Witold Rybczynski’s latest book is Charleston Fancy: Little Houses and Big Dreams in the Holy City, which the New Criterion called “an enjoyable series of mini-lessons in history, urbanism, and aesthetics.” This talk describes a contemporary example in Charleston of what Christopher Alexander calls organic urban growth, which is the way that cities traditionally grew, often by accident, frequently without a predetermined plan, reflecting human hopes and dreams. In describing this 15-year project, Rybczynski emphasizes the importance of architecture and urban design on a local level, how an old city remakes itself by invention as well as replication, and the role that individuals still play in transforming the urban landscapes around them.
Originally presented on February 25, 2021.