Jane Jacobs

Jane Jacobs

MF: The number of “eyes on the street” varies by neighborhood, in Chicago as well as in all other cities. When Jacobs was writing — and before air conditioning became wide-spread — people often sat on the stoops of their buildings socializing while watching their children play outdoors. High-rise apartment buildings tend to make it harder to have a lot of “eyes on the street.”LH: In her groundbreaking book, “The Death and Life of Great American Cities,” Jane Jacobs coined the phrase “eyes-on-the-street,” about the way people are naturally drawn to observing human activity in vibrant, walkable neighborhoods, which helps keep the community safe. Do we have enough “eyes on the street” in Chicago? If not, how can we improve on this?

(Questions with Martha Frish on pioneering urban planner Jane Jacobs, subject of the new doc, CITIZEN JANE, medium.com)

Libro consigliato "Vita e morte delle grandi città. Saggio sulle metropoli americane." Jane Jacobs - The Death and Life of Great American Cities - 1961.