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 [...]
In a desert climate, such as Tempe, Arizona, rain is sparse. At only 4.5 inches per year, it is a very dry place. The city gets water, nevertheless, as is demonstrated by the unusual amount of lawn-grown grass surrounding the suburban and urban sprawl. The question then is how? How do residents get the water [...]
College lawns are not just for Frisbees anymore. The UMass Permaculture Initiative snagged top honors at the White House Campus Champions of Change Challenge this March 2012, beating out 1,400 applicants and 15 finalists in a social media voting campaign. The project, founded in October 2010, is just one of many efforts in a growing [...]
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 [...]
Daylighting Detroit, Michigan’s Bloody Run Creek will be no small feat, but it’s a project that truly embodies a new and sustainable direction for the city. St. Louis developer, Richard Baron, has been pitching redevelopment ideas to Detroit since the 1980’s, but until now, nothing’s stuck. Flowing south, just east of downtown and into the [...]
There is a strong paradigm shift in the literature recently, on how rural development and urban development affect one another. The conventional wisdom of the last three decades suggests that urban and rural developments are separate and compete with each other for resources. However, a closer looks reveals that this is far from the truth. [...]
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 [...]
In 2010, I was involved in a campaign to bring light rail and bus rapid transit (BRT) to Tampa and Hillsborough County, Florida. The measure did not pass, and every day I see a portion of land that was purchased for the light rail line from my office. Seeing that every day, combined with my [...]
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. [...]
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 [...]
