It has become clear over the past few years that in the face of climate change and increasing environmental, economic, and social pressures, sustainable development is becoming a vital issue for cities in Europe and around the world. Unfortunately, traditional gray infrastructure and technology-driven solutions, which continue to dominate urban development, might not cut it. …
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 …
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 …
In the past decades, the term “smart city” has become an all-encompassing catchphrase to capture the notion of using information technology and the Internet of Things to govern areas of city governance such as transportation, energy consumption, social and virtual connectivity, services provision and democratic transparency. True enough, the term is so much of a …
“Doers, no matter what industry they come from, need to come together more often to share their experiences and know-how, draw basic infrastructures to make their work impactful, reach more of the public, do ultimately more good things and make the world better,” said Andreea Iager Tako, one of the founders of PLAI festival in …
The Anglican Church of Hong Kong has just been offered an Award of Excellence by UNESCO, in its Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The project called “The Blue House Cluster Project” is the first of its kind to win this UNESCO award, mainly due to its extensive preservation efforts. In this sense, both the …
The old central railway station in Oberhausen was designed in the Bauhaus style, with clean lines and a boxy clock tower. Once the center of a busy industrial district fostering an enormous steel factory, Oberhausen represented the heart of Germany’s industrial might. Today, the factory is gone, many of the surrounding buildings are largely unused, and …
One of the most polluted cities of Italy is Naples (or Napoli), and it is currently facing a multitude of environmental and infrastructural issues. The waste crisis, the streets full of potholes, the unbreathable air, the high pollution and the congestion all affect the development of the city and, implicitly, its citizens. Naples is renowned for …
The Capital of Thailand is sinking, and it has been sinking for quite a while now. Sources argue that, despite authorities and people in charge being completely aware of the problem and despite more and more serious warnings from researchers, little to no action has been taken so far. The time frame for the risk …
Most people are familiar with traditional forms of giving and philanthropy. On a small level this might look like volunteering work hours and donating a percentage of your income to a charity or nonprofit of your choice. On a larger scale we see philanthropy take shape through foundations and corporate giving. They are models that …