Urban living labs as key instruments in sustainable city development

Given the impact of urban lifestyles in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and the fact the global urban population is expected to double within the next decades, we need to design and develop sustainable cities both to stay within planetary boundaries and to enable a good life for billions of future urban residents. Today’s sustainability …

Amsterdam – fewer parking spaces making room for green oasis

Amsterdam transit commissioner Sharon Dijksma announced that the number of people allowed to park in the city center will gradually decrease. At the moment, these people require a permit to access a specific space, but the cost of it will also rise in the near future. The proposed strategy is to reduce this number by 1500 …

How about car-free streets?

Focusing on sustainable mobility As a solution to heavy traffic in the center, followed by a lack of attractiveness in the central area, cities nowadays are turning their traditional streets into pedestrian thoroughfares, this way claiming city’s streets for people. Jane Jacobs, a journalist and great activist that influenced the urban studies of the 20th …

The Revival of Backyards

Cities have recently become so clogged up with people, buildings or cars that they hardly leave any room for the good old fashioned backyard. However, taking a look at these New York brownstone backyards will remind you of the necessity of having a green relaxing place around your home. Green spaces should prevail in urban …

INTERVIEW | Prof. Albert-László Barabási on networks, global inequality and artificial intelligence

UrbanizeHub had the opportunity to meet Prof. Albert-László Barabási, a distinguished professor from the Northeastern University, Central European University and Harvard University. He introduced in 1999 the concept of scale-free networks and proposed the Barabási–Albert model to explain their widespread emergence in natural, technological and social systems, from the cellular telephone to the World Wide Web or online communities.  Author of …

The best way to empower the citizens of the future is empowering ourselves

People engagement is such a trendy word. While it is a powerful tool to get people think and reflect on things of great significance, of things that matter to the city, the country and the international community, it is not a run-of-the-mill stuff that one can easily execute. Why is it so hard to engage …

10 spectacular murals that transformed streets into a mosaic of beauty

A Facebook page known as George Takei Presents recently became viral online for its video that compiled ten stunning art pieces that transformed streets into “things of beauty.” Here are some of these lovely collections: 3D mural (Poznan, Poland). This gigantic mural is a commemoration of the incorporation to Poznan of the historical market town …

Singapore, Barcelona, London notch the top global smart cities list

Which cities in the world today are widely regarded as the best smart cities? What accounts for their success? In a report published by Philips Lighting and Smart CitiesWorld, Singapore, London and Barcelona were named the best smart cities. The reasons behind the choice: Singapore, for its forward-thinking infrastructure including its buildings, transportation and use …