14Aerial view of Reston, Virginia15Reston, Lake Anne and Town Center16Photo of Columbia model view west towarddowntown. 1980151ANC,FITH CAFIC'LINA AFICHITECT
towns mentioned, the visual aswell as human results in terms ofbetter living are quite evident.But it would simply confuse theissue to assume that communitiescatering to this kind of market could make the slightest differenceto the problems whichplague our cities. True, Columbiahas been planned with thegreatest of care and forethought.In the words of its idealistic andenthusiastic developer, JamesW. Rouse, "to grow better people,more creative, more productive,more inspired, and more lovingpeople". But these new townscannot possibly under prevailingfinancing and building methodsand without massive governmentsupport provide housing forthe people who need it most (ormore than one-third of the USpopulation).lrvine Ranch, in turn, is beingbuilt around a new campus of theUniversity of California, whichprovides a real focus and towncenter, far more interesting, challenging,and dynamic than thecustomary central shopping andadministrative facilities. Yet lrvineRanch in every other way isbeing developed by individualreal estate entrepreneurs whobuy different tracts of land onwhich they build most any kindof housing they can sell.But one thing has never beenmentioned: Even the most idealisticdeveloper cannot controlthe community he may mostcarefully plan and build after hehas sold the housing and afterthe shopping centers becomelargely the property of businessundertakings. At the moment ofthe sale he loses control, and thenew owner takes over to do ashe pleases, which may includechanging the original plans.<strong>Houses</strong> and land costs can beincreased, and uses altered.There is no assurance that evenopen space will remain open underheavy business pressure (despitezoning regulations), as hasbeen shown unfortunately in thepast. The reason is that we lackall legislation to date to protectthe land. The notion still prevailsthat land and housing is acommodity to be bought and soldin the open market for privateprofit. Even city redevelopmentagencies who are authorized toacquire land by eminent domainsell it back again at greatly reducedprices (the difference ispaid by the government, ie, fromtaxes) to private real estate firmsfor development to be sure-with some stipulations for someyears ahead. But to this criticthis seems far too limited control.The US myth that citiescannot acquire and own land becausethis is contrary to the conceptsof a free democratic societyin the light of actual experienceis patently absurd.However, as long as this mythprevails and in the absence ofany real planning legislation, wecannot hope to make any progresstowards better housing, bettercities, and a more equitableway of life.The housing and urban developmenthere discussed, all in democraticcountries, should serveas an example of what can bedone even with limited resourcesgiven the right priorities. Underour present system of development,we have, mainly by neglect,created the urban problemswhich now are threatening thelife of and in the cities. Our affluencemeans litile if it cannotprovide the basic necessities oflife food, clothing, and shelterfor all -our people. To this havebeen added in the European industrialdemocracies the right toa job and free medical care andeducation for all. Certainly theurban problems which beset oursociety today are past the stageof superficial remedies. To tacklethose requires a fundamentalchange of attitudes and the willto really create in practice an environmentfor a way of life putdown on paper by our forefathersas the ideal American way.This quotation from the speechof the eminent economist andsocial scientist Gunnar Myrdalat the annual convention ofAmericans for Democratic Actionin Washington, D. C., thispast Ap ril :"At this point it is my duty to putin a reminder that the Americanmansion is a heavily mortgagedpiece of real estate. lt has toinvest trillions of dollars withinthe near future to rebuild completelyits cities, and, equally important,to rehabllitate the humancontent of the slums. As we allmust be aware, this is an urgentnecessity. The situation is continuallydeteriorating. Not toembark upon these huge investmentssoon, entails dangers forthe cohesion of the American societyand the stability of democracy."Reprinted with permission from Architecture'"'i:i::::l'"1s
Change language