Archive | September, 2009

Prague and San Francisco: On Communist vs Capitalist Modernism

Posted on September 3, 2009 in Architecture, Prague, Rail Transit, San Francisco

In November 1973, a new subway station opened whose walls looked like this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hyperbolation/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Just six months later, on the other side of the Iron Curtain, a subway station opened whose walls looked like this:

Is there any essential difference between communist and capitalist modernism?

Vienna: Even Perfect Integration Isn’t Perfect

Posted on September 3, 2009 in Branding, Vienna

As part of my Europe tour, I thought I’d give some attention to things that even the best European systems have trouble getting right.

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Vienna’s Gentle Glass Boxes

Posted on September 2, 2009 in Architecture, Rail Transit, Vienna

Subway entrances are always a great challenge opportunity for transit architecture. Should you present a consistent systemwide look or blend into the surrounding urban texture? (The same debate happens about lots of other transit infrastructure too, right down to the bus stop sign.)

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Vienna: Life Without Loops

Posted on September 1, 2009 in Downtowns, Loops, Rail Transit, Shuttles (Circulators), Streetcars (Trams), Vienna

Vienna offers a really nice example of the perils of short downtown shuttles in general, and loops in particular.

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Archive | September, 2009