Friday Eye Candy: AI Envisions Solutions to the Challenges Facing Cities

Phoenix reimagined for shade. Los Angeles as a place where everybody walks. San Francisco with affordable housing. AI makes a vision of the future possible.

1 minute read

July 7, 2023, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


A futuristic reimagining of a D.C. street with green pathways and open waterways instead of car-filled streets.

Washington, D.C. “reimagined as a city with green rooftops, solar-paneled monuments, and a network of tree-lined, pedestrian-friendly boulevards.” | Midjourney

“[W]hat if we could reimagine the world’s cities unfettered by budgetary constraints, political roadblocks, or logistical challenges?”

That’s the question explored by a recent application of AI technology by Planetizen Founder Chris Steins on Medium. For example, the post imagines Los Angeles as a pedestrian’s paradise, Miami as a “resilient city designed to withstand rising sea levels,” and Cairo “as a high-tech city harmoniously blending with ancient ruins.”

According to Steins, the power of AI, in this case Midjourney, is more than speculation. “The power of AI lies in its ability to transcend human bias and conventional thinking, providing fresh perspectives on urban possibilities,” writes Steins. “In using AI, we can explore and visualize transformative urban solutions with unparalleled creativity and scale.”

The source article, linked below, includes many images with examples from the United States and abroad.

Tuesday, July 4, 2023 in Chris Steins via Medium

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

3 hours ago - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

5 hours ago - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation