America's Disorganized Organicists
- 1 August 1992
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Journal of Planning Literature
- Vol. 7 (1) , 3-21
- https://doi.org/10.1177/088541229200700101
Abstract
Images of good organic urban and regional physical form vary from extreme decentralization to mile-high megastructures-and almost everything in between. The problem with this disparity is that organic spatial theory appears so flexible as to be meaningless. This in turn undermines its authority as a basis for setting reliable planning standards and its usefulness as a basis for practical action. This article describes the major concepts of organic philosophy and organic planning theory. It then investigates, compares, and contrasts eleven American theorists in order to find the causes of the wide variety. It concludes with a summary interpretation of these causes and introduces options for changing the situation.Keywords
This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Turbulent Eighth Decade: Challenges to American City PlanningJournal of the American Planning Association, 1989
- Jane Jacobs' Ideas on Big, Diverse Cities: A Review and CommentaryJournal of the American Planning Association, 1988
- Lewis Mumford's Ideas on the CityJournal of the American Planning Association, 1985