Urban relocation is often used, whether justifiably or not, as a part of the urban renewal project of Istanbul in its endeavor to become a “world-city.” As the main actor to carry out urban renewal projects, Mass Housing Administration has the authority to relocate squatter communities whenever it’s deemed appropriate, and usually these communities are relocated to [...]
Istanbul will host its first design biennial between October 13 – December 12, 2012. The theme is proposed by the director of London Design Museum, Deyan Sudjic, as “imperfection.” This theme refers to Istanbul, a city far from being perfect, yet one of the most inspiring centers of the world, with infinite layers. Istanbul Design [...]
In the last few years there has been a clear tendency in the towns close to Zarautz, Spain to install the “door-to-door waste collection system.” The aim is to reuse, recycle and reduce waste so that minimal amount goes to landfills. It seeks to ensure the correct segregation of waste, and creates a low-cost waste [...]
In October 2011, I began my internship writing for The Grid. I had always been interested in the potential that social media can provide as a platform for discussions about urban planning and design. Aside from this, I did not quite know what to expect from the experience. Six months later, I am leaving my blogging position at Global [...]
Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for the success of many websites. No matter how often you may tune your site for a better ranking with major search engines, it may still not be enough if the right keywords or keyphrases are not being selected. This is because search engines decide how relevant a site [...]
Tempe averages 211 days of sun every year. In addition, the city is only a 2-hour drive away from Mexico. This makes for a very warm, very bright place. It seems to never rain. Since I arrived 10 months ago, it has only rained twice, and heavily only once. This is why I call this [...]
ArkiPARC, a 2-day real estate and architecture event, occurred in Istanbul between March 28th & 29th, 2012. During the series of conferences; architects, urban planners, politicians, and investors not only had a chance to meet and exchange business cards, but also discuss current urban transformation projects and their affects on those who live in Turkey. [...]
The podium microphone could not quite reach Will Allen, standing six-and-a-half feet tall and in front of a sold-out lecture hall in Providence, Rhode Island. Allen, a former professional basketball player and MacArthur Genius Award recipient, was speaking on behalf of his work at Growing Power, a Milwaukee-based environmental non-profit focused on sustainable urban farming [...]
It has been a wonderful experience writing various blogs pertaining to urban planning issues in the Montreal, Canada area, as well as learning the advantages of professional logo design. After six months, it is with much regret that I am leaving my blog-writing position at Global Site Plans (GSP), but this lets me do more [...]
An internet search for “green living” in Turkey does not yield very many results. While environmental problems have been developing throughout history, the emergence of an environmental consciousness doesn’t happen overnight. In Turkey, the concept is still young, boasting both a developing field in environmentalism and a growing green industry. The National Environmental Action Plan [...]
