Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
even denser, probably denser than anything in Sydney, first developed maybe 1850-1870. Much of Manhattan had treeless streets, trees were added in the last few decades:
Well, I don't know, ask those who built our roads and blocks back in the day. Why do we have trees in the (relatively new) outer west and not in the inner west? Were people not too environmentally conscious back then? Was Sydney too busy and dense for such 'intrusion'?
Sydney-dense and New York-dense shouldn't be compared anyway. New York can handle road repairs or obstructions without any major traffic interruption (as dense as it is). If we were to do that to one of our major roads then our traffic will be chaotic and sluggish.
Like I said, our outer suburbs have a lot of trees. Some are being implanted as I'm typing this. The inner west has mostly been abandoned, I don't know why. The Parramatta Road which runs through it has been harshly criticized for its deteriorated roadwork and rundown abandoned buildings (mainly commercial centres) that run through it:
Ground storey building blocks and deciduous trees can give off a similarity vibe. But there's something very characteristic or distinctive about Canadian & US commercial centres - Their building blocks aren't usually attached to one other, they tend to be fancily presented and are very narrow (think of toy blocks). With Sydney, the blocks are laid out like terraces or are attached, and are more 'curvier' as opposed to the 'boxy block' look to those in CA and US.
Ground storey building blocks and deciduous trees can give off a similarity vibe. But there's something very characteristic or distinctive about Canadian & US commercial centres - Their building blocks aren't usually attached to one other, they tend to be fancily presented and are very narrow (think of toy blocks). With Sydney, the blocks are laid out like terraces or are attached, and are more 'curvier' as opposed to the 'boxy block' look to those in CA and US.
I think we're talking about general look and feel - not exact replicas.. Its the same with commercial arteries within the U.S and Canada - you're always going to find differences the further down you drill.
Inner west Sydney isn't too environmentally friendly since it's so dense and packed. I don't think they would've fit trees there (or had time to). Also, back in the day when they built it, people weren't so environmentally/tree-friendly as they are now.
Here is a typical Western Sydney commercial center (it's more newer and environmentally friendly):
Inner west Sydney isn't too environmentally friendly since it's so dense and packed. I don't think they would've fit trees there (or had time to). Also, back in the day when they built it, people weren't so environmentally/tree-friendly as they are now.
I actually think Sydney's covered with trees wherever you go. If they're not on a commercial strip then they'll be all over the streets surrounding the strip anyway. Here's an inner city area:
Speaking of European and American architecture, would you consider this typical inner-west Sydney commercial American, European or distinctively 'Australian' in appearance?
And anybody know the name of this 'antique' style architecture?
That looks very much like British Colonial architecture. I wouldn't mistake such a scene being from Europe. So my answer would be definitely Australian.
---
What do you guys like about this style? I somehow love it, too bad we have very little buildings like this. The whole theme and outlook should definitely be revived: https://www.google.com/maps/@60.4453...11GTeHX3fg!2e0
Well, I don't know, ask those who built our roads and blocks back in the day. Why do we have trees in the (relatively new) outer west and not in the inner west? Were people not too environmentally conscious back then? Was Sydney too busy and dense for such 'intrusion'?
What I meant was that trees can always be added to older cities, I don't why Australian would be too busy and dense for adding trees but not American ones. Anyway, my point was the lack of trees would be unusual for American commercial street.
Location: East Central Pennsylvania/ Chicago for 6yrs.
2,535 posts, read 3,282,012 times
Reputation: 1483
Seems like this debate between Australian vs. American/Canadian NEIGHBORHOOD Downtowns isn't taking in account there is no one standard? Especially in North America. Each Big city and Suburbs are differently setup? Some US cities are on a square grid of blocks and some, they follow the topography and the arteries look like a spider-web as in Europe. In Manhattan you have almost no alleys and high-density neighborhoods have few trees on main streets and in the blocks off them? Especially, tenement areas.
Other big cities like Chicago. The MAIN streets, may have few trees, have 3 and 4 streets intersect, due to some diagonal streets through parts of the city. But they will have alleys behind the retail... and in the neighborhoods. But universally off the main streets in Chicago you have TREE-LINED streets with green sections also to the curb. That is why my Chicago older RETAIL intersection neighborhood example I posted is TREELESS. But you scroll up, to off the main street. The neighborhoods are GREEN and tree-lined.
Different eras of a cities growth also have styles and lay-outs that change, depending on the city.
Also Big cities in the US can have differing street grid styles, like how Chicago and Atlanta differ in these night views. Surely one city can have more curving streets then the other.
......Chicago ........ Atlanta .......
....Square grid.. Spider-web grid
That looks very much like British Colonial architecture. I wouldn't mistake such a scene being from Europe. So my answer would be definitely Australian.
---
What do you guys like about this style? I somehow love it, too bad we have very little buildings like this. The whole theme and outlook should definitely be revived: https://www.google.com/maps/@60.4453...11GTeHX3fg!2e0
Reminds me just a bit of this one in Vancouver. Italian looking.
Yeah. If you look quickly that picture by Ariete could even be somewhere in the south of France.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
