Michael Southworth

This book is a superbly written history of Boston’s built environment, filled with insider details and engaging anecdotes about more than 600 buildings, including such historic landmarks as Faneuil Hall, the mansions on Beacon Hill, the commercial wharves in Boston Harbor, Fenway Park, and the Freedom Trail as well as Boston’s latest contemporary buildings such as the ICA, MIT’s Stata Center, and the infamous “Big Dig.” This guide has been completely rewritten and redesigned, with added theme tours, such as Boston Urban Design, Contemporary Landmarks, or the work of Charles Bulfinch. New, up-to-date locator maps have been created for this edition, and the glossary and index have been revised.

The topic of streets and street design is of compelling interest today as public officials, developers, and community activists seek to reshape urban patterns to achieve more sustainable forms of growth and development. Streets and the Shaping of Towns and Cities traces ideas about street design and layout back to the early industrial era in London suburbs and then on through their institutionalization in housing and transportation planning in the United States. It critiques the situation we are in and suggests some ways out that are less rigidly controlled, more flexible, and responsive to local conditions. Originally published in 1997, this edition includes a new introduction that addresses topics of current interest including revised standards from the Institute of Transportation Engineers; changes in city plans and development standards following New Urbanist, Smart Growth, and sustainability principles; traffic calming; and ecologically oriented street design.