KunstlerCast #110: Human Scale

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05/06/10 • 31 min

KunstlerCast - Conversations: Converging Catastrophes of the 21st Century

James Howard Kunstler explains what it means to build to the human scale and how our modern built environment fails to do this.

James Howard Kunstler explains what it means to build to the human scale and how our modern built environment fails to do this.

Previous Episode

KunstlerCast #109: Rock and Roll

James Howard Kunstler shares some stories from his days writing for Rolling Stone magazine in the 1970s. He reflects on the role that technology played in creating the mind-blowing music that defined a generation. He also wonders about the future of popular music as we head into the Long Emergency.

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KunstlerCast #111: Brutalism

James Howard Kunstler explains the origins of brutalism, the modernist architectural style that resulted in the horrible, poured concrete bunker-like buildings found all across the world. JHK explains why these concrete buildings age more rapidly, and less gracefully, than Roman concrete buildings. He also tells the story of how Hitler inspired (indirectly) these despotic structures. Specific examples of brutalist buildings discussed in this episode are: Boston City Hall, Troy City Hall, the Paul Rudolph building at Yale University and The Third Church of Christ, Scientist, in Washington, D.C.