In a unique collaboration, an American lawyer and a Venezuelan architect merge thinking on holistic design, planning and regulation
Two people who have never met (Venezuelan architect Ana Maria Manzo, who blogs at the place of dreams, http://anammanzo.wordpress.com/, and American environmental and land use lawyer Chuck Wolfe, founder of myurbanist, http://www.myurbanist.com) merge writing and imagery to create an evocative, interactive story of the evolution of place, blending multiple dimensions and cultures.
Together, in simultaneous postings in English and Spanish, they argue for a "broader, holistic effort" among professionals, mindful of context, "a movement that evokes positive emotions in those who inhabit cities, and a movement which makes us dream."
Through 22 comparative images, the authors emphasize not only history, but a "best practices" effort to achieve a common goal: human life in a better urban landscape premised on, inter alia: sense of place, climate, sound, population density, geographic orientation and neighbor buildings.
They conclude: "When we are collectively able to consider all of these elements to envision the re-creation of urban settings, the evolution of place will take a new and positive direction."
FULL STORY: reading the evolution of places
Placemaking: Building on the ‘Soul’ of a Place
Placemaking is often mistaken for a form of manufacturing. Every place already has a story to tell—placemaking just brings that story forward.
Seeing the Street
A San Francisco-based design studio describes the thought process behind an effort to push outdoor lighting design beyond the lowest common denominator allowed by bureaucracy and status quo thinking.
Detroit Making its Streets 'Sticky'
The word "sticky" when applied to the urban design context has come to mean attractive and comfortable—the kind of place that makes people want to stay away and make return visits. Detroit is the latest city to experiment with the concept.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.
California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.
HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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