Jane Jacobs RIP

[owlmoose]

Pre-eminent urban scholar Jane Jacobs dies.

The Death and Life of Great American Cities, which she wrote in 1961, is still the classic work on city neighborhoods -- how they work, what makes them living and vibrant and real. It's one of the few college textbooks I kept, and I still pull it out when I want to make a point about planning. Her legacy is secure, but the Cities world will miss her.

Comments

[owlmoose.livejournal.com]

I was an urban studies major ("Growth and Structure of Cities" was the department name, which I've always thought very cool). I started the program because I thought I wanted to be an architect, but then I took a year of design studio and realized I was wrong. ;) But it was a fascinating course of study, and cities and architecure are still my academic love. I chose my current job in no small part because the school where I work has an interior design program, and so I get to spend part of every day playing with architecture books.

[regann]

That's neat! I didn't even know a person could major in urban studies -- I learned something new. LOL.

That's very cool -- it's nice when things blend together like that! Of course, my academic loves have nothing to do with my job, so I find that doubly cool. ;)