How Chicago Could Have Become a "Paris on the Prairie"

The 19th century saw Chicago go from a patch of wilderness on the American frontier, to a metropolis of over 1.6 million inhabitants. Although impressive, this rapid growth would prove problematic for the city, as it struggled to provide adequate infrastructure and public space. To adress this, local architect Daniel Burnham was asked to create a comprehensive plan for Chicago's development. In it, he envisioned a city of grand plazas, monumental civic buildings, and streets seemingly radiating into infinity - a Paris on the prairie.
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Пікірлер: 1 100

  • @naturalcambion3747
    @naturalcambion37472 жыл бұрын

    The world lost its magic when architecture became concrete boxes and asphalt roads.

  • @xavier01110

    @xavier01110

    2 жыл бұрын

    You mean America.

  • @naturalcambion3747

    @naturalcambion3747

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@xavier01110 Everywhere.

  • @texaswunderkind

    @texaswunderkind

    2 жыл бұрын

    People: "I want beautiful architecture to come back." Builders: "It will cost three times as much." People: "Just build the ugly concrete box."

  • @egoxagony4623

    @egoxagony4623

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@texaswunderkind why would it cost more, genuine question

  • @BoricuaKelfa

    @BoricuaKelfa

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@egoxagony4623 because their lazy assess have to put in effort

  • @markjosephbantayan3479
    @markjosephbantayan34793 жыл бұрын

    Burnham is literally the "you don't know what you're missing" guy of architecture and city planning. Today thousands of people lament the ruin of Manila because his plans were abandoned after WW2.

  • @moneyivo7669

    @moneyivo7669

    Жыл бұрын

    Why were his plan’s abandoned?

  • @markjosephbantayan3479

    @markjosephbantayan3479

    Жыл бұрын

    @@moneyivo7669 World War 2 happened. Nobody had money for anything.

  • @raphgalban2007

    @raphgalban2007

    Жыл бұрын

    plus the streets just… disappeared

  • @ROBOHOLIC1

    @ROBOHOLIC1

    Жыл бұрын

    @@raphgalban2007 which would have been the perfect opportunity to rebuild it. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, instead of an urban dystopia like it is now.

  • @raphgalban2007

    @raphgalban2007

    Жыл бұрын

    @@ROBOHOLIC1 You’re correct. The City Beautiful project could have happened if we were able to fix the stuff that the Japanese destroyed. But we didn’t fix it quick enough to prioritise that project. TLDR: The Japanese screwed us over, hard.

  • @rixille
    @rixille3 жыл бұрын

    That would have been one hell of a city judging by the artwork.

  • @danielmoreno-gama5973

    @danielmoreno-gama5973

    3 жыл бұрын

    Yup sadly the depression crushed everyone’s dreams like always

  • @jeffburdick869

    @jeffburdick869

    3 жыл бұрын

    Much of this did happen. IMO, the most important parts did, such as the lakeshore and boulevards.

  • @robertwright4906

    @robertwright4906

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@jeffburdick869 The lakeshore parks are the best feature of Chicago IMO. I really like the city and it was cool to see where the good ideas came from. New York to me feels claustrophobic and gritty, but Chicago feels much more Open

  • @TheOtherOne122

    @TheOtherOne122

    3 жыл бұрын

    That, and automobile lobbying for more roads everywhere

  • @beargrills1290

    @beargrills1290

    2 жыл бұрын

    I take it you've never been to the Chi. It's one hell of a city. Just gorgeous and if the creator of this video had actually been to Chicago he probably wouldn't have created this video.

  • @JonathanDGrim
    @JonathanDGrim3 жыл бұрын

    Saddened when I saw the overlay of the highway interchange over what could have been. People wonder why European cities are so nice and enjoyable, this is it! Design cities based on people, not cars!

  • @letheas6175

    @letheas6175

    3 жыл бұрын

    Hi! It seems you know all about it, that is indeed key fact to improving city livability. You might find the channel ''not just bikes'' interesting. It's focused mostly on the Netherlands, but also some other European nations. It's from the perspective of someone who lived in the US and Canada, and his videos are really great at describing how and why cities that aren't car-centric are better.

  • @wolverineeagle

    @wolverineeagle

    3 жыл бұрын

    The US is a huge country. Western Europe is half the size of the US. US cities European cities are also much older. For most of their existence they had horse and foot traffic. US cities being much younger and more space to work with would obviously not look the same. Geography and history are really important factors when comparing US and European cities.

  • @letheas6175

    @letheas6175

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@wolverineeagle They are important factors but not the most important. Many European countries such as the one I live in: The Netherlands. Have had to make choices, many key points in history could have made it so that it would be pretty much identical to the US (except for the ugly grid patterns, which are also horrible from a mobility viewpoint) for example Amsterdam as we know it would be pretty much unrecognizable with huge highways and a car-centric society in mind. But those nations or cities, along with a few outside of Europe (Portland for example as we're being taught during my mobility study) have made the decision to preserve certain things and to provide liveable space. Either through Transit-Oriented Development, which is an excellent way of reducing car dependency, to increasing traffic calming measures, or simply changing laws. About that, let me talk about zoning laws. This is also one of the biggest differences. Here in the Netherlands, as is for most of western Europe, zoning laws aren't that strict. Shopping areas aren't just assigned to huge mall/shop areas, usually outside of the city centers, no, they're usually mixed. It's extremely uncommon in the Netherlands to live in a neighborhood that is say 10 mins walking away from a shop. This increases walkability, decreases the need for cars, and is generally higher in value (and because of the increase of people on the street, it's safer) Yes, the US is bigger, but that's entirely not the point. The thing is really the way of thinking, the culture. You could implement some of the things we do over here, and some cities (with succes) do, but that doesn't change the national government or laws, it doesn't change the way people view certain ways of traveling. it doesn't incite investment or innovativeness. The biggest issue isn't history either as is clear by now. There's this huge province we have here, the biggest artificial island in the world actually, and it's completely reclaimed from the sea in the 1950-1970's, you'd expect it to be car-centric but no, it's not. There are cars, but also seperate bicycle paths, with their own infrastructure and own bridges, there's a hirarchy in road structure and trains to connect places. My point is, even new areas are made in a different way with a strong focus on sustainability, liveability and durability. It's actually key focus over here besides.. you know, living below sea level (or maybe because of it)

  • @guidedmeditation2396

    @guidedmeditation2396

    3 жыл бұрын

    Organized crime and Democrat policies have kept all of America from being better.

