Victoria C's Senior Project Blog

Project Title: Bird’s Eye View: A Cross Analysis of the Development of D.C. and Other Metropolitan Areas BASIS Advisor: Jack Jenson Internship Location: District Architecture Center Onsite Mentor: Heidi Sohng

Project Abstract

Over the years city planning has evolved immensely, and its progress has been tracked by the various technological advancements and policies that have emerged. My project examined Washington D.C., New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles which were all cities influenced by the “City Beautiful” Movement starting in the late 19th century. In my project, I addressed the effectiveness of public transportation, dominant architectural styles and the quality of life observable in these cities as well as how these cities responded to current events and struggles that they faced. I compared the impact that the “City Beautiful” Movement had on these American cities and how that influenced their development today. At my internship in the District Architecture Center, there were a range of resources available and networking connections, including the Design in Action program which allowed me to shadow at an Urban Planning firm and to witness the present-day problems that urban planning faces. While looking at the three categories and the four cities over the course of various time periods, I was able to examine urban planning though a historical scope. I was also able to discover not only how urban planning is constantly changing and influenced greatly by our impacts as individuals, but also how local government policies shape or restrict the layout of the cities we know.