Ever stared out at a sprawling American city and thought, "There's got to be a better way"? You're in the right place.
Battling Burnham is a blog born from a fascination with urban studies, a lingering passion ignited during a (never-quite-finished) Master's program at the University of Utah. For me, the concrete jungle holds immense, often untapped potential. My own journey, from the car-dependent exurbs of Atlanta to the eye-opening experience of navigating the city without a vehicle while at Georgia State, unveiled the intricate and often frustrating realities of urban development and transportation. That's where this blog takes root.
The name, "Battling Burnham," might sound a bit pugilistic, and that's intentional. It's a nod to Daniel Burnham, the prominent 19th-century architect and urban planner best known for his grand vision for the 1892 Chicago World's Fair. Burnham, in many ways, represents an older school of thought in urban planning – one that often prioritized grand designs and aesthetics, with the underlying assumption that beauty would somehow solve the complex social and economic issues facing cities. His famous quote, "Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably will not themselves be realized," encapsulates this big-picture, design-centric approach.
My inspiration, my guiding light in this "battle," is the legendary Jane Jacobs. A fierce advocate for people-centered urbanism, Jacobs famously stood up to the powerful Robert Moses in New York, championing the idea that cities are living, breathing ecosystems shaped by the everyday lives of their inhabitants. Where Burnham advocated for sweeping, top-down designs, Jacobs championed the power of "small plans," the countless individual interactions and local initiatives that truly build vibrant communities.
At Battling Burnham, we're siding firmly with Jacobs. We believe that the problems facing our cities aren't just design challenges to be solved with grand architectural gestures. They are deeply intertwined with policy, with the lived experiences of people, and with the need for thoughtful, nuanced solutions that prioritize human needs over aesthetics. We'll be diving into everything from transportation woes and housing crises to the importance of community spaces and the often-overlooked power of local action.
We'll challenge the tendency to de-politicize urban planning by focusing solely on beautification, and instead, we'll grapple with the real, often uncomfortable, issues that shape our urban environments. We'll question the status quo, hopefully with a bit of wit and humor along the way, and always with a focus on how we can create better, more livable, and more equitable cities for everyone.
So, welcome to the battle. Let's start making some small plans that have the power to build the communities we truly want to live in.
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