  • @italianboyz12345

    @italianboyz12345

    3 жыл бұрын

    The homogenous societies of Europe and the demographics make it pretty nice too.

  • @mickel1634
    @mickel16343 жыл бұрын

    i'll just have to live with telling myself that this city exists in an alternate universe...

  • @imperators1012

    @imperators1012

    3 жыл бұрын

    It does. Barcelona google it, you welcome.

  • @Isphanian

    @Isphanian

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@imperators1012 LOL

  • @BlownMacTruck

    @BlownMacTruck

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@imperators1012 Wow, just… sad.

  • @memezoffuckery3207

    @memezoffuckery3207

    2 жыл бұрын

    That city got nuked in the war

  • @MorbSquad420

    @MorbSquad420

    Жыл бұрын

    We could just tear down Chicago & build it like this

  • @dankthrone6668
    @dankthrone66683 жыл бұрын

    All of this planning and we got a fucking bean

  • @marselo5332

    @marselo5332

    3 жыл бұрын

    lmao

  • @Fermifire

    @Fermifire

    3 жыл бұрын

    Don't forget corruption and gangsters. lol

  • @EdhellenCuar

    @EdhellenCuar

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@Fermifire you mean capitalism

  • @fite-4-ever876

    @fite-4-ever876

    3 жыл бұрын

    we could still have the bean

  • @marselo5332

    @marselo5332

    3 жыл бұрын

    The Hypothetical City could’ve had a Eiffel Bean

  • @napoleonibonaparte7198
    @napoleonibonaparte71983 жыл бұрын

    Daniel Burnham also designed a plan for Manila, to make it the “Paris of the Orient”. Then again, never fully implemented, cars rule the streets there as well.

  • @danielmoreno-gama5973

    @danielmoreno-gama5973

    3 жыл бұрын

    Definitely very sad not only is it no longer as beautiful it’s rejection in favor of the automobile industry to supply transit lead to mass amounts of carbon getting produced to this day and is one of the reasons why Manila looks so polluted truly was a visionary and he is kinda getting me to look into architecture

  • @bakaheavyindustries4836

    @bakaheavyindustries4836

    3 жыл бұрын

    its not automotive industry killed its WW2. the favor and lobbying by automotive industry began in late 1940s even its implemented still shit and polluted because when Philippine got independence from USA and reconstruction of Manila after the brutal Battle of Manila became the most devastated cities alongside Berlin and Warsaw. the reconstruction is very decentralized compared to Tokyo which US is focused and McArthur offered the reconstruction its rejected the government at time because there is new capital at that time.

  • @sumdude4281

    @sumdude4281

    3 жыл бұрын

    Japanese during WWII had a bit to do with that.

  • @bmona7550

    @bmona7550

    3 жыл бұрын

    Manila got the short end of the stick in reconstruction even tho it's the 2nd most heavily bombed city in WWII

  • @awonoto

    @awonoto

    3 жыл бұрын

    Haussman needed Napoleon III. Napoleon III needed Haussman. Burnham didn't have a Napoleon III.

  • @schimenykrikets9692
    @schimenykrikets96923 жыл бұрын

    Architect: This spot will be where we build the 8th wonder of the world City: Freeway intersection

  • @MrCtsSteve
    @MrCtsSteve3 жыл бұрын

    Detroit was once called the Paris of the Midwest. This was the later part of the 1950s early 60s . We'll we all know what happened to Detroit . There's still some incredible architecture there and history. Yes Chicago is incredible.

  • @NPC-vq3cl

    @NPC-vq3cl

    2 жыл бұрын

    well*

  • @ihazplawe2503

    @ihazplawe2503

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@NPC-vq3cl Do you sell items NPC #2302?

  • @Christoph-sd3zi

    @Christoph-sd3zi

    2 жыл бұрын

    Chicago is incredible if you visit for a week or so - to live there is another story.

  • @royaviles5730

    @royaviles5730

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Christoph-sd3zi Nope still incredible. I love Chicago 😎 being downtown gets me pumped everytime and it’s crazy how you can be passing places where actors acted from movies or tv shows. lots of cultural places historic monuments

  • @Cory99918

    @Cory99918

    4 ай бұрын

    chicago is not incredible

  • @someguy2594
    @someguy25943 жыл бұрын

    It almost seems like the world has lost its magic. Nobody thinks this way anymore.

  • @slaturwinters1828

    @slaturwinters1828

    3 жыл бұрын

    life feels worthless now, there's no magic anymore.

  • @stratdaddy

    @stratdaddy

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@slaturwinters1828 You’re just not looking

  • @trollololololololo1173

    @trollololololololo1173

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@stratdaddy Not really, here in Europe its the same....no one build anymore such Buildings

  • @nukebloc

    @nukebloc

    3 жыл бұрын

    all of the hard work of our forefathers have been handed to savages with no reason to care about local history or beauty

  • @RANDOM-YT-VIDS

    @RANDOM-YT-VIDS

    3 жыл бұрын

    I do but who cares about me

  • @peterbudko1398
    @peterbudko13984 жыл бұрын

    Once again, an incredibly interesting and high quality video. Hopefully the algorithm will pick you up soon, because you deserve more views than this.

