development conflicts
« Previous EntriesGentrification and diversity
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009The challenge as many North American metro areas urbanize — evolve into higher density, urban playgrounds — is maintaining diversity in these new and renovated neighbourhoods.
An article by Aaron Renn of the Dallas Morning News is circulating among the urban bloggers that notes how “White” some of the cities often considered models for future urban […]
Urban Chickens or Pigs Anyone?
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009It looks like barnyard animals could be making an urban comeback in North America.
The Toronto Star summarized a Dutch firm’s idea of farming pigs vertically, in multi-storey buildings. Apparently it’s more ecologically responsible:
Proposed by the Dutch architectural firm MVRDV, the argument is that it’s more efficient to raise swine in highrise farms than on the […]
Creative destruction from Wal-mart’s arrival
Sunday, November 16th, 2008Long-time readers of this blog will know that while I’m personally not a fan of Wal-Mart, nor ever shop there, I do support their right to exist. If they provide what consumers want, it seems somewhat futile to try to stop them.
But here’s some new research from the University of Alberta: Wal-Mart can bring about […]
Parking and cities
Thursday, September 25th, 2008Few things can make a street feel less engaging and less safe than a parking lot or stand-alone parking garage.
In most cities, new buildings — whether private homes or office towers — must offer a certain amount of off street parking. But are those minimal standards too many in an era when transit, walking, cycling […]
Edge city growing pains
Sunday, September 21st, 2008In the past couple weeks there have been (at least) two excellent blog posts about “edge cities.” Edge cities are small cities or large towns interconnected with and attached to a larger metro area like a suburb. Unlike bedroom communities, edge cities contain business parks as well as homes and significant retail space.
I expect we’ll […]
Book Review: The Concrete Dragon
Thursday, June 5th, 2008The Concrete Dragon: China’s Urban Revolution and What it Means for the World by Thomas J. Campanella
Reviewed by guest blogger, Dave Atkins.
Thomas Campanella’s book is a timely, eye-opening analysis of the wrenching urban revolution transforming China. Written in a clear, conversational tone, but packed with data and anecdotal stories that demonstrate the author’s insight into […]
Book Review: Suburban Transformations
Wednesday, February 13th, 2008Review by Guest Blogger, Dave Atkins
How can we transform our suburbs and edge cities into memorable and sustainable places? This is the central question behind architect Paul Lukez’s book, Suburban Transformations, in which he uses five case studies of proposed suburban renewal to introduce the Adaptive Design Process.
Lukez considers what has made great European cities […]
Clotheslines
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008As increasing numbers of people seek small ways to reduce their impact on the environment, it’s interesting that one simple option is against the law in many cities — hanging clothes to dry on an outside clothesline instead of using the dryer.
Should things change? Environmentalists and energy conservationists argue yes. Others say no — that […]
Technology for improving city governance
Monday, January 14th, 2008For some, city hall, city council, and the planning department moves to fast. Initiatives for new zoning bylaws or transportation plans might go through the governance process in a matter of months, with many residents feeling they did not have enough time to digest the plan and comment on it. For others, of course, city […]
Rapid transit and democracy
Tuesday, November 20th, 2007As Winston Churchill said, “Democracy is the worst system in the world, save all the others.” However, he wasn’t trying to get a new metro system built.
As many US cities may be proving, there can be too much of a good thing — voters keep vetoing bills to build or expand transit systems and […]