An Interdisciplinary Perspective on Urban Culture, Space, Architecture, and Design
There’s an “equity deficit” in our thinking about urban sustainability. Mainstream green theory is long on environmental justice, but much shorter on social justice. Sustainable development agendas largely serve middle-to-upper income populations at the expense of lower income people of […]
This question has been considered by multiple urbanists over the last few years. Some of the more visible conclude that an urbanism grounded in science rather than art—that is, one that is quantitative, predictive, and law-like rather than qualitative, aesthetic, […]
In previous posts I’ve addressed my university’s interest in building partnerships with the city of Denver and some of the barriers that impede interdisciplinary teaching and research on campus. The prospects for better partnerships and interdisciplinary work on a host […]
Bill Adams identifies ten rules that incorporate some of the original Smart Growth Principles while punching up those that urge greater respect for the character, identity, and established planning processes of an existing community. He also adds a “Bonus” 11th […]
Now that the dust has apparently settled from the exchange in The Daily Beast (Kotkin’s opening salvo is here and Florida’s response is here) it’s useful to ask what’s been learned. I think the short answer is “not much.” These […]
The big stuff is covered by a recent article in the journal Cities by geographers Keith Ratner of Salem State University and Andy Goetz of the University of Denver. Ratner and Goetz provide a comprehensive look at transit oriented development […]
My title is that of a public lecture I gave the other day at the Aurora History Museum. My first speaking visit to the Aurora museum was about underground archaeology at the Ludlow Tent City; this one was about “above […]
The papers presented at last year’s “Contours of The City” Conference held in Bologna, Italy are being prepared for publication. I’ve posted my paper on New Urbanist infill developments in Denver to the Papers page of this website. It’s also […]
The College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Colorado at Denver is hosting a spring lecture series on “Design in the Public Interest & Alternative Forms of Practice.” Last week Ellen Dunham-Jones kicked things off with a lecture […]
My title is inspired by an excellent New Year’s Eve 2012 piece posted on New Geography by Richey Piiparinen (also posted here) that questions the “livability” focus of much urban development over the last few years. More about that below. […]
Placemaking talk is everywhere these days. So too is “creative class” talk. Richard Florida—formulator of the creative class concept—combines them in a recent essay for Urban Land. Many people are on board with the notion that quality of place has […]
In a post at Better! Cities&Towns and also PlaceShakers and NewsMakers Howard Blackson succinctly summarizes what he considers the 5 basic elements of neighborhood planning, pitched as the “5 Cs”: 1. Complete: a mix of uses (allowing living, working, playing, lounging, eating, […]