  • @cottontheeastercottontailr265

    @cottontheeastercottontailr265

    3 жыл бұрын

    Algorithm picked him up

  • @Ihadtochangethisusername

    @Ihadtochangethisusername

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@cottontheeastercottontailr265 that it did

  • @jp-kf8sb

    @jp-kf8sb

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@cottontheeastercottontailr265 yep

  • @BrYAn-uu6nm

    @BrYAn-uu6nm

    3 жыл бұрын

    It did.

  • @vladiiidracula235

    @vladiiidracula235

    3 жыл бұрын

    @Baylor Drew fuck off

  • @lmnop29
    @lmnop293 жыл бұрын

    As a native Chicagoan, I feel that Chicago is beautiful as it is. However, it would've been nice to see this come to fruition. ESPECIALLY the railways..😩

  • @zeanamush

    @zeanamush

    3 жыл бұрын

    We did consolidate the Railways a lot. Considering how much if it goes to Union and Olgilvie which are right next to each other.

  • @cyberpimp29

    @cyberpimp29

    3 жыл бұрын

    They call it Chiraq for a reason...

  • @zeanamush

    @zeanamush

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@cyberpimp29 Yes mostly because of spike in regional violence in 2016.

  • @sullivandmitry1416

    @sullivandmitry1416

    3 жыл бұрын

    How could you say that the blocks of tall glass buildings and a sway of gigantic proportions of violence as “beautiful.”

  • @hallo754

    @hallo754

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@cyberpimp29 no one calls it chiraq except for people outside of the city who think people call it chiraq

  • @johnmanno2052
    @johnmanno20523 жыл бұрын

    I'm from Chicago, city proper, born and raised. I soooooooooo wish that this plan had been carried out!!!!!! Thank you for posting this!! Excellent work!

  • @thewaywardpoet
    @thewaywardpoet Жыл бұрын

    It saddens me greatly that Burnham's vision never came to fruition. If it had, then, my God, Chicago would be THE most beautiful (to say nothing of monumental) city in America, bar none. You noted the Hausmann influence on the street layout, which obviously calls Paris to mind, but I even see inspiration from Rome and (in regards specifically to the harbor) even Carthage. I'm a firm believer in the Multiverse Theory and I'd like to think that, in a parallel universe or alternate dimension, this Chicago exists. Those designs are simply stunning.

  • @kreaturen
    @kreaturen3 жыл бұрын

    Noone: Burnham: How would you like to live in a fabulously grand mausoleum that stretches into infinity?

  • @pahwraith

    @pahwraith

    3 жыл бұрын

    It looks like speers plans of berlin. Hard pass. As a lifelong chicagoan.

  • @beepbop6542

    @beepbop6542

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@pahwraith ? Im not from Chicago but Speers plan and this Chicago plan seem great.

  • @kreaturen

    @kreaturen

    3 жыл бұрын

    Also... Liberace: Yes! YES!!! Why nobody ask *moi*?!???

  • @artdecotimes2942

    @artdecotimes2942

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@pahwraith lifelong of how long? 20 years? You haven't a fig newton idea of the city, only its modern characteristics that warp what it once was.

  • @pahwraith

    @pahwraith

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@artdecotimes2942 i was born in the 80s lol. Try again. Also i grew up in the city not the burbs taking the cta everyday. Trust me. I know the city.

  • @raielalvaro
    @raielalvaro4 жыл бұрын

    As seen in the video, Daniel Burnham also had an urban plan for Manila and Baguio City during the American occupation however, these plans didn't came into fruition, and only a segment was completed (Manila Bay Area, Rizal Park) thus the hodge podge of buildings and structures you can see in Metro Manila today.

  • @rajavlitra
    @rajavlitra3 жыл бұрын

    I'll give him credit, he deserved that park in baguio named after him. This is CRISPY

  • @gpaderx6105

    @gpaderx6105

    3 жыл бұрын

    are you also filipino? I really hope the manila plan was made.. so sad

  • @rajavlitra

    @rajavlitra

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@gpaderx6105 ok lang me national museum naman e

  • @gpaderx6105

    @gpaderx6105

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@rajavlitra atleast nasunod kahit konti

  • @Cory99918

    @Cory99918

    4 ай бұрын

    you'll give him credit lol

  • @VLCBK
    @VLCBK2 жыл бұрын

    I just love how the old skyscrapers looked like, with so many ornaments well placed and such beauty

  • @liamwilcox641
    @liamwilcox6413 жыл бұрын

    This video makes me sad knowing that we don't have a city like this :-(

  • @goldenrepublic6848

    @goldenrepublic6848

    3 жыл бұрын

    Every American city should have have this much thought and detail put into them.

  • @notsure8550

    @notsure8550

    3 жыл бұрын

    I'm actually glad some of his stuff did not get implemented, like that terrible idea of diagonal city streets everywhere.

  • @mirzaaljic

    @mirzaaljic

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@notsure8550 Yeah its awesome to see spaghetti highways everywhere instead.

  • @dabage553

    @dabage553

    3 жыл бұрын

    Chicago, even not fully implementing Burnham's plan is still a beautiful city with the Lakefront and the Mag Mile. The city thankfully picked up a lot of his ideas and still continues to do so.

  • @cyberpimp29

    @cyberpimp29

    3 жыл бұрын

    Chiraq

  • @steveniswho9254
    @steveniswho92543 жыл бұрын

    Love it, I wish the plan would've been fully implemented, sad to see our cities look like shitholes. Very awful that they put a fucking intersection where Burnam's civic center was supposed to go.

  • @skeptical5727

    @skeptical5727

    3 жыл бұрын

    I'm with you! I would have love to see architecture like this, my patriotism would have been sky rocketing through the roof by now. Architecture brings culture and brings humanity to our lives NOT concrete towers.

