Chapter 19
- Make sure you understand Jacobs’ analysis of the city as a three dimensional object. Understand, too, her distinction between foreground and background, and why, for those who want to make cities interesting and liveable places the foreground is the more important. How does one create an emphasis on interest “up close”? Here again, you can look for instances where visual interruptions are pluses in your several cities. (Hint: prowl around the intersections of streets in Google Maps, or if your city lacks that resource, Maps.live. See if you can find some which present interesting visual interruptions on them, and compare them with ones with longer vistas).
Broad Street, Philadelphia, looking North. Placing the cursor
over the image reveals the same interection looking south.
Which is the more interesting vista?
Consider the same question regarding the image below.