Thursday, September 29, 2016
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Land use affects exercise levels
"Four land use factors were found to be directly and independently significant with respect to exercise. In each case, the greater the presence of the land use characteristic, the more the subjects engaged in physical activity, on average:
- Residential density. It takes a critical mass of homes in a neighborhood to support economically viable shops and amenities within walking distance.
- Intersection density. Well-connected streets tend to shorten travel distances and put more likely destinations within walking distance.
- Public transport density. More transit stops within walking distance make it more likely that residents have transit options and will elect to use them.
- Access to parks. Parks serve not only as places where people exercise but also as destinations people walk to and from, getting exercise as they do."
Innovation in architecture
"Vancouver city council has referred to public hearing a proposed condo tower that will redefine the downtown skyline."
"With its distinctive curved silhouette, the 43-storey building will be a development by Westbank Projects Corp. The high-rise, planned for the southeast corner of Alberni and Cardero streets, has been designed by Kengo Kuma, a Japanese architect who will be creating a new stadium in Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics. An urban-design analysis by city staff notes that the building form constitutes a “recognizable new benchmark for architectural creativity”.
from: http://www.straight.com/news/795631/westbank-plans-new-tower-curved-silhouette-downtown-vancouver
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Monday, September 19, 2016
Friday, September 16, 2016
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Predicting weather
A new tool for BIM? A new "stunning interactive website, that allows you to see global wind and weather patterns."
from: https://www.windyty.com/?rain,43.936,-127.250,4
and: http://brilliantmaps.com/wind-map/
P.S. Want to know what BIM means? Check this out:
http://www.curbed.com/2016/7/11/12149096/architecture-glossary-architect-terms
from: https://www.windyty.com/?rain,43.936,-127.250,4
and: http://brilliantmaps.com/wind-map/
P.S. Want to know what BIM means? Check this out:
http://www.curbed.com/2016/7/11/12149096/architecture-glossary-architect-terms
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Both sides of superblocks
"Modern cities are ruled by cars. Streets are designed for them; bikers, pedestrians, vendors, hangers-out, and all other forms of human life are pushed to the perimeter in narrow lanes or sidewalks. Truly shared spaces are confined to parks and the occasional plaza. This is such a fundamental reality of cities that we barely notice it anymore."
"Rather than all traffic being permitted on all (nine) streets between and among those blocks, cordon off a perimeter and keep through traffic, freight, and city buses on that. In the interior (of that superblock), allow only local vehicles, traveling at very low speeds, under 10 mph. And make all the interior streets one-way loops (see the arrows on the green streets below), so none of them serve through streets."
from: http://www.vox.com/2016/8/4/12342806/barcelona-superblocks
"Rather than all traffic being permitted on all (nine) streets between and among those blocks, cordon off a perimeter and keep through traffic, freight, and city buses on that. In the interior (of that superblock), allow only local vehicles, traveling at very low speeds, under 10 mph. And make all the interior streets one-way loops (see the arrows on the green streets below), so none of them serve through streets."
from: http://www.vox.com/2016/8/4/12342806/barcelona-superblocks
It is an interesting idea but in the past, planners have tried to design cities without superblocks. On one hand, the plan below of the Hudson Yards maintains the street grid and fronting the buildings to the street, but some developers defend superblocks - "while it may be a disservice to the city to have a large, island-like superblock - traffic flow is disrupted, walking and bicycling trips are made more difficult -- to the developer, a superblock allows for wide floor plates, campus-like settings and a level of land use control that would not otherwise be possible."
from: http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/02/22/lets-chop-up-superblocks/
However, according to a ULI article, "developers in China are accustomed to developing superblocks, which can house thousands of people, largely cut off from the surrounding city. “Five thousand units [of residential space] creates fear and alienation because people don’t know each other, kids don’t know each other,” Calthorpe said. And that fear leads people to wall off their superblocks, creating private courtyards and other amenities solely for the use of residents, much like gated communities in the United States." Peter Calthorpe "urged development of Asian cities at a more human, walkable scale, replacing massive two-way streets with one-way street couplets that carry more traffic more efficiently."
However, according to a ULI article, "developers in China are accustomed to developing superblocks, which can house thousands of people, largely cut off from the surrounding city. “Five thousand units [of residential space] creates fear and alienation because people don’t know each other, kids don’t know each other,” Calthorpe said. And that fear leads people to wall off their superblocks, creating private courtyards and other amenities solely for the use of residents, much like gated communities in the United States." Peter Calthorpe "urged development of Asian cities at a more human, walkable scale, replacing massive two-way streets with one-way street couplets that carry more traffic more efficiently."
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Free libraries or not?
The little lending library trend has been popping up all over cities and town within the last few years. However they have now hit a snag.
"A Little Free Library is a “take a book, return a book” free book exchange. They come in many shapes and sizes, but the most common version is a small wooden box of books. Anyone may take a book or bring a book to share. Little Free Library book exchanges have a unique, personal touch. There is an understanding that real people are sharing their favorite books with their community; Little Libraries have been called “mini-town squares.”