  • @danielmoreno-gama5973

    @danielmoreno-gama5973

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@skeptical5727 sadly Americans have opted for libertarian patriotism where if you move a fucking brick your label’s as a commie it’s sad the Republicans are literally doing the reject humanity return to monkey meme

  • @KanyeTheGayFish69

    @KanyeTheGayFish69

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@danielmoreno-gama5973 America was founded on libertarianism you hateful leftist pile of shit

  • @draco_1876

    @draco_1876

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@danielmoreno-gama5973 libertarianism is not to blame

  • @blllllllllllllllllllrlrlrl7059

    @blllllllllllllllllllrlrlrl7059

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@danielmoreno-gama5973 you libtards have to blame everything on Republicans, don't you?

  • @coyotelong4349
    @coyotelong43493 жыл бұрын

    “Paris on the Prairie”? Wouldn’t that be a “Prairis”?

  • @Game_Hero

    @Game_Hero

    2 жыл бұрын

    bud dum tss

  • @MasonGreenWeed

    @MasonGreenWeed

    2 жыл бұрын

    How you'd be pronounce it? With s or without s

  • @BoricuaKelfa

    @BoricuaKelfa

    Жыл бұрын

    @@MasonGreenWeed you would pronounce it "prayer-is"

  • @dancastellano3127
    @dancastellano31274 жыл бұрын

    Stunning

  • @mirzaaljic
    @mirzaaljic3 жыл бұрын

    This video makes me feel both nice and pissed off at the same time.

  • @Max-kd2gh
    @Max-kd2gh4 жыл бұрын

    As a Chicago native, it’s better than a lot of other cities I’ve visited in America. We still have lots of parks and downtown is a nice mix of city and nature. Still I kinda hate this city now

  • @Chris-jq4ge

    @Chris-jq4ge

    3 жыл бұрын

    Yeah, its really gone downhill the past decade. Massive political changes are needed to fix it but thatll never happen.

  • @Sphere723

    @Sphere723

    3 жыл бұрын

    Chicago is still the most beautiful of the great US cities.

  • @TheSpecialJ11

    @TheSpecialJ11

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@Chris-jq4ge Chicago has had a lot of ups and downs, but the corruption here is so deeply ingrained in the political culture (from its inception, really) I can't see a timeline in our lifetimes where your tax dollars actually do something. The past decade hasn't been so great, but neither were the preceding three either when compared to Chicago of the 50s and 60s, when the city could afford to be corrupt and still get stuff done. Now all the manufacturing is overseas and millions of dollars are wasted on suburban infrastructure that is way more expensive than traditional development, and the high taxes required to keep up this infrastructure are instead finding their way to the pockets of Mike Madigan and Co.

  • @eriklakeland3857

    @eriklakeland3857

    3 жыл бұрын

    My favorite thing about Chicago is the variety of the housing stock. Only 25% of its housing is single-family homes which is far far lower than most US cities (my city is 60% s-f homes). Love all the duplexes, townhomes, small apartments of Chicago for how they make the city more affordable and foster the dense, vibrant and unique neighborhoods. Much of my city even though it has the address of the core city feels like a giant suburb thanks to the dominance of single-family homes. I’d love to see Chicago build an outer loop elevated train line. It’s important for adapting to a post-COVID world where our polycentric cities, like Chicago, will better respond to office consolidation downtown. We need to directly link medical centers, universities, and other regional hubs without forcing riders to go downtown, embracing this polycentricity. Back in the early 2000s, the CTA studied a circular line or outer loop, but that vision needs to be discussed again in this pivotal time.

  • @microbios8586

    @microbios8586

    2 жыл бұрын

    Chicago is miles ahead of nearly all US cities. I find Chicago inspiring, as an example of what is possible in the US. It's a jewel.

  • @NGMonocrom
    @NGMonocrom3 жыл бұрын

    I wish his plan was adopted in full. An absolutely beautiful vision of the future that sadly never was.

  • @mauricehopes9105
    @mauricehopes91052 жыл бұрын

    The burhnam plan while not completely carried out is one of the great guiding principals for the city. Even today the lake front, navy pier, and tons of other parts still shape the city.

  • @TheSpecialJ11

    @TheSpecialJ11

    2 жыл бұрын

    Seems like most of everyone's favorite parts of the city are the parts in line with the Burnham Plan.

  • @stoggafllik

    @stoggafllik

    2 ай бұрын

    Look at Singapore,a lot of aspects from the Burnham plan was implemented there.

  • @robertwright4906
    @robertwright49063 жыл бұрын

    Ive always loved Chicago, in fact its probably my Favorite American city that I've been to. Its fascinating to see where the parts I loved came from, the Lakeshore parks really are the best thing. Imagine what would have been if the whole plan had been used. Still, the best parts of the city draw inspiration from the plan. What a visionary design!

  • @rosshauler7688

    @rosshauler7688

    3 жыл бұрын

    Michigan avenue sorta has these old vibes still

  • @orlando1a1
    @orlando1a14 жыл бұрын

    Fascinating and insightful. Thank you.

  • @Sihengli
    @Sihengli3 жыл бұрын

    Incredible work! keep at it! the quality of a work alone justifies its creation, applause is the day of rest which follows.

  • @BigSteak
    @BigSteak3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for covering the wonderful city of Chicago!

  • @cyberpimp29

    @cyberpimp29

    3 жыл бұрын

    Chiraq

  • @NonSequitur404
    @NonSequitur4043 жыл бұрын

    Great video, and thanks for providing such high quality plans and drawings. Really nice to see them.

  • @cunatoo
    @cunatoo3 жыл бұрын

    man, i love ur videos! keep up the great work!

