Ugly L.A. Deserves a Makeover

Los Angeles is ugly. But it doesn't have to be, argues Sam Lubell.

1 minute read

December 12, 2010, 11:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg


In this editorial for The Architect's Newspaper, Lubell asserts that the city hasn't paid close enough attention to livability issues.

"The first step on that road would be approval of the proposed design guidelines recently put forward by the LA Planning Department. The guidelines are a checklist of smart urban ideas, including narrower, more walkable streets, activated street fronts, and more neighborhood-sensitive architecture. This is not new thinking, and much of the rules wouldn't be binding, but they're an important tool in gaining momentum for building a more livable city. Efforts to derail the proposal, which will soon go up for a vote, have come largely from groups that argue that the guidelines might spur overdevelopment. That's nonsense. There's always going to be development. It just needs to be carried out responsibly."

Wednesday, December 8, 2010 in The Architect's Newspaper

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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

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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