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Summer 2014 |Volume 32, Issue 2
The Other Side of the City
This issue of Comment invites you to consider the renewal of North America's urban social architecture. First, the voices in this issue press us to look beyond the glitz and gleam of the city and ask sobering, uncomfortable, necessary questions about sides of the city we don't always consider. And second, this issue illuminates the unseen side of the city, the social infrastructure that undergirds it—human cultural creations, as critical as sewers, sanitation, and master plans.
- 01
- Chicago
- 02
- The Other Side of the City
The city is good AND broken.
- 08
- World View
An annotated reading of your world. Topics this issue include the predicament of the architect; pumping stations treated like cathedrals; and the features of what might be called "Calvinist" parenting.
- 13
- Headquarters
Updates from Cardus on the renewal of social architecture. In this issue, we explain our interest in the case Loyola High in Montreal is fighting in the Supreme Court of Canada.
- 14
- The Skyscraper Problem
Like it or not, skyscrapers are here to stay.
- 22
- The Other Side of the Story
How churches contribute to the erosion of social architecture.
- 30
- The City is Complex: Lessons from "The Wire"
How HBO teaches us to exegete our cities.
- 37
- Building Cairns in the City
Designing cities to cultivate rootedness and memory.
- 44
- Social Cities Photo Contest Winners
We asked you for original photos that show renewal, vibrancy, and thiving in your neighbourhood.
- 46
- The Urban Turn
Will urban planners or the secular elite start noting the significant impact of religious influence in cities?
- 57
- The Magic of Mayors?
How mayors might keep democratic governance viable.
- 64
- Converging Trends in the City
When the ideals of beauty and justice meet the realities of the city, we need wisdom and a gentle touch.
Contributors to this Issue
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David Greusel David Greusel has worked as an architect for more than thirty years with several Midwestern firms of varying sizes. Bio -
James K.A. Smith James K.A. Smith was the editor-in-chief of Comment from 2013-2018, and teaches philosophy at Calvin College. He is the new editor-in-chief of Image Journal. Bio -
Mark Mulder Mark Mulder is professor of sociology and director of the urban studies minor at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Bio -
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Sara Joy Proppe Sara Joy Proppe is the founder and director of Proximity Project, an initiative centered on educating and activating churches to be thoughtful stewards of their properties for the common good within the contexts of their neighborhoods. Bio -
