Designing for the automobile: the work of John Nolen at Myers Park (1911) and Venice (1926)

John Nolen, city planner and landscape architect, is one of a small number of early twentieth century American planners who addressed the widespread effect of the automobile. This paper traces the development of Nolen's approach to new settlement design through an analysis of his proposals for Myers Park (1911) and Venice (1926). The approach to highway configuration is described and analysed with illustrations to show the character of the roads developed. A detailed comparison of the two developments includes the consideration of the designer's approach to: street network; orientation; roadway allocation; street types; design speed; intersection design; parking strategy; walkability. The paper concludes with a review of the original designs and final built form and the character that the areas have today.