Not since the “Conquistadores” have they been arriving in such numbers. Though the current Spanish migration may be more out of necessity than the inquisitive expedition undertaken in the 1500’s, it may also be a sign of the strengthening dependence that Spain will have on Latin America, and potentially become a trend that may become [...]
Like many of its Bay Area counterparts, Oakland, California is a city full of diverse neighborhoods, comprised of unique identities blending and interacting to form one of the region’s primary destinations. Temescal is one such example where you can see the local history while experiencing the recently emerged culinary and art scenes that have come [...]
When you think of tough neighbourhoods and burroughs like the Bronx in New York, or St Ann’s in Nottingham, you don’t necessarily equate them with energy efficient living. If you consider it living at all, it is most certainly not energy efficient living. However, it is in Nottingham England that city council has made an [...]
As Austin, Texas strives to grow as a more environmentally and socially sustainable city, it has turned to Smart Growth principles to obtain its growth goals. One way in which the city has met this challenge is through the implementation of Transit-Oriented Developments, or TODs. The principles are transit-centric and consist of the following: ● [...]
Each day, millions of people depend on reliable transportation for access at a high level of efficiency; and in this way, cities are the largest people movers around. From a logistical standpoint, the efficiency as well as effectiveness and sustainability of these systems is directly correlated with intelligent planning techniques that are able to react [...]
Miami is a melting pot not only of cultures, ethnicities, and cuisine, but also of students, professionals, couples, families, retirees, and tourists. However, contemporary housing fails to represent this diverse population by developing only single-family homes and condos – leaving few options in-between. Miami is missing middle-density building types: townhouses, row houses, courtyard housing, live-work [...]
If New Orleans is considered to be a city of resilience, the story of the Peach Orchard skate park is a shining example, demonstrating that great things are possible through grassroots citizen action. As skateboarding became widespread among youth and young adults across the nation, New Orleans lagged behind in providing infrastructure and recreational space [...]
“No matter where you are, what your constraints are, you can make it happen.” – Susie Sutphin, Farm Manager at the Truckee Community Farm The Tahoe Food Hub has a vision: to create a “hub for all sustainable food initiatives that promote social, economic and environmental responsibility in our food system.” With help from its community [...]
The Netherlands is a relatively small country, however it has a considerably sizeable population that is currently in and around 16.5 million. This makes it one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with almost 83% living in urban regions. It is an extremely low lying country with about 50% of its land [...]
Wayfinding, or environmental graphic design, is on the rise throughout the United States; Corbin Design and National Sign Plazas are just two firms to specialize in wayfinding systems. However, “way finding” is a term not often recognized in dictionaries, and a large amount of educated people still struggle with its definition. Wayfinding is more than [...]
How does time and light affect our urban parks? During the day, Spokane, Washington’s Riverfront Park is filled with children and their parents on the giant “Radio Flyer” statue/playground equipment piece, cyclists and runners on the paved paths, elderly folks watching the geese in the Spokane River which runs through the middle of the park, [...]
When we wake up in the morning and the weather is sunny and warm, don’t we feel more happy and eager to go out and face everyday life? Imagine a patient that stays in a hospital room for many days. If they wake up in a room full of sunshine, surely they feel more relaxed [...]
The image of public housing may have been tainted by the likes of Pruitt Igoe and Cabrini Green; but Seattle, Washington has taken a different approach to public housing that aims to develop urban, mixed-income neighborhoods. The Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) has spent the past six years planning a $300 million redevelopment of Yesler Terrace, [...]
In the course of the last decade, American river cities have sustained continued interest from policy makers and urban planners who have worked to create targeted opportunities for significant long-term investment and economic development. In Cincinnati, this reinvestment has received national attention in terms of how the city has been able to connect environmental design [...]
For the first time since 2002, the City of Phoenix, Arizona is undergoing a General Plan Update. The current plan is being updated in order to comply with Arizona state statutes, particularly the Growing Smarter Act, which requires cities to update their general plan every 10 years. This time around, Phoenix has created an interactive [...]
James Corner’s Field Operations, renowned designer of New York’s High Line Park, won the design competition for Chicago’s Navy Pier one year ago. The attraction is approaching its centennial in 2016, and the trustees of Navy Pier, Inc. hope the renovations will be completed in time to celebrate. Navy Pier is a major tourist attraction [...]
Melburnians pride themselves on their food culture, and they will go to any lengths to find good food. The city’s multicultural background, coupled with residents’ fascination with global gastronomy trends, has changed not only what city goers eat, but how neighbourhoods and streets are designed and function. Ethnic Restaurants in many established suburbs such as [...]
In rapidly developing and changing cities, creative spaces are often given low priority compared with other more lucrative ventures. In Shanghai, the art district of M50 has become an international creative cluster over the years. Located along the South banks of the Suzhou River just north of the city’s center, M50 is a collection of [...]
Nested in California’s East Oakland is a culturally vibrant neighborhood known as Fruitvale. In 1999 the city began construction on a transit-oriented development project called Fruitvale Village, which was completed in 2004. This successful urban planning initiative exemplifies smart-growth, as it brings transit, commercial and residential sectors into one small area while preserving the unique character [...]
What once was an economically thriving steel, automobile, and manufactured parts region of the twentieth century, the modern Midwest landscape depicts a contrasting existence of abandoned factories, boarded up buildings, and deteriorating main streets. As the Midwest moves forward, it is evident from numerous examples such as Detroit, Michigan, that many cities will have to [...]
