I am not keeping up with my commitment to write more often. I am busy. In addition to my usual advisory work, I am investing a lot of time into three inter-connected initiatives for improving urban life. Interconnected because they are all about improving urban life and providing homes for everyone and everything. How did […]
Creative development in Los Angeles.
Lisbon’s seven hills and waterfront make it visually spectacular. The second oldest capital in Europe, the city has energy. Busy streets and squares, full restaurants, and vibrant night life – the city pulsates. And, the population seems young. All signs of a city on the rise? Earthquake A 1755 earthquake destroyed 85% of the city […]
People living on the street have come to symbolize the global housing crisis but they are only the tip of the iceberg. While the examples of Finland and Houston demonstrate a focussed plan pursued diligently can resolve the housing situation for the chronically homeless, addressing the affordable housing problem is much more complex. Defining Affordability […]
I love to dance. This is not something new for me. I can’t remember when I didn’t like to move to the music. Amongst my memories from my childhood time Cape Breton was watching the adults square dance. And the step dancers who would often accompany themselves on the “bones” or, if like Nathalie MacMaster, […]
Kings Cross, once a thriving industrial and transport centre in London, was effectively closed off to the public by the end of the 20th century. Then in 1996, the decision was made to move the British terminus for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link from Waterloo to St-Pancras. The landowner saw a re-development opportunity for […]
I have postulated that cities and towns evolve. That towns and villages first grow in areas where the basics to support life were plentiful. Typically, that means good agricultural land and good access to water. Other valuable considerations include safety, and resilience. The bonus – access to trade routes. Walt Disney and the Fully Formed […]
A Visit from Saint Nicholas by Jonathan Potter – Christmas Poem 2022 ‘Twas the first mask-free Christmas, when all through the stores The vaccinated children were spewing their spores;The shoppers were eagerly starting to riotAs the introverts longed for some quarantine quiet. The public healthcare workers were tracing the pathOf the flu and RSV, and […]
Can it be! Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa will be over six days from now! And, in the blink of an eye, the 2023 celebrations will be on the near horizon. Time goes by so quickly as we get older! This year’s seasonal celebrations will be a return to normal after two years of Covid restrictions. […]
I found the last three articles in the “Cities Series” difficult to write because I wanted to get it right. So, I thought I would change it up this week with some blurbs on different kinds of Places to Live. Willowbrook Apartments, Los Angeles Designed by Los Angeles Architect Michael Lehrer, these seven small but […]