Pope Francis on the Problem of Cars in Cities

In the wake of his death, many have shared this observation from his 2015 environmental encyclical Laudato Si’

The quality of life in cities has much to do with systems of transport, which are often a source of much suffering for those who use them. Many cars, used by one or more people, circulate in cities, causing traffic congestion, raising the level of pollution, and consuming enormous quantities of non-renewable energy. This makes it necessary to build more roads and parking areas which spoil the urban landscape. Many specialists agree on the need to give priority to public transportation. Yet some measures needed will not prove easily acceptable to society unless substantial improvements are made in the systems themselves, which in many cities force people to put up with undignified conditions due to crowding, inconvenience, infrequent service and lack of safety. (153)

But I was especially struck by this, a statement likely to be confronting to many architects:

 It is not enough to seek the beauty of design. More precious still is the service we offer to another kind of beauty: people’s quality of life, their adaptation to the environment, encounter and mutual assistance. (150)

That’s it.  The beauty is not in the thing humans have built, however much we may be dazzled by photos and renderings.  The beauty is in the transformation of people’s lives.

That’s why I’m an advocate of public transit service, and an advocate of infrastructure only if it makes the service better.