Vernacular Urbanism: Creating Meaningful Places

Ver·nac·u·lar: of, relating to, or characteristic of a period, place, or group… Most cities—even those with grand plans like Burnham’s Chicago or Haussmann’s Paris—derive much of their character from their locality. Their urban fabric is largely defined by factors such as local building materials, climate, access to water, history and most importantly, culture. Alas, for…

Jane Jacobs, 2006

Jane Jacobs: Parting Words

Jane Jacobs: Parting Words (2007) from Kevin Balmer on Vimeo.This longer (20 min) video captures Jane Jacobs in one of her last public appearances in Portland Oregon. On tour to promote her book, Dark Age Ahead (2004), Jacobs discusses the imperative for culturally diverse and innovative cities, among many other issues. I was lucky enough…