  • @MarkVinewood
    @MarkVinewood3 жыл бұрын

    I wish so deerly that the civic centre had been built. It has such a breathtaking and humbling look to it. A gargantuan monolith from one perspective but yet so stylish and elegant from the other.

  • @R1project0
    @R1project03 жыл бұрын

    where has this kind of thinking gone? at least the past 80 years have been so depressing in terms of architecture and urban development.

  • @R1project0

    @R1project0

    3 жыл бұрын

    @Quantum Passport haha I did not expect a proper answer but thanks dude, very insightful! Which makes me want to ask you, any takes on Europe? I do get that for the US and their context, but over here we didn't really jump on that same train, yet we still have horrible buildings from the same time period, I do get the cost analysis point, but at least here in the UK, they still use bricks and wood a lot but still make ugly looking buildings xD. To further my point, luckily in my hometown, new developments needed to be stylistically in line with early 20th and 19th century buildings, they are clearly made of different materials and are nowhere close to as as decorated as the originals, but they are way prettier than the disgusting 1970s apartment blocks that surround them! which I feel suggests you can actually have both functionality and aesthetics. Which is what I am thinking of when I wonder "where has this thinking gone?", as in, when did we decide we had to decouple functionality from beauty in architecture? I apologise for the short essay haha

  • @mynillion

    @mynillion

    3 жыл бұрын

    A good chunk of it also probably has to do with everything being built up to the extent that it is already, you can't exactly go through and replan the entire street layout of a city of millions. Too many different owners, too many people, and too expensive. European cities that were more affected by WWII for example look a lot similar to American cities because a lot of them were almost completely leveled. A lot of it comes down to cost, just like how it's too expensive to redo built up American cities, there wasn't really a point redoing already built up European cities, except for in the cases where they were reduced to rubble.

  • @ultrapro167

    @ultrapro167

    3 жыл бұрын

    Bauhaus school of architecture in Weimar Germany in 1930s through today. Go down the rabbit hole

  • @haruyanto8085

    @haruyanto8085

    2 жыл бұрын

    You can thank cars.

  • @johnperic6860

    @johnperic6860

    7 ай бұрын

    Leftism and the autoindustry.

  • @SamuelKristopher
    @SamuelKristopher2 жыл бұрын

    First time seeing this channel in my recommendeds - definitely did not disappoint. Clear, succinct, great visuals relevant to the information, nothing superfluous. In the words of wise old man, "We will watch your career with great interest."

  • @JimmyJazz332
    @JimmyJazz3323 жыл бұрын

    3:52 , Then the city builds a highway through it removing it from any form of public recreation outside of driving quickly on it.

  • @tyler6636
    @tyler66363 жыл бұрын

    this deserves a lot more views!!

  • @ayanna6327
    @ayanna63272 жыл бұрын

    As a Chicagoan I am sick to my stomach seeing this. This would have been very lovely to have in our city, and downtown could have still been downtown.

  • @maximillianpleason568
    @maximillianpleason5682 жыл бұрын

    Wow! Really great video! Hope to see more urban planning history on the channel!

  • @lexingtonconcord8751
    @lexingtonconcord87514 жыл бұрын

    Well done. Thank you Kings and Things!

  • @MrDude826
    @MrDude8263 жыл бұрын

    What? Why din't they go with it!? Chicago would have been so beautiful....soo sad...

  • @oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164

    @oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164

    3 жыл бұрын

    The usual reasons, politics and money.

  • @skeptical5727

    @skeptical5727

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164 :(

  • @angelbonilla2255

    @angelbonilla2255

    3 жыл бұрын

    Still is a beautiful city

  • @JuaniPodrido

    @JuaniPodrido

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@angelbonilla2255 with nothing to do besides a mirror bean, for a city it's size it lacks.

  • @danielmoreno-gama5973

    @danielmoreno-gama5973

    3 жыл бұрын

    It’s because Americans hate when there government dose anything

  • @ImpeRiaLismus
    @ImpeRiaLismus3 жыл бұрын

    Incredible beautiful! I hope people will value beauty again one day.

  • @lorenzzoklein9178
    @lorenzzoklein91784 жыл бұрын

    Your channel is so good I love it !

  • @kingsandthings

    @kingsandthings

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thanks a lot :)

  • @johnz4860
    @johnz48603 жыл бұрын

    Excellent video! Very interesting indeed!

  • @EthanUslabar
    @EthanUslabar3 жыл бұрын

    This channel is dummy underrated

  • @uzairakram899
    @uzairakram8993 жыл бұрын

    This channel is a hidden gem

  • @maYTeus
    @maYTeus2 жыл бұрын

    Wow KZread algo is wild. This video is 2 years old and it's been at the top of my recommended for almost 2 weeks. It's an inspiring video non the less

  • @realtissaye
    @realtissaye2 жыл бұрын

    I love how you link the songs in the description mate

  • @thefrub
    @thefrub3 жыл бұрын

    Detroit could do this now. Those big swaths of empty land that used to be homes, should be a city planner's wet dream

  • @MrCtsSteve

    @MrCtsSteve

    3 жыл бұрын

    I've thought about that as well ..you look at city shots from 50-60yrs back compared to today ...its mind blowing .

  • @Christoph-sd3zi

    @Christoph-sd3zi

    2 жыл бұрын

    You still have to deal with the B****s

  • @dickjohnson9582

    @dickjohnson9582

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Christoph-sd3zi Lmaooo N-words in paris

  • @jaftem2x
    @jaftem2x3 жыл бұрын

    You should do a video on Los Angeles' park system that could have been. LA could have had an emerald-necklace type park system that would span the entire basin, but was shut down by city officials when they found out the plan would include a park police system that would rival their authority.

  • @hugodesrosiers-plaisance3156
    @hugodesrosiers-plaisance31564 жыл бұрын

    Impressive channel. I think the algorythm is finally pushing you up!

