The New Urbanism: Toward an Architecture of Community

Book Description

The move to liveable communities--ideal ``small towns'' and neighborhoods where people work, live, play, and walk from place to place--is on. Profit from what a visionary group of architects leading this movement has learned about designing new ``small towns'' in Peter Katz's The New Urbanism. You'll discover the amazing potential for this kind of work as well as case studies, site plans, project analyses, and 180 beautiful photographs. This unique reference also tackles--and answers--the critical issues of crime, health, traffic, environmental degradation, and economic vitality and opens a startling window on the look and feel of future communities. Every designer can profit from this guide to building the utopias of tomorrow--today!

Customer Reviews:

Time to Pay Attention.......2005-08-05

I'm actually studying to be an Urban Planner in school. New Urbanism was a concept that greatly interested me because its principles focus around SMART and RESPONSIBLE planning.

I'm a huge fan of Peter Katz's book. There's only one thing I have to critisize about it--it doesn't confront those opposed to New Urbanism concepts, and I believe that in order to be effective you must challenge the tired, old, and sometimes downright arrogant ideas of the opposition (mostly the same Urban Planners who got us into this whole Urban Sprawl Mess).

Basically, New Urbanism speaks for itself. I would admit, it does have its own issues, but ALL great ideas have issues. And honestly, I would trade the issues of a New Urbanist Town over the issues of a delapidated suburb any day.

I think the best example I can give about how New Urbanism can nuture a growing and healthy community is to look at the television show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition". Not to say that all New Urbanist communities build such homes, but the point I'm making is that the crew of EM:HE give to a family what they truly deserve...a good home. A good home makes a good family, and a good family can contribute to a good community.

New Urbanism is like that, in that it builds COMMUNITY. I mean, how many of us come home to our neighborhoods and sigh at what we see. I know I do. It saddens me to drive past the run down streets of my neighborhood, only to know the local government is content in finding it suitable enough for habitation.

And with rising gas prices, who wouldn't want a walkable community. I know I would, and I live in Florida--one of the more Humid States in the Union. I remember in my early college days. My Community College was 45 minutes to an Hour away (NO TRAFFIC), and so was BORDERS, my place of employment. I would go to school in the morning, drive back home, then drive all the way to BORDERS. That's A LOT of Gas, and A HUGE dent in my pocket book. But I had no choice, and I absolutely LOVED my school and job.

And that's how Jacksonville, Florida is. I LOVE it here, I love my city, but it TOTALLY sucked when I didn't have a car to get around. You HAVE to own a car in Jacksonville, being as the mass transit system is as close to unreliable as it is efficient.

I support this book as much as I support the New Urbanism movement. This book will help educate as well as inform readers of the benifits of SMART URBAN PLANNING. The notion that the ideas of New Urbanism are dangerous are absolutely absurd when compared to the dangers of the decaying suburbs of America. Why do you think Bank of America is so involved in creating better communities? Less bank robberies (LoL). And take a look at a city like Boulder, Co--voted the number one place in the country to raise a family. The city is built on an opposition to Urban Sprawl (though they could do better to lower the real estate prices).

Oh yah, and about the porches in Seaside, Florida being out of usage. Have you ever been to Seaside? Last time I checked it was a pretty vibrant community. Not to mention, have you ever visited Florida during the Summer? The Humidity will Kill you! I wouldn't be out on my porch either if it was during Summer.

Community is not Architecture.......2001-03-02

I grew up in what new urbanists would probably call a paradise. It was a real community in which neighbours were really neighbours. People did sit on their verandahs and converse with their neighbours on the street. There was an understanding that one could borrow things if the owner wasn't using them. It was considered polite to tell the owner if he was there but if he was away one could just borrow the thing and tell him when he came home if one was still using it. In short it was everything new urbanism wants. This was in a moderately large city in Canada.

