In an essay called “A Case for Beauty in Our Cities,” Walker Larson argues beauty is not a luxury in urban life, but a necessity. Beauty, he writes, helps humans flourish. It anchors us, uplifts and reminds us that our environment matters.
As I read Larson’s words, I thought about Sacramento—our blocks, parks, skyline, neighborhoods and mismatched corridors of brilliance and blight.
Beauty may not be the first word outsiders use to describe Sacramento. Yet anyone who has built a life here knows we have a beauty all our own. The challenge is choosing to create more of it when opportunities arise.
Larson argues many cities suffer from a crisis of ugliness. Buildings designed for speed and economy rather than grace. Streets built for cars, not people. Public spaces stripped of ornament, symbolism and craftsmanship.
Sacramento isn’t immune. We see corridors dominated by blank stucco walls, vacant lots and trash. We see boxy apartment buildings aging poorly. We see signs, utilities and engineering solutions that prize efficiency and ignore appearance.
Lasting beauty is worth fighting for. Larson believes it has “a moral force,” shaping how people feel, behave and relate to their community. Beautiful streets invite us to walk. Beautiful parks invite us to linger. Beautiful buildings tell us our city believes we deserve places built with care.
Sacramento understands this. Our most cherished places are our most beautiful. Tree canopies of East Sacramento, Land Park, Arden, Carmichael and Woodlake. Crocker Art Museum, where historic architecture meets contemporary design. Vintage brickwork along R Street. The natural beauty of the river parkways.
These are places where Sacramento gathers, rests, celebrates and remembers.
Two projects I am proud to have helped create show how beauty strengthens community. The Inside Sacramento books, published in 2016 and 2018, celebrate our city through more than a thousand photographs of its neighborhoods, architecture, people and vibrant small-business community.
Through Friends of East Sacramento, Lisa Schmidt and I helped lead a decade-long effort to restore two treasured public spaces, McKinley Rose Garden and Clunie Community Center, preserving their beauty as gathering places for generations to come.
Beauty is easy to see. Stroll through Midtown and feel the power of a walkable grid framed by bungalows, gardens and mature trees. Walk through Old Sacramento and experience the charm of a district built at human scale.
Then drive east on Arden Way or along parts of Florin Road and Watt Avenue. Beauty is not evenly distributed.
Sacramento should insist new housing and commercial projects contribute to neighborhoods aesthetically and economically. Affordable housing and density can coexist with beauty if intelligently designed.
Neighborhood preservationists opposed a six-story, full-block apartment in the residential neighborhood of McKinley Park. They had reasons to object, but for me the heart of the issue was its cookie-cutter, big-box design—similar to almost every new apartment building in town.
It didn’t visually belong in a historic neighborhood. The developer and city planners didn’t seem to visualize a design that reflected its surroundings.
Public spaces define our shared civic life. Sacramento has made progress with Capitol Mall, the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center and Performing Arts Center, the quality designs along R Street, and investments in the American River Parkway.
Yet our riverfront remains underdeveloped, neighborhood parks need renewal and commercial corridors could be transformed through better landscaping, lighting, architecture and public art. Notable exceptions are the SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity (MOSAC) and the Hanami Line at Robert T. Matsui Waterfront Park which are gorgeous and timeless additions to the river.
The places we treasure most were built with craftsmanship. Tower Theatre, Curtis Park, Boulevard Park, Old City Cemetery and historic schools remind us that quality construction endures.
This is a pivotal time. Growth and redevelopment give us a chance to create neighborhoods that inspire pride rather than provide mere function. Imagine Stockton Boulevard shaded by mature trees, Watt Avenue as a welcoming boulevard, infill housing built with enduring materials, inviting courtyards and architecture.
Larson reminds us that beauty is foundational to civic life. It encourages stewardship, strengthens community and improves quality of life. Sacramento has natural beauty. Our challenge is ensuring that our built environment rises to match it.
The city we leave future generations should be measured not only by how many buildings we construct, but whether they enrich life. Beauty is an investment that pays dividends for decades.
Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