  • @kingsandthings

    @kingsandthings

    4 жыл бұрын

    Yeah, the KZread gods have been benevolent recently :)

  • @marcamant7258
    @marcamant72583 жыл бұрын

    Trés interessant et bien traité. Bravo

  • @popzstudios6358
    @popzstudios63583 жыл бұрын

    I would love to see a video like this on Buffalo, NY in the future.

  • @heliosapollyon4391
    @heliosapollyon43913 жыл бұрын

    That is exactly how cities should be designed

  • @rafaalonso5989
    @rafaalonso59894 жыл бұрын

    Excellent video

  • @daimhaus
    @daimhaus3 жыл бұрын

    Awesome Video 💪

  • @ryelundy2024
    @ryelundy20243 жыл бұрын

    The city if Saskatoon, Saskatchewan up here in Canada is known as the "Paris of the Prairies".

  • @GavinMichaels

    @GavinMichaels

    3 жыл бұрын

    That’s ironic, considering Canada already has Montreal and Quebec City for that 😅

  • @ryelundy2024

    @ryelundy2024

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@GavinMichaels Not really considering Montreal and Quebec are nowhere fucking close to the Prairie.

  • @p.nguyen8136

    @p.nguyen8136

    2 жыл бұрын

    Saskatoon does not look bad, but "Paris on the Prairie" is quite an exaggeration lol.

  • @Dan-xt7sv
    @Dan-xt7sv3 жыл бұрын

    The automobile and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race

  • @reesehendricksen269

    @reesehendricksen269

    3 жыл бұрын

    Yeah, having a world that doesn’t conform to my standard of beauty is worse than improving the independence and livelihood of billions.

  • @Dan-xt7sv

    @Dan-xt7sv

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@reesehendricksen269 Yes.

  • @sharronneedles6721

    @sharronneedles6721

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@reesehendricksen269 yes because bulldozing a city to build a freeway = independence. The problem is you dear.

  • @motorcitysmitty4
    @motorcitysmitty43 жыл бұрын

    New subscriber, high-quality content.

  • @prototypeinheritance515
    @prototypeinheritance5153 жыл бұрын

    excellent music choice!

  • @anxietywave8735
    @anxietywave87353 жыл бұрын

    I wanna visit the alternate universe where this Chicago exists.

  • @mumblerocks77
    @mumblerocks772 жыл бұрын

    The diagonal streets called for at 4:52 are the wave we need to still be on. The Grid is way too oppressive and large blocks aren't as walkable.

  • @Butwhythoo
    @Butwhythoo3 жыл бұрын

    Amazing channel

  • @xXelitegpXx
    @xXelitegpXx2 жыл бұрын

    This is why In Europe, cars are not allowed into or in some cases even near the town squares.

  • @romanr.301
    @romanr.3013 жыл бұрын

    I love my city 💛 but while it does have one of the best and most extensive public transit networks in the US (which is saying a lot about the state of public transit in American cities), I wish there were even more means of transit. Something like the Vienna system of public transit; trains, trams, and buses all working in a highly efficient and extensive network. Also, transit systems that connect Chicago more with its outlying suburbs would be great in integrating the city and making it more accessible. I also think parks and public beautification, besides just aesthetics, can actually provide opportunities for communities to really take pride in their residences and could help with tourism and even crime somewhat, even if only marginally

  • @crash_cris7602
    @crash_cris76023 жыл бұрын

    Thanks again YT Algorithm, finally picked you up! Really interesting video!

  • @NPJGlobal
    @NPJGlobal2 жыл бұрын

    Excellent background music choice

  • @Lucky-sh1dm
    @Lucky-sh1dm2 жыл бұрын

    lollapalooza 2018 on the Friday of that weekend I tripped off a pretty decent acid dose and walking around the city gazing at the architecture was so god damn tremendous

  • @sambulleit6191
    @sambulleit61913 жыл бұрын

    Honestly, I live in Chicago and if you wanna see that civic center all you gotta do is go to the Bahai House of Worship lmao

  • @TheDavidRJ

    @TheDavidRJ

    3 жыл бұрын

    It's not in Chicago proper.

  • @Konrad_Festung
    @Konrad_Festung3 жыл бұрын

    The World That Should Have Been.

  • @HeavyMxtal
    @HeavyMxtal2 жыл бұрын

    5:52 broke my heart. I live in Chicago and after seeing that, its like I cant unsee it.

  • @stizanley3987
    @stizanley39873 жыл бұрын

    Great stuff.

  • @leonardkrol2600
    @leonardkrol26003 жыл бұрын

    What Chicago needs to do is to rebuild Miegs Field and arrest the crooks that destroyed it. An airport on a lakefront part was part of the Burham plan.

  • @n0thyng
    @n0thyng3 жыл бұрын

    IMAGINE THE SEARS TOWER IN PARIS

  • @dougfowler1368
    @dougfowler13682 жыл бұрын

    Perhaps apropos of nothing, but this reminds me of my grandma telling of a train trip to Chicago they took in 1933 and the famous large aquarium was already there. So obviously there had been a fair amount of construction, even with an eye toward tourism, in the twenties. (and no they weren't rich, that's why this vacation was so memorable. In fact my great grandpa lost his job early the next year and needed help to save the family house, which he got from an aunt of his.) My grandpa, This Woman's husband, also remembers a layover about 10 years later when he was coming home from the military and

  • @dougfowler1368

    @dougfowler1368

    2 жыл бұрын

    Sorry, typing on my tablet and hit returned too fast. He spoke of how Lively the Theater District was even back then, and the fact that he watched the musical Oklahoma during his layover.

  • @mygetawayart
    @mygetawayart3 жыл бұрын

    there's a reason why these architects took inspiration from european cities time and time again.

