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Urban Research Unit
Posted on: 31 January 2013
By: mackene
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Grimshaw and Futurecity have announced the launch of their Urban Research Unit (URU). This is a one-year research project which seeks to influence the architecture, masterplanning, public realm, and the external relationships needed to design new urban spaces of scale, ambition and quality. Established in New York and London, this joint initiative will consider and challenge the conventional approach used to plan and develop contemporary urban centres. URU will develop a toolkit of key issues and considerations to be applied as New York and London’s urban environments prepare for the future.
The city at eye level: Lessons for street plinths
Posted on: 28 January 2013
By: mackene
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Rotterdam/ Amsterdam- based urban planning firm, Stipo B.V has issued a new, a collaborative effort of five editors and 43 professional contributors from the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Demark, USA, UK and Germany, It examines the concepts, philosophy, and strategies behind planning the ground floors (“plinths”) of urban environments. Interviews, case studies, and first-‐hand stories highlight important examples of best practices from cities in the Netherlands (in particular, Rotterdam) as well as Copenhagen, Antwerp, San Francisco, and elsewhere.
Freiburg: City of vision
Posted on: 23 January 2013
By: mackene
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The City of Freiburg is often called Germany’s “ecological capital” and has been recognized internationally as one of the world’s most livable, sustainable and child-friendly cities. Freiburg has received numerous awards for its leadership in sustainable transportation planning, promotion of walking and biking, traffic calming mechanisms, human scale mixed-use development, renewable energy, protection of nature, and sustainability.
Proposal for urban regeneration of the Suburb ZEN, Palermo, Italy
Posted on: 23 January 2013
By: mackene
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The Social Housing district Z.E.N. in Palermo has been described as one of the most dangerous and “criminogenic” neighbourhoods in Italy. This paper presents the problems and the articulation of the project for the urban regeneration of an inhuman social housing district into a healthy place, a kind of project to be considered a pilot project for the regeneration of all the dangerous and unliveable suburbs, as well as for reinvigorating local economies.
Vauxhall: The missing link competition
Posted on: 17 January 2013
By: mackene
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Design ideas are being sought from urban designers, landscape designers and architects to improve the public realm in Vauxhall, south London. The RIBA London Vauxhall – The Missing Link International Design Ideas Competition is being launched with Vauxhall One, the new Business Improvement District (BID) for the area, and is looking for a designers or multi-disciplinary teams to suggest ideas to improve and enhance the public realm in Vauxhall, providing the ‘Missing Link’ between the New US Embassy Quarter and London’s South Bank. The RIBA says the competition is also open to urban design and architecture students. The closing date for Stage 1 submissions is 12 March 2013.
Responsive Environments
Posted on: 17 January 2013
By: mackene
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The latest video on Urbannous is a presentation by Professor Ian Bentley, one of the authors of Responsive environments, looking at aspects of the cultural context, preparation and impact of the book.
‘Fortress Britain’: high security, insecurity and the challenge of preventing harm
Posted on: 11 January 2013
By: mackene
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Secured by Design is a crime-prevention initiative based on the principles of “designing out crime” launched in 1989. This study, published by the New Economics Foundation think-tank, argues that the application of Secured by Design standards can “create very high security environments which can appear threatening”. According to the report, there is “scant evidence” that the spread of gating, CCTV and defensible space strategies create safe, cohesive and trusting communities.
Reducing sign clutter
Posted on: 4 January 2013
By: mackene
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The Department for Transport has published advice on the removal of unnecessary traffic signs to highway authorities in Great Britain.
How a high-rise craze is ruining London’s skyline
Posted on: 4 December 2012
By: mackene
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This article, which appeared in the Observer newspaper of 2 December 2012, argues that most of the 20-plus towers being built or breaking ground in London are of inferior quality and fail to meet guidelines. The author asks what has happened to the planning system, and where is all the money coming from?
DC: The walk up wake-up call
Posted on: 3 December 2012
By: mackene
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This research takes a look at Washington, D.C., a national pioneer in walkable urban places, to identify where development has and will take place, and the economic and social impact it will have.
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