What Jane Jacobs Prevented

A new exhibit at the Cooper Union revisits architect Paul Rudolph's vision for a megadevelopment built around Robert Moses' expressway project that would have destroyed much of SoHo and Tribeca.

1 minute read

November 10, 2010, 2:00 PM PST

By Tim Halbur

From the Cooper Union's exhibition notes:

"Rudolph envisioned an approach to city planning that would conceive of movement throughout a city as the most common shared experience; multi-use transportation networks would be integrated into one design that would replace plazas as the prevailing urban design element. Plans for the LME therefore included not only an underground highway but also elevators and escalators connecting to the subway system, living spaces, a moving walkway, parking lots, and shared public spaces."

Paul Goldberger at The New Yorker comments:

"It was ridiculous in some ways, a futuristic city of the absurd. It ignored the streets, the lifeblood of New York's urbanism, in favor what seems today like a brave new world of anti-urbanism."

FULL STORY: Paul Rudolph’s Manhattan Megastructure

Wednesday, November 10, 2010 in The New Yorker

Urban Development United States Robert Moses Paul Rudolph

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

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

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Get 25% Off Your Subscription

Advertise with us

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.