Jane Jacobs

Vincent Scully Prize

November 11, 2000  

Jane Jacobs has revolutionized the way we think about cities. Through her provocative yet practical writings, she helped us understand how cities actually function and how their economies work. Her classic The Death and Life of Great American Cities has been described by the New York Times as “perhaps the most influential single work in the history of town planning.” This masterpiece and subsequent notable books serve as a blueprint for the humanistic management of cities. Her four decades of insights into the complex inner-workings of cities have influenced and inspired planning professionals, urban economists, environmentalists, and the general public.