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3 comments about Information Exchange.

1. It's interesting to compare the rebuilding of ground zero to that of other cities, and puts the destruction of the WTC in perspective. Having worked for a large 9/11 relief fund, I know first hand how grieving families are preoccupied with what will become of Ground Zero and even its smallest particles of dust (thought to be the remains of loved ones.) Tying together memorialization and urbanization in this way is a great concept -this NY public space will always be personal for us at many levels.

   Having said that, the design is a bit overdone. You don't know where to look with its melange of maps, colors and varying text sizes. Clearly intended for those with a design eye, as opposed to those more interested in the social and political perspectives.




2. Comparing the rebuilding of New York, with that of other cities, is an interesting concept. Having worked for one of the biggest 9-11 Relief Funds in New York I know that Ground Zero, and what becomes of it, is a very important part of the grieving process for families who lost someone. Even the smallest particles of dust remaining at Ground Zero are thought to be the remains of loved ones whose bodies were incinerated. The book is great for bringing together ideas about memorialization and rebuilding. Also, our whole New York Ground Zero focus is put into perspective.

   That said, the design could stand to be a bit friendlier to people interested in the text. You find yourself not knowing where to look - maps, bold colors, varying text sizes. Understandably, though, the people reading the book will be coming at it from a design perspective as opposed to a social/political perspective.




3. Information Exchange: How Cities Renew, Rebuild, and Remember is a concise work published by architectural and urban design advocate Van Alen Institute. Instigated by the events of September 11th, this book examines seven cities forced to rebuild after a catastrophic event (be it an act of man or nature). Opening with the unfinished chronicle of New York City's revisioning operation, a genealogy of rebuilding in various cities-Beirut, Berlin, Kobe, Manchester, Oklahoma City, San Francisco, Sarajevo-is subsequently presented to illuminate successful strategies, common points of contention, and creative solutions to this monumental, complex, and harrowing task.

   Americans, particularly New Yorkers-having endlessly obsessed themselves with the multitudinous accounts of September 11th-may find the book's opening precis of this tragedy to be insensitive in its brevity. The equally short synopses of the 7 other urban reconstructions, however, are entirely new; providing the reader with a unique and interesting information set that, till recently, was relatively obscure and unexamined. Each chapter begins with a short, if not slightly narrow, timeline of the each city's operation-starting with the tragedy and proceeding with a dissection of the various stages of recovery. The timelines then are followed by more illustrative and often insightful interviews or essays written by different contributors.

   Through the essays and dialogues several questions surface from one chapter to the next. What begets the most progressive and enlightened designs? How does a public process find a voice in this arena? How should the collective memory of the tragedy be represented in a memorial? Should such an initiative be publicly or privately managed? How does such a daunting project obtain adequate financing? And while it becomes clear through the course of this study that every city is unique and presents its own set of obstacles and invitations, there are recurring solutions-rendering this work required reading for anyone involved the rebuilding of Ground Zero.

   Fashioned in the now ubiquitous Bruce Mau graphic style, Information Exchange is a flashy package that reads more like a magazine than a weighty research volume. One could finish this pithy book almost accidentally. And though it does not necessarily come to any definitive conclusions nor does is pursue a single thesis, Information Exchange is a worthwhile sampling. Its theme is interesting, its essays provocative, and its varied perspectives refreshing.

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1 comments about A Community Researcher's Guide to Rural Data.

1. I highly recommend Corridor Ecology for anyone who is interested in corridors, land fragmentation, and species conservation. It is the most comprehensive literature I have come across in terms of the role of corridors, corridor design and implementation. As a current graduate student working on a corridor project, this book has been incredibly helpful in planning my field work in ground truthing Least-Cost path corridors. Especially the chapter, Corridor Quality: Continuity, Composition, and Dimension. It has really helped me understand better how to evaluate potential corridors. My advisor has been so impressed with the book that she is going to order some for the library and a biodiversity center that is being set up at campus. I also feel that this would be an excellent text for conservation courses as it covers issues such as metapopulation theory, edge effects and focal species considerations. The book also covers issues and potential problems that need to be dealt with when designing a corridor, which is very valuable. I also think this would be a excellent source for land management agencies and the Department of Transportation to utilize. The authors do an excellent job in bringing together all aspect of corridor ecology by utilizing the most current literature, valuable study cases along with their incredible field and research experience.
   
   Tanya Diamond
   M.S. Candidate
   San Jose State University

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