W+A remembers the legacy of Bob Simon and the new town he envisioned in Reston, Virginia. Bob passed away on September 21 and will be missed.
Sometimes referred to as a real estate entrepreneur, he was also a visionary, pioneering ideas such as mixed use, population density, access to natural habitats and walkways, and alternatives to vehicular transportation. Writing in 1962, he stated that one of his goals in the creation of Reston was:
“That it be possible for anyone to remain in a single neighborhood throughout his life, uprooting being neither inevitable nor always desirable. By providing the fullest range of housing styles and prices – from high-rise efficiencies to 6-bedroom townhouses and detached houses – housing needs can be met at a variety of income levels and at different stages of family life. This kind of mixture permits residents to remain rooted in the community if they so choose – as their particular housing needs change. As a by-product, this also results in the heterogeneity that spells a lively and varied community.”