Book Review: The Death and Life of Great American Cities
I’ve just this morning started reading, after putting it off for over forty years, The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs (1961). Many of you may know that this is probably the most revered book on urban planning ever written, and is considered in fact one of the best books of any kind of the last hundred years. I just finished a wonderful biography of Jacobs and have been itching to finally get to “Death and Life” as its fans call it. I’m not disappointed. She wrote brilliantly and frankly. The opening sentence is, “This book is an attack on current city planning and rebuilding.” Here are a couple of juicy quotes from the introduction, which I share with you because they are equally relevant to landscaping, as I think you will see.
“It may be that we have become so feckless as a people that we no longer care how things work, but only what kind of quick, easy outer impression they give.”
“[The] ubiquitous principle is the need of cities for a most intricate and close-grained diversity of uses that give each other constant mutual support, both economically and socially. The components of this diversity can differ enormously, but they must supplement each other in certain concrete ways.”
Substitute “landscapes” for “cities,” “living components” for “uses,” and “environmentally” for “economically,” leaving, perhaps, “socially” intact, and you will see that she is talking about sustainability, ecosystem design, and regeneration, terms that were not in use when she wrote.
Finally,
“There is a quality even meaner than outright ugliness or disorder, and this meaner quality is the dishonest mask of pretend order, achieved by ignoring or suppressing the real order that is struggling to exist and to be served.”
Subject most any conventional landscape to that test, whether a modest residential garden or a grand public space, and I think it becomes clear that we have a lot of work to do on the betterment of our profession and its products.
About the Author
Owen Dell
Owen Dell, RLA, ASLA is an award-winning, internationally admired landscape architect, author and educator. He is the principal of Owen Dell and Associates, LLC, in Corvallis, Oregon, specializing in sustainable landscape architectural services. Owen has been part of the landscaping profession since 1971. Owen lectures around the country and internationally on sustainable landscaping and related topics. He is the author of “How to Start a Home-Based Landscaping Business” and “Sustainable Landscaping for Dummies.” Owen has also been a regular contributor to many national and regional horticultural publications including Sunset Magazine, Fine Gardening, and others. For 5 years he was the co-host and co-creator of the popular Santa Barbara television series, “Garden Wise Guys.” Owen is a member of the Willamette Valley Regenerative Landscape Coalition (WVRLC). Search the BSWCD website to learn more about WVRLC's projects!
