Posts in the 'Green Growth' category
Copenhagen, Denmark, is welcoming for both pedestrians and bikers because of the people-centered urban design principles that Jan Gehl spearheaded. Photo by Justin Swan/Flickr.
Urbanism Hall of Fame: Jan Gehl Integrates Humanity Into Urban Design
This is the fourth entry in the Urbanism Hall of Fame series, exclusive to TheCityFix. This series is intended to inform people about the leading paradigms surrounding sustainable transport and urban planning and the thinkers behind them. By presenting their many ...
The pedestrianization project in the Historic Peninsula of Istanbul, Turkey, has created vibrant thoroughfares that has allowed the city to compromise between preserving culture and meeting the mobility needs of its growing populace. Photo by Gulsen Oczan/Flickr.
Peninsulas and public spaces: The pedestrianization of Istanbul
Istanbul, Turkey, has stood at the center of the Eastern Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire. It has acted as a central hub of political history and artistic creation for some 20 centuries, with remnants of the ...
Quality, user-friendly public transport systems provide a viable alternative to the private car and help build livable, accessible cities. Photo by Alejandro Luna/EMBARQ Mexico.
People-oriented Cities: Three keys to quality public transport
Quality, user-friendly public transport systems provide a viable alternative to the private car and help build livable, accessible cities. Photo by Alejandro Luna/EMBARQ Mexico. The “People-oriented Cities” series – exclusive to TheCityFix and Insights – is an exploration of how ...
Japan's shotengais - partly enclosed markets - succeed both because of their proximity to transport and the unique, tightly knit communities they foster. Photo by Michael Vito/Flickr.
Friday Fun: Japan’s shotengais show connectivity and community are key to commercial success
Even as malls are declining as social spaces in the United States, shotengais (商店街) – pedestrianized business districts covered with translucent roofs – remain a part of everyday life in Japanese cities. Shotengais are generally located near transport hubs and ...
Lima's human-scale architecture and pedestrian-friendly roads make it a world leader in sustainable development. Recognizing this, we have chosen them to be the host of the Google Hangout session “Urban Development and Sustainable Transport in Latin America: Lessons Learned.” Photo by Mckay Savage/Flickr.
Join this Google Hangout on sustainable cities for World Environment Day
We all have ideas for how to make our cities better places to live. Whether it’s more tree-lined streets, better infrastructure for cycling and walking, or safe access to public transport for all city dwellers regardless of gender, it’s not ...
Transit-oriented development strategies can help urban areas develop sustainably, uniting land use, transport planning, and urban design to create more people-oriented cities. Pictured: Small businesses and pedestrians at a hub near Mexico City's Metrobús bus rapid transit (BRT) system. Photo by Justin Swan/Flickr.
People-oriented Cities: Demystifying transit-oriented development
The “People-oriented Cities” series – exclusive to TheCityFix and WRI Insights – is an exploration of how cities can grow to become more sustainable and livable through transit-oriented development (TOD). The nine-part series will address different urban design techniques and trends ...
Jaime Lerner's vision for Curitiba, Brazil, included creating a connected, sustainable city that would be accessible to all. Photo by EMBARQ/Flickr.
Urbanism Hall of Fame: Jaime Lerner – The architect of Curitiba
This is the third entry in the Urbanism Hall of Fame series, exclusive to TheCityFix. This series is intended to inform people about the leading paradigms surrounding sustainable transport and urban planning and the thinkers behind them. By presenting their ...
Taxi bus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Photo by Overseas Development Institute/Flickr.
Friday Fun: Community building through skateboarding in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa. In fact, it’s population has almost tripled since 1970. In its rapid race towards development, little space was left for parks, little consideration was ...
Cities look for ways to use social networks and mobile applications to engage the younger generation in the planning process. Photo by Fullbridge Program/Flickr.
The new generation of participatory planning for today’s cities
We live in a world where four out of five millennials prefer to live in walkable places with a variety of commuting options, a world where people want to drive less and socialize more. However, while the next generation’s desires ...
Surrounding transport systems subtly shape the patterns of interaction within public spaces. Photo by Dan Nguyen/Flickr.
Friday Fun: Three cities demonstrate the role of transport in shaping public space
Public spaces function as city halls, entertainment epicenters, informal meeting places, and cultural classrooms for cities. When thinking about what makes a successful public gathering point, things like architecture, historic monuments, and the people within the space come quickly to ...
Mumbai India's skywalks have been a symbol of poor planning for the city, but with public engagement and key design initiatives, the skywalk still has the potential to increase access for the residents of the city. Photo by TheMumbaiflyover/Flickr.
A story of demand and dissent for Mumbai’s skywalks
Mumbai, India’s skywalk project was meant to provide better connectivity and accessibility for pedestrians in the city. The project – a joint initiative of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the Maharshtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) – ...
China's new urban plan seeks to build competitive, livable cities while combatting the rising phenomena of congestion, air pollution, and sprawl. Photo by Rob Chan/Flickr.
Preparing for the urban billion: “New-type” urbanization in China
While cities are drivers of economic growth, this prosperity does not always come naturally. The fate of a city lies in its ability to balance the positives of dense, connected communities – mobility, accessibility, and innovation chief among them – ...
Trees bring a multitude of benefits to cities, helping the environment as well as residents' quality of life. Photo by Tristan Higbee/Flickr.
Urban trees boost quality of life for city dwellers around the world
Trees often fade into the background of what people understand as the city, yet they bring immense value – including environmental benefits like filtering water run-off and cleaning the air as well as increasing health and quality of life – ...
Participants at the seventh World Urban Forum crafted the The Medellin Declaration, which advocates for placing equity at the center of sustainable urban development. Photo by Mariana Gil/Flickr.
Why we need sustainable urbanization: A response to the Medellín Declaration
Over 22,000 attendees gathered in Medellín, Colombia for the Seventh World Urban Forum (WUF7) from April 5 – 11, 2014, sharing ideas, experiences, and challenges for creating more sustainable and equitable cities. The conclusion of the WUF7 saw the release ...
Researchers find strong correlations between access to green space and increased levels of physical health and happiness. Photo by Mark Carter/Flickr.
Urban green space makes people happier than money
As much as cities can be drivers of economic and social progress, sometimes it’s downright stressful to live amid the hustle and bustle of today’s urban centers. To escape this stress, many urban residents take refuge in green public spaces, ...
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