Did you ever imagine that, as planners (or architects), we would be able to make revisions on a 10 thousand sqf retail mixed-use project in Revit, on our smart touchpads, while discussing it with a colleague on What’s App, on our way home, in a public train? It’s happening. Today’s social media mobilizes planners’ and [...]
With the growing popularity of crowdsourced funding platforms like Kickstarter or IndieGoGo, many urban planning professionals have begun to explore the potential of a good web-based brainstorm. In 2011, the development firm Renaissance Downtowns partnered with the city of Bristol, Connecticut to solicit feedback on the piazza feature of its mall redevelopment plan. After receiving [...]
Planning participation is a requirement in most American states, and many municipalities realize its power; a sense of ownership in the community for an initiative can be a determining factor in the success of any plan. To distribute and gather information to and from the community there are essentially three routes. Depending on the community [...]
Planning should be participatory; however, it’s often very difficult to get stakeholders to contribute to planning processes. Mail-in survey return rates are low, and more often than not, residents don’t want to sit through a Saturday morning design charette. Marketing online and social media platforms give urban planners and architects a set of contemporary tools [...]
One of the most important components of your work as an urban planner is engaging community stakeholders. For urban projects in the main street district, the downtown development authority, city leadership, planning and zoning commissioners, historical district commissioners, architects, and neighborhood residents are all integral partners. Projects that deal more with regional issues require collaboration [...]
The need for public involvement is one of the most fundamental and integral components of government agencies. Without this interaction, government leaders would have a difficult time understanding the needs and wants of the public. The traditional models of collecting public opinions create barriers, which can make it difficult for people to effectively participate in [...]
Public participation in urban planning has been transformed by web and mobile-based social media technologies. From simply informing citizens about a new proposal or plan to actively seeking out citizen suggestions and feedback, social media has changed the way urban planners approach public participation. Planners are always looking for new techniques and tools to engage [...]
Once home to the innovations of the Burroughs Adding Machine Company, American Electrical Heater Company and General Motors, the New Center area breathes new life into Detroit, Michigans’s entrepreneurial spirit. In April 2004, the partially-renovated Chevy Creative Services building designed by architect Albert Kahn, opened its doors to Detroit’s start-up community as TechOne. The TechTown [...]
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 [...]
As my 6-month internship with Global Site Plans coasts to a gentle close this week, I find myself in a much different place than when I began blogging for the GRID in October 2011. In the beginning, I was a recent college grad still clinging to my Cornell days by hanging around Ithaca, New York [...]
Social media is changing the way we live, work, and play. Our networks are larger, our interests broader, and our opportunities more abundant than ever before. Thanks to this dynamic, digital infrastructure, Detroit, Michigan is making a comeback and gaining esteem as a city of possibility. The new direction is small and sustainable. There is a [...]
Creating and maintaining a website is a complex task that involves making decisions regarding design, branding, marketing, and content. How much should website maintenance cost? The answer is that the price is variable and dependent on a number of factors. Mostly, this depends on what maintenance of your website will cover, the total number of [...]
Architecture, like any creative medium, is constantly changing, so it can be challenging to stay on top of the latest trends and keep up-to-date with the latest industry news. We’ve compiled the top architecture websites to help you stay informed! ArchDaily.com ArchDaily was founded in 2008 with the mission of delivering the most complete information [...]
A “build it and forget it” method may not be the wisest of decisions for an urban planner when creating a website. It is a myth that a website can sustain itself after it’s developed. In fact, similar to your business, a website must be constantly maintained if you want it to continue to thrive. [...]
Tempe, Arizona gets 211 sunny days every year. Arizona is 113,990 sq mi. The sun emits 12.2 trillion watt-hours per square mile per year of solar energy. So, the total solar energy possibly gained in Arizona is 1,390,678 trillion watt-hours, which is roughly equivalent to 1, 390 terawatt-hours. World energy consumption in 2008 was 19,000 [...]
When I was first asked one year ago to write for The Grid, I was nervous, yet excited to be part of a new voice for design on the web. As I became more comfortable with the position and began to write more regularly, I have been able to use my column to inspire and [...]
While social media is changing the way designers collaborate and connect, face-to-face networking is still an important step in gaining industry distinction. At roughly 3.5 inches by 2 inches, business cards carry significant influence in this networking process. As designers, urban planners are expected to make a statement with their business cards. What kind of [...]
Blogs are today’s “black.” Nowadays, many companies are incorporating personalized websites as part of the businesses’ Public Relations strategy to reach out to new and potential clientele, or the general public. So it is important, more so within the field of architecture, engineering, environmental non-profit, landscape architecture and urban planning, to maintain your website in [...]
Edward Mazria proposed a challenge to be carbon neutral by 2030. Since buildings are the major source of pollution, then necessarily they are the solution. In his own words; The Problem: The Building Sector, The Solution: The Building Sector. Since he posited his theory, he has gained many proponents: Architects, Landscape Architects, Urban Planners, Engineers, [...]
Having a website is essential in today’s web-driven world. Many businesses use their websites to help drive sales, leads, and advertisements. Environmental design, urban planning, and architecture businesses can benefit from websites as well. In a previous blog about promoting your business online, I constantly mentioned creating a website first and foremost. Online advertising is usually [...]
