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Freeways
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1966
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 2, 2019
(review written May 2016)
I have always loved highways and the idea of a whole book devoted to them… I had no idea what the book might actually be. This author is also know for a book simply called "Cities". He is someone who thinks much about urban planning and what it means to daily life. The book is filled with photos (some of them really bad and seemingly pointless, or not showing what they say.) Such lofty thoughts about the flow of motion, the importance of making freeways that impact the surrounding land as little as possible, enhance the landscape whenever possible, and make for a pleasant experience while moving along it. I had no idea anyone gave such thought to these things and I'm glad to know he does, I hope current freeway planners take heed of his ideas. He addresses what's been done poorly in the past, possible ways to fix it and ways to think about the future needs of moving people through and into cities. There is detailed comparison between types of freeways - from tunnels and "at grade" roads, to elevated (either side by side or stacked) and various combinations to best suit the areas. He discusses the importance of local streets, pedestrians and highway exits and interchanges - and speeds which necessitate the sizes of ramps and such. He examines city roads and access from ancient cities and considers what constitutes overload of a city's capacity. I did make a few notations of his lofty thoughts about the beauty of motion and such. Page 23 - "Movement and change have always been part of our inheritance; static architecture has always been connected by kinetic passage - a duality echoed by life itself.
Security and change." Page 47 "The city, dense with buildings, heavy and massive, almost
impenetrable, stands in the way of motion." Page 55 On the importance of making cities into
a functioning whole - "a great theater for events to happen and for the most evocative and
creative involvements to occur." It's all very interesting and I like thinking of the flow of it all especially because I contemplate the way life itself is like a highway. Good stuff here.
I have always loved highways and the idea of a whole book devoted to them… I had no idea what the book might actually be. This author is also know for a book simply called "Cities". He is someone who thinks much about urban planning and what it means to daily life. The book is filled with photos (some of them really bad and seemingly pointless, or not showing what they say.) Such lofty thoughts about the flow of motion, the importance of making freeways that impact the surrounding land as little as possible, enhance the landscape whenever possible, and make for a pleasant experience while moving along it. I had no idea anyone gave such thought to these things and I'm glad to know he does, I hope current freeway planners take heed of his ideas. He addresses what's been done poorly in the past, possible ways to fix it and ways to think about the future needs of moving people through and into cities. There is detailed comparison between types of freeways - from tunnels and "at grade" roads, to elevated (either side by side or stacked) and various combinations to best suit the areas. He discusses the importance of local streets, pedestrians and highway exits and interchanges - and speeds which necessitate the sizes of ramps and such. He examines city roads and access from ancient cities and considers what constitutes overload of a city's capacity. I did make a few notations of his lofty thoughts about the beauty of motion and such. Page 23 - "Movement and change have always been part of our inheritance; static architecture has always been connected by kinetic passage - a duality echoed by life itself.
Security and change." Page 47 "The city, dense with buildings, heavy and massive, almost
impenetrable, stands in the way of motion." Page 55 On the importance of making cities into
a functioning whole - "a great theater for events to happen and for the most evocative and
creative involvements to occur." It's all very interesting and I like thinking of the flow of it all especially because I contemplate the way life itself is like a highway. Good stuff here.
February 12, 2008
If you like interstate cloverleaf exchanges, this is a good book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews