The Broken Teeth of Philadelphia

David Gouverneur, urban designer and Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture at PennDesign, says mending the urban fabric of his city is a bit like acupressure: you put the pressure in certain key places to mend the whole.

1 minute read

February 6, 2011, 11:00 AM PST

By Tim Halbur

Gouverneur was interviewed in Next American City. He talks about the role of urban design, the importance of place and the problems caused by Philadelpia's grid:

"The poor areas in Philadelphia now are the regions that lack economic drive. Neighborhood fabric has eroded, there are increased levels of vacancy, and the grid is full of holes. I think of it like dental work that's losing teeth."

"When it comes to creating new centralities and reinvigorating a space, I think of applying design interventions like systems of acupressure – in isolated pressure points. This means investing your resources, and community and institutional efforts on specific places that you think are most likely to 'succeed.'"

FULL STORY: “An Ideal City Doesn’t Exist”: An Interview with David Gouverneur

Friday, February 4, 2011 in Next American City

Land Use Pennsylvania Urban Design Philadelphia Broken Teeth

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