How slum residents in India are redesigning their future homes
How do you successfully help residents of a slum move into housing that improves their quality of life while maintaining a strong sense of community? You let them in on the design process and hear them out. At least that is what is happening in an informal settlement in the Indian city of Read More...
Why we need more rooftop gardens in a changing climate
As you may know from personal experience, summers tend to be much hotter in the city than in the countryside. This phenomenon is called the “urban heat island” effect. This difference in temperature happens in large part because urbanized areas have a greater concentration of buildings and Read More...
These urban playgrounds might be why Scandinavians are so happy
We’ve written a good deal about “what makes people the happiest” at The Optimist Daily. We’ve enjoyed examining the lifestyle aspects of the Blue Zone countries or the joyous aspects of Finnish culture. While looking into Scandinavia, though, it’s important to check out their notion of Read More...
This is how strip malls could provide a solution to the housing crisis
From San Jose, California, until San Francisco along El Camino Real you can find stretches a six-lane road outfitted with an endless stretch of strip malls and enormous parking lots. In its current state, the street doesn’t necessarily welcome pedestrians to walk alongside it, as it has been Read More...
What cities around the world can learn from Europe’s greenest capital
While an increasing number of major cities are striving to become more climate-friendly, one particular European capital stands out with its sustainability efforts so far. It’s no other than Estonia’s capital, Tallinn, whose notable climate measures have won it the title of the European Green Read More...
Berlin plans to have the world’s largest car-free urban area
In recent years, many cities around the world have become much more aware of the plight of designing our urban spaces with a car-centric mentality. In Europe in particular, cities like Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, and Stockholm are well ahead when it comes to reclaiming urban space from cars in Read More...
Paris set to transform Champs-Élysées into huge garden
The Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets in the world. In its heyday, it was a premier shopping destination and even called “the world’s most beautiful avenue.” Many top companies still fight for retail space along the street and it still offers stunning views of the Arc de Read More...
Barcelona’s bus fleet will soon run on biofuel made from sewage sludge
In recent years, Barcelona has made headlines with a number of successful urban planning initiatives. One of the most famous ones is the superblock — a car-free zone that prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists by diverting traffic to major roads outside the city center. Greener Read More...
Planners reimagine former coal power plant into a 15-minute neighborhood
As countries around the world make net-zero pledges in a bid to tackle climate change, many are phasing out coal as part of their green energy transition. This means that there’s an increasing need to find new uses for former or soon-to-retire coal plants. With that said, there are already a few Read More...
Paris to become a 100% bicycle-friendly city by 2026
As cities are around the world increasingly step away from car-centric urban planning, it’s safe to say that cycling will soon become a primary mode of transportation for a growing number of people. In Paris, at least, that will definitely be the case. Starting this year, Parisians are expected Read More...