urban history
« Previous EntriesStealth density vs high rise density
Thursday, June 10th, 2010Living in walkable, urban neighbourhoods is becoming trendy. And communities are defined as “walkable” when virtually everything you could need from groceries to clothes to plumbing supplies can be acquired on foot.
But to support those businesses, you need a dependable large supply of consumers. Walkable places therefore tend to have higher housing density than less-walkable […]
Building suburbs in “the city”
Wednesday, May 26th, 2010Are some cities starting to transform into suburbs? Here’s how I see the dynamic (and then I welcome your responses):
Aside from their frequent auto-dependence, suburbs often offer the characteristic of “sameness.”
Homes in each subdivision all tend to be the same, or at least very similar.
The same type of people tend to purchase them–one subdivision will […]
Renting in dynamic cities
Friday, May 14th, 2010Richard Florida’s work, The Great Reset, has launched a great discussion about the place of home rental in American life and the American economy. I’ve been doing a lot of research and thinking on apartment renting myself, and have a few thoughts on what could be happening now, and in the future.
I would argue that […]
Value of (old fashioned) home ownership
Tuesday, May 4th, 2010In his Great Reset press tour, Richard Florida has been challenging people to think hard about the role of home ownership, especially in the US but also in some struggling Canadian cities. He is correct to point out the tragedy of the problem–people who have no equity in their homes and cannot sell them also […]
Do a Jane’s Walk!
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010Jane Jacobs was an urban thinker ahead of her time. When the great thinkers of the day were promoting freeways and auto-centric suburban development, she spotted what was being lost. To her, the best cities and neighbourhoods were organic, constantly evolving communities, or networks of relationships. People knew each other and looked out for each […]
Supermarket parking lots as new neighbourhood hubs
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010Could supermarket parking lots in now-dense urban areas become public squares? or be re-designed as great public places in other ways?
Neal Pierce recently penned an intriguing piece about supermarkets on Citiwire.net.
We perfected the buy-and-drive model from the post-World War II expansion onward. But is it necessarily the future?
No, asserts my Seattle friend and urban […]
What ever happened to world’s fairs?
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010In the 20th century, World’s Fairs were major events celebrated in the host city and globally. Daily news items emerged from these three-to-six month celebrations that also showcased new products and ideas. Even if you did not attend, you could share in the experience via television and newspapers.
Some fairs today remain legendary worldwide such as […]
Higher fuel, living green and a new normal for home prices?
Saturday, April 3rd, 2010Over the past few years, many urban residents have become increasingly interested in more sustainable as well as more time efficient lifestyles. Thousands (even millions worldwide) are choosing to live closer to work, even if it means a smaller home–whether to save money, spare the environment or save time (or all three).
Simultaneous with the above […]
What will make Toronto better
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010As discussed in my previous post, I find Toronto fascinating and enjoy visiting. But it’s also a city with some immediate challenges that are perhaps holding the city back.
So what changes will improve Toronto and help it evolve faster into a global, international knowledge-economy hub?
#1. Better transit. The metro system hasn’t been upgraded since 1967, […]
Worldwide, cities are good for women
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010In honour of International Women’s Day this week, I offer the following argument:
The global shift toward cities and more urban based economies has benefited women — and the status of women — in at least three ways.
First, urban women and girls typically need to spend fewer hours doing household chores, including ensuring basic survival, than […]