compete with the Manhattan's most famous towers.
Ouroussoff counters that "the desire of each new generation of architects and builders to leave its mark on the city, to contribute its own forms, is essential to making New York what it is." The soaring height and slender way in which Nouvel's tower achieves it captured the spirit of midtown Manhattan and 'brought that spirit forcefully into the present."
FULL STORY: Off With Its Top! City Cuts Tower to Size
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
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Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
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As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
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With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
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.
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US High Speed Rail Association
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