Choking In A 'Collar Of Concrete'

Security fortifications such as slab barricades and jumbo planters are suffocating our public spaces.

1 minute read

April 22, 2003, 7:00 AM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech

"Since the war in Iraq began, ever more slab barricades and jumbo planter tubs have been set out on sidewalks and curbs around sensitive landmarks, adding tangibly to the edginess of civic life and conveying the messaget...that the only safety lies behind thick masonry fortifications... Even as the threat of car bombs and truck bombs reshapes the cityscape, planners and architects are trying to find alternatives..." More than aesthetics are at stake. The closing and constricting of sidewalks, roadways and plazas diminishes the freedom that is being defended.

Thanks to Abhijeet Chavan

FULL STORY: Envisioning a Safer City Without Turning It Into Slab City

Thursday, April 17, 2003 in The New York Times

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