There were two things wrong with this paradise:

a) it was not about verandahs, facing the street etc. It was about control and conformity. The neighbourhood protected itself by frowning on unexpected behavior. There was an expected range of interests and an expected range of activity. If someone went out of this range, one could expect social sanctions unfailingly. The dark side of Jacobs 'eyes-on-the-street' is Foucault's 'gaze.' The neighbourhood worked as an exercise in power. The verandahs and street life were instruments of that power. Heaven help anyone who had non-standard interests.

b) the neighbourhood was unsustaining. With the growth of the personal rights ethos, the ability of the neighbourhood to control its inhabitants fell away. No longer could the neighbourhood fathers take action to control petty teenage misbehaviour. Instead personal rights and social policy took these controls away from the neighbourhood and gave them to government agencies. As a result the neighbourhood is now perhaps not unsafe but definitely uncomfortable. No one leaves tools or equipment out now in case a neighbour needs to borrow it. Everything is locked up. The doors are firmly closed and neighbours now complain to the police instead of discussing thier joint problems.

New urbanism seems to miss this point. Neighbourhoods are about local power. For some people this produces a comfortable paradise. For those slightly different it creates a jail of conformity. Some people thrive in it. Some peole will be stifled. Neighboourhoods are an exercise in hopefully beneficent control. Architecture does not create this control. It can destroy it certainly and make it impossible but it cannot create it.

Every library in the country should have this book!.......1999-08-13

I have only had the book a day and already it has given me great pleasure and joy. I love the fantastic pictures and diagrams. The computer digitalizations on a few existing towns today and what they could be like were truely fasinating. I couldn't help not liking the indepth descriptions of numourous cities, towns, and villages from around the country and canada as well. This book had colorful photos and diagrams, this book to me is pure genus!

how to design urban spaces in small communities.......1999-01-08

A very good appraisal of design examples of new communities with also a consistent theoretical approach to New Urbanism concepts. This is a necessary reading to those that want to be updated with the best design practices of integrated urban spaces.

New Urbanism: This is how/where I want to live.......1998-12-12

The basic principles presented in this book are the stuff that dreams are made of. I have shared the ideas presented in this book with many of my friends and they all want to live in communities such as this. We've been strip-malled, mega-malled and automobilized to near-death. New Urbanism as presented here is like a million breaths of fresh air.

It is best to read the basic principles presented in the front of the book first. It may look like dry reading at first but as you get into it, your interest will be piqued at first, then grabbed, and you won't want to put it down till you've read it all. Having read this part you will be armed with the knowledge that, to date, no development or developer has had the guts to follow the principles completely. All of the projects presented include some elements of New Urbanism but none of them have it right. One of the other customer reviewers of this book, Ken Wing, missed this entirely. Hey Ken, there is no people in the Seaside pictures because they want the reader to see the architecture! Those who don't get it, or are afraid of change, tend to trivialze New Urbanism and mis-represent it.

Once you have read this book, you, like myself will want to immediately pack up and move to a New Urbanist community. Better ones are coming out of the ground each year and I hope to see one near me real soon.

Average customer rating:
The New Urbanism: Toward an Architecture of Community
Peter Katz
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KVH4P8

Average customer rating:
The New Urbanism: Toward an Architecture of Community
Peter Katz
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Professional
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OFKQ96

Average customer rating:

good for basics or beginners

Great Foundational and Advanced Book

Physician, heal thyself

Finally, a book worth more than the price

"What are the attributes that can make this a better painting?"

Problem Solving for Oil Painters: Recognizing What's Gone Wrong and How to Make It Right
Gregg Kreutz
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0823040976

Customer Reviews:

good for basics or beginners.......2007-07-08

ok for beginners and those who paint in an impressionistic style. could focus a bit more on materials. some good basic tips.

Great Foundational and Advanced Book.......2007-06-15

I'm a professional in the business and make my living as an artist. This book is a wonderful reference and is always close by on the shelf. The work in it is excellent and the principles are straight forward as well as solving lots of the problems artists and painters encounter. Love it and recommneded it many times over.

Physician, heal thyself.......2007-05-30

Sorry, I didn't like the book. I don't know how to say this kindly, but Kreutz' paintings seem to need some improvement, especially the portraits. He may have very good advice to give and should be commended for giving it, but I am reminded of the saying, "I always pass on good advice, because it never does me any good."

Finally, a book worth more than the price.......2007-02-13

I LOVE this book and keep by my easel. His checklists keep me on track.

