New Cities/New Soviets

August 08, 2004

Bridges between buildings


Why are there so few bridges between buildings?


Trying not to burden the obvious,
there are few inter-building bridges
because they are
not very useful
outside of special circumstances.

circumstances which
exist infreqently
in the current city.

I have seen inter-building bridges:
at the power plant, between
warehouses,
between wards
of a hospital,
connecting the courthouse
with police plaza...


so let's go superfuture...

What makes a bridge useful?

This is the same question
as "what makes a sidewalk useful,"
minus the naturalized street level.


What makes a bridge useful
is that it connects two
common areas, which
share people, goods, or utilities
in significant volumes.


Most homes relate
to the city through
the street.
"The street" is
the dominant social
form of the city.

Even in the most upscale
neighborhoods -- past
the doorman, and you're
still outside --
resolve the relation
by turning the street
into
parking lot
+ pedestrian thru-way
= nothing.
= public muteness


Everything occurs through
private or government
circuts.

Why not more bridges there?

Offices form a fractal of modular
relations, heirarchically
stacked and turgid;
the
very priciple of a
horizontal bridge between
two businesses is
almost subversive
and anyway too kinky
("let's stick with metaphor,
boys, keep that faggot stuff
under raps...")


Governments are
more special beasts

see the balance
of court and police:
stable connection
at 2nd floor, across
a parking lot.

beaurocracies are
more geological than
heirarchical, so
there theoretically
could be bridges,
but for the most part
they are so unresponsive
to human use it seems
unlikely...

Posted by Sam at August 8, 2004 10:19 PM

hey big question

a few points to consider

joined buildings need joined owners

notice how shop-center park-lots are notconnected
if not jointly owned
same deal

general point zoning is an attempt to restrict
space expansion

same reason bostons pike has yet to be over built
despite many plans

maxim of landlord klass
keep it tight baby keep it tight

translucent covers for city streets would only enhance their utility
and good looks
but minds are captives of the present facts

build bridges between buildings and watch the uses multply

Posted by: pink at July 29, 2004 08:03 PM

right on, pops!

seems like I took
the
long way
around the town square
on this one...
duh, definately
ownership is obvious key.

"maxim of the landlord klass
keep it tight baby" --
I'm still working on this one.
clearly true,
and yet I don't entirely
understand why...

"general point zoning" -- what's this?

Posted by: sam at August 8, 2004 10:48 PM

Posted by: sam at August 11, 2004 03:43 AM

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