Architects form the University of British Columbia are calling on cities to "go wild" -- mainly by integrating ecological features into the cityscape to make it more self-contained. The result would be both sustainable and exciting, they say.
"Their proposal is based on seven tenets that run the gamut from buildings that multitask as homes, offices, farms and reefs to facades reshaped with warps, folds and hollows."
"The hypothetical result of this schematic approach, say Fujita and Soules, is a future city that's not only ecologically self-contained, but also much more exciting to live in."
"The EcoMet tenets can be applied to any generic modern metropolis, but use Vancouver as a laboratory and inspiration, partly because Fujita and Soules live and work here. The city also has plenty of raw material close by, what with all the stray coyotes and nearby marine life."
"What's more -- and there's no polite way to put this -- Vancouver could really use the help: it has become an architectural monoculture, the urban equivalent of a tree farm."
Read the full story: Is Your City Boring? Make It Wild
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet
Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.
LAX SkyLink opening delayed again, contractor won’t commit to new deadline
The project was supposed to open its doors to the public in 2023.
Caltrain may slash over one-third of its stations
If Bay Area voters reject two transit tax measures, Caltrain, BART and AC Transit will see steep service cuts.
A 'dangerous' precedent: North Carolina successfully pressures communities into voting for toll roads
Two mayors resigned from the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization after it voted in favor of the toll roads.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello