Contra Burnham: Why We Need More Little Plans

Although Daniel Burnham probably never spoke the famous words "Make no little plans," Chicago area planners, politicians, architects and reformers have long taken them as a commandment. At what point do Big Plans become counterproductive? Do we neglect what's already been built--which requires maintenance and adjustment--in the rush to the next Big Plan? Are Big Plans like the 1909 Plan of Chicago appropriate, or even possible, for the 21st Century? Bill Savage, Senior Lecturer in the Northwestern English Department and author of a recent Chicago Reader article on Burnham, discusses the 1909 Plan in the context of 2009 Chicago, Evanston and the region.