The work of Marcus Lyons replicates images of already sprawling human development to the breaking point and maybe beyond.
Kriston Capps shares the work of photographer Marcus Lyon, whose "works imagine end-state capitalism, just before the whole thing shuffles over the brink."
Or, put another way, "Using digital technology, the artist pushes various developments out to their logical conclusion, as if to warn people about what we are building—and demonstrate that it's already too late to stop."
And to be more location specific: "Lyon's photos combine the macro compositions of Andreas Gursky with the digital technique of Jörg Sasse and the subject-matter expertise of a Brookings Institution panel. He's done an entire series on BRICs, the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Lyon does not picture BRIC cities how they are today, but rather—through aerial photography and digital retouching—what they could become in 10 or 20 years."
Capps concludes by musing on the implications of the images, including his mixed feelings about what kinds of development inspire optimism and which have a more sinister color.
FULL STORY: Imagining the Chilling Landscape of Unchecked Global Development
Looking Down on Sprawl
Writing in The New York Times, Geoff Manaugh looks at Christoph Gielen's aerial photography of urban development and sprawl.
Friday Eye Candy: New York City, Minus the Cars and People
Johnny Simon shares the work of artist Marc Yankus, who created a series of images that remove people, cars, and animals from images of New York City.
Friday Eye Candy: Painting to Memorialize Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct
Finding beauty, and questions, in the concrete.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research