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09 May 2004
There's a good series on BBC 2 at the moment about London, presented by Peter Ackroyd. In the first part, he looked at the effect of fire on London over the centuries. It's surprising—given how often London has been totally devastated by fire—that the lines of the old, winding streets seem to manage to re-assert themselves, as if the city is a living thing, and re-grows its old form to heal the wounds. Christopher Wren was frustrated by the conservatism of Londoners, as his grand plans for piazzas and broad avenues surrounding St Paul's were scuppered by everyone wanting to build their new homes and businesses on the smoldering foundations of the old. Even the brutal, rigid lines of the new offices around St Paul's—built to replace buildings bombed in The Blitz—are now being replaced by a scheme which follows the lines of the old City.
I see this as a good thing. Gridded street plans are very efficient and easy to navigate around, but they have no character. Sometimes it's good to get lost in a tangle of streets when you are on foot. You never know what delights might be tucked around the next corner.
2
A good example of US cities laid out in what seems to be a random pattern is Boston. Looking at early maps of the city, the streets merely went around anything in its way, and followed the almost circular pattern of its shore line.
It is a great walking city, for the variety of street bends and twists, and for the treasure trove of history on some.
3
Larry: I've never been to Boston, but what I've seen and heard others say about it makes me think that I would like it a lot.
4
For an example of ungridded streets being a great (and unavoidable) way to get lost...how about Venice? Added confusion courtesy of the lack of street signs.
1
..... gridded street plans... reminds me of Milton Keynes. Certainly a piece of piss to locate any given street (providing you have a map of some description) but I have only once been to a duller place in this fine country (and that was Sheffield, the king of hellish one-way systems). My point...? I often wonder but I am after all only a pine martin, albeit a funny looking one !----- Martin (the pine martin): My point exactly: grids are boring and non-organic. [Off topic: I once got up extremely early and endured a great deal of cold and drizzle before breakfast to try to see a pine martin. Result—not a glimpse of one. They are shy little blighters.]
by bsag @ 11/05/2004 4:06 pm • Permalink •