  • @KanyeTheGayFish69

    @KanyeTheGayFish69

    3 жыл бұрын

    Because Europeans have an inflated egotistical sense of self importance and arrogance?

  • @axo6604

    @axo6604

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@KanyeTheGayFish69 says american

  • @jonathanfaber6164

    @jonathanfaber6164

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@KanyeTheGayFish69 No, it is because Europeans are in every way superior to all other peoples of this world.

  • @knockshinnoch1950
    @knockshinnoch19503 жыл бұрын

    Fascinating. This would be a superb project to build the proposed plan in Cities Skylines City Builder/ Simulation game

  • @devinbutler3271
    @devinbutler32712 жыл бұрын

    I currently live Chicago and loves it’s beauty however I wish Chicago had a city like this

  • @nathan_agnew
    @nathan_agnew3 жыл бұрын

    My grandfather Charles J Mulligan was a Chicago sculptor from the Columbian Exposition, he worked with the Chicago Beautiful movement.

  • @IsaacSmelcZhan
    @IsaacSmelcZhan Жыл бұрын

    David Burnham is one of my favorite architects.

  • @garretphegley8796
    @garretphegley87963 жыл бұрын

    We could've had the Paris of the Prarie... But we went with Chiraq

  • @pandorski35000

    @pandorski35000

    3 жыл бұрын

    at first, i thought you were talking about Chirac, an ex président of ours and then discovered what it meant (chicago+irak), always that weapons problem, you have to adress that by the law, even the constitution

  • @maddog5284

    @maddog5284

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@pandorski35000 weapons are not the problem as much as poor uneducated youth who idolise rap that talks about gang culture and crime instead of idolising people of merit. And let's not forget the all the family issues and coruption with is the city and there family's. Banning guns or banning knifes will never solve the issues.

  • @pandorski35000

    @pandorski35000

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@maddog5284 I'm sure we will not agree on that and it's a possibility i accept, but for example in Europe, weapons are not easily accessible, morality : we have almost no casualties to deplore, when bad and/or stupid people want to use them, they just can't or illegaly and then they know what they're exposed to, so i really think the question of accesibility to weapons is at the contrary central

  • @Ares_gaming_117

    @Ares_gaming_117

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@pandorski35000 No Switzerland has more weapons per person than us. We have a bad gang problem; guns are just the tool.

  • @pandorski35000

    @pandorski35000

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@Ares_gaming_117 you know that it's due to the fact of the military service and men keep their weapons home, right ? they don"t buy them like burgers, it's a national duty

  • @Lukas-qf2uh
    @Lukas-qf2uh2 жыл бұрын

    Could have? It is. Chicago is easily the prettiest city in the US, probably all of the America's, and one of the most beautiful in the world.

  • @Heisenberg882

    @Heisenberg882

    2 жыл бұрын

    It's full of soulless, modern architecture

  • @Lukas-qf2uh

    @Lukas-qf2uh

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Heisenberg882 I can understand not liking skyscrapers and modern architecture, but Chicago has the best modern architecture hands down. Lots of very inventive styles and technique. You sound like you're applying the valid real criticisms of other modern skylines (like New York) to Chicago.

  • @dzman5354
    @dzman53543 жыл бұрын

    Never knew the Chicago lake front had butiful parks! Great video!

  • @redditstop1653

    @redditstop1653

    3 жыл бұрын

    It still have beautiful parks

  • @dzman5354

    @dzman5354

    3 жыл бұрын

    Has*

  • @alexchaviramusic
    @alexchaviramusic2 жыл бұрын

    This feels like a segment in a Wes Anderson movie. I love it.

  • @Vaprous
    @Vaprous2 жыл бұрын

    Man... whenever I see fellow Americans claim that our cities couldn't ever be like Paris because "we are too young and our cities were built for the car" ... The car as we know it was invented in the 1908 and didn't become popular until the 1920s. The USA has been functionally independent since 1776 i.e 244 years, and that means that all major cities of the USA that already existed by 1920 were at least two hundred years old, and some cities are far older, dating back to the original start of English colonization in the New World (Boston is 391 years old for instance); well before the contemporary car had popularity in America as a mode of transportation, cities in the US were already centuries old. Rebuilding of American cities to accommodate motor vehicles didn't happen until the *1950s*. By all accounts, all major cities in the USA were built before the car, and were only later adapted to the car in the last 70-90 years. It is a blatant revision of history to suggest otherwise is silly. American cities were built for foot traffic and horse carriage, and inner-city light rail systems like trams. There's a plethora of evidence to this fact that's freely available. Photos *and* film; paintings, writings. You don't even need to look at older cities; *newer* cities in places like Japan, Korea or China are considerably more walkable and less car dependant, and these cities were *definitely* only recently constructed in the last 70 years; yet aren't as shit as their older American counterparts. My point is this is an *excuse* made in ignorance for why American cities suck; one Americans use to pretend like they couldn't have better if they tried.

  • @sharronneedles6721

    @sharronneedles6721

    2 жыл бұрын

    Those cities may have already existed, but we must remember that they were absolutely BULLDOSED to build highways and roads and intersections. You make a good point, it's just not true.

  • @Vaprous

    @Vaprous

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@sharronneedles6721 > they were absolutely BULLDOSED to build highways and roads and intersections. ...in the 50s and 60s, and 70s. There are people people alive today before the first highway was even built in the USA. There are people still alive who grew up when many of the first ones are still new. Most high ways are less than 70 years old. The point that our cities weren't rebuilt for cars until very recently, very much still stands.

  • @sharronneedles6721

    @sharronneedles6721

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Vaprous it doesn't matter if people were alive before then. Example: if an apartment building was built with 13 floors, and it was torn down untill there were only 2 floors; it doesn't matter how old the people were who lived in it- its demolished. Once something is demolished its gone, and it doesn't matter how many people may have a memory of it.

