Obama's Urban Policy Office: Role For Architects?

With a variety of news outlets reporting that Barack Obama will form an Office of Urban Policy to coordinate the new administration's efforts on cities, this question looms: To what extent will architects and urban planners will be a part of that team? Will design issues get a hearing at the presidential policy table?

Chances are, they will.

It was Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, after all, who told reporters earlier this week that the urban policy team will be formed, fulfilling an Obama campaign promise. Although Jarrett was initially tone deaf to design issues when she served as Chicago's planning commissioner in the early 1990s, she proved to be a quick study. I vividly remember her critiquing low-income housing on Chicago's West Side for failing to align with the four-square Chicago street grid.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[jdmba]

Architecture is important. Breathtaking views invoke pride in one's city.

But honestly, the architecture is not the big crisis facing our inner cities. Quality of life issues such as public education, health care, crime, GROCERY stores bearing fresh vegetables, etc. This is what Urban Policy should focus on, in order to be effective.

[osusana]

It should be noted that Chicago is the birthplace of the skyscraper, and home to some of the most innovative architecture in America. Also, Chicago's famous four-square street grid makes it the easiest city in the world to find your way around in!

And, might I add, the most beautiful skyline imaginable, particularly when seen from the lake, day or night!

[mom2sons]

I don't know about that. Coming out from the tunnels, the Pittsburgh skyline is awesome! Mt. Washington's overlook totally rocks! LOL

[wayofpeace]

as an architect,
i read this with great hope and excitement.

our buildings and cities are the equivalent of the hated HUMMERS!

we're not going to solve our enegry crisis
without first addressing our human habitat.

"most of our buildings are wasteful, uninspiring, if not brutally ugly.

"our sprawling cities are--in the words of VACLAV HAVEL,
examples of "order without life"; in other words: cancerous.

the cradle of civilizations is the city, from CIVITAS,
from this latin word we also get CITIZEN and CIVILITY.

this URBAN TURN is indeed great news!

[jafari]

This is good, architects need jobs too.

But seriously, architects have spent countless years observing and reacting to personal, societal, civic and functional needs of cities, towns and rural areas. What better group to evaluate the needs of urban areas, and collectively discuss future policy?