"What are the attributes that can make this a better painting?" .......2007-01-19

As any true artist can attest, real art does not just arrive from the soul of the artist. Rather it is more often than not the result of hard-won struggles with all sorts of problems. Art in its creation is not linear. It develops by answering questions like, "What makes form look dimensional?" "How does light flow?" "How can air be represented." If the content is too dominating and the technique too finished, the painting can look impersonal. It the artist is too dominating, to expressionistic, the painting can look self-indulgent.

Gregg Kreutz in his "Problem Solving for Oil Painters" has assembled many of the questions that have occurred to him during his years as a painter. He examines the characteristics of a superior painting and shows through examples what makes one picture better than another. Some of those qualities include richness, mystery, simplicity, and focus.

Kreutz appreciates individual expression and knows that each painter develops in his or her own way. He knows that painting is not a mechanical act. When it is, the end product will be unconvincing. Painting requires creativity, insight and empathy. He builds on these attributes which vary from individual to individual with the questions that painters frequently face. He answers these in a straightforward, agnostic manner that will be useful to all painters.

This is an excellent book that will serve the intermediate to advanced to professional painter well. Kruetz's paintings have been represented in many juried shows, winning many high honors. The book is chock full of his work and I, for one, am glad. His work is inspirational and, with this book, he has forced me to raise the bar for my work by asking one question when I paint, "What are the attributes that can make this a better painting?" I no longer have any excuses - he provides plenty of answers.

Product Description

Because prospective clients are relying more on the Internet to select service providers, having a highly visible, accessible web site is essential for photographers in every field. Your web site is your new storefront, and this book will show you how to make it work for you. 128 pp., 8.5 x 11 , paperback, 100 Photos/Screen Shots

Customer Reviews:

Love It.......2004-04-24

I love this book. It is very well defined, with excellent pictures and tutorials. It is much better than all other books on the subject

Book Description

Adventures and short stories starring Uncle Scrooge, Donald Duck, and other standard Disney characters.

Book Description

School As a Journey is a lively, colorful, and absorbing account of a class teacher's journey with his class, from first grade through the eighth in a Waldorf school. Told in a straightforward humorous style, it is an excellent introduction to the inside of a Waldorf classroom. This book is written especially for parents and educators as well as anyone new to Waldorf education. It is filled with eductional tips and resources and will prove invaluable to those already teaching. It is extensively documented, for those who wish to go more deeply, including references to the works of Rudolf Steiner and others in Waldorf education.

"Torin Finzer's School As a Journey is an inspiriing account of one teachers odyssey. Along the way, he reveals the secrets of good education in any setting: effective partnership with parents, a strong sense of collegiality among the staff, and -- above all -- the presence of dedicated teachers who are motivated by a sincere love and respect for their students." -- Ernest Boyer, President, Carnegie Foundation

Customer Reviews:

for every teacher.......2007-07-21

This is not a book about Waldorf education per se, but rather an inspiring look into the dedication of a master teacher. The author's depth of understanding of every one of his students is simply amazing. As an experienced, sometimes discouraged preschool teacher, I found hope and affirmation in this book.

First-person view of the Waldorf Education.......2001-08-11

As the other reviews explain....this is a teacher's story of his unique journey with the same group of students from their entry into school as first graders through eighth grade. What an interesting idea....for the teacher and student. The consistency of teaching from one year to the next, ties in perfectly with the developmental model of the Waldorf curriculum. And with the right teacher, the students much derive a great deal of support and nurturance.

I picked up this book because I was interested in learning about the Waldorf system. This book accomplished that goal. Now, I'd love to read a book by an adult/student who has gone through the Waldorf system, on to college, and their perspective.

Parents who are contemplating or have enrolled their students in a Waldorf school will benefit from this book, and be reassured by the teacher's dedication. Other teachers will gather new ideas for presenting material and be inspired by this teacher's love of his work and his students. A win-win situation.