  • @bartolomeestebanmurillo4459
    @bartolomeestebanmurillo44593 жыл бұрын

    Interesting to imagine what could have been, all the plans that were never implemented. I suppose in some alternate reality, these cities would look a lot different.

  • @smyd23
    @smyd232 жыл бұрын

    Very cool, any plans to do Broadacre city?

  • @Abcflc
    @Abcflc3 жыл бұрын

    subscribed!

  • @unclesam5230
    @unclesam52304 жыл бұрын

    A city fit for an emperor of America.

  • @mbathroom1

    @mbathroom1

    3 жыл бұрын

    Hey its Micah. I had no idea you watched kings and things

  • @unclesam5230

    @unclesam5230

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@mbathroom1 yes I do it’s very good content

  • @catcici6720

    @catcici6720

    3 жыл бұрын

    We just need a competent mayor and guverner.

  • @MasonGreenWeed

    @MasonGreenWeed

    2 жыл бұрын

    Emperor Norton seat is in San Francisco

  • @Mr-Prasguerman
    @Mr-Prasguerman Жыл бұрын

    É incrível como o urbanismo avançou tanto E simultâneamente decaiu tanto......

  • @noradanaher1522
    @noradanaher15223 жыл бұрын

    honestly for all its beauty Chicago works out how it is now. I cant imagine my city without the loop.

  • @bionity4749
    @bionity47492 жыл бұрын

    Meanwhile in Paris, it's a constant fight to preserve the shape of the city against greedy contractors.

  • @charlesdarwin7253
    @charlesdarwin72533 жыл бұрын

    Seeing the old Chicago street plans and the Chicago skyline today it really does look like the most beautiful city in the world. Living in Toronto I'm always comparing my city with theirs, and I'm jealous. At least I feel jealous until I look at the southside, where it starts to look identical to Detroit, and until I look at the suburbs, where it starts to look like a virus spreading people further and further into the abyss.

  • @bademantil6046

    @bademantil6046

    3 жыл бұрын

    If you take a look at "The Slaughter of Cities" from an author E Michael Jones, you might get an insight about rapid deterioration of great industial cities of the North as a result of social engineering at play.

  • @spaghettigod43

    @spaghettigod43

    3 жыл бұрын

    Their Southside used to be beautiful iirc. Many buildings still exist down there with beautiful classical facades. They're just not maintained.

  • @charlesdarwin7253

    @charlesdarwin7253

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@spaghettigod43 I do find their chimneys quite beautiful too, but its besides the point when the locals are living in subsidized housing and the neighbourhoods arent maintained.

  • @glaxxico907

    @glaxxico907

    2 жыл бұрын

    I'd say south side still looks better than Detroit in most parts.

  • @earthandwind820

    @earthandwind820

    2 жыл бұрын

    A lot of the Chicago suburbs are very cookie cutter and not interesting. If you look at suburbs from other cities, they’re more interesting. There are some exceptions though: towns like Evanston & Oak Park don’t feel cookie cutter. The south side has a lot of beautiful buildings, but there’s a lot of poverty, so they’re not really maintained. Neighborhoods like Wicker Park, Logan Square, Lincoln Park have a lot of outstanding examples of maintained architecture. I’ve never been to Detroit or Toronto, so I can’t really compare it. I know I lived in Milwaukee, WI for college and even the south side of Chicago was less shocking than Milwaukee and Milwaukee doesn’t have half as bad of a reputation as Detroit or the south side.

  • @Lachausis
    @Lachausis3 жыл бұрын

    If you want to be informed, stop watching TV. Just seek out little gems like this. Reminds me of the old time docus, where facts were presented in a academic manner.

  • @CommonContentArchive

    @CommonContentArchive

    27 күн бұрын

    I don't think anyone under 40 watches TV nowadays, so your wish is coming true

  • @Lachausis

    @Lachausis

    27 күн бұрын

    @@CommonContentArchive instead they are now watching internet influencers and media shorts, and leeching off the twitter BS. Everything has been compromised.

  • @user-hu3iy9gz5j
    @user-hu3iy9gz5j Жыл бұрын

    6:32 That's beautiful. How many of those skyscrapers have survived? 1:36 Is this district recognizable today?

  • @renov_lyrics
    @renov_lyrics3 жыл бұрын

    Burnham's Manila masterplan can still be seen today. In fact, few of the masterplan's buildings is still standing upto this day.

  • @thwb4661

    @thwb4661

    2 жыл бұрын

    Burnham's Manila plan was 20-50% laid out, it's most obvious in the Ermita and Malate districts. However, the farther you go from the downtown area, the less obvious it gets, especially the ones near the border to Quezon City because Burnham's Manila plan was shelved to prioritize creating and designing what soon to be, Quezon City, during the 1930s. The worse thing though, is WW2 ruined the pre-war structures in Manila, and most were never rebuilt again.

  • @bobbyswanson3498
    @bobbyswanson34983 жыл бұрын

    Chicago would be much more interesting if it was designed to feel like a European city

  • @kbtzpictures
    @kbtzpictures3 жыл бұрын

    This kind of reform happened in Rio de Janeiro too. In 1922 the city hosted an international exposition, celebrating the 100 years of independence, and received a series of reforms, to replace its former colonial appearance with brand new ecletic buildings and large avenues. It was called "Paris à Beira Mar" wich means Paris by the Sea.

  • @incognitofootball3122
    @incognitofootball31223 жыл бұрын

    nice video! what software do you use to make it?

  • @johnnyhaigs243

    @johnnyhaigs243

    3 жыл бұрын

    He said in a previous video that it is called the Kalergi Plan

  • @horatiohuskisson5471
    @horatiohuskisson54713 жыл бұрын

    Could you do a video of Christopher Wrens design for London after the Great Fire?