by Rebecca Robinson
• What is a ‘livable city’?
• Why are we concerned about the livability of cities in a global era?
• Where do we begin to make our cities more livable?
“Livable” is a normative concept that implies values- since values vary “a livable city means many things to many people”
To assume some values were more important would obviate dialogue or trying to form consensus
Cities are sign of social technological innovation and human achievement
Vision of cities to be “perfect mix of rural and urban in a cooperative society” (1)
Modern cities are not utopias with the ‘good society’ but are “practical, highly economistic and “developmental”” (2) because they are based on ‘neoliberal public policy’ (unmitigated capitalism will right any wrongs)
“Citizen participation in political life is viewed as being instrumental to finance and other
material ends rather than an end in itself, as revealed in the World Bank formulation in Table 1.” ??????
Table 1. Developmentalist Approach to Livability
1. Basic Urban Service – impacts on health & ability to work
• Water
• Sanitation
• Transport: roadway/ footpath
• Drainage
2. Healthier Urban Environment
• Air
• Lead
• Dust & soot
• Microbial disease
3. Finance for People in Cities
• Decentralized & democratic decision making
• Partnership for civic Action
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Source: World Bank (1996). (3)
Douglass believes what is missing is civil spaces that promote community- he wants to include “lifeworld” to the concept of livability, which includes personal (education, health and livelihood) and environmental well-being
Lifeworld is vital to civil society
Peattie- “conviviality” (social life and activity) is more important than material conditions
Examples of a livable, convivial city would include:
Walkable with pedestrian ways (streets, sidewalks, lanes) that are not encumbered by parked
vehicles, extensions of shop goods, signs or public utilities.
Mixed use with pleasant, short walks to daily functions such as stores, transit stops, schools
and parks.
Sociable, human-scaled pedestrian experiences.
Tree-lined streets, greenery.
Community and civic centers available for community and non-government organizations of
all kinds.
High-quality public squares and public parks.
Historic architecture is preserved and used
Vernacular architecture thrives
Public streets and sidewalks fronting a diversity of local shops.
Recreational spaces for all ages (5)
“Doesn’t livability come after ‘development’…?” (5)
Asian’s overly rapid development and consequences of it
Livability strategies must be viewed in a global rather than national context
Trends that are limiting community and civil spaces:
Privatization – selling of public land to private developers.
Commercialization: allowing commercial activities to fill in or selling public land for
commercial use.
Commodification of symbolic places: billboards, signage, ‘McDonald’ frontage.
Neglect due to shrinking public budgets or low priority
Invasions by individuals (homeless, shop owners)
Suppression of access through urban design.
Global simulacra replaces local production of culture
Fortification, surveillance
Cutting off by surrounding development (e.g., beach access) (7)
As globalization is encouraging consumerism as the “main expression of citizenship, civil society…is on the rise” (7)
Taipei- citizens design their own parks, Korea mayor running on platform of regenerating a river and parkways through the city
Where to begin? On community level and city level
