Urban Architecture in America
The Grid is a method of designing cities to be organized in
a way that makes navigating them easier. Many cities in the
United States follow a grid system in their design.
This picture, from
American Urban Architecture
shows the grid sysetm of Sacramento, CA.
A typical way that cities are set up according to a grid system is by
aligning all Avenues in an east to west fashsion, and then having all
Streets aligned in a North to South fashion. This combined with the
numbering of streets in most cities makes it relativly simple to navigate them.
The grid is unique to more modern cities. It shows a level of planning that was
nonexistant in older cities around the world. Cities in Europe for instance lack
a grid system for the most part. This is because many cities in Europe are many
hundreds of years old. Even in cities that were originally laid out in a grid system,
the centuries they have existed has warped and changed the grid, making it less clear.
This picture shows the styling of European avenues and streets. It is from
American Urban Architecture
The grid can also be used to add uniqueness and decoration to a city, while maintaining the benefits of the grid.
This is best seen in Washington D.C.. In this particular city they use the standard North to South, and East to West
alignment of roads, but they also add in broad Avenues angled through the city to provide a better styling for parades
and other large events.
The Grid has the benefit of improving the overall efficiency of the cities that use them.
This increased efficiency leads to better commerce and then to more money. More money leads
to more and better paying jobs, which encourges the growth of the city.
Useful Links
- American Urban Architecture
- University of Florida's Urban Planning Resources
