Demolition in American city planning

[摘要] Demolition is deeply embedded in urban systems. It has been explained as both the inevitable churn of the built environment and as a grand gesture of human control of the urban organism. This thesis examines the three main arguments for demolition: social reform, modernization, and non-conformity. Through the lens of each, it looks at the history of American demolition and points out the flawed reasoning that justifies demolition today. It focuses especially on the history of Boston, Massachusetts. It proposes that demolition does not serve a legitimate function in city planning, and offers a new rubric for decision-making around demolition.

[发布机构] Massachusetts Institute of Technology