Take a look at this interview with Michael Dukakis talking about the built environment of cities. Among is most poignant remarks is explaining how policy makers are central to the process of creating the kinds of cities we live in. He uses Boston as an example: “Following World War II, we, like every metropolitan area, were told that in order to save the city, we had to build a so-called master highway plan, which involved six 8-lane highways right into the heart of the city… That was the planning orthodoxy of the time—you had to do this…” Listen in to hear his stories on politics and city building above.
Video timeline:
- 0:44 — What is the built environment?
- 1:13 — What effect do policy makers have on the built environment?
- 5:13 — What can we do to protect our civic spaces?
- 9:30 — What were the motivations to build the highway system after WWII in the first place? Why did it take so long for policy makers to realize the effects of the post-war suburbanization?
- 11:08 — Why did it take so long for policy makers to realize the effects of the post-war suburbanization?
