KhizooologyThe Death and Life of Great American Cities
Watch the street before drawing the plan.
Big Idea
Jacobs argues that healthy city life grows from interacting everyday uses that orderly-looking redevelopment can accidentally destroy.
Eyes on the street
People using sidewalks for different purposes can provide informal attention and a sense of shared safety.
Mixed primary uses
Homes, workplaces, and shops bring different people onto the street at different times.
Short blocks
More routes and corners create chances for encounters and adaptable movement.
Buildings of different ages
A mix of building costs can support activities that could not all afford newly built space.
Organized complexity
A neighborhood’s parts affect one another; one attractive design feature does not guarantee a thriving or equitable city.
Khizooo Take
Observe how a place actually works for its users before deciding what should replace it.
Remember
A city is lived in before it is looked at.