See how children come alive with a rich curriculum!.......2001-02-04

This book gives outstanding detail and theories behind classroom instruction in a Waldorf School. He includes actual stories, poems, and math exercises used in class - and shows which elements appealed to various temperaments. Have you ever thought about adding somber details to a math problem to appeal to a melancholic temperament? How brilliant! All through the book I kept finding myself saying, "Yes! This is what school should be like!" If you've wondered what's wrong with schools today... when you read this book you'll know... and you may find yourself wishing you could go back to school and be in his class even if just for one day.

interesting, easy to read introduction to Waldorf education.......2000-11-24

A teacher's synopsis of teaching his class from grade 1 through 8 in a Waldorf school. Mr. Finser is enthusiastic and motivated and it is clear that he loves teaching and loves his students. This was a wonderful introduction to what a Waldorf education is all about. I recommend it for as the first read for parents interested in learning what Waldorf education for grades 1-8 is about. (If one is interested in Waldorf Kindergarten, I suggest "Work and Play in Early Childhood" instead.) This book is easy to read. I found just the notion of the same group of students staying together for so many years, and keeping one teacher as the main lesson teacher throughout was fascinating. Mr. Finser explains what is taught during each year and goes into detail about the unconventional methods used. One example is using motion-exercises to teach multiplication. We are introduced to the Waldorf-approach to artwork, circle time, music making and songs, eurhythmy (a movement exercise), and how and why myths, legends, and fairy tales are used as teaching tools. The author includes the applicable poems, myths, and fairy tales rather than simply stating that they are used in the classroom. One of my favorite sections was a collection of poems written by the students. Mr. Finser states in the preface that he will not attempt to give a lengthy description and explanation "of all the dimensions of the Waldorf curriculum and the stages of child development as seen from the Waldorf point of view, or of Anthroposophy, the spiritual orientation that underlies it" and he remains true to that statement. For example, a lengthy description for what eurhythmy is and why it is important is not discussed. For further information or explanation, both the author and I urge the reader to further explore the writings of Rudolph Steiner (the founder of Waldorf education) or other writings... The book closes with an essay written by Joan Almon on the subject of Waldorf education as a method of teaching creative thinking and the goals of Waldorf education.

Outstanding depiction of a Waldorf school 1-8 grade cycle.......1999-01-05

I bought this book because of my interest in Waldorf education and it does a superb job of demonstrating the practical application of this rich curriculum. But it is much more than a book about a Waldorf school. It is the warm, human story of a teacher who himself struggles to do the best for the children under his care. An inspiration to all teachers (I have purchased 6 copies to give away !) and a very approachable introduction to Waldorf education.

Practical Advice to Teachers (Foundations of Waldorf Education, 2)

Average customer rating:

part of the whole
practicle advice for teachers

Practical Advice to Teachers (Foundations of Waldorf Education, 2)
Rudolf Steiner
Manufacturer: Steiner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Pedagogy | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0880104678

Book Description

How do Waldorf teachers put their educational ideals into practice in the classroom? How does a teacher connect geography and art and language in a way that enlivens the souls of children? What does a child's respect for the teacher mean for later life?

These are only a few practical aspects of this initial course for Waldorf teachers.

During an intensive two weeks, Rudolf Steiner gave three simultaneous educational courses to those who would be the first teachers of the original Waldorf school. One course provided the foundational ideas behind Waldorf education (The Foundations of Human Experience); another provided a forum for questions and lively discussions on specific issues in the classroom (Discussions with Teachers). In this course, Steiner takes the middle-path by integrating theory and practice.

Here Steiner spoke of new ways to teach reading, writing, geography, geometry, language, and much more. His approach is tailored to the spiritual and physical needs of the children themselves, not to an arbitrary curriculum based solely on external results.

At a time when public education is in a state of crisis, this book describes how children around the world are being guided into adulthood with a fuller sense of themselves and with a creative approach to life and the world around them.

Customer Reviews:

part of the whole.......2005-12-08

Serious students of Steiner's educational ideas should read this in conjunction with the other 2 courses with which these lectures were given. The first is *Foundations of Human Experience* and the third is *Discussions With Teachers*. Together, these three volumes constitute the first course that Steiner gave for teachers just prior to the opening of the first Waldorf School. Read alone, this book has value for teachers aiming to recall or review practices and principles of Waldorf education. For those unfamiliar with Waldorf schools, this book is the most "nuts and bolts" of the three, giving--not uncontroversial--advice on curriculum and teaching.

practicle advice for teachers.......2005-08-04

I have not yet received this item ordered 2 months ago.

