Map Monday: Places and Non-Places in Phoenix

This is from a recent post on the Strong Towns blog, a kind of figure-ground map of “places” and “non-places” in downtown Pheonix.

place nonplace

Not only does this map remind me of the famous Nolli map of Rome, it seems to rhyme with Nate Hood’s map of parking in downtown Saint Paul. To me the concept of “place” is useful, if flawed. To some people a “non-place” might be very important (e.g. a skateboarder might see a marginal concrete space under a freeway as very valuable).  But as one person’s view of where value can be found, a map like this is revealing.

Bill Lindeke

About Bill Lindeke

Pronouns: he/him

Bill Lindeke has writing blogging about sidewalks and cities since 2005, ever since he read Jane Jacobs. He is a lecturer in Urban Studies at the University of Minnesota Geography Department, the Cityscape columnist at Minnpost, and has written multiple books on local urban history. He was born in Minneapolis, but has spent most of his time in St Paul. Check out Twitter @BillLindeke or on Facebook.