No city is complete without walls: they define it and protect it from sprawling uselessly over the surrounding countryside. Now we can add one more qualification to the endless resume of city walls: they offer good protection against hurricanes in lieu of hills. #GoodUrbanism

The founders of San Juan knew what they were doing. #GoodUrbanism

Another fun thing our ancestors understood about how to build hurricane and storm resistant towns and cities: the value of organic street layouts. Grids enhance winds. Medieval zig zag and jumbled streets subdue them.

My friends in Chicago for example never fail to mention the brazing winter winds. Now there is a city that would have benefited hugely from having a more jumbled street pattern instead of the gridded monstrosity it became. Nice nick name though.