Kentuck Knob

Only 15 minutes from Frank Lloyd Wright's famous Fallingwater  (and 90 minutes from Pittsburgh) is his lesser known Kentuck Knob in the beautiful Laurel Highlands of western Pennsylvania. (Kentuck Knob is still a private residence so photography was limited.) The view below was where the property owners expected Wright to position the house. They were surprised when the plans indicated the house would be set back in the trees. Wright explained that the view was too grand and they would tire of it. There's some wisdom in that. Kind of makes you work for it. Keeps it special.

Scioto Mile, Columbus Ohio

The beautiful Scioto Mile in downtown Columbus, Ohio. Promenade, parks, open space, recreation. The city took a stretch of slow moving muddy water that was held back by a dam and transformed it into this. These sorts of investments improve qualify of life and inspire investment in surrounding neighborhoods. I wish City and County of LA could get moving on the LA River master plan. 

Free Range Children in Copenhagen

Many of us can remember a time when children were allowed to roam freely and unaccompanied by adults. It would have been intrusive for a parent to insert themselves into the lives of their children while they were playing, fighting, and resolving differences with other kids. (We refer to that as "free range children" these days.) The world is considered less safe today, although I'm not sure that is really the case.  Children walking home from school without adult supervision is not something limited to places like Copenhagen. You can see the same sort of thing in New York City with children riding the subways after school without an adult chaperon. Kind of incredible children in the suburbs, where things are considered safer, are not allowed by their parents to walk to school with friends. 

 

Indianapolis

The Indiana State Capitol. Classical architecture. Natural materials. Beauty. Terminated vista.  Monumental architecture is a sign of civilization. What does it say about us that we build so little of this today? 

 

Haverhill, Massachusetts

 

Although it's a state route, the street is narrow which slows traffic. On street parking is a physical barrier between pedestrians on the narrow sidewalk and moving cars in the street. This part of Haverill survived the "urban renewal" demolition that affected other parts of town. Three to four story buildings. Built to the front property line. Limited on site parking. Traditional architecture and building materials.  Small town urbanism.

Related: Why walkable streets are more economically productive.

Buffalo Row Houses

Row houses in Buffalo, NY. Side by side. Shared walls. Front stoops. Beautiful materials and details. There are four to five levels of living space in each of the houses. Some have probably been subdivided into apartments. It's a shame the street is so wide. Imagine a narrow street and wide sidewalks with two rows of trees.