A Framework to Improve Urban Revitalization Developed Through a Theoretical Analysis and Critique of Pruitt Igoe

Abstract

Urban revitalization is a complex task, greatly impacted by which stakeholders have the authority to identify and implement revitalization strategies. This article uses the Pruitt Igoe housing development to critique and explore alternatives to a modernist revitalization approach. Pruitt Igoe was built in 1954 on 57 acres of inner city land characterized by an overrepresentation of impoverishment and consisted of 33 identical 11-storey towers. Despite improving the quality of housing for residents of the area, Pruitt Igoe quickly deteriorated into an isolating and dangerous environment for residents. Ultimately, revitalization was not achieved and Pruitt Igoe was demolished just 18 years after construction. Analyzing the case of Pruitt Igoe through the theoretical frameworks of advocacy planning, planning as design, and several concepts from Michel Foucault reveals how inequalities and power differences led to some of the project’s negative outcomes. Using the considerations derived from these frameworks, the article demonstrates why renewed infrastructure alone is often insufficient to achieve effective urban revitalization. This article advocates that ongoing engagement with residents is critical to identify the complex social circumstances that underpin urban decline and create lasting, effective, and inclusive urban revitalization.