"These pocket libraries not only encourage people to read—they're open 24 hours a day every day of the year, and there are no library fines to deal with—but they also foster a sense of community, providing a meeting spot for neighbours to connect and share their favourite books."
from: http://www.straight.com/blogra/570356/mapping-vancouvers-neighborhood-book-exchanges
But "I wish that I was writing merely to extol this trend. Alas, a subset of Americans are determined to regulate every last aspect of community life. (...) The Leawood City Council said it had received a couple of complaints about Spencer Collins' Little Free Library. They dubbed it an "illegal detached structure" and told the Collins' they would face a fine if they did not remove the Little Free Library from their yard by June 19."
"Having written previously about crackdowns on parkway vegetable gardens, I knew the city's argument is that you can't do anything that might block emergency vehicle access, obstruct motorists' views, impede pedestrians or make it hard to open car doors. But the Tenn-Mann Library, at the intersection of a four-way stop, does none of those things. And I can't help but point out that a city tree in front of Cook's house, on the parkway strip, has untamed roots that have lifted the sidewalk a few inches, posing a clear and obvious obstruction and tripping hazard. The city pays out millions of dollars in trip-and-fall settlements every year, and last time I checked, tree-trimming was on a 45-year cycle—no joke. But put up a lending library and the city is at your door in a jiffy."
"A Little Free Library is a “take a book, return a book” free book exchange. They come in many shapes and sizes, but the most common version is a small wooden box of books. Anyone may take a book or bring a book to share. Little Free Library book exchanges have a unique, personal touch. There is an understanding that real people are sharing their favorite books with their community; Little Libraries have been called “mini-town squares.”
from: http://www.straight.com/blogra/570356/mapping-vancouvers-neighborhood-book-exchanges
But "I wish that I was writing merely to extol this trend. Alas, a subset of Americans are determined to regulate every last aspect of community life. (...) The Leawood City Council said it had received a couple of complaints about Spencer Collins' Little Free Library. They dubbed it an "illegal detached structure" and told the Collins' they would face a fine if they did not remove the Little Free Library from their yard by June 19."
"Having written previously about crackdowns on parkway vegetable gardens, I knew the city's argument is that you can't do anything that might block emergency vehicle access, obstruct motorists' views, impede pedestrians or make it hard to open car doors. But the Tenn-Mann Library, at the intersection of a four-way stop, does none of those things. And I can't help but point out that a city tree in front of Cook's house, on the parkway strip, has untamed roots that have lifted the sidewalk a few inches, posing a clear and obvious obstruction and tripping hazard. The city pays out millions of dollars in trip-and-fall settlements every year, and last time I checked, tree-trimming was on a 45-year cycle—no joke. But put up a lending library and the city is at your door in a jiffy."
Sustainable energy generation
"Stranded from mainland British Columbia’s main electricity grid by some 100 kilometres off the Hecate Strait, Haida Gwaii relies mostly on diesel generators to keep the lights on, which is something B.C. Hydro and island communities would like to change — and a local company wants to help."
“The main objective is to get us off (burning) 10 million litres per year of diesel (to generate electricity) for 2,500 people,” said Clyde Greenough, Yourbrook’s business manager and a partner in the venture. Yourbrook, which is spearheaded by a group of local entrepreneurs, is pitching a concept for harnessing the powerful tides in Masset Inlet to drive a separate hydroelectric system."
from: http://myscienceacademy.org/2016/05/19/germany-generated-so-much-renewable-energy-it-paid-people-to-use-it/
“The main objective is to get us off (burning) 10 million litres per year of diesel (to generate electricity) for 2,500 people,” said Clyde Greenough, Yourbrook’s business manager and a partner in the venture. Yourbrook, which is spearheaded by a group of local entrepreneurs, is pitching a concept for harnessing the powerful tides in Masset Inlet to drive a separate hydroelectric system."
and: "On May 8—a particularly sunny and windy day—Germany’s renewable energy mix of solar, wind, hydropower and biomass generated so much power that it met 88 percent of the country’s total electricity demand, or 55 GW out of 63 GW being consumed."
Monday, September 12, 2016
How do we build a place which works for all?
"Globally, the United Nations estimates that the number of humans populating the planet in 2100 will range from as few as 6.2 billion—almost a billion less than today—to as many as 15.8 billion on the high end."
from: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/human-overpopulation-still-an-issue-of-concern/
Friday, September 9, 2016
Population densities
In the same vain as this post, have a look at these maps for Australia and Europe.
First, Australia:
"The 3 areas in blue above, contain roughly 50% of Australia’s population, which means that the area in white contains the other 50%."
from: http://brilliantmaps.com/50-50-oz/
"The 3 areas in blue above, contain roughly 50% of Australia’s population, which means that the area in white contains the other 50%."
from: http://brilliantmaps.com/50-50-oz/
and Europe:
"As difficult as it is to believe, the black and blue areas above, each have exactly the same number of people living in the them."
from: http://brilliantmaps.com/european-population-density/
"As difficult as it is to believe, the black and blue areas above, each have exactly the same number of people living in the them."
from: http://brilliantmaps.com/european-population-density/
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Light pollution
"Lost in Light, a short film on how light pollution affects the view of the night skies. Shot mostly in California, the movie shows how the view gets progressively better as you move away from the lights. Finding locations to shoot at every level of light pollution was a challenge and getting to the darkest skies with no light pollution was a journey in itself. Here’s why I think we should care more."
