“Star Cities: The World’s Best-Known Architects are Turning to Planning” by Joan Ockman – Architect Online Annotated tags: architecture, bilbao_effect, joan_ockman, starchitecture, urbanplanning “Joan Ockman asks: Is a new form of urbanism emerging?” “THE MID-TO LATE ‘90S saw the realization of several colossal redevelopment projects in which superstar architects were called upon to supply window […]
Seattle’s historic contradictions – Crosscut Seattle – Annotated tags: architecture, crosscut, heritage, historic_preservation, knute_berger, seattle Sparked in part by the designation of a “googie” (a Denny’s diner) as a heritage landmark structure (a designation that the deep-pocketed owner, the Benaroya company, is going to fight in court), Berger reports on subsequent repercussions and discussions among […]
The Vancouver Sun published two articles, nearly back-to-back, which make a lot of sense when read in conjunction: on March 22, we read Bob Ransford’s As cities become more complex, our taxes keep rising and on March 24 we read Milo Cernetig’s Approach to social woes a moral failure by all three main B.C. parties. […]
Christopher Hume is on a roll with three articles in today’s Toronto Star. In Urban tragedy unfolding as highrise to erase history, he offers a few (troubling) questions about the impending demolition of some 19th-century Toronto rowhouses slated for demolition so that a new condo tower can take their place. I’m not anti-development (nor is […]
Edmonton: Daunting task for crap detectors Annotated tags: edmonton, todd_babiak, urban_design “Design watchdogs have a lot on their plate” — The Edmonton Journal’s Todd Babaniak weighs in on the all-volunteer Edmonton Design Committee’s effect so far on urban design in that city, and concludes that it’s too bad they couldn’t have gotten started in 1990 […]
Mark Lise wants Victoria to have its own DemoCamp, and he has been busy trying to find a downtown locale that can accommodate it. See his blog entry from Feb.26/08, DemoCampVictoria Chapter for more details. From my urbanist perspective, it’s really important that this event is held downtown, in the city, instead of moving into […]
Tear down a viaduct, and then the wars really begin – Crosscut Seattle – Annotated tags: crosscut, redevelopment, san_francisco, seattle, urban_renewal, viaduct LOL, this sounds like Victoria, BC, too… » The Hidden Jewel of Hull • Spacing Toronto • understanding the urban landscape Annotated tags: spacing.ca, surface_parking_lots, toronto, urban_design, urban_renewal Interview with Marc Dube, “owner […]
Just a pointer to an earlier entry of mine, Victoria Proxemics (April 8, 2007), where I discuss Edward T. Hall’s work a bit, and speculate on Calhoun’s 1960s-era rat experiments. I had to recall the latter because of my entry from Feb.4, 2008, Concrete Plans. So once again, from Victoria Proxemics, just to reiterate that […]
Spacing Toronto published an interesting entry back in November, which I just stumbled across when I read Shawn Micallef‘s entry today, Concrete Toronto: Looking at our city. Today’s entry announces a panel discussion about concrete and Brutalism, taking place tomorrow evening in Toronto. It’s organized around the book, Concrete Toronto, published last fall. I started […]