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Really? I think NYC is pretty distinct even worldwide. Sure there are other very urban cities in the world but none of them really have anything like Manhattan.
like what? What does Manhattan has that cities such as London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, all these big cities/financial centres don't?
NYC is what most big cities outside North America/Oceania are like. Highrises, mixed use, dense, congested, public transit, ultra vibrancy, high cost of living, all that sort of things. The only thing those cities don't have are the racial diversity (but London is just as diverse).
^^^I think NYC is actually kind of unique. I know that certain European, Latin American, and Asian cities are big and bustling, with ultra-high density and crowded transit/sidewalks, however, very few achieve the density that Manhattan achieves. And keep in mind that Manhattan is about as first-world as it gets. So you're talking 200,000+ people per square mile in some of the richest areas of the world. That means more "building". More office, larger apartments, more services/retail/entertainment, and more hotels.
Some Asian cities achieve this density, but they are pretty poor areas with basic Commie style housing and tiny cramped apartments. I don't think it's the same thing. Bustling? Sure. Impressive and awe-inspiring? NO
Nothing in Europe compares to Manhattan in my opinion. Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, and Central London are all pretty bustling, but are more human-scaled. It's their beautiful old architecture and history that captivate and stimulate my senses. In New York it's the intimidating scale of the buildings, the dark canyons of towers, the insane amount of people truly packed into such a small area, and the fact that it is the center of the universe's largest economy. It IS the center of the universe, and it is reflected in the built environment in a way not replicated anywhere else in the world.
I think Tokyo comes close, but the buildings there aren't as "tall" or old/interesting, so it's not quite as awe-inspiring. Shanghai same. Lots of skyscrapers, but surprising breaks in between them (a la Chicago, but with even larger breaks).
I'd say the other most distinctive city in America is San Francisco. I think SF and NYC are the two cities in America that everyone in America knows by appearance or landmark. NYC has the most impressive urban environment in the world, imo, while SF has the most impressive and unique cityscape in America. Both cities seem to captivate lots of people's imaginations and inspire millions to do what they do (whether it's to find their inner self in SF or to test their limits in NYC and find opportunity in either place).
I'd say the other most distinctive city in America is San Francisco. I think SF and NYC are the two cities in America that everyone in America knows by appearance or landmark. NYC has the most impressive urban environment in the world, imo, while SF has the most impressive and unique cityscape in America. Both cities seem to captivate lots of people's imaginations and inspire millions to do what they do (whether it's to find their inner self in SF or to test their limits in NYC and find opportunity in either place).
The built form of most American cities are similar to NYC and SF. But the shear scale, and setting in the latter's case, make them stand out and quite unique among other North American cities.
^^^I think NYC is actually kind of unique. I know that certain European, Latin American, and Asian cities are big and bustling, with ultra-high density and crowded transit/sidewalks, however, very few achieve the density that Manhattan achieves.
Manhattan has 90sq km, with 1.6M residents,
Central Shanghai ("inner Ring") has 114 sq km, with 3.3M residents (10% less than a decade ago).
Manhattan's density is that unique at all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anonelitist
And keep in mind that Manhattan is about as first-world as it gets. So you're talking 200,000+ people per square mile in some of the richest areas of the world. That means more "building". More office, larger apartments, more services/retail/entertainment, and more hotels.
Some Asian cities achieve this density, but they are pretty poor areas with basic Commie style housing and tiny cramped apartments. I don't think it's the same thing. Bustling? Sure. Impressive and awe-inspiring? NO
Now you are saying NYC is the only high density city in the rich country world, which makes it unique.
But NYC is not just Manhattan and you can't just talk about Manhattan as if it is equivalent to New York City. Outside in the boroughs, there is much sprawl in NYC consisting of low rise apartment buildings and their parking, strip malls etc, just like the rest of North America.
Speaking of commie blocks, NYC including Manhattan has its own share - not as monotonous but let's pretend all buildings in New York are like the Chrysler building.
This comes to the second question: is NYC as first world as it gets as you said? you mean its rats infested subway stations? or all the garbage on the streets? I don't know your definition of "first world", but when one visits New York City, yes, plenty of things are impressive, but at the same time you find plenty of things that is unimaginable for an elite city. I mean can you start to compare the cleanness of NYC and Tokyo? Traffic in NYC is as messy and chaotic as it is in Mumbai or Bangkok, and if you know Tokyo well, its traffic while heavy is extremely orderly - you hardly heard any impatient honking even during the business rush hour - that's first world impression.
And can you compare the NYC subway and the stations with Shanghai's, which is super modern, clean and efficient? NYC transits are extensive, but first world? No.
In terms of awe inspiring, isn't Hong Kong equally so?
Quote:
Originally Posted by anonelitist
In New York it's the intimidating scale of the buildings, the dark canyons of towers, the insane amount of people truly packed into such a small area, and the fact that it is the center of the universe's largest economy. It IS the center of the universe, and it is reflected in the built environment in a way not replicated anywhere else in the world.
Now you are talking as if Manhattan = NYC again. People only think NYC is the center of the universe when they haven't been to many places. When I visited Manhattan 12 years ago for the first time, I used exactly the same words, but not any more. There are plenty of cities with similar vibrancy, number of highrise buildings, without its typical North American style suburbs. Tokyo IMO is more vibrant than NYC and Shanghai is rapidly catching up with many of its previous undesirable areas cleaned up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anonelitist
I'd say the other most distinctive city in America is San Francisco. I think SF and NYC are the two cities in America that everyone in America knows by appearance or landmark. NYC has the most impressive urban environment in the world, imo, while SF has the most impressive and unique cityscape in America. Both cities seem to captivate lots of people's imaginations and inspire millions to do what they do (whether it's to find their inner self in SF or to test their limits in NYC and find opportunity in either place).
San Fran is vastly overrated. Just because it sits beside an ocean doesn't make it unique. Its built form is lacklustre and doesn't stand out even among North American cities, not to mention the world. It is just one of those coastal cities. Stop talking about it as if you never stepped outside America - or probably you haven't.
The built form of most American cities are similar to NYC and SF. But the shear scale, and setting in the latter's case, make them stand out and quite unique among other North American cities.
NYC has the scale, but SF is just a mid sized city. I fail to see SF's "sheer size" makes it stand out in any way. I don't know why people keep talking as if San Francisco is a super city with high density - it is not.
As I argued before, the pre-amalgamation old Toronto (97km sq, 750k+ population) is about 10% denser and probably has a lot more highrise buildings than San Francisco.
I disagree with those who say New Orleans is the most distinct. I'd say it's San Francisco because of the topography -- steep, rolling hills on a peninsula by the ocean. The cable cars are very distinct as well.
Maybe Merida in Yucatan? I think it's the only Maya majority large/larger city in the world. It's the capital of a part of Mexico that is very distinct and that includes its customs and cuisine (which is fantastic). The city is also beautiful partially because at one point it was among the wealthiest in the world and the lack of a major economic boom after that period meant a lot of the grand old architecture was never destroyed but instead left in a state of loving disrepair.
If we could carve out Vieux Quebec and take it on it's own, then that would definitely be our winner. The rest of the city is less distinct though.
True, but that's true of any city in North America though. Even the distinctive ones.
And even in Europe almost zero cities replicate the architectural vernacular of the historic centre in their newer areas.
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