Cities Look Research Articles

What Will Our Future Cities Look Like?

Some interesting figures were presented at the International Congress of Architects in Moscow. They indicated that humanity would have to build 1.5 times more housing facilities by the end of the century than it had built throughout its entire existence on earth. By the end of the Seven-Year Plan period some 15 million apartment units will have been built in the Soviet Union and of course a corresponding number of schools, kindergartens, motion picture theaters, shops, clubs and other public, cultural and service buildings.

Cities look to the state

National Civic ReviewVolume 49, Issue 2 p. 71-76 Article Cities look to the state Mr. Frank C. Moore, Mr. Frank C. Moore Mr. Moore, president of Government Affairs Foundation, was formerly lieutenant governor and comptroller of New york State. He is chairman of the New York State Board of Equalization and Assessment and the Advisory Board of the New York State Office for Local Government. This article is Mr. Moore's address before the National Conference on Government of the National Municipal League, Springfield, Massachusetts, November 17, 1959.Search for more papers by this author Mr. Frank C. Moore, Mr. Frank C. Moore Mr. Moore, president of Government Affairs Foundation, was formerly lieutenant governor and comptroller of New york State. He is chairman of the New York State Board of Equalization and Assessment and the Advisory Board of the New York State Office for Local Government. This article is Mr. Moore's address before the National Conference on Government of the National Municipal League, Springfield, Massachusetts, November 17, 1959.Search for more papers by this author First published: February 1960 https://doi.org/10.1002/ncr.4100490206 AboutPDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume49, Issue2February 1960Pages 71-76 RelatedInformation

Misunderstandings in International Relations

INCE I agree with those who insist that social science is not only a science but L also an art, I shall start my paper not with facts and concepts but with two metaphorical stories. These stories will point, symbolically, in the direction of those facts and issues which I shall later discuss conceptually. The first story: A friend is visiting your city for the first time and he wants to gain a general view of the city. You take him first to the north end where there is a tall tower with a view commanding the whole area. Then you take him to a similar spot at the south end. At that point your friend exclaims with great amazement, How very strange! The city looks quite differently from here! Now, what is your reaction? Something of shock, for you rightly assume that every normal adult understands that things in physical space look differently from differing points of view. You probably conclude that your friend is, to say the least, a bit unbalanced and in need of psychiatric attention. Now, the really strange thing is that what every normal person understands by himself as far as things in physical space are concerned, most people do not understand, and even do not want to understand, so far as phenomena in social space are concerned. And any attempt to explain the relativity of social perspectives, and its full implications, usually meets with strong psychological resistance. The second story: Here we approach the core of our problem. Assume that, pointing to a desk, I should say, This is a chair, and in spite of all attempts on your part to correct me, I still insist it is a chair. You

Johnson City Looks and Listens

Our Johnson City schools suffered a severe and untimely loss on November 26, in the sudden death of Mrs. Merle W. Kays, librarian at the H. J. Johnson School and chairman of our system-wide committee on audio-visual aids. During the long term of service she gave to our schools, we came to recognize and appreciate Mrs. Kays as a person of the highest type of character and integrity and a teacher of particular and exceptional qualifications. She was gifted in the art of classroom management and in leadership control and guidance. She had the sunny disposition, the calm, quiet and even temperament that served to gain and retain for her an ever-widening circle of friends. Her love of young people and her keen interest and zest in teaching, together with her devotion to her tasks, make her exceedingly difficult to replace. We are all better for having known and worked with Mrs. Kays. H. B. Eccleston, Superintendent of Schools

The Problem of the Standing Vehicle

T his own store door, Merchant A benefits only by to traffic. Everywhere else in his trade territory, facilities for through traffic in his direction have a direct bearing on his prosperity. But in this same region are located Merchants B to Z, each of whom is interested in attracting a maximum of traffic to his store door, but feels little concern for facilitating traffic to the door of Merchant A. The conflict of these warring interests lies at the root of the problem of the standing vehicle. As in many another problem of modern city life, a solution would be reached more speedily if we could eliminate selfishness from human nature, and replace conflict with cotiperation. But, as is also true of these other problems, a kindly willingness to see things through the other fellow's eyes will not suffice; there must be the scientific approach which will substitute real insight into the problem for a mere point of view about it. It was for these reasons that The American City undertook some months ago, with the co6peration of a group of city planners and traffic consultants, to draft a set of principles which might aid municipal officials and business men in formulating local policies as to the parking and storage of automobiles, and the facilitation of street traffic and transportation. In suggesting this study these two questions were propounded: (a) Must our expanding cities look forward to constantly growing expenditures of staggering amounts for street widenings, sidewalk arcades, elevated and underground traffic ways, and other devices for permitting more and more automobiles to move-and parkin downtown business streets? (b) On the other hand, can our progressive business men no longer build big retail shops, theatres and other structures where the crowds congregate, with reasonable expectation that the city will somehow make it possible for their customers to continue to arrive-and park-by automobile? A statement of principles built up by The American City, with the adviceand, in most cases, the consent-of the collaborators' is here embodied in the paragraphs set in italic type; the rest of the present article comprises comments or additional data from various sources which may serve either to fortify the recommendations made or to present other points of view.