Alain de Botton has an idea that beauty is not in the eye of the beholder, when it comes to cities anyways. He also proposes a system for evaluating the beauty of the world's cities (spoiler: most cities don't qualify).
Laura Bliss shares a newly released video by renowned writer and philosopher Alain de Botton that makes strong claims about the beauty of cities—such as the idea that beauty, when evaluated as a characteristic of cities, is not a subjective matter.
"But in the case of cities, beauty is objective, argues Alain de Botton in a provocative new video—and saying that it's not is a danger to the quality of urban life," writes Bliss.
De Botton lists six characteristics as more "scientific" criteria for the beauty of cities, including examples like "order," "compactness," and "a sense of the local."
Remarks Bliss: "De Botton has no problem pointing out which cities meet these standards (Paris, New York, Barcelona) and which ones don't (Phoenix, Munich, but also, 'most cities,' all over the world)."
On that last point, it seems de Botton agrees with Frank Gehry's infamous sentiments about the quality of architecture these days. And in laying out a list of prescriptions, as he does, de Botton's method strikes as similar to that of Prince Charles.
The video can be found below.
Read the full story: What Makes a City Beautiful?
Op-Ed: What Can Be Done About Toronto's Drabness?
After decades of "just-good-enough when it comes to design," now may be the time for Toronto to take steps to upgrade its aesthetics.
Study: How Beauty Is a Boon for Cities
Richard Florida discusses a study finding a range of connections between a city or neighborhood's aesthetic appeal and its economic health.
What's Missed When Taking the Scenic Route?
An app that plots the most beautiful route across cities made news earlier this month, but one commenter worries about how taking the more scenic route could make it harder to improve quality of life in the "less-than-scenic" sections of cities.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
‘Going backwards:’ Baltimore mayor, students rally against state's transit funding plan
Maryland's proposed six-year plan provides no funding for Baltimore’s BMORE bus program and reduces its road maintenance funding.
Detroit to transform waterfront with $2.2 billion investment
Developers will convert about 18 acres of unused parking lot space into civic spaces.
HUD modernizes 50-year-old manufactured housing framework
The Next Generation Manufactured Housing Action Plan establishes new energy-efficiency standards for manufactured homes, and new guidelines for anchoring them.
New CA housing laws tear down development red tape
Recently-signed legislation makes building starter homes and ADUs cheaper and faster in California.
Metrolink finishes first expansion in 20 years
The transit agency is now one of very few in the United States to connect two major airports.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority