Action: Better City I
ACTION: BETTER CITY I (1967-68)
A volunteer effort initiated in Seattle in 1967, Action: Better City involved "a band of some fifty architects and planners" in a study of their city. Fred Bassetti developed support for the program and the presentation of its results at a major public gathering in 1967, with visions documented in an exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum, a film ("What is so great about Seattle?"), a 64-page booklet (Foreword reproduced here, contents attached below), and a cover article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Northwest Today, May 26, 1968 (copy attached).
The publication cites these teams engaged in the effort:
DOWNTOWN: Donald Frothingham, chairman; Fred Bassetti, Allen Elliott, Robert Hobble, Keith Jacobson, Maurice Nespor, Thor Osbo, Howard S. Petersen, Kenneth Richardson
ELLIOTT BAY: Lee G. Copeland, chairman; Gage Davis, Clayton R. Joyce, Jan Kiaer, Ed Rutledge, Fred Stark, Sally Swanson
DENNY REGRADE PARK: Ibsen Nelsen, chairman; Elsa Bergstrom, Richard Haag, Phillip Harvey, Orrin Haworth, Tom Katsuyoshi, Mark Weijanen
LAKE UNION: Clayton Young, chairman; Eric Anderson, Janice Birkelund, Richard Carothers, Jon Decker, Terry Dragoo, Gerald Gast, George Graham, Richard Hobbs, Bud Konopaski
WALLINGFORD: Don Myers, chairman; Don Berg, Larry Craig, Dave Ernst, Peyton Storli
PIONEER SQUARE: George A. Hartman, chairman; Lowell V. Casey, Paul Dermanis, Marvin I. Gorasht, George W. Heideman, Arthur M. Skolnik, John L. Wright
IN-CITY LIVING: A. O. Bumgardner, David H. Wright, co-chairmen; Rodney A. Knipper, Spencer Wolfe
Acknowledgments: Mary Randlett, A.S.M.P., photography; Laurie Olin, sketches; Norman Johnston, research; A. W. Collins, Allen Elliott, consultants; Royal A. McClure, goad; North Pacific Bank Note, printing; Duck Press, design and productionCopyright, May, 1968: Seattle Chapter American Institute of Architects (used with permission)*A 1998 production, REaction: better city, recorded several Action: Better City originators and observers.
*In a conversation recorded in January 2013, Paul Schell (Dean UW College of Architecture and Urban Planning 1993-96, Mayor of Seattle 1998-2002) recalls Action: Better City.*In a 2012 recording, Laurie Olin cites Rich Haag and Victor Steinbrueck as influential teachers/mentors.
*In January 2014, L. Jane Hastings offered her A:BC recollections: "Fond memories of the meeting in Gould with Fred and the rest, add to the remembrance of taking the ABC film to Monte Carlo in '69 to the UIFA Congress. After showing to 200+, Jean Young and I answered questions for the international group of architects. What really took me by surprise was when the Hungarians (still a Communist country) proposed a resolution to follow the Americans' lead to educate their civic leaders and people to better urban design and development."