A RECONSTRUCTED RELATIONSHIP: THE INFLUENCE OF MODERN DESIGN STRATEGIES ON THE URBAN REDEVELOPMENT OF THE HISTORIC CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

Abstract

Founded in 1682, Philadelphia is deeply rooted within the history of the nation and the monuments in the city are meant to preserve and symbolize a connection to the past. However, over the last century, the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has been planning and executing instances of urban redevelopment in the historically rich areas of the city. This dichotomy between modernization and preservation has resulted in deviations from the city’s historically established urban grid. The orthogonal city layout has been a blueprint for the urban redevelopment to occur within the city of Philadelphia, but the modern design and planning techniques have created boulevards, open vistas, and oblique axes through the grid city. Each of these interventions to the grid utilized a modern design technique in the attempt to strengthen the connections between the historical monuments of the city. This relationship has led to the coexistence of modernization and preservation rather than the separation of the two design methods. Through an analysis of imagery of three case studies within the city of Philadelphia, these modern design techniques can be seen connecting the historical monuments. The transformations to the grid become evident and the unique experiences that these deviations create can be seen. This analysis can also influence future urban redevelopment within cities as they continue to modernize. This coexistence and collaboration between modernization and preservation could be the future of urban redevelopment. The city of Philadelphia has started to use modernization as a means for preservation, reconstructing the relationship between the two methods of design, and creating a new identity for the city in an effort to revolutionize the development of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.