When an Apple Store wanted to move into the Georgetown neighborhood in D.C., the Design Review Board pushed for a more fitting facade. After a backlash from residents eager for an Apple, the trademark building went in. Is Georgetown better off?
Edward T. McMahon, a senior resident fellow at the Urban Land Institute, thinks not. He says that the Apple Store is an example of a pervasive sameness of the landscape that is erasing the differences between American cities and towns:
"Over the past 40 years America's commercial landscape has progressed from unique to uniform, from the stylized to the standardized."
"To foster a sense of place, communities must plan for built environments and settlement patterns that are uplifting and memorable -- and that create a special feeling of belonging and stewardship by residents."
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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
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