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earth in another decade or so. Yet,
according to its mayor, José Carlos,
the ciry has got to find sorne way to
halt its growth or it will find itself
succumbing to its problems at just
about the same time it is scheduled
to reach tbat size.
Dubiously labeled the worst city
in
the world, Calcutta struggles to
survive under the agonizíng weight
of sorne two million unemployed,
one million living in the slums, and
another million street dwellers.
It's time we all admitted to our–
selves that urban woes, unless
halted, are leading to disaster.
Can't something be done? Must
we sit idly by as the cities - and the
people who live
in
them - slide into
urban oblivion?
We can begin finding the real so-
lution by pinpomtmg wbere tbe
blame for the problems lie.
What Can Officials Do?
Many claim the fault líes princi–
pally with the men who purportedly
possess the greatest power in the
city - the mayors. Yet, in reality,
there is relatively little mayors can
do to alleviate the burgeoning prob–
Iems that atllict their cities. Mayors
usually find themselves confronted
with a vast network of political ma–
chinery, economic limüations, and
pressure groups that stand in the
way - and that's assuming mayors
even know where to start in alleviat–
ing urban ills!
What about city planners? Tbeir
hands are even more firmly tied!
Basic patterns of urban growth were
decided decades and centuries ago.
Most planning is, by necessity, lim–
ited in scope - and is usually along
narrow, economic lines.
Architects and engineers have
even less influence tban planners.
Most of tbeir efforts are concen–
trated on single, generally unrelated
projects. About all they can do is
choose what buildings and highways
will look like.
Other officiaJs in government and
industry are also lirnited to treating
only the effects in their own rela–
tively minute areas.
And the people who live
in
cities?
About all they can do
is
complain
about legitimare grievances and en–
dure the hardships and frustrations
of urban Life.
It all adds up to this: none of
YOF THE
FUTURE7
B
osic lo the ideo of the new towns
is the goal of providing o decent,
humonized environment thot works
for people - on environment where o
mon, his wife, ond fomily con develop
in personolily ond chorocter. Each villoge
oreo is corefully thought-out from the
beginning. Neighborhoods ore locoted
oround a villoge center. This woy, most
goods ond services - religious centers,
schools, ond stores - are situoted within
clase distonce of home.
Most new town designers attempt to
incorporate some form of limited, non·
polluting industry within the city limits .
. This creotes jobs for town residents, con–
tributes lo the local economy, ond helps
p liminote endless commuting lo ond from
work.
Though the new towns are not urbon
utopías, they represen!, when compored
o todoy 's dehumonized cities, o most
· t!efinite step in the right direction .
vtU.AGE
·'ce~ak' Central!~
14dited
~-thin
eJch villoge ore
mojor
ls, medium-sized
stores,
lo(9e
recreolion
oreas -
o
iluokld
Within
OOWNTOWN: The central
~
of the new towns with
co~
government buildings, shoppin!l.
-malls, higher educationol focil·
ities, ond cultural centers.
qaEEÑ!a.TS: Oesigned
lo
pre–
vent ;¡íoges ond downtown
qreos
llorif-
becoming exponses
of
~~evar-endiñg
sprowl.
foirly short dis
_s of
~'