Rhythms of Learning : What Waldorf Education Offers Children, Parents & Teachers (Vista Series, V. 4) (Vista Series, V. 4)

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Rhythms of Learning : What Waldorf Education Offers Children, Parents & Teachers (Vista Series, V. 4) (Vista Series, V. 4)
Rudolf Steiner , and Roberto Trostli
Manufacturer: Steiner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Pedagogy | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0880104511

Book Description

In numerous lectures and through teaching teachers for the first Waldorf school, Rudolf Steiner described and suggested methods of education based on the rhythmic unfolding of spirit, soul, and physiology in children as they grow. In each section of "Rhythms of Learning," Waldorf teacher Roberto Trostli introduces the reader to lectures on specific aspects of children's rhythms of development and how Waldorf education responds. We are shown how Waldorf teachers must, through their own inner capacities and awareness, learn to recognize and meet each new stage of development in children as they unfold new capacities on every level of their being.

Product Description

Sarah Baldwin has created a beautiful portrait of the grace that a Waldorf parent/child program can be -- for the parents, the children and the entire community. She writes from her heart, from her considerable knowledge of children and families, and from her experience leading the Ashwood School's Parent/Child Class. The result is a book that covers all the bases, from why to have such a class at all, to what sort of qualities a parent/child teacher needs, to a detailed description of the rhythms of day and season in her own class. In addition, about half the book is devoted to discussion about parent education, space, publicity, festivals, field trips, birthdays and more. Finally, there are brief descriptions of other Parent/Child classes at other schools. All in all, this is a beautiful, delicious resource -- one which will inspire and guide anyone interested in young children, families and the fostering of healthy community. Like a small seed on fertile soil, I can see this book growing beyond its covers until it shares its harvest with all who pass by.

Average customer rating:

The Education of a Waldorf Teacher
Keith Francis
Manufacturer: iUniverse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Educators | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Pedagogy | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Education & Training | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0595309607

Book Description

Waldorf education is a wonderful thing, but it doesn't always turn out quite the way its founder, Rudolf Steiner, expected. No matter how spiritual, anthroposophical or Waldorfian we become, we are still human beings and we do the funny, admirable or reprehensible things that human beings of all stripes do; but there is something in the Waldorf atmosphere that makes these things funnier, more admirable or more reprehensible.

In The Education of a Waldorf Teacher the author describes how he learned the facts of Waldorf life the hard way, takes a sympathetic look at the problems of students, teachers, administrators and parents, makes constructive suggestions that may be helpful both to veterans and to those who are just finding their way into Waldorf education, and provides entertaining reading for those who are simply curious.

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Book Description

"Ultimately, isn't it a very holy and religious obligation to cultivate and educate the divine spiritual element that manifests anew in every human being who is born? Isn't this educational service a religious service in the highest sense of the word? Isn't it so that our holiest stirrings, which we dedicate to religious feeling, must all come together in our service at the altar when we attempt to cultivate the divine spiritual aspect of the human being, whose potentials are revealed in the growing child?" (Rudolf Steiner, Sept. 7, 1919).

This book contains all of the more-or-less informal talks given by Steiner in the Stuttgart school from 1919 to1924. Included are speeches given by him at various school assemblies, parents' evenings, and other meetings. Steiner spoke here with spontaneity, warmth, and enthusiasm.

Readers will find a unique glimpse of the real Steiner and how he viewed the school and the educational philosophy he brought into being.

Customer Reviews:

Julie Foudy rules!.......2000-04-03

This book is about Julie Foudy, the greatest soccer player ever! It begins by trying to explain just how impressive it is to watch her play. The book then goes to her childhood, and how her family helped her to become a great player. It explains all the sports she played in from the time she was a child till now. It also tells you about the people, and events, in her life that made her who she is today. Her role in the 1996 Olympics is explained, and so is her position on child labor. In my opinion, Julie Foudy is the best soccer player ever, and this book tells for how she got to where she is.

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