Human beings are not always rational thinkers, but the decisions we each make as individuals collectively impact the shape and form of our cities. Taking the car as opposed to walking. Dumping waste as opposed to segregating it. Leaving the lights on rather than turning them off etc. These tiny decisions that take less than … Continue reading
In the early 1990’s, the cleaning authorities at the Amsterdam airport needed to address a hygiene issue. They were struggling with attempts to reduce urinal spillage and splash-back in the men’s washrooms, but nothing seemed to do the trick until an etched house fly came along. Aad Kieboom, the Amsterdam airport manager, decided to put … Continue reading
FEATURE REPORT/ ARTICLE OF THE WEEK ‘Urban Sanity: Understanding Urban Mental Health Impacts and How to Create Saner, Happier Cities’ Authored by Todd Litman A popular myth says urban living threatens happiness and sanity.As more people migrate towards urban areas,are such stories credible?Todd Litman provides research to understand urban mental health.Also,he discusses about better designed neighbourhoods … Continue reading
FEATURE REPORT/ ARTICLE OF THE WEEK ‘Bridging the gap between architecture/city planning and urban noise control’ Authored by Gemma Maria Echevarria Sanchez, Timothy Van Renterghem, Dick Botteldooren This research article shows how SOUND can be an important component in planning and design.A holistic approach is applied to assess the effect of urban design on citizen’s perception of road … Continue reading
FEATURE REPORT/ ARTICLE OF THE WEEK ‘The new Urban Agenda can strengthen land policies-with some caution’ Authored by Philipp Horn The New Urban Agenda, a 20-year vision was adopted by nations worldwide at the UN Habitat III conference held in Quito in October,2016. The agenda has been discussed, debated and scrutinized by researchers and experts from across the globe. Philipp … Continue reading
FEATURE REPORT/ ARTICLE OF THE WEEK ‘How to Host the Olympics and Actually Improve Your City’s Transit’ Authored by Aarian Marshall Every two years, cities around the world make bids to the International Olympic Commission (IOC) to host the Olympic Games. Any city that wants to host the Olympic Games puts in its name to the IOC … Continue reading
FEATURE REPORT/ ARTICLE OF THE WEEK ‘The graveyard of the Earth’: inside City 40, Russia’s deadly nuclear secret’ Authored by Samira Goetschel Russia’s Secret City 40 Is A Prison Of Nuclear Waste And Death. If that doesnt grab your attention, read on. At the perimeter of the city, a sign warns people not to enter the town … Continue reading
FEATURE REPORT/ ARTICLE OF THE WEEK ‘”Pokemon Go” is Quietly helping People Fall in Love with Their Cities’ Authored by Mark Wilson Who would have thought that it would take a smart phone game to get people off their chairs and outdoors? Pokemon Go, an augmented reality mobile game, is barely a week old, and is all … Continue reading
FEATURE REPORT/ ARTICLE OF THE WEEK ‘Divided Cities: South Africa’s Apartheid Legacy Photographed by Drone’ Authored by Hout Bay/Imizamo Yethu Pictures communicate so much more than words. They tell untold stories that are sometimes hard to express in any other way. Johnny Millers, an American photographer, uses a drone to take aerial view photographs of South African … Continue reading
FEATURE REPORT/ ARTICLE OF THE WEEK ‘Darkness is a luxury not granted to Britain’s council estates’ Authored by Mona Sloane If we were to think of access to light as a commodity, would stocking up on it imply some have it better than others? Or is darkness a luxury to be afforded by the elite? … Continue reading