Long time ago there is a small country which has been infused with Confucius ethos and Westernized system. It is a curious mixture and it is fascinating how it opereate. As soon as you stepped onto this land, immediately you are connected to the vitality of the street life and the warm welcoming attitude from its citizens. Streets are congested, however paradoxically they are made up of low density dwellings, that's especially the case with cities outside of the capital city Taipei. You would find that they are primarily composed of two or three level units and usually the first level is used as shop or parlor. As Jane Jacob points out in her book 'The Death and Life of Great American Cities, if a city's streets look interesting, the city looks interesting, if they look dull, the city look dull. Usually big congested city leaves you an unpleasant impression, however, the cities in Taiwan offer you an aperture into the peaceful ordinary lives that fade into the background of chaos.
This sums up the role and effect of streetscape really well. I haven't read this book by Jane Jacobs yet, but it is moving up my reading list now.
ReplyDeleteI know, it is a must have. Please let me know what do you think after reading it! And may I know who this is? Because I really appreciate your comment :)
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