"The night skies remind us of our place in the Universe. Imagine if we lived under skies full of stars. That reminder we are a tiny part of this cosmos, the awe and a special connection with this remarkable world would make us much better beings - more thoughtful, inquisitive, empathetic, kind and caring. Imagine kids growing up passionate about astronomy looking for answers and how advanced humankind would be, how connected and caring we’d feel with one another, how noble and adventurous we’d be. How compassionate with fellow species on Earth and how one with Nature we’d feel. Imagine a world where happiness of the soul is more beautiful. Ah, I feel so close to inner peace. I can only wonder how my and millions of other lives would have changed."
"But in reality, most of us live under heavily light polluted skies and some have never even seen the Milky Way. We take the skies for granted and are rather lost in our busy lives without much care for the view of the stars."
"The night skies remind us of our place in the Universe. Imagine if we lived under skies full of stars. That reminder we are a tiny part of this cosmos, the awe and a special connection with this remarkable world would make us much better beings - more thoughtful, inquisitive, empathetic, kind and caring. Imagine kids growing up passionate about astronomy looking for answers and how advanced humankind would be, how connected and caring we’d feel with one another, how noble and adventurous we’d be. How compassionate with fellow species on Earth and how one with Nature we’d feel. Imagine a world where happiness of the soul is more beautiful. Ah, I feel so close to inner peace. I can only wonder how my and millions of other lives would have changed."
"But in reality, most of us live under heavily light polluted skies and some have never even seen the Milky Way. We take the skies for granted and are rather lost in our busy lives without much care for the view of the stars."
"How does light pollution affect the night skies and quite possibly our lives?"
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
My love for story maps continues
World climate zones map - interactive:
from: http://staridasgeo.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html
from: http://staridasgeo.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Quick Links
How popup parks "revitalize his neighborhood by finding an unloved space, breaking some rules, and building a park. One weekend on a deserted avenue, the group put up a pop-up coffee shop, turned a vacant garage into a kids’ art studio, and filled the street with flower markets and potted trees. The result? The pop-up park became a self-fulfilling prophecy as people started returning to that neighborhood, filling in the vacant spots with more permanent visions of the weekend-long pop-up park. A forgotten neighborhood finally turned into a space with real potential."
from: https://ceosforcities.org/the-lasting-benefits-of-pop-up-parks/
"Public spaces are an important asset to our cities. They provide people many opportunities to come together and engage with the community. If public spaces are successful they are inclusive of the diversity of groups present in our cities and create a social space for everyone in the society to participate in."
from: https://parksify.com/the-importance-of-public-spaces-5bb49ba6c000#.b5nj1rltl
from: http://designtaxi.com/news/387396/Aerial-Photographs-Reveal-The-Hidden-Symmetry-Of-Urban-Planning-In-NYC-And-LA/
from: https://ceosforcities.org/the-lasting-benefits-of-pop-up-parks/
"Public spaces are an important asset to our cities. They provide people many opportunities to come together and engage with the community. If public spaces are successful they are inclusive of the diversity of groups present in our cities and create a social space for everyone in the society to participate in."
from: https://parksify.com/the-importance-of-public-spaces-5bb49ba6c000#.b5nj1rltl
from: http://designtaxi.com/news/387396/Aerial-Photographs-Reveal-The-Hidden-Symmetry-Of-Urban-Planning-In-NYC-And-LA/
"Green deficit - As part of developing a broad plan for downtown development, city staff have been looking at population growth and at how land is currently being used. Among staff conclusions: there is a deficit of downtown parkland, and in particular, of larger parks.
According to their research, there are 121 parks in the area that total about six per cent of the land, but almost three-quarters of those parks are small (defined as less than 0.5 hectares) and "typically considered to be parkettes."
Thursday, September 1, 2016
Quick Links
Smart city components:
from: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2016/jul/07/urban-art-painted-traffic-control-boxes-st-johns-ian-gidge
street fun:
from: https://www.building.ca/gallery/dance-floor/
and finding home:
from: http://www.inavateonthenet.net/news/article/wifi-birdhouses-power-amsterdam-smart-cities
Bicycle highways!
from: http://www.citylab.com/commute/2016/07/why-paris-is-building-highways-for-bikes/489341
Bicycle highways!
from: http://www.citylab.com/commute/2016/07/why-paris-is-building-highways-for-bikes/489341
Art in infrastructure:
from: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2016/jul/07/urban-art-painted-traffic-control-boxes-st-johns-ian-gidge
street fun:
from: https://www.building.ca/gallery/dance-floor/
and finding home:
In an era when people are flooding to cities in record numbers, more people are looking to find ‘home’ in places where they didn’t grow up. So how do you know when you’ve made it?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)