Cities In The Sky

Are the proposals for the World Trade Center really preview of master plans for our 21st-century cities?

1 minute read

January 28, 2003, 8:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"...The process of thinking about this unique site expanded into an exercise in imagining a new future for the skyscraper in an increasingly dense and urbanized world. In a number of proposals, the towers are interconnected rather than autonomous, so that they work horizontally as well as vertically. In effect, they create another ground plane to accommodate the kinds of public spaces historically limited to the street: parks, gardens and cultural facilities. The nine diverse schemes all conceive of urban life as a vertical proposition --- cities in the sky."

Thanks to ArchNewsNow.com

Sunday, January 26, 2003 in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

portrait of professional woman

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

Get top-rated, practical training

The Seat of Government

Good Planning Under Bad Leadership

Planners must sometimes work under bad leadership. Here are suggestions for responsive planning in challenging political environments.

February 3, 2025 - Todd Litman

Amtrak train with downtown Seattle in background.

Amtrak Cascades Line Breaks Ridership Record

The route linking Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC served nearly one million riders in 2024.

February 2, 2025 - Daily Hive

Close-up of Donald Shoup during interview.

Legendary Parking Guru Donald Shoup Dies at 86

Urbanists are mourning the loss of a dynamic voice for parking reform and walkable cities.

February 10, 2025 - StreetsBlog NYC

Top floors of blue and white apartment building with palm trees against sunny blue sky in Malibu, California.

LA County Leaders Seek to Increase Penalties for Rent Gouging

Landlords who raise rents sharply after disasters could face fines of up to $50,000.

February 11 - Los Angeles Times

Man and two children on bikes next to red and silver train on sunny day.

How ‘Anti-DEI’ Efforts Impact Sustainable Transportation Studies

Research into accessibility, transit equity, and traffic safety is losing federal funding at an alarming rate.

February 11 - Streetsblog USA

Man sitting in chair along River Seine in Paris with fishing pole.

River Seine ‘Teeming’ With Life

Decades of restoration efforts are yielding positive results as dozens of species of fish return to the once-polluted waterway.

February 11 - Reasons to Be Cheerful