About Social Media Today
May 20, 2013
To Modernize, or Not to Modernize, That is the Urban Design Question
When it comes to city planning, there’s no tougher decision to make than the modernization or preservation of historic culture. Continuity and consistency is lacking in Nottingham’s city planning.[read more]
May 21, 2013
Restoring Infrastructure With Interaction
restoring infrastructure
Taking a site near to the Gowanus Canal, one of the most polluted water bodies in the country, a group of architects explored a new potential relationship between people and their infrastructure.[read more]
May 20, 2013
Urban Design and Biking Campaigns
between a bus and a hard place
It is time for our cycling campaigns to go back to the drawing board together and start again with our cycling design guidelines, before every other road in our city is narrowed.[read more]
Recent Infographics
Cities Embracing the Green Revolution [INFOGRAPHIC]
urban green revolution
With global carbon dioxide levels at a historic high, something major needs to happen if we are to get anything close to a sustainable use of the planet’s resources. Could a ‘green revolution’ in cities be the solution?[read more]
Placemaking and Getting Children Out to Play
get the children outside!
If children are the future, we seem to be very short-sighted when it comes to urban design. Very little, if any at all, of the current discourse on the type of cities we should be building truly considers whether these cities will be child friendly.[read more]
Economic Geography and Gentrification in Buffalo
Buffalo, NY
“Buffalo gentrification” is an oxymoron. It’s also real, close to the centers of talent production. We should pay more attention to this emerging economic geography hidden in the stereotypical Rust Belt.[read more]
Thinking Green Beyond the Inside of Your House
going green outside the home
When people think about green buildings, what comes to mind is solar panels, geothermal energy, improved insulation, and so forth. Although we often forget it, being green also includes what lies beyond the walls![read more]
Beyond PR: Services and Disservices of Urban Green Infrastructure
urban green infrastructure
How do the benefits of urban green infrastructure stack up against the costs? We need to better understand the services and disservices of green infrastructure for improved planning and management of urban ecosystems.[read more]
Creative Gravitation and Placemaking in Berlin
cultural creativity in Berlin
Artists and bohemians have been flocking to Berlin since the wall came down in 1989. Affordable rents and vacant spaces allowed room for experimentation, as diversity in numbers created a dynamic infrastructure.[read more]
Future of Public Transit: Otobuxi? Self-Driving Automobile + Bus + Taxi
the future of public transit?
With all-wheel drive and electric power, the Otobuxi can travel with quiet ease on narrow, residential streets. The vehicle can accommodate up to 12 passengers and does not require a driver.[read more]
Nationalist Sustainability: Recycle to Punch Hitler in the Nose!
recycling to defeat Hitler?
Robert Long at The New Republic points to a few studies showing that conservatives are more likely to recycle when such activity is tied to values like patriotism.[read more]
Los Angeles Placemaking: Angels in the Parks [VIDEO]
angels in LA
Not all angels have wings. Some are clearly grounded and quietly working in Los Angeles city parks thanks to the partnership between the Recreation and Parks Department and the Los Angeles Parks Foundation.[read more]
Interview with Hernan Navarro: Lima’s El Metropolitano BRT
Lima's Bus Rapid Transit
In a capital city with 8 million inhabitants, not only was Lima’s advanced bus system the first of its kind in the country, but it also provides valuable lessons for the rest of Latin America.[read more]
How Skate Parks Can Transform Urban Areas
skate parks
Nowadays, skateparks seem to be the new form of the traditional town squares we all remember visiting during our childhood and adolescence years.[read more]
The Economic and Educational Value of Retrofitting Schools
retrofitting old schools
With the potential to reduce carbon consumption by more than 50%, and make £120,000 a year, retrofitting its school is an investment that Impington Village College, near Cambridge in England, can’t afford not to make.[read more]
What’s the Return on Investment for Sustainability?
investing in sustainability
The rise of so-called “green MBA” programs is a welcome addition to the business landscape. The “jobs vs. the environment” debate is over and it’s pretty clear that business, in general, is on board with sustainability.[read more]
Urban Design for a Better Mall Experience: Milan
Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele, Milan
The developmental link between Expo 2015 and Westfield Milano, as well as a physical rail link between Linate and these sites, suggests this is a strong opportunity to build a mall for the next generation.[read more]
Silicon Valley Decline: Talent and Urban Economics
empty valley?
Without immigration, Silicon Valley is dying. Migration is ephemeral, particularly international migration. Here today, gone tomorrow. Entire regional economies depend on the influx of talent.[read more]
Urban Design: Should Speed Limits on Arterial Roads Increase?
arterial road speeds
A poll was conducted, which revealed that among local listeners, 47% were in favor of increasing the speed limit, 33% for maintaining current regulations, and 20% calling for a decrease.[read more]
Attempting to Live a Low Carbon Life
public transit
Friends told me I could easily get a house. But I didn’t want to increase my carbon footprint by moving into a bigger house just because I could afford it. And I was not going to drive to school everyday to study Sustainability.[read more]
Sustainable Cities Through a Grassroots Environmental Movement
Global climate change is a crisis, but it can also be an opportunity for new and innovative ideas, new opportunities to build sustainable economies, and new opportunities to build sustainable societies.[read more]
Sustainable Cities Collective
What's New on
“Brilliant!Long-term committed asset holders like schools, municipalities, hospitals, ... tend to be the greatest beneficiaries from energy retrofits, so it's great to see Impington showing leadership. And the Skanska financing program is a lifesaver: similar programs are emerging all over. We've found that one of the important "little details" that make all of this possible is that of having a ...”
“I love the term "food rescuer". This is something I'd love to do and wish I'd done in college. My friend started bike co-ops and it would've been easy to add food onto the mission. We had weekly Sunday dinners and even rescuing food and serving it on Sunday would work. Thanks for sharing.Blog OnJanet”