We tried making a grid city with Milton Keynes and look how soulless that turned out.
this post was submitted on 09 May 2025
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What city has no street signs? And they are vastly easier to navigate than grids where every corner looks the same.
They're also far more enjoyable for walking.
Strolling down grid roads with gigantic buildings feels like you're getting nowhere. Absolutely mind numbing.
A lot of streets in London lack signs. And house numbers are quite rare. So even if you have a street sign you still have no fucking clue where you are without a GPS.
I know it's a dumb meme, but strong disagree on grid cities. They always violate the natural landscape of the city, and are only easier to navigate if the land is very flat, or if you are driving.
The windy roads of organically developed cities look confusing on a map, but are often way easier to navigate and understand when on foot. Wayfinding is instead done in terms of natural features, e.g. go downhill towards the river until you hit the main street.
Windy roads help prevent drivers from falling asleep/going on auto pilot
Maybe not an issue in a city where you constantly stop
Grid cities, specially when combined with tall buildings, also tend to create more pronounced microclimate issues and "heat islands".
San Fransico has a varied terrain and enviroment that cause microclimates on is own, but the grid layout means the temperature can change as much as 9F/5C from one block to the next.
Interesting, why do grids cause that?
Air currents and long straight road surfaces heating up simultaneously as the sun moves.
Long straight roads in grids can cause the air to "stick" to the ground as wind moves overhead. And the sun hitting roofs and sides of buildings over shorter periods mean less "stored heat".
Some of it can be alleviated by having trees along the sidewalks. Since they help disperse wind and creates shade for the concrete/asphalt that store heat a lot longer.
EDIT: If you have more "random" road layouts with trees, there's less sun heating up the sidewalk and road. And the wind is more likely to be pushed around and prevent hot air from stagnating or circulating in an area.
Navigating London by foot without GPS is pretty much impossible if you don't live here. And even after 10 years some parts are so fucking confusing... On the other hand I've learned the layout of Barcelona on my second trip.
Someone's never been to Pittsburgh. Now that I think about it, I'd guess most people haven't been to Pittsburgh. Why would they?
Anyway, like I was saying, roads.
Pittsburgh: I want a grid, but make it a triangle
Fun fact: Pittsburgh looks exactly like Kaunas, Lithuania, on a map.
I know someone who is working there tonight. It's apparently an enjoyable region, enough that moving there was considered.
I also know someone who has an undiagnosed mental illness that travels for work. Totally unrelated.
Massachusetts has entered the chat
Its called "New England" for a reason.
Most of Southern New England really
Is northern New England better? Or is it just because it's still sparsely populated?
Yeah, Northern NE is sparsely populated and has more wilderness/conservation areas, mountains, and stuff.
Dunno about the rest of PA, but Pittsburgh's no walk in the park either.
Goddamn triangle grid downtown!
Me: "Oops, I went the wrong way! I'll just take two rights and be going back the way I came!"
Pittsburgh: "The fuck you will!"
Great city, though, once I let go of my preconceived notions of how navigation works.
Philly is a grid system for the most part. It’s still mad max out there though despite that. You just know exactly where you’re being run off the road
More rural and recently-suburbanized PA areas (outside of the neighborhoods) can get a bit spicy. Not quite like Mass though.
Stamping down a grid over a hilly landscape makes for a shitty walking or biking experience. >:/
Hasn’t been to Boston.
Boston GPS directions would be a good time
"make a hahd right turn to stay on Comm Ave, but don't be stupid enough to get on the carriage way, peckah-head. why? because fuck you, that's why"
Pahk ya cah etc.
Would make a fun turn-by-turn voice.
Being a paper boy in Europe sucked let me tell you. I spent half the time figuring out where the next street on the route was.
Whenever we drive onto a country road here in Victoria that’s totally straight we’re both reflexively yell “Roman Road!”. Maybe you can take the grid system too far.
hah, show that poster Tokyo. I can't imagine actually knowing that city like I know Denver.