Reflection on Knox

DC is not typical of the large American metropolitan areas. This is due to the mere fact that relative abundance of manufacturing activity and extreme importance to the structure of the economic structure is so apparent in this little city. Yet, DC has not exhibited the full expansion of advanced capitalist urban development. We see this in the extreme congestion and fragmented urbanization of the postmodern metropolis, according to Knox. “The district, despite its relatively low overall levels of spending power contains a disproportionately high incidence of “money and brains” and “bohemian mix” neighborhoods, both distinctive in marketing terms for their indulgence in relatively upscale consumption” (Weiss 1988). I found this quote to be remarkably important due to the fact that it is the first article that i’ve read that addresses the remarkable distinction between two main groups within the district that may look completely different yet, both are consumers to relatively upscale resources. 

Retail space in the district has increased at a steady rate. For example, for every square-foot of office space constructed in DC there has been two addition square footage added to merchandise space. DC is full of examples of postmodern architecture. There is the old downtown area mixed with the newly renovated and constructed areas. 

In the Knox article he argues that a series of distinctive new urban landscapes is emerging from a socio-spatial dialectic dominated by the effects of the reconfiguration of economic and cultural life in the DC area. He discusses that new urban landscapes provides conceptual and empirical issues in regards to social and cultural geography. Knox has an apparent problem with his examination of the urban landscapes in Washington because of the radically different form of ecology from that of the classic American city. The spacial patterns associated with the landscape elements described do not fit comfortably within designated sectors, zones and mosaic patterns. 

Lastly Knox argues that fragmentation, multinodality, fluidity, plurality and diffusion prove DC to be a new breed of complex urbanism which is specialized by social districts, that have taken the place of the idea of the synoptic pattern. 

This article made me reflect back on the teaching of urban societies by Jane Jacobs. Her view and strong critique on urban renewal policies are not quite disregarded, but pushed aside as DC is growing rapidly in infrastructure but not in people friendly areas. She would have said that DC contractors are destroying communities and are creating isolation amongst the people due to unnatural urban spaces. The one aspect that Jacobs would concur with would be the mixed-use of neighborhoods as we see much of that in the district. 

The solution to Knox’s argument in my opinion is to reduce focus on building up and rather build across and accommodate the community in mix friendly habitat. DC is growing so rapidly it is so apparent that contractors must take a step back and reevaluate what is going to sustain the neighborhoods, not make it financially richer.