Suburban Nation A Book by Andres Duany, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk & Jeff Speck www.goodreads.com A system for livingThe five components of sprawlSubdivisionsAn unmade omeletBeauty and function+12 More The quality of the dayDrawing pictures of cities urbanismcities
The stoop is a space of spectatorship Along with being a meeting place, the stoop is a space of spectatorship. A street lined with stoops is a kind of lateral stadium, ideal for viewing the passing parade, whether formal ones like the giant Gay Pride and Halloween Parades (until their route was changed a few years ago) or the more informal quotidian version. Hanging out on the stoop allows the sitter to observe the dance (Jane Jacobs’s ballet) of daily activity, to notice what is out of the ordinary, to provide the kind of public presence that prompts neighborly behavior. Michael Sorkin, 20 Minutes in Manhattan I know the deep night ballet and its seasons best streets