Pod Squad: ‘Down-and-Dirty History of Planning’ in Honolulu
The sprawling, unplanned development that was panned in the 1930s continues to this day in Hawaii’s biggest city, says columnist Curt Sanburn.
Curt Sanburn, who writes a weekly Civil Beat column about architecture and urban design, joined the Pod Squad last week to discuss his two-part series on “Honolulu Archaeology” that began last Monday and concludes today.
Sanburn talked with Pod Squad host Chad Blair in a reunion of sorts for the journalists, formerly colleagues at the defunct Honolulu Weekly.
Sanburn’s first piece frequently cited the work of Lewis Mumford, an architecture critic for New Yorker magazine who came to Honolulu in the 1930s and criticized it for “higgledy-piggledy” development and construction that failed to take advantage of the trade winds and ocean orientation.
Sanburn said his Civil Beat column is all about providing readers with the context to understand why things are the way they are.
“That’s what I’m trying to do, simply lay down an easy-to-read, down-and-dirty history of planning in Honolulu so maybe we can think about it harder as we move forward.”
Hit the play button to hear the discussion or subscribe to the Civil Beat Pod Squad on or .
Civil Beat’s Chad Blair, left, talks to columnist Curt Sanburn about urban Honolulu.
Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat
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